#16
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It is the first millisecond or two of string vibration (perhaps even before you consciously hear anything) that sets up the harmonic content the string will produce as it continues to sound, and thus it is critical to tone. That first millisecond or two is determined by where and how the the finger tip leaves the string. With fingernails, since most tend to curve towards the palm, a slight backward bend of the end joint of the finger tends to smooth out the sound, and that backward bend tends to happen more with rest strokes than free strokes. Of course you can also try and do other things, for example ramping the shape of the nails, play with short nails, play with artificial nails, pick at an angle instead of perpendicular to the string.
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |
#17
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This is one of those threads where everyone's response seems to be accurate. The only thing I can think to add is that the way you attack the strings very much depends on how many fingers you are using and whether or not you're using picks. People who play with thumb and two fingers tend to attack the strings at a very different angle than people who play with thumb and three fingers. The difference relates to the hand position necessary to get the ring finger into action. Similarly, the use of finger picks changes the angle of attack. Personally, I play Piedmont-style with thumb and three fingers (which Stefan Grossman says is dead wrong). When using picks, I anchor my little finger, and when playing with bear fingers I don't. It all depends on the feel of the string and the kind of tone I'm going after.
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#18
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The motion may not be exactly perpendicular to the surface of the guitar, but (like the rest stroke) it's close. The usual rest stroke in fact picks at about 45 degrees, between parallel with the guitar top and perpendicular. The fingernail begins above the string (away from the guitar) and ends up beneath the string, so obviously the first movement of the string is in the opposite direction - away from the surface, and then back down. But at an oblique angle. The string could be made to move in a (mostly) perpendicular fashion, but the fingernail would then end up beneath the string itself, and inhibit its vibration. The rest stroke moves the string in a more parallel direction (in the plane of the strings). Of course the string ends up vibrating in what you call a revolving manner, although probably in a kind of rotating ellipse; mainly back and forth, but in different directions about the centre. Its natural tendency would always be to pull back to the centre and back out, not to rotate like a jump rope (whose motion is dictated by the person holding it).
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"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#19
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The curve of the fingernail toward the palm is supposed to be eliminated by filing the nail to remove any "hook" effect caused by a curve in that direction - precisely so that it can't catch on the string, and will simply slide off, the tip releasing the string. IOW, the shape of the fingernail might make a difference to how the string sounds (although it's still hard to see how), but the same shape fingernail will produce the same affect whichever direction it leaves the string. Even so, I can hear for myself that a rest stroke sounds different from a free stroke (same string, same fingernail), and I'll admit I can't yet understand why. IOW, your explanation makes no sense to me, but I can't think of one that makes more sense!
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"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#20
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It is pretty easy to test it out when (controlling for volume and distance from bridge) by using a smooth flatpick at various tilts and comparing that to what happens with a fingernail. Or another example: pick with tip index finger perpendicular to the plane of the string and plane of the guitar top. Then, keeping finger perpendicular to the top rotate the wrist towards the bridge so that the fingertip picks the string at an angle (say up to 45 degrees or so) and listen to the tone become more mellow.
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above Last edited by rick-slo; 12-11-2016 at 12:31 PM. |
#21
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My teacher recommended me this. He said I should push the stings like I play a piano. I am still trying to figure it out.
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#22
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Quote:
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The shape and quality of the nail certainly makes a difference - although only to the attack portion of the sound, not to the sound once the nail has left the string. Quote:
However, when I try this I get a mellower sound the first way - picking at right angles to the string. At 45 degrees, there's more nail scrape. It's extremely minimal, but just noticeable.
__________________
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#23
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Seems to make sense to me. |
#24
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#25
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Quote:
__________________
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#26
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Quote:
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |
#27
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Been playing fingerstyle since 1967. My nails are my 'picks' and I pick in one direction; up, with the flesh of the fingertip making brief contact with the string and the nail finishing the stroke. Always upward whether Kotte, Doc Watson, blues, Slack-key, you name it. Pick more or less aggressively to adjust for tone and loudness.
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AZ Slacker Bourgeois JOMC, MadRose/Adi Baranik, JX MadRose/German Baranik, JX Brazilian/Italian SCGC OM, Brazilian / German SCGC OMG, Brazilian / Moon Spruce Dan Roberts Troubadour, Mahogany/Adi Collings CJ35 Mahogany/German Jimmy Edmonds OM Braz/Adi Greven '1937' D18 Greven '1937' OM Braz/Adi |
#28
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Ron |
#29
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- but down with the thumb, presumably?
__________________
"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#30
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flat pick, thumb pick or fingers....my process for executing the precise angle at which to pluck the string is as follows:
Step 1) pluck string(s) if sounds good continue with technique. If not continue to step 2. Step 2) pluck strings a different way until it sounds good. When sounds good achieved, continue with this technique as with step 1. |