Alabama Joe, 3 versions

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 20, 2015 at 2:46pm

Hey Lee, that was so cool that you posted different version. Nice. Give the Rice Pull a little time to settle in....it's a new thing, right?

Comment by Leonidas (Lee) Jones on February 20, 2015 at 3:39pm

Pretty new yes. I started out learning from the Weidlich tab edition of Briggs, then, realizing the bulk of the repertory was in traditional notation, I switched over. I got a look at Rice a whbile back, and have wortked with the pulloff, just not in this context. I will stay after it, I can see how it will work well once I get the real feel for it.,

Comment by Strumelia on February 20, 2015 at 3:57pm

Great video, Lee!  Love it!

Personally, I feel the pull-off approach is the most logical and smoothest of all.

It does take a bit of practice, but will become second nature over time.  (certainly not second nature to me either yet, but feels more elegant and smooth than the other alternatives)   I practiced it 1000 times in Hobson's Jig.

Here is a tip for that pull-off in Alabama Joe:

START that measure with the full chord two-finger placement down and in place (first fret on the 2nd string AND second fret on the 1st string).    Play the first "1" note, and immediately then pull off both fingers together while pulling that first string to make the open string note (but not plucking the second string, just raising that finger along with the pulloff finger)...and then immediately put down the SAME chord fingers again to hit the 2 and the dropthumb 1 (the 3rd and 4th notes of the measure).  Then the index hits the last two notes, the 2 and the 0.

What makes the move smooth is that you are simply applying the same two finger chord ON (to start the measure) and then snap OFF and then back ON again, all in quick succession.  You are not doing or seeing it as single fingers moving individually, which would be more awkward both mentally and physically.   Hope folks can even understand what i'm talking about- it's hard to write it out clearly!

Comment by Strumelia on February 20, 2015 at 4:27pm

p.s.- I just made a very short vid demonstrating what I am talking about with the pulloff- will have it up here in a few minutes.

Comment by Parker Buckley on February 20, 2015 at 4:38pm

That was really helpful, and I prefer the way it sounds compared to hammering on. Getting the finger down on the first string and then pulling to get the open note...very clever. It's almost like plucking an open string, but more effective in this case. Without a Briggs or Rice reference here, and tracking all this by phone, I couldn't quite catch the technique. Thanks!

Comment by Strumelia on February 20, 2015 at 5:18pm

Maybe this helps for getting the pull-off smooth...

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 20, 2015 at 5:51pm

Nice. I really believe that is what was intended for that phrase. You see it throughout the repertoire. Not sure how it feel through the crack in Briggs. It makes sense to nail glide on 3 strings, but not this figure. Use it, as demonstrated above, and one can keep the motion of Strikes going, and the lilt of the whole tune is awesome.

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 20, 2015 at 5:52pm

Thanks for posting the up close demo.

Comment by Tim Twiss on February 20, 2015 at 5:53pm

fell......( instead of feel )

Comment by Mark Weems on February 20, 2015 at 9:57pm

These are all viable options but why not just play the G note with the thumb, A with index, hammer on to the B, then thumb again for the second G? That's the way I would naturally play that particular figure.  Seems faster and cleaner to me. 

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