Uploaded August 2011 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
I'm playing all these first 12 learning videos to Farewell Party. In this video, starting about about 0:04 I use a finger blocking technique that is wonderful to learn. It's tricky, like riding a bicycle, but once you learn it you'll never ever forget it, it's so simple.
At the 7th fret, I pick string 5 first with A pedal down, then I pick the 8th string. This is what you need to remember... only pick the 5th string ONCE. After you pick string 5 at the 7th fret, with pedal A down, you're going to let that note ring throughout the piece. So pick string 5 with A pedal down, then pick string 8 and block it with your thumb pick before sliding up. So now you're sliding up and string 5 is sounding, but 8 is mute, because you blocked the note you played briefly. once you slide up to fret 9, thmb pick string 8 again, but just for a beat, then mute it with the thumb pick. Then slide up to the 9th fret and engage the F knee. A is still ringing from when you first picked at at the beginning, and you haven't touched it since. You pick the 8th string with the thumb pick on fret 9, then go up to fret 11 with A still down and keep F knee engaged. That's the run. You could go up the entire scale of the guitar if you wanted. This is why it is imporant to know your scales.
If you visualize the scale, it makes it easier to understand and play...
B........7A...9A...10A...12A.
G#
F#
E........7.....9......10F...12F
You must know your scales to excel at the pedal steel guitar. In this exercize you're just finger blocking the scale notes for string 8, but allowing string 5 to ring out. You could reverse the process, letting string 8 ring and only blocking string 5 at each scale point. I've shown you one finger blocking technique, but there are a dozen at least.
I'm playing all these first 12 learning videos to Farewell Party. In this video, starting about about 0:04 I use a finger blocking technique that is wonderful to learn. It's tricky, like riding a bicycle, but once you learn it you'll never ever forget it, it's so simple.
At the 7th fret, I pick string 5 first with A pedal down, then I pick the 8th string. This is what you need to remember... only pick the 5th string ONCE. After you pick string 5 at the 7th fret, with pedal A down, you're going to let that note ring throughout the piece. So pick string 5 with A pedal down, then pick string 8 and block it with your thumb pick before sliding up. So now you're sliding up and string 5 is sounding, but 8 is mute, because you blocked the note you played briefly. once you slide up to fret 9, thmb pick string 8 again, but just for a beat, then mute it with the thumb pick. Then slide up to the 9th fret and engage the F knee. A is still ringing from when you first picked at at the beginning, and you haven't touched it since. You pick the 8th string with the thumb pick on fret 9, then go up to fret 11 with A still down and keep F knee engaged. That's the run. You could go up the entire scale of the guitar if you wanted. This is why it is imporant to know your scales.
If you visualize the scale, it makes it easier to understand and play...
B........7A...9A...10A...12A.
G#
F#
E........7.....9......10F...12F
You must know your scales to excel at the pedal steel guitar. In this exercize you're just finger blocking the scale notes for string 8, but allowing string 5 to ring out. You could reverse the process, letting string 8 ring and only blocking string 5 at each scale point. I've shown you one finger blocking technique, but there are a dozen at least.
