The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been playing for about 10 or twelve years (strictly non-pedal)and am mostly a palm blocker. Pick blocking has consistently gotten the better of me. Here are some lines from an original tune I'm working on that's given me some blocking problems. How would you guys tackle this?

My inclination is to play the single note lines as Thumb, Index, Middle, Middle, Index Thumb, Middle, Index, Thumb, Middle Index, Thumb. Would most people play them with two fingers? Palm or Pick Block? The double stops are less of a problem ... just need work to play fast and block at the right time. Any advice appreciated.
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C69 Bb69
E---| |------------------------------|------------------------| |-------------------------
C---| |------------------------------|------------------------| |-------------------------
A---| |*-----------------------------|------------------------| |-----OR------------------
G---| |*-------------12--10----------|-----9--------7---------| |-------------------------
E---| |----------12----------10------|--------8--------6------| |-------------------------
C---| |------12------------------10--|-----------7--------5---| |-------------------------


C69 Bb69
E-----------15--13----------|-----12----------10---------| |-------------------------------
C-------16----------14------|---------12----------10-----| |-------------------------------
A---15------------------13--|-------------10----------8--| |------OR DOUBLE STOPS----------
G---------------------------|----------------------------| |-------------------------------
E---------------------------|----------------------------| |-------------------------------
C---------------------------|----------------------------| |-------------------------------


C69 Bb69
E-------12---------------------|--12----------10----------| |------------------------------
C---12--12--19--17--14--10-----|--12--12------10--10------| |------------------------------
A---12------19--17--13--10-----|------12----------10------| |------------------------------
G------------------------------|----------12----------10--| |------------------------------
E------------------------------|----------12----------10--| |------------------------------
C------------------------------|--------------------------| |------------------------------

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 14 August 2001 at 04:13 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 14 August 2001 at 04:14 PM.]</p></FONT>

The nice thing about what you have presented is that you have given yourself many different ways to play basically the same like, this is good. One song may lend itself to one form and another song to another form. You are the winner.

Larry Behm www.aracnet.com/~lcbehm

Thanks, Larry. Just to clarify ... I have no problem executing these simple runs. It's just at the speed I want to play them, they're not quite as clean as I'd like. Outside of things like more practice, I was wondering if pedal players would play these runs with a flat bar and pick block. I tend to play almost all single note stuff with the tip of the bar. I was also wondering if executing runs with 3 fingers helps or hinders speed. Chet & Danny Gatton did it with three fingers and they were fast.

Andy, I think that whether you use the tip of the bar, or never lift the bar from the strings is an "optional" thing.

Some instructors (Jeff for example) teach to NEVER lift the bar. I have tried that, but have been unable to do it effectively due to my background of non-pedal playing using the end of the bar for single string. IMHO good blocking technique makes it "unimportant" which method is used. www.genejones.com