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matt
Aloha
3 Posts |
 Posted - 03/02/2004 : 2:49:36 PM
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I'm having a hard time with a hammer-on/pull-off on the sixth string at any fret other than those close to the nut. I'm always pulling the string off the edge of the neck. Anyone have any tips for me?
-matt
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Douglas23d
Aloha
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 3:51:12 PM
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Matt,
I sometimes experience this too. I believe that for me, it's because I'm out of position for the next notes, and by having to reach a little farther, I also compensate by pressing a little harder. I used to miss the neck completely at times.
By studying different player's styles - Ron Loo, Ozzie Kotani, Mark Hanson - I've picked up alternate fingering that actually helps me set-up correctly or more efficiently for the next notes. Ozzies book has a bunch of examples with each song. It feels uncomfortable and clunky at first, but the "flow" is definitely better.
So...if it's and out-of-postion thing like me, I hope this helps. If not, I know the TaroPatch Ohana will chime in.
A Hui Hou |
Doug
Perpetuate the Music of Your Culture, for in the Music, the Story is told. |
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Douglas23d
Aloha
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 4:01:58 PM
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Matt,
Just saw where you are the newest member at TaroPatch.net. Aloha!! I know you'll enjoy your time here.
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Doug
Perpetuate the Music of Your Culture, for in the Music, the Story is told. |
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cdyas
Akahai
67 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 6:28:52 PM
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| Try a push up or use the 3 string if you are in TP. |
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trlau
Aloha
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 7:11:32 PM
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Aloha Matt,
If you're not doing the following already, you might consider adopting the 'classical guitar thumb position' whereby your left thumb is centered along the midline of the neck and at all times pointing toward the head of the instrument vs. held parallel to the frets and wrapped around the neck. The wrist should be cocked at about a 45 deg. angle vs. being held flat.
Your palm will no longer be in contact with the back of the neck, and it feels like you're sort of 'reaching' at the neck from below or behind in a way. Also, your thumb ends up closer to a 90 deg. angle away from your fingers instead of nearly parallel. You can also feel the muscles behind your forearm stretching. Unconfortable if one is not used to it but...
This position offers two significant advantages: 1) you will be able to reach across the neck to the 6th string without having to alter your hand position and 2) your fingers will contact the strings at something closer to a vertical angle.
Adv. #1 makes it much easier to play faster across the neck and up and down too (imagine that your thumb is travelling along an imaginary track in the center of the neck - MUCH easier to locate your finger position).
Adv. #2 Among other things, it becomes a lot easier to hammer on/off cleanly.
Yup, a little technique really goes a long way. Watch any classically trained guitarist (Keola Beamer is a great example). You don't see their left thumb protruding above the top of the neck, even when they are only fingering the 1st - 3rd strings. Also, their fingers appear to be sort of 'walking spider-like' while playing.
Finally, contemplate this:
Hold your left hand palm up in front of you. Place the tips of your fingers against the tip of your thumb and squeeze (saying 'bellissimo' while doing this is optional).
Okay? Then extend your thumb to the left and press the tips of your fingers against the meaty part of your hand with force (saying 'going my way?' is also optional).
Note how much more force you can exert with the second squeeze. This translates to not having to have a death grip on the neck in order to fret the string and in turn translates to more speed.
In terms of that forearm stretch, many players (including me) regularly do a little exercise where one makes a fist with the left hand and rotates the hand to limber up those muscles (yow!).
Whew... anyway, I hope that helps.
Malama Pono, |
Ted Lau
(poina 'ole he Hawai'i 'oe)
mailto:trlau @ earthlink.net |
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trlau
Aloha
USA
29 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 7:15:02 PM
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| I just realized that the '45 deg. angle' reference was vague. I meant that your hand is curled in toward you about 45 deg. away from flat. Actually many players allow their wrist to 'cave in' by pressing their whole palm against the neck. Consider how hard it is to make a fast move from say a D chord to a G chord in std tuning... |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 03/02/2004 : 10:42:45 PM
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Matt,
Shooting in the dark 'cause I can't see what is actually going on, but two things come to mind from my vast repetoire of mistakes.
Most of the time when I get your problem it is because I have gotten sloppy with my hand position. When I use the kind of position described by Ted, usually the problems goes away.
Early on, I used to get that problem both on the 1st & 6th string. Ozzie pointed out to me that I was using much too much left hand pressure on the strings. He got me to feel where "just enough" was - that made a big difference both in terms of the kind of stuff you're describing, as well as the fatigue factor.
Good luck,
Raymond
San Jose |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2004 : 12:08:55 AM
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| Matt, are you talking about the sixth string (bass, closest to you) or the first (treble, farthest from you)? |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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matt
Aloha
3 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2004 : 5:25:19 PM
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Yeah, actually that would be the first string, not the sixth! Sorry! Thanks much for the *very* helpful advice, I will try the suggestions you all have made and see what works for me.
-matt |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 03/03/2004 : 6:40:15 PM
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| I had the same problem when I first started practicing hammer-ons and gradually the problem just went away the more I practiced. I think part of the problem was that I was raising my finger too high above the fretboard before hammering down, which made me less accurate. I also tried Ray Kane's technique of flicking the finger up (towards you) instead of pulling it down. That works too, but now I can do it both ways. Find a song that has lots of hammer-ons and try all the advice given here until something clicks. (You might find out, like I did, that the repetition alone is as helpful as anything else!) |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2004 : 02:29:35 AM
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Good point -- Keola often comments that the trick to hammer ons is not getting the finger high and using a lot of force, but rather learning to use a very fast movement of your finger from a shorter distance above the fretboard
Raymond
San Jose |
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richard
Aloha
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - 03/07/2004 : 9:47:21 PM
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Good points, all. I agree that it's a practice issue. I've been doing H-Ps for 40 years or so on banjo and a couple years of slack key, and still hook the 1st string about once a month. It seems like it's hard to learn at first, and easy to re-learn when you slip.
Richard |
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