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barry luttrell
Aloha
Canada
13 Posts |
 Posted - 01/24/2004 : 8:55:40 PM
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I have been fingerpicking for about 10 years, blues, ragtime, country blues & have become reasonably skilled, at least on some stuff, with a pretty clean sound. I have been playing slack key for 6+ months now [I am new to open tunings ]& am trying Kotani[Some success] Beamer [some success]& Kaapana [a work in progress]...My problem is I can't always get a clean sound because some of the strings tend to bounce of both my fretting & picking fingers. I assume this happens because the strings are looser & vibrate more...I don't have this problem in standard tuning,and it happens whether I play fast or slow....and I'm a careful player. The two tunings I use are open G & open C.
I play medium strings with low action, acoustic guitar...Is this a common problem that other players have run into & is it possible to get some feedback from players that have managed to solve this headache.
Help would be appreciated. I'm a Canadian, Toronto, and right now it is real cold here.
Barry
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2004 : 11:37:23 PM
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Barry,
welcome to the universe of slack key -
My guess is that you can first try higher tension strigs (the cheap and easy way) and if that doesn't solve your problem, check in with a luthier/good guitar repair person in your area to adjust the height of the action.
Raymond
San Jose
Raymond
san Jose |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2004 : 11:57:18 PM
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| Raymond offers good advice but I'm not sure what you mean by "bounce off both my fretting & picking fingers". Can you be more specific? |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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barry luttrell
Aloha
Canada
13 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2004 : 09:58:36 AM
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Well what I was trying to say is... if I pick a note, the picked string sometimes will hit a fretting finger if the finger is right beside the picked string, creating a muddy sound. Same thing with my thumb on alternating bass.
I don't have this problem in standard tuning.
Barry |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2004 : 10:54:09 AM
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Aloha kaua e Barry,
Since the only strings of Open G that are slacked are the 1st, 5th and 6th (EADGBE to DGDGBD) *and* you are using medium strings (which are higher tension than the Lights many of us use), which strings bump into which fretting fingers on which strings? Also, how wide is your fretboard at the nut and what is the string spacing? That info will give us a better idea of what problem you are running into.
Also, how long/short/wide, etc. are your fingers? How long are the fingernails on your fretting fingers? And, what is the arch of your fingers/palm/hand when you are fretting?
First, I find it hard to believe that low action would cause a side-to-side vibratory excursion problem. Second, interstring spacing and nut width has an unexpectedly large effect on fretting. Third, medium wound strings are wider than lights. Fourth, I have the same problem you do on fretting certain chords, and I know why.
My fingers are short and stubby and my fingertips do not extend far beyond my nails when the nails are filed back (and, truth to tell, my technique is not the best). If I do not file my fretting fingernails back a lot, the nails hit the fretboard first and prevent my fingers from coming straight down on, perpendicular to, the fretboard. The situation is worst on the basic C chord on the first and second frets, 1st, 2nd and 4th strings, or on a full 4 finger chord in any place. In Ozzie's Molehu which has a lovely C chord sequence, for instance, if I am not careful, plucking the open 3rd string will cause that string to hit my finger on the 4th string.
It may just be that your familiarity with "Standard" tuning means that your hands are doing the right thing after years of practice and, with new chord/finger shapes in new tunings, your hands are not doing what they need to.
So, it could be a combination of several things.
...Reid |
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