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Topic: Not looking at your hands... |
Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 1 Aug 2020 2:51 pm |
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Sometimes I practice without looking down at the strings for extended periods of time. It brings about a totally refreshing headspace. Its tricky though..
I heard Buddy Emmons talk about practicing in pitch darkness and I'm inclined to explore this approach more. Not necessarily playing in the dark but putting a portion of practice time toward this each day.
Our instrument is probably harder than most to play entirely by physical feel and sound but I think consciously practicing this would improve anyone's playing tenfold. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 1 Aug 2020 10:40 pm
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Interesting thought. I find myself wishing I should achieve better eye contact with the rest of the band, and this could be the way forward.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Glenn Demichele
From:
(20mi N of) Chicago Illinois, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2020 11:41 pm
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I had a teacher who made me slip blank paper between the strings and the fretboard to obscure the frets. Very tough...
_________________
Franklin D10 8&5, Excel D10 8&5, homemade buffer/overdrive, Moyo pedal, GT-001 effects, 2x BAM200 for stereo. 2x GW8003 8" driver in homemade closed-box. Also NV400 etc. etc... |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 4:55 am
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That's cruel and unusual. What did you do to rile him up? 
On the assumption that we're already not looking at our right hand, that leaves two considerations. First is left-right placement of the bar, which the ear should be able to cope with. What I would find tough is knowing which string the nose of the bar is on. That's what I reckon I mostly look at, rather than the frets.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Johnie King
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 6:27 am
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Joe Wright does the best at not looking at the strings.
Watch some of his videos on YouTube. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 7:39 am
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Yes, he is quite amazing. I shall never achieve what he does, but I'm determined to at least get my head up a bit more.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Glenn Demichele
From:
(20mi N of) Chicago Illinois, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 8:28 am
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| Ian Rae wrote: |
| That's cruel and unusual. What did you do to rile him up? . |
That’s easy: I sucked.
_________________
Franklin D10 8&5, Excel D10 8&5, homemade buffer/overdrive, Moyo pedal, GT-001 effects, 2x BAM200 for stereo. 2x GW8003 8" driver in homemade closed-box. Also NV400 etc. etc... |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 8:40 am
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It’s a great idea. I am lucky to have a lovely view out the window of my practice room, and have my steel set up to take advantage of it. If I’m not doing something that requires (me) looking at the bar hand, like sliding 7 frets, I’ll take a gander outside and see what the squirrels are up to. It does put your mind in a different space - listening to what you’re playing, intonation, the sound of the guitar, maybe more relaxed, fun.
The thing that Buddy Emmons did, playing in the dark, starting out at one fret, sliding all over the place, getting back to the starting fret...but then he would turn the lights back on to see how close he was to that starting fret - that is how a great mind works. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 4:59 pm
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Yes, playing in the dark (or, with your eyes closed) accomplishes several things. It sharpens you "ear", and keeps you from staring at the frets. It also keeps you from staring at your tuner! (A problem for even some fairly experienced players.)  |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 7:07 pm
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Thanks all for your input.
Fred, I see what you mean about the 'lightswitch reveal'.Tbis is like the choir director hitting a piano key at the end of a tune to see how far the ensemble has drifted. 😅
The eye contact thing with bandmates is good.
And audiences too. Whenever I look at those old clips of Speedy West and Buddy Merrill I'm always eaqully impressed with their 'heads up' approach as I am with their playing. |
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Kevin Fix
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2020 7:31 pm
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| I heard that the Big "E" taught himself to play in the dark. Done it for 3 days. Did it just in case he lost his vision. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 2:00 am
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That's a pretty stark reason!
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Jim Kennedy
From:
Brentwood California, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 8:41 am
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If you are sighted, part of the learning process is looking. Our brains are wired to use visual cues while learning. How else are we to know where to start? Once muscle memory is developed, looking will decrease. Looking at your at hands is a necessity, not a crutch, for new and novice players. I do not look as much as when I first started playing, but I do occasionally look to make sure I am in the ball park, and use my ears to determine if I am "on pitch" with the rest of the band. There is a lot for the brain to coordinate when playing pedal steel guitar, and looking at hand placement, given all that we do, is far from a bad thing.
_________________
ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin, |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 9:23 am
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| Andrew made it pretty clear in his OP that sometimes he practices without looking at the strings or hands. From my perspective it is an advanced technique, far beyond novice level, with a good deal of value for live performance. |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 5:06 pm
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What I experience alot are the sudden moments of realization that I don't actually need to be staring at my hands.
I think its safe to say there's plenty enough going on when playing steel to warrant keeping an eye on things.
But in my experience, it is a habit- a routine posture that I have to snap out of at times
What Jim is saying about developing the muscle memory and neural connections makes sense. |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 5:12 pm
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| Ian Rae wrote: |
| That's a pretty stark reason! |
Indeed 😅
Apparently he'd also practice with just right hand ring & pinky, in case he ever lost control of the other two fingers. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 3 Aug 2020 6:45 pm
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This is getting grimmer - should I start practising with one arm?
I'm beginning to question what I said above about tracking the nose of the bar. I think my real reason for wanting to see the neck is the overall layout rather than the individual features, as it helps my brain to figure out what's occurring musically.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 4 Aug 2020 8:12 am
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What I find amazing is Jonathan Candler...Totally blind,and just killing it,plus cracking jokes and a real sweetheart of a guy!!
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 4 Aug 2020 9:01 am
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[quote="Ian Rae"]This is getting grimmer - should I start practising with one arm?
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst,
I suppose. 😉 |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 4 Aug 2020 9:03 am
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| Stu Schulman wrote: |
| What I find amazing is Jonathan Candler...Totally blind,and just killing it,plus cracking jokes and a real sweetheart of a guy!! |
Stu, I wasn't familiar with Jonathan. Looked him up, sounds like quite a picker! |
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