Bar Technique

Hey Ricky, I'm using Scotty's C6 book and he's got 3 different methods of blocking. Should I try and practice all three, or pick one and concentrate on that one to start. Also how do you know when to block, or do you just learn that with time? The Answer

When I move the bar up the neck to a new position, I can hear the movement on some of the strings. What's the best way to eliminate that noise? The Answer

When I pick from the high strings to the low strings, I slide the bar back towards me so that I'm only covering the strings I want to play. But as I move the bar, the high strings continue to ring! How can I dampen them as I move the slide towards me? The Answer

When I play notes on the low strings, I pull the slide back towards my body so that it covers just the strings I want to play. But, the bar is heavy and I have to change my grip on it to keep it from dropping. Is there a better way to handle playing on the low strings? The Answer

Even though I'm just starting to play steel guitar, I can see how important playing slants is. What's the best way to practice playing slants to get proper intonation? The Answer

Hey Ricky, what's the best way to practice bar slanting? The Answer

I find that my slants sound better if I apply some vibrato or slide into them. Is that cheating? The Answer

When moving out of a forward slant to a straight bar position, I have trouble getting the bar positioned perfectly straight across the strings. I think it's because I'm not holding my arm in the right position while playing the slant. What is the correct arm position when playing a forward slant? Should I move my elbow out so that my forearm is more in line with the bar? The Answer

I can't seem to get a natural sounding vibrato and after awhile of trying, my hand and arm really hurt. Any suggestions? The Answer


Right hand technique

Ricky, I have a Fender dual pro, with the trapazoid pickups. You know they're kinda up there in the way. I find myself resting my hand on them while picking. Do you think this is a bad habit to get into or not? The Answer

Hand position is very important in the way that you strike the string, what I like to call "setting the string in motion".  The way the string vibrates really determines the sound you get.  The way I explain "setting the string in motion" is to know that the string can move horizontally or vertically or somewhere inbetween. The Answer

Sometimes as I move my right hand, the tops of the finger picks get caught in the strings. Is there a solution? The Answer

After I play for awhile, the finger picks really begin to hurt and the thumb pick is especially tight. What can I do? The Answer


Body position and movement

As I move the bar higher on the neck, my left arm gets cramped against my body and I have trouble getting proper bar position. Am I sitting in a bad position? What's the best position to sit in for playing? The Answer

When I move the bar a long distance up or down the neck, I often have difficulty getting proper intonation -- I don't end up in exactly the right spot. What's the best cure for this? The Answer


Chords and Tunings

I'm using both E6/9 and C6 tunings on my D8. When should I use the E6/9 and when should I use the C6? Do you have any guidelines for when it's appropriate to use one tuning instead of the other? Thanks. The Answer

What's the best tuning to learn on? The Answer

What's the best way to tune a steel guitar?? The Answer

There are so many kinds of strings out there, what kind is best for steel guitar? The Answer

I'm playing with a standard C6 tuning and I can't figure out how to get a dominant 7 sound. Should I just go to a different tuning? The Answer

Right now my playing is limited to playing pairs of strings that are right next to each other. What's the best way to expand to larger intervals or three string patterns? The Answer


Misc

How can you train your ear to play along with records?  The problem I have is finding the key.  The Answer

I'm learning to play steel guitar and need some hints on what to listen to. Can you tell me your top ten CDs that feature non-pedal steel guitar? The Answer