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Author
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Topic: Block away, but the harmonics ring on...
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Bill Llewellyn
Member From: San Jose, CA
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posted 02 June 2004 12:46 PM
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I'm a palm blocker, but I'd imagine this issue holds true for pick blockers as well.Whenever I'm doing picking exercises, which I do with headphones on and no accompaniment music (i.e., I can hear all the "bad stuff" that is usually hidden by other instruments), I notice that the blocking of each string with my palm doesn't necessarily mute its entire sound. Yes, the fundamental tone is pretty well squashed, but often my palm hits and lifts from the string at a harmonic split point and I'm left with an (albeit soft) overtone... basically, a chime tone. If my palm is on the string long enough, this doesn't happen. But those quick bounces where I mute one string and play the next leaves some soft overtone on one string. I can't see how to change this, since I can't widen my palm or change the amount of time it's on the strings (during a quick bounce, as mentioned). Moving up or down the neck to a different, non-harmonic spot on the strings might help, but that moves my picking position as well and changes my tone (sometimes drastically) so that's not really an option. This isn't a serious problem, but I can see how some dissonant tones could arise in one's playing because of it. Has anyone else here noticed this kind of thing? ------------------
Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50? |
Stephen Gambrell
Member From: Ware Shoals, South Carolina, USA
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posted 02 June 2004 02:39 PM
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What's "Blocking?" |
Buck Dilly
Member From: Branchville, NJ, USA
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posted 02 June 2004 03:06 PM
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When this starts to occur move your right hand closer to, or further from the bridge. But there are too many other variables here, to assess this. Get another player to watch you carefully while you play, he may pick up something that you are missing. |
Paddy Long
Member From: Christchurch, New Zealand
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posted 02 June 2004 07:44 PM
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Bill do you tuck your little finger, or ring finger - or both, under as well or do you have the fingers extended ?? I used to have that problem but started tucking my ring finger under and it solved the problem for me. I think that my palm wasn't exactly flat right across so one or two strings would ring through the gap where my little finger joins the palm. Worth considering maybe ? |
Jerry Hayes
Member From: Virginia Beach, Va.
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posted 03 June 2004 04:21 AM
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I had a hard time with blocking also but about 25 years ago I started tucking my ring finger under like Paddy does and it made everything right...........JH------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning. |
Bill Llewellyn
Member From: San Jose, CA
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posted 03 June 2004 06:06 AM
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I actually curl all fingers under, claw type--no pinky or ring finger extending. That does leave the string(s) I'm trying to mute to touch at the base of my pinky. Maybe that's it...that area of my hand is not very wide.Doesn't this also happen for pick blockers? Suppose a player picks and blocks at the 24th fret. That would leave the string ringing at the 3rd harmonic (two octaves above the root), wouldn't it? |
Nicholas Dedring
Member From: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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posted 03 June 2004 09:47 AM
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Yes, as far as I can tell... you might just be bouncing your palm too lightly, too quickly? If your palm where you block is over that octave harmonic, which is strong and chimes loudly, moving it even slightly to one side or the other should cut that harmonic down significantly.However, picking over the twenty-fourth fret would only be that second octave harmonic if you had your bar at the zero fret, or other frets where the bar to palm distance was a strong harmonic interval. At the first or second fret, you shouldn't be hearing them, in that case. |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 03 June 2004 06:36 PM
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quote:
...often my palm hits and lifts from the string at a...harmonic split point...
I think your right hand position is just a little too far from the bridge. [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 03 June 2004 at 06:37 PM.] |
Bob Wood
Member From: Campbell, California, USA
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posted 08 June 2004 10:03 AM
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Stephen, my ex use to complain that I'd block her out whenever she talked. Sometimes I'd use my palm, other times I'd pick her out. But mostly, I'd just walk away! Hi Bill! You missed our show Saturday night!Bob |
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