The Steel Guitar Forum

MR BUDDY WHAT DO YOU USE OTHER THAN YOUR GUITAR AND AMP TO GET THE TONE ON YOUR GUITAR THAT YOU GET, OR IS IT JUST YOU AND YOUR APROACH THAT YOU TAKE, I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS THOUSAND TIME'S BUT ONE MORE TIME FOR THE ONE;S THAT WANT'S TO CHANGE AND TRY TO GET THERE, AND AGAIN THANKS BUDDY YOU ARE THE MAN ON PEDAL STEEL, CAN'T GET ENOUGH.

Jerry,
I believe what they call signature tone or sound comes from technique first and then the equipment best suited to compliment it. I have preferences in guitar and amp sounds, but my being able to get a similar sound through different equipment probably comes from what I learned while trying to emulating other players of my era.

When I was learning, practically every popular steel guitarist had their own unique style. At an early age I found that pick attack, angle of the finger picks to the strings, hand placement, timing of the block, and vibrato were important factors that differed in each of the various styles. I didn’t know it at the time, but through trying to play like everybody else, I was learning what to do and what not to do with the hands that ultimately lead to the tone or sound you refer to. First and foremost though I had the ability to distinguish right from wrong and if it sounded wrong, I wouldn’t stop until I corrected it.
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Buddy Emmons on 26 October 2004 at 11:54 AM.]</p></FONT>

Mr. Emmons,

I'm relatively new to steel and I was wondering if you could elaborate more on pick attack. Can you describe, if there is, a correct angle of the picks to the strings, or the amount of curvature of the picks or any other info that a newbie could learn from.

Thanks,

Bill Sampler

Bill
I've only seen Buddy play one time,
guess what? I was sitting 3ft
in front of him and he never used any
finger picks, only a thumb pick.
I recall him playing Blue Jade.
You could have heard a pin drop
in that room.
When Buddy speaks..., you can take
it to the bank.

------------------
Rick Johnson

For what's worth. I use Jeff Newmans way of bending the picks around the finger and playing off the side.
Chet Gibson has a great sound and is a great player.
I sat down to his guitar and his picks and sounded worse than I have ever played, could not get a good sound at all reguardless what i tried.

His pecks were straight down no bend, he played great with them but I sounded very bad, I was just not able to use his picks and get a good sound. It must be what you are use to.

I think it is what you have worked with and the way you learn, no substitute for hours of practice.

ernie

Pick attack is the amount of force used when picking the string. By controlling the attack, you control the sound or tone of a string. The harder you pick, the more metallic edge you add to the mix, which creates the illusion of more highs. There are times when it’s desirable and times when it’s offensive. It’s up to the individual to determine what is best suited for the mood of the song they’re playing. Once you gain control of the attack method you can move the right hand in either direction and expand your tone shaping possibilities.

The correct angle of pick to string is determined by how fat or thin you want the sound. For a fatter sound, pick in a backward direction across the top of the string. Placing the pick under the front of the string and pulling up results in a thinner sound.

The curvature or bend of the pick blade is relative to the hand position above the strings. Bending or rounding the blade of the finger pick too much will cause it to slide over the strings, resulting in less definition of the note. Bending it too straight will create a drag. If you’re not used to either extreme, it can interfere with timing, so you split the difference by bending the blade at an angle that creates a smooth yet slightly percussive feel when you pluck the string.

All hands are not created equal, so size and shape is a factor in how you arrive at the best hand and pick positions for tone control. Also, the thickness of your thumb pick will determine how the thumb notes blend with the finger picks. It’s all trial and error and results will vary, but taking the time to analyze the points brought out in the above examples should give you a better handle on improving your sound.

That is the first time I have heard the matter of the picks explained so well.
I get asked about it from time to time.
Question always gives me trouble.
Great job Buddy!
I am going to print that off for my students
as I know it will save me a lot of time not to mention embarrasment.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Roy Thomson on 27 October 2004 at 12:19 PM.]</p></FONT>

Mr. Emmons,

Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this subject in greater detail. This has been a tremendous help to me.

Thanks,
Bill Sampler

Great stuff here Buddy E! I'm a student of steel guitar with a long ways to go yet but stuff like this sure does help new guys like me. Guess my dad gave me alot more on the lessons I took from him than I realized at the time because even though I layed it down for 30 plus years I still have fairly good fundementals. Pick angle is one of them. Great post again Buddy and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. I think that these posts mean more to most of us than you might realize. God Bless

Rick

Thank you for the detailed picking explanantion, Buddy. When you play with just a thumbpick & no fingerpicks on your right hand, do you shape your nails like a classical guitarist? Or, do you keep your nails trimmed so short that only the flesh of your fingertips is making contact with the strings? It seems that not using any fingerpicks might make it easier for players who pull double-duty on a six-string on gigs.

Thank you,

SK

<SMALL>All hands are not created equal</SMALL>

is'nt that from Steel Bill of Rights ?

Man, are there ever all kinds of ways to do it wrong...
Thanks Buddy so very much for the info. I really appreciate your teachings.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 28 October 2004 at 01:21 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 28 October 2004 at 01:21 PM.]</p></FONT>