The Steel Guitar Forum

I don't know if I'm in the correct place or not but I would like to see someone post some info. on pick blocking. All my notes want to run together when I try to speed up my picking. I can do fairly well by slightly lifting the bar but I know this is not the way to do it and I might have a hard time breaking this habit. This is my first time posting and I hope I'm doing it right. Thanks--for any help I might get on this subject. Randy Allen

Randy,

I use pick blocking and palm both about equally. Here's a link to an exercise that decribes in detail a common pick blocking riff. Start off with the Pick Block 2 exercise and play it VERY slowly for a few days. It shows which finger picks and which finger blocks each string:

Pick Blocking Example .

Here another page which compares pick blocking to palm blocking:

Blocking Comparision

I wrote up a short tutorial on palm blocking. If you're interested email me and I'll try to dig it up. In any case, it's very rare to ever lift the bar when playing except for special effects or hammer-ons or hammer-offs. In addition to palm or pick blocking there are times when it is convenient to just slide (not lift) the bar back off of the strings you want to mute and let the left hand mute them.

Greg

Randy where in Ohio do you live? I am like greg and I use both equally but I do it with out thinking, it has alot to do with muscle memory, and haveing someone to show you would help you out by 10 fold! Don't beat yourself up on this, yes it is a very important technique but how does it sound at the amp? I heard there are like 5 types of blocking one is bound to work, yes you can use your bar hand to help out. feel free to email me! carter d10

Thanks A.J. I'm in Columbus Ohio and I also have a Carter D-10 If there are five ways of blocking I sure would like to be able to master at least one of them. Greg says he may have some material that can help me. I didn't realize how helpful the Forum can be. I did not expect such a quick response. You guys are great and I sure appreciate your efforts. Hopefully I can return the favor sometime down the road. Thanks a million. Randy A.

I added a short palm blocking tutorial to my web site to go along with the pick blocking page. There is also a section on PALM BLOCKING versus PICK BLOCKING.

Palm Blocking

Pick Blocking

Palm versus Pick Blocking

Greg

Randy I don't know of all 5 ways that is what I am told, I use a combination myself it isn't to bad, but I need to clean up a little myself. TRy to hunt down Mike Wheeler, I will be in Columbus in may I don't know if I would have extra time when I am there, but maybe if I do we could meet somewhere?

A. J. That would be just the thing I need. Someone to show me just what I'm doing wrong. Give me a holler when you get ready to leave in May and I'll give you directions to my place or whatever.Thanks Again--Later, Randy

Greg.
I too have a terrible time with this whole issue of "blocking". I have printed out some of these..and tried them.. I find that while these look simple..bc.I am so slow in reading the line..counting my frets..and watching my fingers..listening etc..by the time I get to the end fo the line..I forget what this is suppose to sound like. I just don't know a way around this...reading of tablature. I guess there is no simple way..Does everybody have such a problem with this?..looks and sounds so simple when you guys play it..something i'm doing wrong here?..or just run short of patients?
But thanks for your many hours dedicated to helping us..It is appreciated my many...thanks

Richard,

I am not sure whether you are trying to learn palm or pick blocking. I tried many times to learn pick blocking and just gave up. Slowly over time I developed the muscle memory to play these at speed. Stick with it and you will find that you will enjoy playing a lot more when you can get control of the guitar.

Try this:

Just learn the first 4 notes of the sequence so that you can play them from memory. This frees you from looking at the tab as you try to block. Next just pick the string, then block it using your palm or the specified pick for pick blocking. If necessary take 5 seconds per note but just keep doing it over and over. You are looking for a clean sound, not any speed at all at first. Do this for a few weeks, in 5 minute sessions 3 or 4 times per day. Before you know it you will be playing those 4 notes without even thinking about them. A 5 second note interval will become 4, then 3, then 2 then eventually some speed will show up. Be satisfied with slow progress and always walk away from it after a few minutes of frustration, then come back in an hour with a fresh approach and more relaxed hands.

Greg

I found Joe Wrights dvds on the subject to be very helpful. I just wish I could palm block better! but I just seemed to get the hang of pick blocking much faster.

Richard, while I'll be the FIRST to admit that if there is an easier way to do something...Do It!!

Not the case where the Pedal Steel Guitar is concerned. Like Jeff Newman always said. Learn the Steel the right way or you will be setting yourself up for alot of problems in the future. You will have to break alot of bad habits and sometimes they are not always easy to break. Along withe Joe Wright, Jeff has alot of EXCELLANT material
(www.jeffran.com). Re-read what Greg said up above until you have it memorized. Take it nice and SLOW......memorize a little of the Tab at time and then memorize a little more until you have memorized it all. It takes time and you will have to loearn at your own pace. Above all....DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! What a waste that would be. Anyway...The best of luck with your endevors.

Gregg