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Topic: Right hand position |
Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2024 9:33 am |
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| Dang! I was about to mention the Zookie! I use 'em sometimes and they allow me to position my hand where I can pick best. Stole the idea from Greg Liesz. |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 10 Jun 2024 9:35 am
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Thx Fred. Well, definitely not a straight thumb, more like the outy but not as severe.
My issue is something I have to constantly be aware of.
I like a long a blade as I can find or modify from stock.
Zookies, no way here. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2024 6:39 am
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| Tucker Jackson wrote: |
| Dang! I was about to mention the Zookie! I use 'em sometimes and they allow me to position my hand where I can pick best. Stole the idea from Greg Liesz. |
I should probably try and give them another shot. The problem was I discovered Fred Kelly speed picks at about the same time, and there was no comparison. That skinny delrin blade is pretty slick. |
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Posted 11 Jun 2024 2:29 pm
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| Fred Treece wrote: |
| ...The pick scrapes across the string as I push it through. The scraping sound is noticeable on the wound strings. With my straight thumb, I will never be able to strike a string squarely, but I do seek to minimize the angle... |
It sounds like you might just need to work on picking more cleanly with your thumb, and not dragging the pick along the string. Watch some vids of David Hartley. His thumb joint is very straight like you describe, his wrist and forearm are straight. His pick angle though, is relatively perpendicular on the low strings while he picks at a noticeable angle on the middle strings. But watch his technique. It's less about the angle and much more about the quick and clean on-off picking motions. He's a traditional palm blocker, it's a very different technique from Joe Wright who you mentioned before, but very much like what Jeff Newman taught. To me, David's right hand technique and touch are impeccable, the proof is the sounds that come out the other end of the cable.
Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2nKaY_u_IM
_________________
All lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest - Paul Simon |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2024 6:56 pm
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Oh I’m working it alright.
I like Joe’s videos for the drills. His right hand position is out of the question for me, and I have determined it’s because of that thumb of his. Jeff Newman had a similar Gumby bend, though it’s not quite the hairpin turn of Mr. Wright’s, but their default hand positions are quite different.
I’m not trying to make excuses. I’ve watched videos of probably 50 different players since joining the forum 8 years ago. Some of them are masters, some are not. All of them are at least further along the trail than I am, so I’m always scrutinizing the picking hand (even when the lesson is on something else), trying to gleen something.
Good and great players with straight thumbs are obviously doing something that I’m not, and the reason I brought up the thumb anatomy issue is because I think it’s important and I have not seen a discussion on it. I hope this helps someone else out there who might be struggling with it. |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2024 9:11 am
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Hi John,
I just ran across a YouTube video that you may find helpful:
Beginners PEDAL STEEL GUITAR - Video 6 - Right Hand Technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbEncGKqstQ
Scott Poley (a UK-based session musician) provides a pretty good explanation of palm-blocking, as well as bit of basic “pick-blocking” (not as advanced as Paul Franklin’s “fingertip & pick blocking” technique, however).
Scott has also posted several other beginner videos.
- Dave |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2024 6:59 am
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The OP is from 2010, so hopefully his issue has been resolved by now.
The information in the above video is valid, nonetheless. I notice the YT player/instructor has a semi-outy right hand thumb. |
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