Buc McMaster Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 The post about "Bone Tone" and the one inquiring about playing left handed guitar got me to thinking about the pick hand side of the guitar playing equation. Over the holidays my father in-law stopped in for a visit.....he's a beginner guitar player himself (at nearly 80 years old!) and he pointed out to me that he felt like he had been playing wrong with the pick. He was just strumming the strings in order, top to bottom, through each chord. He watched me play a bit and was amazed at how a different approach with the pick can make such a huge difference in what one hears from the guitar. A good look at the mechanics of the pick hand shows why this is true..... Strumming, cross picking, hybrid picking, palm muting, pick control and angle of attack, scrapes and scrubs.....so many variables that can be combined in different ways to create different sounds. To those of you that are pick players, how much time and attention do you pay to the back hand? How much importance to you ascribe to that hand and how much of your style do you attribute to this part of your playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I flatpick about 90% of the time. Not knowing the details of each style, I would call what I do "hybrid" picking, as I often pick out either a melody or harmony line with the pick, on either the treble or bass strings. I don't generally "strum" in any conventional sense. I listened a lot the the Everly Brothers as a kid. I didn't know what parallel thirds were then, but I was always astounded that more often that not, both Don and Phil's lines could stand on their own as melody lines, with the "true" melody implied rather than explicit. Within my limits, I often pick in patterns similar to the Everly's vocal lines. This means a lot of thought and practice trying to develop those. This was quite a revelation to a kid who sang conventional three-part choral harmony all the time, with a single melody line. The bottom line is that I probably spend 70% of my effort on the right hand. I struggle a lot with my left hand at times, thanks to a motorcyle accident in 1969 that effectively ended my dreams of being a "real" performer. The result was a badly-damaged left hand, with a fourth finger that was (and still is, to some extent) a nearly-useless "mallet" finger that can't be repaired now. I'm a little bitter that the doctor at the time didn't even bother trying to fix it: he said I was lucky he could even save it. He also had a tennis match to get back to, and was annoyed that I had ruined his Sunday afternoon by running into a brick wall while slightly inebriated. We all work with our physical limits, and adapt our styles to them. Right hand? Left hand? Sometimes I think I just have 10 thumbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 The hello hand is so mysterious. It's where the personality, the secret tricks and trace of talent first shows. Study a beginner – the right hand will soon reveal if there's any future behind the guitar. That goes for your dinosaur father in law too, , , lords bless him. . . I try to keep a tecnique for every finger. Which means 5 : Strumming Flatpicking Fingerpicking Nailstrumming Thumbhammering (like a funk bassman) Sounds like a 6-string master – unfortunately I'm not. . . Can be rather hard to go from 2 to 3 or the other way around. The 2 styles demand completely different dexterity. And I recently started fortifying my nails with transparent lacquer. Can only recommend it. Especially for NewYears Eve as it glimmers and sparkles under electric light. Over 12 into 12 come on ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Nick - Don't know if this will cheer you up, but a 1969 motorcycle accident has a mythological ring to it. Was it a Triumph Bonneville ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarrr Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 To me it's mazin to hear what some players can do with the various model/styles, like playing a piano with two hands doing different things... the late Earl 'father' Hines comes to mind. The fretboard hand is bending the strings and the bottom hand controling the tone and volume. Like Keith Richards says, '6 this way, 12 that way and endless possibilities'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Im 95% pick user (although hope that will be more balanced with fingerpickin 2012!) I would honestly say around 75% is all about the right hand, its (given my current ability, which i think is basically intermediate) is what gives me the best 'bang for the buck' in terms of getting the sound that I want. Its really what drives my strumming, dynamics, feel and overall mood for the track. The left hand is really mainly about the obvious (fretting the chords / notes) and more importantly the slurs like hammer ons, pulls offs and slides, but to me thats the other 25%. The right hand is king in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 well for me I started on classical and the moved to steel string. so I kinda have a Robbie Krieger approach to the guitar. I don´t use picks too often . But I do pluck various strings at a time and I actually heard Carlos Santana say that you could do a solo on one string and you wouldn´t catch anyone´s attention but if you did the same thing on two strings at the same time it would sound awesome (and he demonstrated it on his guitar) but I do use picks now and then. but mostly my fingers and I use my thumb alot too John Mayer said he got kicked out of berkley because he used his thumb too much lol . I wish I could do Mccartney picking but I can´t . I think I´m more in the Rev.Gary Davis don´t move my fretting hand much but I do move my picking hand alot ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Nick - Don't know if this will cheer you up, but a 1969 motorcycle accident has a mythological ring to it. Was it a Triumph Bonneville ? Nah. It was a Ducati Sebring. Most of my friends had Triumph TR6's (pre-Bonneville) then, which is still on of my favorite bikes, when you can keep them running properly. For better or worse, I gave up bikes a few years ago in a rash attempt to live to a ripe old age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I listened a lot the the Everly Brothers as a kid. I didn't know what parallel thirds were then, but I was always astounded that more often that not, both Don and Phil's lines could stand on their own as melody lines, with the "true" melody implied rather than explicit. Is that how they did it? No true melody.....two lines of harmony that implied a melody?! Wow. Now that's some vocal trickery! My last band did a few Everly tunes (Cathy's Clown comes to mind).....I sang what I figured was the melody and one of the girls sang the harmony. We did notice that the two traded which voice was singing which part in that particular song pretty seamlessly, something we did not attempt! (I still don't know what parallel thirds are! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I pretty much just stick with my fingers. I have heard it said that your left hand is what you know but your right hand is who you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 Nick - Don't know if this will cheer you up, but a 1969 motorcycle accident has a mythological ring to it. Was it a Triumph Bonneville ? I still own a '67 Bonneville. Best bike Triumph ever made. I used to also own a 1970 Trophy Sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 The right hand is king in my book. I think you hit the nail on the head, EA! You can't have one without the other! Each with it's own importance. I do believe that the "style" each individual has comes from the right hand or the non-chording hand (for you lefties!) Everyone plays the same chords, but the tone or individual "style" comes from the other hand. Good topic, Buc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I have heard it said that your left hand is what you know but your right hand is who you are. Well said – allow me to quote it for friends. I remember the silver-tanked bikes – never beaten. The Bonneville and the Tiger. Only a big kid my favorite was a BSA though, , , my bicycle had the 3 letters as dymo-label on the horizontal rod between saddle and steer. Steer itself cape buffalo horn shaped. A little later I started leaning towards the awesome Norton. (Never drove any in real life). Admit I knew these names before Gibson, Fender and Gretsch, , , , , , but not Ludwig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 What is this thing??? A pick??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted December 27, 2011 Report Share Posted December 27, 2011 I am a picker...foremost. I throw the fingers in once in awhile as I did take classical lessons as a teen. I am ALL about the right hand. Having learned drums in high school, I am a rather percussive guitar player. I have to constantly teach my left hand to keep up. Therefore....a better rythem player than lead. I have brief moments of brilliance with both though. I think that the right(strumming hand) is the hardest for most beginners and players. After all. once you set your fingers on a chord....what are you going to do with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 or a vincent black lightning ? or was that '59? Nick - Don't know if this will cheer you up, but a 1969 motorcycle accident has a mythological ring to it. Was it a Triumph Bonneville ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDuff Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 I feel that the vast majority of my improvement over the last year has been right hand based. My teacher told me a joke when I asked him about it "You spend the first year on the left hand then you grow old trying to master the right." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 "You spend the first year on the left hand then you grow old trying to master the right." Ain't that the truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted December 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Speaking of a well-educated pick hand, here's some kinda rare footage of TE singing and playing his old Gibson. Listen to the sharp, dry tone of this little guitar in a master's hands......this is some serious technique, from both hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qjFfSLzAV4&feature=related Holy mackerel, Batman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
struma6 Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Nick - Don't know if this will cheer you up, but a 1969 motorcycle accident has a mythological ring to it. Was it a Triumph Bonneville ? Or possibly a 52 Vincent Black Lightning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 I think thats the first time ive seen TE with a Gibson ! That was really enjoyable as I always wondered what Tommy could do with a Gibby, and answer is ... make her purr nicely ! He sure knows how to work the crowd doesnt he, Gibby sounds great. love the dry, but not too dry tone. Speaking of a well-educated pick hand, here's some kinda rare footage of TE singing and playing his old Gibson. Listen to the sharp, dry tone of this little guitar in a master's hands......this is some serious technique, from both hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qjFfSLzAV4&feature=related Holy mackerel, Batman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 I think thats the first time ive seen TE with a Gibson ! That was really enjoyable as I always wondered what Tommy could do with a Gibby, and answer is ... make her purr nicely ! He sure knows how to work the crowd doesnt he, Gibby sounds great. love the dry, but not too dry tone. Let's face it: any guitar TE picks up is going to sound great. He is on tour in parts of North America and Northern Europe this winter. I saw a poster for a concert in San Diego when I was out there last month, and he is hitting some southern US venues as well.(But not down here in Florida!) Wily, Danville Rob, and all you folks out in the Bay area: he is doing workshops in San Francisco, I believe on February 11 and 12. Be there, and tell the rest of us about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 TE is such a great player. I love watching him play that Kalamazoo KG-11. I just returned from 12 days in Spain (family vacation plus visiting luthiers for a "Guitar Makers of Spain" article for Fretboard Journal). While in Seville, I caught a flamenco performance. Flamenco guitar players always knock me out. Everything about the genre is fantastic, but I'm especially impressed with the variety of right hand techniques. Here's an example with my favorite flamenco player, Paco de Lucia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6vxb0S6GMU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 While in Seville, I caught a flamenco performance. Flamenco guitar players always knock me out. Everything about the genre is fantastic, but I'm especially impressed with the variety of right hand techniques. Here's an example with my favorite flamenco player, Paco de Lucia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6vxb0S6GMU Absolutely freaking stunning!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted December 28, 2011 Report Share Posted December 28, 2011 Well said – allow me to quote it for friends. I remember the silver-tanked bikes – never beaten. The Bonneville and the Tiger. Only a big kid my favorite was a BSA though, , , my bicycle had the 3 letters as dymo-label on the horizontal rod between saddle and steer. Steer itself cape buffalo horn shaped. A little later I started leaning towards the awesome Norton. (Never drove any in real life). Admit I knew these names before Gibson, Fender and Gretsch, , , , , , but not Ludwig. It ain't my quote so go for it. I don't remember though who said it. My best friend owned a Tiger. He had the tank painted red and afterwards it was known as the Lobster. While the Bonneville had the sexy thing going, the Trophy was a desert sled. When I got it it still had the knobby tires and upswept pipes. It also came with stainless steel fenders which was cool. Just a speedo, no tach and a single carb. I got rid of tires and pipes and added a Bosch wiring harness (as I did with the Bonneville) as Triumph, like all British vehicles, was subject to the The Lucas King of Darkness thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.