Bruce Bouton's Long Pick Blocking Lick

Alex Cattaneo · Post by **Alex Cattaneo** » 12 Oct 2012 1:53 pm

Have you ever noticed how guys in instructional videos will play one thing really fast and then something else when they play it slow and break it down? Or they'll play something simple and say "then you just tie it all up" and play a bunch of really hip material that's way more involved then what they just explained. Joe Wright does that all the time. Here's some simple chord stuff... and now here's a 4-minute improv packed with goodies... good luck trying to figure it out! Ha ha ha!

Anyhow, here's one from the Homespun Bruce Bouton video. This is how he plays it naturally, when he let's it rip, and it's not quite the same thing as the explanation.

Geoff Watkinson · Post by **Geoff Watkinson** » 12 Oct 2012 5:12 pm

Looks like a note for note tab of the Hal Rugg/Weldon Myrick "one pedal two finger exercise". From way back when.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 12 Oct 2012 6:47 pm

It is. Bruce credits Weldon on his video.

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 13 Oct 2012 6:35 am

Alex, If on just this one "Famous Run", we could get one of the top players to chime in and show us which fingers played which notes, even when played fast. The right way. Maybe how it would be played pick blocked and or palm blocked...

Or maybe that has been done?

Alex Cattaneo · Post by **Alex Cattaneo** » 13 Oct 2012 7:54 am

Yes indeed, Bruce mentions that he got this lick from Weldon and Hal.

Dick, in answer to your question, I think that in the video, Bruce uses only the thumb and middle finger... I usually choose my own fingering, maybe I could write it on this tab.

As for blocking, Bruce says that it's usually a combination of pick blocking and palm blocking...anyhow, he does address this in the video. I just wanted to complement it because this is played really fast and there are no tabs with this particular Homespun release.

Bill Ladd · Post by **Bill Ladd** » 13 Oct 2012 9:42 am

Dale Hansen tabbed one out with fingering and posted back in '09:

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 13 Oct 2012 2:06 pm

Bill that run is slightly different, but plays easily with the indicated thumb/finger.

Actually that is closer to the way I thought the run went...

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 14 Oct 2012 2:20 am

Thanks for posting this. I never had a chance to get this video and sit down and watch it. One thing Bruce is good at ***EDIT( BUT NOT LIMITED TO)***is CLEAN blocking. very stacatoish style which I think sounds very cool you dont hear as much anymore. I usually figure out my own fingering patterns as I learn the lick.

Weldon Myrick "paved the road" for steel playing. What an awsome player he was I'm sure Bruce thinks of him as one of his favorites.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 14 Oct 2012 2:36 am

I think I just found a video where Weldon executes this lick. Click on my link and watch at the 2:10 to 2:15 point and it sounds like he is doing this only sowed down allot to match the tempo of the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPDZx6VHGAw

Ron Funk · Post by **Ron Funk** » 15 Oct 2012 12:39 pm

Good find !
I think he might also be using a quick bit of it at 48-49 seconds and also around 1:25.
As I recall, the (yet hidden to me) intent of the entire lick was to open up doors as to how 'bits and pieces' of the entire lick can be applied.
In Weldon's longer ride thru the lick at 2:10 - 2:15, what chords is he playing the long lick against?

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Bruce Bouton's Long Pick Blocking Lick

Bruce Bouton's Long Pick Blocking Lick

Wouldn't it be nice...

Thanks...