posted 28 September 1999 11:03 AM         

What are your thoughts on this? Any suggestions for better learning material?

Thanks

posted 29 September 1999 09:04 AM         

I've had three distinct 'revelations' -- all of which improved my approach to blocking:

1) A little light went on in my head when I realized that the 'default' hand position was ON THE STRINGS. You can think of palm blocking as beginning with the strings dampened (hand DOWN), then 'unblocking', picking the note, letting it ring for the desired note length, then hand DOWN again. It's a slightly different mindset.

2) I realized that I was trying to do all my blocking with my right hand. There are many blocking techniques -- sometimes involving the bar hand -- that complement each other.

3) Pick blocking and palm blocking are not mutually exclusive. In a given phrase, you may pick block, palm block, use left hand techniques (this does NOT usually mean lifting the bar off the strings to block -- in general NOT a good technique), and sometimes NOT BLOCK AT ALL.

This is a highly personalized technique issue, not that different from how Sammy Sosa holds his bat vs Mark McGwyre. BOTH HIT HOME RUNS BUT THEY DON'T DO IT THE SAME WAY.

Find what works for YOU. If you're a beginner, find a good teacher. A video is great if there's no teacher near you, but there's nothing like finding someone who has an interest in helping you avoid some of the pitfalls they had to overcome. And, like I said in the other thread, LISTEN CAREFULLY TO YOURSELF AND BE YOUR OWN HARSHEST CRITIC. If you don't SOMEONE ELSE WILL.

posted 29 September 1999 09:24 AM         

[This message was edited by John Lacey on 09-29-99]

[This message was edited by John Lacey on 09-29-99]

posted 29 September 1999 01:49 PM         

This sheds some light on the subject. I have been using left hand techniques from the very beginning to block strings 1,2,& sometimes 3. For some reason, I thought this was wrong. I have also always used pick blocking on the lower strings, but again I have always thought that it was wrong. From the time I watched my first video on steel, I have thought that palm blocking was the only "correct" technique.

This makes me feel like maybe I haven't wasted the last 7 years, just developed my own style. But regardless, I still think it would be best to become proficient at palm blocking. I know there have been times when pick blocking just didn't get it.

James

[This message was edited by James M Banks on 09-29-99]

posted 30 September 1999 12:50 PM         

Some of the fastest, cleanest steel players I have heard -- Paul Franklin and Joe Wright spring to mind -- never (or rarely) rest their hands on the strings for the purpose of blocking -- pick blocking is essentially the only right hand blocking technique they use.

now (putting on his 'Evil Twin' costume), that said:
Some of the fastest, cleanest steel players I have ever heard -- Buddy Emmons and Doug Jernigan spring to mind -- never (or rarely) mute strings with their picks. Palm blocking is essentially the only right hand blocking technique they use.

Who is right and who is wrong?
(Clue: it's a trick question)

Don't minimize the importance of left hand technique in what is generally referred to as blocking or muting. For example, if you are playing strings 8, 6, and 5 and your bar is covering the 1st-4th strings you will have to work much harder with your right hand to avoid hearing notes you're not even picking. Is this wrong? I think so. Is it blocking? Kind of. To me, the practice of following the highest note you are playing with the nose of the bar should be developed right along with the picking techniques you learn for your right hand -- whether you're playing chords or single notes -- whether you primarily use palm or pick blocking with your right hand.

Never lose sight of the objective. The proof is in the pudding:
Regardless of how you go about getting it, the SOUND is the finished product. These techniques are only tools to help craft that product.

posted 05 October 1999 11:13 AM         

1. Extending my right elbow away from my body.

2. not thinking of the natural position of my right hand as a continuous block, only lifting to pick the strings.

Thanks again.

posted 05 October 1999 07:46 PM         

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, 'cause palm blocking just came kind of naturaly to me. It may have been a carry over from using the similar technique on regular guitar.

If you have the mechanics of how to do it in your mind, then don't worry about it anymore. Forget about the blocking technique, and just practice playing a phrase, or a song, concentrating on making the music sound the way you want it to.

When you get the sound to where it suits you, you will have done whatever was necessary, as far as blocking is concerned, to make it sound right. I don't mean to say blocking is'nt important, it's just one of those things that, the harder you work at it, the harder it gets. At least that,s the way it seems to me. We all seem to have our own way of doing things, and that's what worked for me.

Jim

posted 06 October 1999 06:13 AM         

Thanks again guys. I feel like I've learned more in the last month (since I discovered this site) than in the last couple of years.