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Post by martinrowe on Feb 22, 2023 18:37:27 GMT
I found this really helpful so I thought I'd post it. It's about how you create your best tone when striking the string and how your fretting hand technique can then detract or enhance it. It's plectrum and Mandolin but should apply to any plucked string instrument I would think, and should be easy enough to modify for fingers and nails rather than plectrum. I heard the sound I make improve immediately when I applied these techniques together but perhaps that's just me. You may have heard some of this stuff before, I had, but not put as clearly as this. Nate Lee - Tone
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Post by fred7 on Feb 25, 2023 11:20:22 GMT
That's interesting on the importance of getting the actual plucking technique sorted.
I have always thought that one of the most influential aspects of tone from the picking hand is where you pick the string along its' length.
If you pick the string by the bridge it sounds tinny and thin. As you move towards the middle of the string (12th fret) the tone becomes warmer and has more of a reverb quality to it. I believe this is one overlooked reason for some people preferring 12 fret guitars over 14 fretters. Simply because the bridge is moved further down the body which effectively moves the plucking hand further towards the 12th fret and creates a warmer tone.
I see a lot of acoustic players placing their plucking hand between the bridge and sound hole which is fine if that's what you prefer (I suspect they are more electric players at heart). However, If the position is varied it can make a significant difference and be used to enhance various parts of the tune.
There are live videos of Eric Clapton playing Robert Johnson songs where, for most part, he plucks the strings over the upper part of the sound hole and sometimes moves the hand over the bottom of the fret board to vary and enhance the tone.
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