The Steel Guitar Forum

how many of you guys find your right hand drifting up the neck and not staying at the bridge. Im not sure why I do it must be a tone thing but Im just wondering if its normal. another dumb question from West Virgina. Joe

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carter single 10

Hand drift, if that's what you want to call it, is not really a bad thing. I pick at different points at times on purpose. You will get different tone.

And, you do not want your hand over the "bridge" or changer. You need it to the left a little for better tone and sustain. One of the basics that I learned (was told by a pro) when I was starting out on pedal steel was not to hold my hand over the changer. I don't know which fret my picks are usually over but probably around the 20th to 22nd frets.

I AGREE. I MOVE MY HAND UP THE NECK FOR THE MORE MELLOW TONES WHEN THE TUNE NEEDS IT. I DON'T REALLY THINK IT'S ANYTHING TO WORRY ABOUT! MAYBE YOU UNCONSCIOUSLY PREFER THAT TONE AND THAT'S WHY YOU SUDDENLY REALIZE THAT IT'S REALLY HARD TO PICK UP THERE ON THE 8TH FRET!

I HAVE THIS FEELING THOUGH, THAT YOU PROBABLY SOUND PRETTY GOOD WHEREVER YOU'RE PICKING! ---ROGER

One of the points from my first Jerry Byrd Course that has stayed with me was that there is a mellower tone if the string is plucked in the middle. To me that was where I got the Byrd tone most easily and also, to play chimes, you have to be there to do those when using palm harmonics.

I never was one to lock over the pickup but if I wanted the Mooney sound, that is where I got it. IMHO the differences in tone between players may be attributed more to right hand position than we think. Still, it's a good point to ponder over.

Regards, Paul

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>how many of you guys find your right hand drifting up the neck and not staying at the bridge. Im not sure why I do it must be a tone thing but Im just wondering if its normal. another dumb question from West Virgina. Joe
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A good solution for traning your hand against drifting.
Build a construction above your steel that can hold an iron.
Make shure the iron is heated up very well, and place it with the ironing side to the right, just an inch left from the position of your right hand. Do this for a week every time you practise, drifting will stop soon!

JJ

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STEELDAYS 2002
my web-site
my bands CODand TSC<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 30 November 2001 at 10:27 AM.]</p></FONT>

sounds like a job for my old friend Jon Light . . . just replace the Black & Decker with the hot iron, make a few adjustments to the JLThingAMaJig, and you're in bizness . . .




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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Emmons D-10 9x9, 1971 Dobro

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 30 November 2001 at 08:33 AM.]</p></FONT>

<SMALL>Do this for a week every time you practise, drifting will stop soon!</SMALL>

DAY ONE--OUCH!!
DAY TWO--OUCH!!
DAY THREE-OUCH!!
DAY FOUR--COOL!!!
Ray



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Steeling is still legal in Arizona

good point guys, hey I love that green carter really I think its very nice I have a carter but its maroon.
as far as the drifting its not really a bad thing I was just wondering if every one else did the same. Ill get the hot iron out lol

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carter single 10

Joseph, try sitting a little closer to the right-hand side of the guitar (towards the changer), and see if that doesn't eliminate the problem!

My Dekley, which I got when I had been playing for about 6 months, actually has a scratch about 2 inches long in the fretboard below the 2nd string where the fingerpicks hit that spot again and again when my right hand would do just that - drift too far to the left. It took me a long time to get that under control and even now I haven´t fully overcome it yet, but it´s getting better. I force myself to consciously think about the right hand position as often as possible, which is easier now since I don´t have to think about stuff like pedals and knee levers that much anymore - it´s becoming more and more intuitive. Another proof that this instrument takes a long time to learn.
Joe H.

I don't consider changes in right hand placement a bad habit, if it is done intentionally.
I use it to change the tone as Jack, Roger, and Paul have stated.

Tony

I've noticed that my right hand has migrated up the neck over the years but it's been a slow process. I don't know that I would consider it a bad habit. If I play on some of higher frets, I'll move my right hand back toward the bridge. Seems like the tone is little more mellow as you move up the neck.
Speaking of right hand position, it seems that my right palm is faced more toward the strings than it used to be. Not sure why. Maybe I don't do quite as much palm blocking as I to, I dunno.

Ken

Try holding the bar on the first fret, and place your right hand around the third or fourth fret and pick.........it kinda makes it sound like a Telsco electric guitar!!<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Tom Stolaski on 01 December 2001 at 04:50 PM.]</p></FONT>

I place my right hand just so that I can see the pickup, and I try to keep it there. However, I have noticed it drift toward the nut ever so slightly.
Lincoln

I'm moving this to "pedal Steel", where questions about technique are answered.

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