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Author
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Topic: picking hard or soft
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Brad Sarno
Member From: St. Louis, MO USA
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posted 16 May 2002 11:31 AM
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What famous players could be described as picking loud and hard and/or conversely light and soft. Jimmy Day for example...???Brad Sarno
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Steven Welborn
Member From: Ojai,CA USA
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posted 16 May 2002 12:28 PM
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Taking J.Day as an example, I would say it depended on what style he was playing. On his classic "Steel and Strings" album, there's some of the most lightest and sensitive touch i've ever heard. On his "Swing and Blues Southern Style", plenty of impeccable hard forceful attack. God Blessed Jimmy Day |
Pete Grant
Member From: Auburn, CA, USA
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posted 16 May 2002 04:31 PM
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Paul Franklin told me to practice playing with a strong attack. If you can do that, you can always play softer. If you always play with a delicate attack, then you've lost much of your dynamic range. |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 16 May 2002 06:05 PM
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I think that John Hughey has the softest, or gentlest touch around. The "West Coast" style players such as Brumley (early) and Mooney have a much more positive attack. |
Bob Hoffnar
Member From: Brooklyn, NY
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posted 17 May 2002 09:30 AM
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From my personal experience of sitting with legendary pro players and watching them closely, taking lessons from them or just bugging them with questions after there gig it seems like they all pick pretty hard for the most part. Take Charleton for example. Even when he is playing soft and sweet he is getting quite a bit of pick on the string in an even and strong way.Donny, I know that John Hughey has one of the most gentle sounds of any steel player but does he actually pick the strings lightly in order to get that sound ? Bob |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 17 May 2002 09:57 AM
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I think that most of the pros pick pretty hard, because that's how you get your best tone. You need a lot of string vibration to get that long, crying sustain on ballads.
They milk sensitivity and expression from their proper use of the volume pedal.------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6) |
Steven Welborn
Member From: Ojai,CA USA
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posted 17 May 2002 07:06 PM
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I think what the two Bobs' said hit the mark better than I did In my response above. |
BobbeSeymour
Member From: Hendersonville TN USA
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posted 18 May 2002 07:18 PM
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Melissa Cashdollar has the softest touch around. |
Pat Kelly
Member From: Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia
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posted 03 March 2006 11:28 PM
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I'm sure I don't know about that Bobbe. |
Bo Borland
Member From: Cowtown NJ
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posted 03 March 2006 11:35 PM
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Bobbe, We are talking about playing steel here, aren't we? |
mtulbert
Member From: Plano, Texas 75023
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posted 04 March 2006 05:37 AM
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I saw a version of Austin City Limits with Vince Gill and John. Vince sang Kindly Keep It Country and on John's solo the camera showed the entire turnaround. I was amazed at how hard he picked the strings. It is his phrasing and vibrato that gives it a soft touch. Something good to practice. Mark T. |
Kevin Mincke
Member From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
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posted 04 March 2006 05:57 AM
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I thought the same thing Bobbe  |
James Morehead
Member From: Durant, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 04 March 2006 06:42 AM
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That's it!! From now on, I'm attacking my guitar! |
Gary Shepherd
Member From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA
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posted 04 March 2006 08:06 AM
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quote:
Paul Franklin told me to practice playing with a strong attack. If you can do that, you can always play softer. If you always play with a delicate attack, then you've lost much of your dynamic range.
I guess that's why I had to buy a Stelling (banjo). Everyone was always louder than me. But I always had better tone than those loud guys. ------------------
Gary Shepherd Carter D-10 www.16tracks.com
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Al Marcus
Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA
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posted 04 March 2006 09:44 AM
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On this subject, I remember when I was in Jeff Newman's class in 1977 in Nashville. We all had to get up on the stage and play a solo. I had the bottom neck of my sho-Bud Professional tuned E6. I think I played "September Song","Tenderly or some such tune.
when I got done, Jeff in his usual outspken manner, Said, "You really Attack that Thing, don't you". I will always remember that , Bless his soul........al ------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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Gene Jones
Member From: Oklahoma City, OK USA
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posted 04 March 2006 09:57 AM
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Practice without an amp....then when you are playing for real, your playing will be positive when you do use an amp!
www.genejones.com |
Tommy R. Butler
Member From: Nashville TN.
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posted 05 March 2006 07:18 AM
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I hear Ya Bobbe !!!!! |
James Shelton
Member From: Nashville,TN USA
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posted 06 March 2006 03:52 PM
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well b0b I get to watch some of the best players in the world allmost every day, and I don't think that's the case at all. Great tone doesn't come from the volume pedal,it comes from the way the pick makes contact with the string. Playing hard WON'T make you hit the sting with a proper ANGLE and that's how you get the guitar to sound good.
I play harder than just about any pro steeler I've ever watched at times, but never when I want to sound "sweet" and certainly not when I want to milk it for sustain. The way I see it the guitar should "sing" not scream (unless you'r playin' rock&roll,I like doin' that too  ). |
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