How many of you have played in a band and no mater how you shaped your picks you could not get them to feel right and would hit the wrong strings at times?
Gary Carpenter and i were tallking about this problem several years ago.I told him i had figured it out why my picks never felt right.He said he was so glad to hear me say that because he had had the same problem and told others what was worng and they didn't believe him.
He had figured out the problem also.It was the rhythm section out of sync.The drummer doing his own thing for instance and out of sync with the bass player,etc.Tracy
You can't go wrong by blaming EVERY THING that goes wrong on the drummer,and sometimes the keyboards,because here we know a steeler is NEVER,NEVER,NEVER ,wrong.That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
I played for a living for over 50 years steel and fiddle.Never had problems wih the picks when working with a good solid rhythm section.Took me a long time to figue out why my picks bothered me so much and was always bending on them.But this only started when so many
bands started becoming a free for all.
I only brought this up because i know many younger steel players have problems with their picks.Any one who doesn't believe this and are having problems shaping their picks while playing in a band,try playing along at home with some cd's or pre recorded rhythm tracks made by pros and watch the problem go away.
No insults intended.Just a tip for the ones who always blame the picks.
The only part of the pick I bend is the collar or part that goes over your finger. If you look at the shape of the end of the top of your finger and nail, it slants downward.
I use the needlenose plyer to shape this and I leave the blade alone. I got use to playing this way so the blade shape is always the same. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Len Amaral on 07 June 2006 at 01:57 PM.]</p></FONT>
Was this supposed to be in the "Humor" section? At any rate, when I hit the wrong strings at the wrong time, it's <u>my</u> fault!
At a show a few years ago, I saw Tommy White try to kick off the song "In The Garden" with some local musicians. The band (all atheists, maybe?) started playing it in 4/4 a couple of times, but Tommy, a true gentleman, eventually "herded the flock" in the 3/4 direction, and all was well. He was hitting all the right strings at all the right times, but the band (lost as they were) never swayed him from his mark.
If you're ever hitting the wrong strings...it's your own fault.
Actually, it's the fault of you guys that still use picks. I have totally "Kicked the pick" habit.
Throw them away and forget about it. (Still need a thumb pick though)
Hey Bobbe.good idea.
And b0b,i wasn't talking about tuning.Maybe you better quit playing banjo so much as it may be damaging your hearing.:0 Tracy
Only kidding.
I should have made this a little more clear.what i mean is,for an example say you are trying to play Together Again and the drummer sounds like he is building a barn and the bass man is tryin to play 5/4.Maybe most of you have been lucky enough not to have worked with players like this.You try and fill in a nice smooth run for the singer and the drummer does a roll over you ,you will try to figure out where he is going and you lose it.Thats when you can hit a wrong string and or your picks don't feel right.
I fact i have always said a good rhythm section does not seem to get enough credit if any and they can make or break a band.
I don't have a problem hitting the right strings, I just can't do it in the right song! Maybe I need magic pics.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by James Morehead on 18 June 2006 at 08:39 PM.]</p></FONT>
Maybe I need magic pics.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by James Morehead on 18 June 2006 at 08:39 PM.]</p></FONT>