CraigHollander
Blues Newbie
As always the disclaimer. This info may. yes be in Griffs courses and I missed it.
If anyone does use this technique let me know so I can confirm on right track Thanks!
I do not have large hands and always thought my bends pullosff and hammers were ummm bad dues to not having finger strength. A lot of people make this statement regardless of hand size.. It's wrong anyone can do it and make it sound great.
Since doing Griffs course and watching his and other videos on bends I improved a ton but was still just not getting enough volume from hammers and clarity from pulloffs. When muting skill rapidly improved (see may other posts) they got better as well but ....
I would see guys playing clean no distortion and no stress or effort bending pulling and hammering at will and knew I was not there yet.
Tonight random luck I stumble on a video about this and the solution is simple .
Most of us here know all about the blues thumb over bend positionnbut I have also seen people do wild vibrato without even having that whole anchoring set up just with finger.
Here is what I discovered they are doing. On the video they showed top players close up of hands even BB king let alone John Petrucci and other shredders. Maybe some of you have always done this by instinct but again not me which is why only now catching up like crazy.
1 before grabbing guitar bend left arm at elbow 45 degree so hand and finger facing ceiling.
2-Make C shape with hand the turn it into a claw by bending fingers so that the tips face floor
3 now grab guitar in standard blues thumb over position not classical grip
4- Your finger then if you look at griff playing can be laid close and almost flat to strings but.... you have to keep the bend in the knuckles so the tip is aimed straight down at the strings.
4- I tried for regular playing where I didnt do classical grip ever but my fingers where flattened out and it sounded much cleaner but this most of you already know here is what maybe is different again apologies if griff mentions this and I missed it.
5- on your fleshy side of finger form the first crease behind the knuckle up to about halfway not the very tip imagine a line across then one straight down middle from tip to creaseand then on a line equally distanced from the center on left and right Side now think of a 45 degree Line from top right tip to the right side line and from top left tip to left side line.
6-This is where you with your fingers in claw position with your hand in blues thumb over position is where you want to catch the string for bend and for pulloffs and hammers . Right where the 45 degree and either left or right angle meat not the middle more fleshy part not the side of finger directly between the 2 about 1/3 down it will be.
7 I went through stages of coming directly down on string with tip or direct middle of pad. I tried to get in the middle of the strings and pull of push but it was never working every time nor articulating clear enough or effortless .
8- I try this today and BAM its coming together for real so much better.
9 You really just using same hand position but making sure that your fingers are not flattening out that they are clawed and that you are then hooking the string by coming in front or behind the string and using the pad not the side of your finger but not center of pad the side of the pad . Vibrato Bending Hammers Pulloffs all working and it makes sense
10 if you are bending coming straight down on string its likely to slip. If you come from front or behind but you fingers are not clawed you will hit likely other strings and or slip and finally if the more fleshy part of the finger will not let you "hook" the string where you cant slip . By hitting a hammer with the pad a little to the side it will give you more clarity and volume because it's harder and not as fleshy.
I think I have a video of this if I lost anyone.
If you do it the other way and it works thats fine I am just saying that this all makes perfect sense pros seem to regularly do it this way and it explains why many including me could not "fix" these problem areas.
Back to the lab
The Scientist
If anyone does use this technique let me know so I can confirm on right track Thanks!
I do not have large hands and always thought my bends pullosff and hammers were ummm bad dues to not having finger strength. A lot of people make this statement regardless of hand size.. It's wrong anyone can do it and make it sound great.
Since doing Griffs course and watching his and other videos on bends I improved a ton but was still just not getting enough volume from hammers and clarity from pulloffs. When muting skill rapidly improved (see may other posts) they got better as well but ....
I would see guys playing clean no distortion and no stress or effort bending pulling and hammering at will and knew I was not there yet.
Tonight random luck I stumble on a video about this and the solution is simple .
Most of us here know all about the blues thumb over bend positionnbut I have also seen people do wild vibrato without even having that whole anchoring set up just with finger.
Here is what I discovered they are doing. On the video they showed top players close up of hands even BB king let alone John Petrucci and other shredders. Maybe some of you have always done this by instinct but again not me which is why only now catching up like crazy.
1 before grabbing guitar bend left arm at elbow 45 degree so hand and finger facing ceiling.
2-Make C shape with hand the turn it into a claw by bending fingers so that the tips face floor
3 now grab guitar in standard blues thumb over position not classical grip
4- Your finger then if you look at griff playing can be laid close and almost flat to strings but.... you have to keep the bend in the knuckles so the tip is aimed straight down at the strings.
4- I tried for regular playing where I didnt do classical grip ever but my fingers where flattened out and it sounded much cleaner but this most of you already know here is what maybe is different again apologies if griff mentions this and I missed it.
5- on your fleshy side of finger form the first crease behind the knuckle up to about halfway not the very tip imagine a line across then one straight down middle from tip to creaseand then on a line equally distanced from the center on left and right Side now think of a 45 degree Line from top right tip to the right side line and from top left tip to left side line.
6-This is where you with your fingers in claw position with your hand in blues thumb over position is where you want to catch the string for bend and for pulloffs and hammers . Right where the 45 degree and either left or right angle meat not the middle more fleshy part not the side of finger directly between the 2 about 1/3 down it will be.
7 I went through stages of coming directly down on string with tip or direct middle of pad. I tried to get in the middle of the strings and pull of push but it was never working every time nor articulating clear enough or effortless .
8- I try this today and BAM its coming together for real so much better.
9 You really just using same hand position but making sure that your fingers are not flattening out that they are clawed and that you are then hooking the string by coming in front or behind the string and using the pad not the side of your finger but not center of pad the side of the pad . Vibrato Bending Hammers Pulloffs all working and it makes sense
10 if you are bending coming straight down on string its likely to slip. If you come from front or behind but you fingers are not clawed you will hit likely other strings and or slip and finally if the more fleshy part of the finger will not let you "hook" the string where you cant slip . By hitting a hammer with the pad a little to the side it will give you more clarity and volume because it's harder and not as fleshy.
I think I have a video of this if I lost anyone.
If you do it the other way and it works thats fine I am just saying that this all makes perfect sense pros seem to regularly do it this way and it explains why many including me could not "fix" these problem areas.
Back to the lab
The Scientist
