Blocking

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

I am not sure I am ever going to learn blocking properly.
To be honest, I think the problem is that, for me, the steel was so hard that I had to focus all my energy on a dozen other aspects, and let the blocking go early on.
I do think maybe it is coming now (correct blocking)
My purpose in posting is that I wonder if there isn't a little trick that would make it all of a sudden easy to do.
This happened to me with the banjo recently.
I have played the banjo for 35 years and mastered really everything about it except for one little problem. I could never play at the warp speed required of the banjo in some songs. Then about 3 months ago I started playing the strings with a feather touch and now, low and behold, I can play effortlessly at speed. And my playing sounds a lot better too.
In fact my wife actually complimented me for the first itme in 35 years the other day.
Talk about a metaphysical experience!
(This sounds like a good subject for another board- " my most severe critic is ?")
Anyway is there an easy way to make me a good blocker?
BOb

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Bob--you will get a bunch of responses, I expect. Here's mine. If you are not real familiar with a piano then this won't make a lot of sense but I used to play keys and I did a bunch of my own tech work on the piano so I can really relate to the mechanism. For palm blocking, picture the way the damper (side of hand) rests on the string until the moment that the hammer is activated (pick). The damper lifts from the string a split second before the hammer strikes the string and returns to mute the string as soon as the key is released. This was my 'voila' moment, seeing this analogy in my head.
I know what you mean by finding a trick that suddenly makes something easy (or at least easier). Sometimes we find them, sometimes not. There's no universal magic bullet---it's such a personal thing. There's no telling what will set you off. An idea that works for me might sound stupid to someone else.
In addition, someone said something to me once that I didn't get until a good while later---especially when palm-blocking fast stuff, don't forget to pick with your fingers---that is, it is easy to get stiff-fingered and just rock back and forth between side of hand and pick. If you remember to actually use your finger muscles & joints, it doubles you dexterity. Again, this was just a personal "bingo" break-thru (thank you, Jon Graboff). It might have no meaning to another person. I'd love it if it actual did have some meaning to someone.

John Roche · From: England

Hi Bob ,
Just relax the right arm , don't try to get it right first time , play very slow and try to block at the same time , you can play anything ,what ever comes into your head ,maybe a lick you know,your right hand will learn what you are trying to do, then you can start to speed up your playing ,bearing in mind that you have to also block on slow songs.
works for me

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Good right hand blocking depends on a good hand position first. Do you position your hand at about a 45 degree angle to the strings and use your right palm edge to deaden the strings? If so, all that's required for palm blocking is to lift the hand just before you pick a note(s) and come back down just before you pick the next note(s). Don't roll you hand left or right in the process of picking....straight up and straight down. Make you fingers move to pick the strings, not your whole hand. You should only move your hand forward or back to reach different string groupings. Start slow 'till you get the feel for it, then gradually speed up.

There is a limit to how fast you will be able to play single notes using only palm blocking. Pick blocking, left hand blocking and even a modified palm blocking all combine to get to that super fast, clean, speed picking. For that you definitely need some pro instruction...one on one, if possible, or a good video course at the least.

You might want to get Jeff Newman's "Right Hand Alpha" course. It will give you everything you need to know about basic right hand technique.

I'm sure some of the other guys here can help with advice about courses of study.

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

Wow. Great tips from all you
I can hardly to try this
Thanks much!
Bob

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

Guys, with my right hand at 45 degrees,
is the blocking supposed to be done with the side of the palm, or the folded little finger, or both.
This is hard, but I think I might be getting it.

BOb

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

Well, I now have a sore shoulder, black stains all over my knuckles, and a couple of "paper (wire) cuts" on my fingers.
And to top it off, I keep getting harmonics on my ring finger...
And if I ever hear "Doe, a Deer" ever again, I think I am going to lose it.
Sheeesh!
Bob

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Yes, the right, fatty side of the palm. You can hold the little finger out straight, or you can tuck it in. In both cases the blocking is done by touching the strings as evenly as you can so as to mute a whole chord at once.

Your hand should be relaxed so your fingers can freely pick independently. Try this....Just lay your hand across the strings palm down, totally relaxed. Now, just rotate it about 45 degrees to the right, (keep it relaxed) gently curl the index and middle fingers toward the strings, (keep them relaxed) and extend your thumb so the thumbpick will strike the strings on it's flat surface, not the edge. Now, lift your hand off the strings, picking a chord as you lift, and let it ring for a second. Now, without rotating your hand away from the 45 degree angle, drop your hand down onto the strings to mute them all and quickly lift it right back up as you pick the chord again. Repeat this several times in succession.

The "trick" is that when your hand drops to mute the strings, your fingers are also preparing to pick the next notes. As you raise your hand, you also pick the next notes. It's a very fluid, smoothe, action. The act of muting and gripping the next strings to be picked, is almost one action. The palm just barely gets out of the way in time for the picked strings to sound.

Remember, stay relaxed. The only tension that should happen is when the strings are actually being picked. Relax your shoulder, your arm, and everything else (but don't fall off your chair!!

). Let the hands do the all the work.

One caveat...you might feel some hand muscle fatigue after a little while. That's normal until you build up some muscle tone and endurance...and that just takes time.

Hope this helps.

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

It'a coming
You have to do everything just exactly like you say, or it doesn't work.
It is nice to begin to have a little control over the instrument rather than v.v.
Thanks again!
Bob

Mark Vinbury · From: N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA

There is an excellent view of the blocking and picking technique of Randy Beavers, Reece Anderson and Bobbe Seymour on the SuperSlide Slide Off DVD.
The camera is out front,closeup at fretboard level for a lot of the 2 DVD set. You get a real education in blocking, picking and bar control as these masters give their SuperSlide Steels a working over.

[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 02 December 2006 at 07:08 PM.]

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

SRPENTON
Thanks for your tip in my email
My email thanks rebounded so I wanted to let you know I appreciate the advice here.
Regards
Bob

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Bob, the picking hand should be very relaxed, as some above have said. For me, it's very similar to a writing grip, except the thumb curls to the left slightly (so the flat of the thumb-pick is hitting the strings).

Keep in mind, though, that different players have different physiologies, and what's comfortable for one (as far as a right-hand position) may not always be comfortable for another. Also,

remember that a gentle touch works for some, while a more forceful touch may work better for others. "Lose" any technique only when it is slowing you down, or impeding your own progress. A good player has tried, or knows, many techniques, but only uses what works best for him/her.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

This topic has been exhaustively discussed in the past. Just do a search for 'blocking' in Pedal Steel and Steel Players (as well as the archived categories) If you haven't looked there, you are missing a mountain of info.

For the most part, blocking is a skill that experienced players don't concentrate on at all. If you have to think about it you still have a lot to learn. I personally don't like trying to reduce it to mechanics. IT'S MUSIC. Each note has a duration and should be muted when its job is done. I believe that the steel guitarist should listen to the music and use the hands to make it sound right -- WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Beginners seem to think that blocking is all in the right hand. You will never be able to play uptempo if you don't develop the ability to use the left hand (thumb, backing the bar off of unused strings, etc.) as well as the right AND realize that some things don't need to be blocked.

If you are playing an uptempo tune -- eighth notes or shorter -- strings 3, then 4, then 5 the nose of the bar should not cover string 3 when playing string 4 and not cover string 4 when playing 5. It just won't work to palm or pick block at bluegrass tempo. Back the bar toward you and mute with the tip of the middle finger extended slightly beyond the end of the bar.

There are dozens of blocking techniques. The proficient player uses whatever is required to make the MUSIC SOUND RIGHT.

Once again, you'll know when you're there when you no longer think about it.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Jim West · Posted 4 Dec 2006 1:52 pm

Good blocking is accomplished by the same method used to get to Carnegie Hall. Practice, Practice, Practice.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

As Larry says, there's a mountain of information to find using the search function. But Jon's analogy of palm-blocking to a piano damper makes total sense to me.

One thing I found useful was the suggestion that - purely as an exercise - I force myself into the blocking position and then pick the blocked strings for a while - sort of an over-compensation to get a feel for the required motions. The idea was then begin "unblocking" just long enough to let the note ring, and then be shut off. This is sort of backwards from the way most of the beginner videos I saw approach this. I thought it was useful.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Just to clarify---I do not necessarily suggest that my visualization is the way to grasp palm blocking---this was in the spirit of how I read the original post----"I know how to block but I am looking for that break-though that will help me to implement the technique faster and more naturally"---was sort of how I read Bob's post. My concept was just one of those things that helped make palm-blocking sort of click in my head. (Then I discovered that the click was just some loose hardware in my pakkaseat).

I've got a pick-blocking question that I'll start in its own thread so as not to hijack this one.

Bob Doran · From: Ames, Iowa, USA

Hi everyone
Just an update on the blocking
Every single tip helped immensely
I think I may actually be able to play this "favorite mistake" of an instrument someday afterall.
I do have one question.
I think I am blocking mainly with my little finger rather than the palm.
Is this OK.
I can change if you think this will hold me down but it feels more natural.
Thanks again
I am in your debt
Bob

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

if it works, IT WORKS

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

*

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 18 December 2006 at 04:29 AM.]

john lemay · From: Ainsworth NE

I'm relearning how to pick and block and I really appreciate your insights, all of you.

Mike Wheeler · From: Delaware, Ohio, USA

Bob, if you can mute all the notes in a chord at the same time, when you need to, you've got it nailed.

Lincoln Goertzen · From: Taylor, British Columbia, Canada

If I may:

As Larry Bell said, "if it works, it works", and "there are dozens of blocking techniques."

Some other ones I use that I didn't see mentioned here: I often use my LEFT thumb to mute strings just ahead of the bar. I usually only do this on the lowest 4-5 strings or so, but it really comes in handy. I also use my left middle finger to mute the first two strings BEHIND the bar when I slide the bar perpendicular to the strings to play lower ones. I must also add that in doing this, I never lift the bar off the strings to mute anything, although I know another great player who does lift the bar.

Hope this helps.

Lincoln

Jim Bob Sedgwick · From: Clinton, Missouri USA

The only "trick" I know is to practice, practice, practice. When you get tired of this, go practice some more. It will come, but it won't happen in a week. The middle finger of the bar hand should extend past the tip of the bar. Only cover the strings you are playing. If you are descending, the tip of the finger will automatically mute the note just played on the string above. The palm of the hand and also the left thumb on the bar will also help to block. Just don't overdo it. Many slow things do not require blocking at all. If you do block then you have music that sounds donk, donk, donk. On slow songs, let the strings ring. As you pick the next phrase, it will override the last phrase and you can, with practice become as smooth as glass. Listen to the top Pros. They never even mention blocking. Hope this helps some of you newbies. It will come, but takes practice until you no longer have to think about it.

[This message was edited by Jim Bob Sedgwick on 17 December 2006 at 09:58 PM.]

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