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Thread: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

  1. #1

    Default Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Hi,

    I was struck by the right hand range of motion differences in this video between these two players (starts around 1:50):
    https://youtu.be/_aQonnNSATk

    Sam is really cranking back and forth. Sierra has really minimal (efficient?) movement by comparison.

    Should one or the other be avoided or emulated? Something in between? Is this a generational thing that has changed over time?

    Just wondering...

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  3. #2
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Sam has an old hand/wrist injury and makes great music by unique technique and compensating. I'd emulate Sierra. (Although I love Sam's muting techniques.)
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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    In the early years of performance for Sam Bush, you were lucky to have a sound system that would get much out of a SM57, and just try to find a better performance mic than that in those days. If you wanted to be heard you had to hit the thing! Plug in? Sounded like a duck quacking with feedback.
    Sierra came along when small condenser and other "hot" mics were affordable and sound systems were capable of getting decent sound from them. Also, equipment for plugging in is much better. She mostly never had to play so hard to be heard, so her precise, dynamic and efficient technique translates to stage performance better than the old days.

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    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Love that clip, thanks for linking to it. So much great stuff on the tube we forget more of the good ones than we can remember.
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    That was instructive as well as entertaining.
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    Registered User Kevin Stueve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    my daughter calls this clip a masters class on improvisation over a known melody
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    Registered User Doug Brock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    More than once when watching Sierra jam with other musicians, I've been surprised at how much quieter her playing was than that of the other musicians. Another mandolinist would solo nice and clear, but then I'd have to struggle to hear Sierra on her turn. This hasn't been a regular issue, but enough times that it caught my attention.
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    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Sam broke his arm twice, limiting his wrist mobility. One of the incredible things about sams technique is how precise he is despite playing like a guitar player.
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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Sam Bush's right hand 'technique' has been commented on many times,& does seems 'odd' until you understand about his wrist injury. I'm still amazed that anybody can play with such an exaggerated arm action - but ''needs must' & SB got it done !!,
    Ivan
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Quote Originally Posted by David Lewis View Post
    Sam broke his arm twice, limiting his wrist mobility. One of the incredible things about sams technique is how precise he is despite playing like a guitar player.

    There are old videos of Sam Bush playing with the Bluegrass Alliance where his technique is absoutely normal. Luckily he already was an accomplished player when he had his accident. On mandozine.com you can find Stangeland's survey of right hand styles. Some 17 examples are given, but they fall into two main groups: brushing across a pickguard or having the right hand touch the strings lightly behind the bridge. The latter technique, of course, is not available on a flattop guitar without tailpiece.

    As I use a pickguard on my own mandolins there is very little difference between my techniques on guitar and mandolin. The reason for a pickguard on an archtop guitar or carved top mandolin is that the distance between the strings and the top is much greater on these instruments than on a flattop guitar.

    I see nothing even faintly resembling guitar technique in Bush's playing.

    For good examples of right hand technique on mandolin (without pickguard) refer to videos of David Long and Andy Leftwich on YouTube.

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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Quote Originally Posted by ralph johansson View Post

    I see nothing even faintly resembling guitar technique in Bush's playing.
    Same here.

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    Registered User Kevin Stueve's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    not speaking for David Lewis but I wonder if he is referring to the fact that Sam always has his mando slung low like an rock guitar player vs up high on his chest like Bill Monroe. ????
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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Bill came along in the days of 'one mic'. If he wanted his mandolin to be heard he had to "whip it like a mule" high up, close to the mic. Sam at least got to play into a 57 (or some such) on a separate mic stand so he got to sling his mando low like a rock star and "whip it like a mule" into it's own mic.

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  21. #14
    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Quote Originally Posted by ralph johansson View Post
    There are old videos of Sam Bush playing with the Bluegrass Alliance where his technique is absoutely normal. Luckily he already was an accomplished player when he had his accident. On mandozine.com you can find Stangeland's survey of right hand styles. Some 17 examples are given, but they fall into two main groups: brushing across a pickguard or having the right hand touch the strings lightly behind the bridge. The latter technique, of course, is not available on a flattop guitar without tailpiece.

    As I use a pickguard on my own mandolins there is very little difference between my techniques on guitar and mandolin. The reason for a pickguard on an archtop guitar or carved top mandolin is that the distance between the strings and the top is much greater on these instruments than on a flattop guitar.

    I see nothing even faintly resembling guitar technique in Bush's playing.

    For good examples of right hand technique on mandolin (without pickguard) refer to videos of David Long and Andy Leftwich on YouTube.
    The musical style no. The physical style where he strums from the elbow, not the wrist: that’s what I mean.
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    Thanks for everyone's responses. Interesting stuff.

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  24. #16
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    Default Re: Sam Bush vs Sierra Hull right hand

    They both looked like they were having a great time, and I just hope to someday get my left hand to know where to go as well as they both do. My left hand fingers would end up looking like a pretzel if I tried to go that fast!

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