Chimes with 3 finger picks?

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 19 Apr 2017 3:47 pm

I use a thumb pick and 3 finger picks. When I do chimes, I tuck the finger with the 3rd pick and use the knuckle. I do this OK. However, I see players putting that finger with no pick in front of the thumb pick using the pad of the finger to chime.

Any ideas to expand my chimes with the third finger pick on?

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 19 Apr 2017 5:13 pm

Karate chop.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 19 Apr 2017 6:58 pm

Tip of the little finger behind the thumb.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 19 Apr 2017 7:52 pm

I use the nail of my pinky.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 19 Apr 2017 8:02 pm

Now there ya go, a couple of good tips. Will try out tomorrow.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 20 Apr 2017 2:39 am

There seem to be as many methods as there are bones in the human hand. The most success I've had is Lane's way, which is counter-intuitive as the edge of the palm is quite thick compared to a knuckle.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 20 Apr 2017 8:14 am

That's the way I learned it: "palm harmonics".

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 20 Apr 2017 8:59 am

Lane Gray wrote:Karate chop.

yup ! "Make he-ya...give more power Danielson"

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 20 Apr 2017 9:07 am

Palm harmonics here too.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 21 Apr 2017 9:16 pm

I snapped this picture at my gig tonight.

Today during lunch I made my periodic trip to the pistol range. I pinched by pinky finger between the magazine and magazine well while tapping in the magazine. This caused a big blood blister that needed some antibiotic and and a band-aid. Tonight I found that I got an incredible bell like chime by muting with the band-aid off the back of the third joint of my finger!

This is how I usually do it.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 22 Apr 2017 10:57 am

Bill if i got to go through all that i dont. think i,ll bother learning chimes. it,s to dangeors

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » 22 Apr 2017 1:27 pm

After I amputated the end of my right ring finger, I learned to do harmonics with my little finger.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 22 Apr 2017 2:44 pm

I do try and do them with my ring finger curled in on my right hand. seems it,s a hit and miss with me . Is there and easier way. /?.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 22 Apr 2017 5:01 pm

Wayne Quinn wrote:Bill if i got to go through all that i dont. think i,ll bother learning chimes. it,s to dangeors

You got a good point there!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 22 Apr 2017 5:06 pm

Another vote for palm harmonics.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Apr 2017 5:58 am

How many of you remember how the steel player with Hank Thompson used to "rake" the strings at the 5th,7th and 12th position on the strings doing harmonics? It was a great effect and used on a lot of Hand's recordings.
I have been known to do that on occasion.

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 23 Apr 2017 7:41 am

Erv Niehaus wrote:How many of you remember how the steel player with Hank Thompson used to "rake" the strings at the 5th,7th and 12th position on the strings doing harmonics? It was a great effect and used on a lot of Hand's recordings.
I have been known to do that on occasion.

Atlanta bass player Wayne Smith's dad Walt, explained that technique to me many years ago. He explained to use the tip of the little finger and cut the nail just long enough to pick the string but still short enough to not stick. I never took the time to perfect it. It is a pretty fast lick.

I am a fan of the "whistling" palm harmonic for Western swing and behind fiddle players but you need the "chime" to get the more widely used E9 style of the past 50 years. No codecention implied, just sayin'. Both styles are great and have their place. YMMV.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 23 Apr 2017 8:30 am

I know there have been a number of threads about chimes, but I am so glad I posted this. Starting to get the pinky involved with the thumb pick and know I have work to do. However, I thought I was as far as I could go and now I see new road map

Thanks guys,

Lenny

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 23 Apr 2017 11:50 am

Wayne Quinn wrote:I do try and do them with my ring finger curled in on my right hand. seems it,s a hit and miss with me . Is there and easier way. /?.

Yes. The "karate chop" aka palm harmonics and practice time.

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 23 Apr 2017 5:38 pm

Yes Lane i .am going to give it a try that way. .I have seen some guys doing it that way and they make it look real easy. but its like you say . practice practice practice.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 23 Apr 2017 6:16 pm

Here's the bits to remember, and the principles also apply to all methods of harmonics:
1) keep the contact point as small as possible. Even though the karate chop LOOKS meaty, because it's a curved surface, if you barely kiss the strings, it's a very small point that touches the string. The octave node (twelve frets above the bar) is more tolerant on this point than the other three types of nodes worth hitting (7 and 19 frets above the bar to divide the string in thirds [the harmonic being an octave and a fifth above the bar], 5 and 24 frets above the bar to divide it in quarters [the harmonic being two octaves above the bar], and 4, 9 and two other frets who escape me to divide the string in fifths [the harmonic being two octaves plus a major third above the bar].
2) place whatever part is dividing the string PRECISELY at the node. The octave node is more forgiving than the others, but pure placement of a small point is what makes it ring.

In time, you'll get the hang of the bizarre mental trick of "wherever the bar is, your picking hand will be exactly halfway to the top of the fingers"

Wayne Quinn · Post by **Wayne Quinn** » 24 Apr 2017 4:35 am

Thanks Lane ,for that bit of instruction.like i said i surly will try this method and work at it.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Apr 2017 7:20 am

Bill,
The way you explain it may work but I just use my thumb pick and the side of my little finger to rake the strings.