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Billy Knowles

 

From:
Kenansville, N. C. 28349 usa
Post  Posted 6 Feb 2019 2:29 pm    
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Buddy Charleton's perfect right hand

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https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/userpix1712/97_img20190206_17160393_1.jpg[/img]

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scott murray


From:
Asheville, NC
Post  Posted 6 Feb 2019 2:40 pm    
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elbow IN!!!!! Laughing

I heard Buddy was a real stickler when it came to the right hand. I'll always regret not getting a few lessons when I had the chance
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Henry Matthews


From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
Post  Posted 6 Feb 2019 2:54 pm    
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Both Buddy’s had great right hand technique which I tried to mimic when I started playing but my picking fingers just won’t work with my picky stuck out. Years ago I even taped pencils to my picky but when I did, one and two just wouldn’t work so I have to play closed hand like Hal and several others did or still do.
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Henry Matthews

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Gary Lee Gimble


From:
Fredericksburg, VA.
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 12:01 am    
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One of Buddy's teaching methods was to tie a robe belt or heavy string to your arm and body. There was no choice but to assume the position you see posted by the OP. He had many teaching tricks up his sleeve.....and rewards too. If I did good at a lesson, he'd invite me to go fishing!

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robert kramer

 

From:
Nashville TN
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 10:29 am    
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Yes - perfect technique:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViY2WXvVXYU
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Henry Matthews


From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 10:41 am    
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Yes, very good, in fact awesome. Was watching the video of him and Wimpy at Emmons guitar company, how in heck does Buddy do that lick at 2:43 in video? Don’t know how to post link.
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robert kramer

 

From:
Nashville TN
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 10:51 am    
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rqi0Yw18e-s

Henry - Thanks for pointing out Charleton's lick at 2:43. It's now on the the top of my sit down list to learn. It's just A&B pedals - no knee levers using 2nd string for the "lopsided" chromatic sounds.
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Paul Sutherland

 

From:
Placerville, California
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 11:02 am    
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Notice that in the older video his pinkie is tucked under and in the later video it's extended. I played for awhile with it tucked under, but I literally started bleeding from rubbing the finger on the strings. So I'm back to extending it. I don't think there is a right or wrong, at least not on this issue.

PS: The 2:43 lick is very cool.
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Greg Cutshaw


From:
Corry, PA, USA
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 11:06 am    
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Here's my take on the Charleton riff. The timing is certainly tricky:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Buddy%20Charleton%20Riff%202018.pdf
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Dave Morrison

 

From:
Whbg Ohio Usa
Post  Posted 7 Feb 2019 6:19 pm    
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JUST CURIOUS. DOES THE SIZE OF YOUR HANDS COME INTO PLAY WHEN ITS COMES TO GOOD PROPER MUTING? I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE OVERLOOKED FOR YEARS. IT LOOKS LIKE BUDDY HAD A FAIRLY BIG HAND ANS SO DID BUDDY EMMONS FROM WATCHING SOME VIDEOS OF HIM.
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Tommy Detamore


From:
Floresville, Texas
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2019 5:07 am    
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Paul Sutherland wrote:
Notice that in the older video his pinkie is tucked under and in the later video it's extended. I played for awhile with it tucked under, but I literally started bleeding from rubbing the finger on the strings. So I'm back to extending it. I don't think there is a right or wrong, at least not on this issue.

PS: The 2:43 lick is very cool.


Paul, you touch upon something I have been curious about for a long time. When I first went to see Buddy for a lesson in 1976, I had been floundering around on my own for a couple of years. I was sticking my pinky out mainly because a lot of the players I admired (John Hughey, Buddy Emmons, etc.) played that way. Buddy immediately took stock of my right hand technique and suggested that I tuck my pinky under, so who was I to argue? Wink

Somewhere along the line I reverted back to “pinky out”(not sure when) and curiously I noticed by watching videos that at some point Buddy started sticking his out too. Does anybody know why, or approximately when this occurred?
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robert kramer

 

From:
Nashville TN
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2019 6:36 am    
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Charleton left ET in 1973. The latest YouTube footage I could find is here (Steve Chapman on guitar) still with pinky curled under.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK_qrg4Jz20

Here he is 1993 with pinky extended:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/posting.php?mode=reply&t=341374&sid=1f524daf5fc1703201585b3dfb7cc5f8

Greg Cutshaw - Thanks very much for posting tab. Not there yet but working on it.
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Bob Ricker

 

From:
Nashville Tn
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2019 11:07 am    
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I took lessons from Buddy. An interesting right hand concept was, Buddy said if you put your hand on the strings and snap your thumb and middle finger at the strings(like you are picking) your hand sort of raises as/while you do the finger action. This discussion came about as we were talking about playing fast. Try it fast.
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Paul Sutherland

 

From:
Placerville, California
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2019 12:49 pm    
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Dave: I don't think hand size has much to do with whether a person can effectively palm block. I have somewhat smaller hands and I feel that I am reasonably proficient at palm blocking.
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Bobby Nelson


From:
North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 8 Feb 2019 1:50 pm    
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I have noticed how similar the Two Buddy's right hand shapes look. Mine looks nothing like that but I don't have long fingers like that either. I also find it near impossible to extend my thumb that far out to the left as he does. Of course, he is about half my age in the Cool It vid - I'm sure a young healthy hand has something to do with it.
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Billy Knowles

 

From:
Kenansville, N. C. 28349 usa
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2019 7:42 am     Buddy
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Tommy, Buddy told me that he could never block the 1st string on the C neck with the pinkie under, so he started playing with the pinkie sticking out to get that and then stayed with it, I was lucky to go up to see Buddy for lessons and to watch him play about 8 times per year for over 15 years.
Another note: he preferred to position his hand where the thumb pick was over the 24th fret, explains why he has a little more treble in his tone than Emmons had.
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Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2019 8:00 am    
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I could never get my hand “Comfortably” in either Buddy’s position, I don’t think my fingers are long enough... as for the Pinky, I find myself using both tucked or stuck out and I’m not always conscious of doing either... must be what feels comfortable at the time? Question Question
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David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 9 Feb 2019 6:10 pm    
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If ya'll will look at "both Buddy's" hands with a sideview from the headstock to the changer neither had their little finger stuck out stiff like it was broken and didn't set right. Both had the little finger dangling as limp as it could be. Sometimes they put it to use. It wasn't curled under but it certainly wasn't stiff sticking straight out. If your little finger is stiff it just stands to reason the whole hand is stiff.
The broadcast quality video of Lloyd and J.D playing the Byrd's songs have good shots of proper hand technique because the camera zoomed in on it. Both players have a different right hand but both are relaxed as they can be. It's almost like their fingers all work independently of each other totally disregarding the fact they are all attached to the palm of the hand. Paul Franklin plays pretty good too and I've never saw his stuck out either. The only proper technique I can see is just relax your hand, relax your whole body and just play.

https://youtu.be/iGb9XLFY6C4


Last edited by David Mitchell on 10 Feb 2019 9:17 am; edited 1 time in total
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Dick Wood


From:
Springtown Texas, USA
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2019 8:57 am    
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My hand looks like Buddy's. Early on I tried and tried different ways to hold my hand differently to get better blocking and the easiest most natural way was to let that pinky poke out.

I watch guys like Paul,Travis and others who have this very tight grip with little motion when they're playing fast licks and I know that is the secret to fast and accurate licks with less mistakes.
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David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2019 9:17 am    
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Hal Rugg's improper hand technique compared to Buddy's.
Me as a music producer that has hired many fine steel players for recording sessions in Texas for the last 40 years it all boils down to "How do they sound?" "Have they contributed anything musically enhancing to the project". I can't recall hiring a steel man based on hand position. I don't think there is a right or wrong position. How does your music sound coming out? Whatever works for ya.
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David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2019 1:44 pm    
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With all I've said so far the pics Billy posted is how my hand looks when it's relaxed and my three other fingers are pulled back to playing position. Those are pics of a relaxed hand ready to play. Not trying to stick the pinky out. That's where it falls when my hand is arched up 45% and relaxed. Try it. I bet your hand will do the same. What I do differently then a lot of players with the same hand posture is I don't anchor it to anything. My hand just kinda floats around on top of the strings. Whatever feels best but getting relaxed when you play will work miracles.
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David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 10 Feb 2019 2:35 pm    
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Here's my right hand be it right or wrong, Lol!. I can bounce staccato triads without my hand anchored to anything however the back of my arm is anchored to the guitar body just short of the elbow. I think that's why Lloyd got rid of his C6th neck. When you play in that position a lot a smooth surface helps a lot. I don't even like pads. If you notice when I go up on the high strings the old hooked pinky gets more pronounced but it's relaxed and that's how it falls. Emmons had hands that could hold a basketball pointed down from his hand so he's gonna have a bigger hooked pinky. If I was still teaching I would say "Get that hand relaxed boy!" Lol! (This is a gutted ZB I'm working on right now with no pedals or knee levers but all I needed was strings for this demo so please don't grade my picken' by this.) BTW, i recorded this directly into my cellphone with no mic. Pretty good quality I think. I used VST software on my computer for an effects rack.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk18JlN_UhA
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