Errr back to front I think. The tip of the thumb points towards my heart. Not a problem, just a provocation!
2010/1/11, Topher Gayle <[email protected]>: > Erik, great story, and I think that way too. > > Robin, I dunno. I am sort of surprised it would be a problem. I > haven't run into it before. When you figure it out, let use know so we > can offer all kinds of advice in the future! The only thing that I can > think of is that the tip of your thumb might poke into the strings. Is > that what happens? I guess then a different wrist/string plane angle > might help. > > Topher > > > > On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:43 PM, erik berry <[email protected]> wrote: >> On the subject of finding your own way, not necessarily directly about >> pick grip... >> >> I used to work in a bakery and the head baker had a helluva time >> teaching me how to roll out a loaf of dough. No matter how slow he >> showed me, it didn't make sense. "Whaddya mean just roll it out? >> Aren't I doing that?" "No." So what he did is he had every staff >> member come on back and show me how they did it. No one did it quite >> the same, but I was able to see what they all had in common, so i >> could shoot for that. And quite soon (10 minutes or so) I figured out >> my way. Not quite like anyone else's, but it accomplished what needed >> to happen with the dough so it could successfully bake into a >> correctly shaped loaf of bread. >> >> The point being, sometimes it's good to study what others are doing, >> even if you aren't going to use their techniques. >> >> Just thought I'd chime in... >> >> erik >> >> On Jan 11, 2:24 pm, Robin Gravina <[email protected]> wrote: >>> It's curved away from the rest of the fingers, mainly in the top >>> phalanx (is that the right word?) >>> >>> 2010/1/11, Topher Gayle <[email protected]>: >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> > Robin, >>> >>> > Interesting question. Not sure what you mean. How is your thumb >>> > curved? Up, down, sideways, in out, or what? >>> >>> > Glad to hear you got such a useful gene, though. It must come in handy >>> > (har har). >>> >>> > Topher >>> >>> > On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 11:31 AM, Robin Gravina >>> > <[email protected]> >>> > wrote: >>> >> Just a curious question. There are people with straight thumbs, and >>> >> then those who have been lucky enough to get the gene for brains, >>> >> charm, good looks and a curved thumb. >>> >> Curiously enough, I am in the latter group. Do we curved thumbers do >>> >> it different from our straight digit cousins? Just wondering. >>> >> Actually, the curve means you either hold the thumb bent, or use the >>> >> joint, rather than the bone. >>> >> An important issue I feel >>> >>> >> 2010/1/10, Linda <[email protected]>: >>> >>> I thank yall for the advice and since I have a quiet weekend here I >>> >>> can try em out. >>> >>> The one thing from the article, that I need to try and pay more >>> >>> attention to is .. >>> >>> Mike says its best to learn a tune slow, then after a time speed it >>> >>> up. I do that but feel an enormous pressure to be able to play it >>> >>> fast and start to do that before I really should. >>> >>> >>> I like most tunes in slow mode for my personal enjoyment, but its >>> >>> the >>> >>> pressure when playing with others to play fast and my wish to get >>> >>> there and be able to play with others well, that seems to drive this >>> >>> rushing thing that is not really doing me any good at all. And he >>> >>> says it may be a long tme before I can play well ...fast, at my age, >>> >>> I >>> >>> don't know if it will happen in time that fuels it too. >>> >>> >>> I have thought maybe just develop a list of slow tunes and try to >>> >>> make >>> >>> them terrific..as a way to get around that. >>> >>> >>> Almost every tune I get ..is one that at first I feel like I could >>> >>> never be able to play and by the next lesson, most times, I find I >>> >>> can..and that I can do things I did not think I could. Mike is >>> >>> always >>> >>> pushing the bar with what I am assigned to do. Seems the mind game >>> >>> is >>> >>> a lot of the battle. I have to just calm down and approach it, see >>> >>> what I can achieve and am always pleasantly surprised. >>> >>> >>> Brian I don't have your problem with the mirror but still need a >>> >>> small >>> >>> one ..for a different reason...<G>. >>> >>> Maybe pisces look better underwater. >>> >>> >>> linda >>> >>> >>> On Jan 10, 3:39 am, Topher Gayle <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Here are some ideas for hitting both strings in a course. Lots of >>> >>>> folks have trouble with this at first. >>> >>> >>>> If you're not sure if you are hitting both strings, tune one of them >>> >>>> quite a bit flat. Then play some sort of exercise on that pair. The >>> >>>> worse it sounds, the better you're picking. Try to make both tones >>> >>>> sound equally loud. Then you know you're hitting them both. Tune >>> >>>> back >>> >>>> up for the rest of your practicing! >>> >>> >>>> I find that using rest strokes, where the pick comes to rest against >>> >>>> the next course, is useful for helping me get into the groove of >>> >>>> hitting both strings. Sometimes you'll want to use them while >>> >>>> playing, >>> >>>> and sometimes not. But they're a good way to get the feel of hitting >>> >>>> both strings. >>> >>> >>>> I like to describe the action as "pushing the pick through the >>> >>>> strings," rather than plucking the strings. in other words the >>> >>>> strings >>> >>>> get pushed down towards the top of the instrument by the tip of the >>> >>>> pick and then make noise on the rebound. the strings get out of the >>> >>>> way of the pick, not the other way around. The only way you can do >>> >>>> that is to push the tip of the pick more or less parallel to the top >>> >>>> of the instrument, with no dodging up and down. A firm grip helps. >>> >>> >>>> It helps to rotate the pick a little bit - either with the end >>> >>>> towards >>> >>>> the neck down a little (maybe 15-20 degrees) and up (as John >>> >>>> Reischman >>> >>>> does). This way the strings slide along the end of the pick more >>> >>>> than >>> >>>> grab. You'll get less pick noise, too. Experiment with different >>> >>>> picks, too. >>> >>> >>>> Maybe some of this might be helpful. There are many approaches. What >>> >>>> matters is getting the sound, while not hurting yourself. >>> >>> >>>> Topher >>> >>> >>>> On Sat, Jan 9, 2010 at 7:36 AM, Dasspunk <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> > When it's going good... real good... I'll blow off everything to >>> >>>> > keep >>> >>>> > it going. I try (in vain) to keep THAT in my muscle memory. Make >>> >>>> > THAT >>> >>>> > my habit. Mike would probably say he does the same thing but his >>> >>>> > worst >>> >>>> > days are still better than my best. He can be annoying in that way >>> >>>> > ;) >>> >>> >>>> > Playing back by the bridge forces me to play more evenly, more >>> >>>> > accurately and apply the correct amount of force to the stroke. In >>> >>>> > my >>> >>>> > experience, there's a perfect amount of force--and it's probably >>> >>>> > less >>> >>>> > than you'd think-- that produces the most sound... and the right >>> >>>> > sound. >>> >>> >>>> > Again, I'm not sure if my words will translate into the proper >>> >>>> > meaning... it's tough to describe. >>> >>> >>>> > One bit of advice I always give that helped me a ton is this: >>> >>>> > practice >>> >>>> > in a mirror. Watch your right hand. Look at Mike's right hand and >>> >>>> > try >>> >>>> > to make your right hand look like his (or Bill's). Try, try, try, >>> >>>> > try, >>> >>>> > try. >>> >>> >>>> > Now if you're practicing in the mirror you find yourself >>> >>>> > distracted by >>> >>>> > your own incredible good looks, you're probably a Sagittarius like >>> >>>> > me >>> >>>> > and you'll need to get a smaller mirror :) >>> >>> >>>> > B >>> >>> >>>> > On Jan 9, 8:47 am, Linda <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> >> I like the idea of the pencil eraser and will think on that >>> >>>> >> some. >>> >>> >>>> >> The Tater says I am only playing the top string of two sometimes. >>> >>>> >> He >>> >>>> >> wants me to use the area just near the bridge more. I find it >>> >>>> >> difficult to push through...push the pick through the strings in >>> >>>> >> that >>> >>>> >> spot. Am working on it. >>> >>>> >> Sometimes when I practice, I trying playing looser and give all >>> >>>> >> real >>> >>>> >> attention to what the right had is doing, not worrying too much >>> >>>> >> about >>> >>>> >> the fretting (which gets sloppy when not attending). So far, I >>> >>>> >> find >>> >>>> >> there is improvement but I sure wish I had a way to know for sure >>> >>>> >> when >>> >>>> >> I am getting it right. >>> >>>> >> Brian, you are right about getting it right and how it feels. >>> >>>> >> Every >>> >>>> >> now and again in the lesson I get a thumbs up, which means I am >>> >>>> >> doing >>> >>>> >> it the right way. >>> >>>> >> Feels like going to the moon in rocket.... >>> >>>> >> linda >>> >>> >>>> >> On Jan 10, 12:53 am, 14strings <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>>> >> > Maybe the mental image of striking both strings with equal >>> >>>> >> > force >>> >>>> >> > and >>> >>>> >> > contemporaneously helps the process of digging in and keeping >>> >>>> >> > the >>> >>>> >> > pick >>> >>>> >> > on the stringS. Many of us have the poor technique (myself >>> >>>> >> > included) >>> >>>> >> > of catching just one string in a pair. That will give us half >>> >>>> >> > the >>> >>>> >> > volume and half the tone. Half the fun. >>> >>> >>>> >> > Perry >>> >>> >>>> > -- >>> >>>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> >>>> > Groups "Taterbugmando" group. >>> >>>> > To post to this group, send email to >>> >>>> > [email protected]. >>> >>>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> >>>> > [email protected]. >>> >>>> > For more options, visit this group >>> >>>> > athttp://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >>> >>> >> -- >>> >> Enviado desde mi dispositivo móvil >>> >>> >> -- >>> >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> >> Groups >>> >> "Taterbugmando" group. >>> >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> >> [email protected]. >>> >> For more options, visit this group at >>> >>http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >>> >>> -- >>> Enviado desde mi dispositivo móvil- Hide quoted text - >>> >>> - Show quoted text - >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Taterbugmando" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/taterbugmando?hl=en. >> >> >> >> > -- Enviado desde mi dispositivo móvil
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