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Re: Re[2]: yet more questions



   I have to say that I "windmill" all the time (and not just in the privacy of
my own home- it's a great way to impress bandmates!), and I've never broken
a string once doing it, even during a revved-up multiple-swing over several 
bars of song, a'la Pete during "Young Man Blues" on the 30 Yrs video or during
"A Quick One" on the TKAA video (I don't know how to describe it any better than
that- sorry!).  And while Mr. Blomberg's theory sounds entirely credible, I know
that I just come around and whack the strings with my pick, without the left-
hand "pre-strum."  This shreds picks very quickly, but I've found that very 
heavy guage strings will take the abuse pretty well; also, I recall a similiar 
(if not the same) interview where Pete discusses his strings, where he said that
he also changes his strings after every show.  He said that if he didn't, he 
would sometimes break them on the very first song of the next show.
   The one thing that I've found about using the windmill is that the more you
do it, the more precise you get.  And ripping your hand open on the strings 
(this is a common occurence to me- but I have a black guitar) actually helps
this process- after nailing your hand enough times, your hand sort of "learns"
where to go.  It's like that old thing about touching a hot stove that's always
used to illustrate the learning process- nothing teaches you faster than a 
little pain.  I'm to the point now where I can do it, and with pretty decent
accuracy, just graze the strings enough to sound them, without a.) tearing
my flesh on the strings; or b.) hurling my pick out into the great wide-open.
And I've been doing it for about two years, whereas Pete did it for 15-20; I'd
imagine he must have gotten pretty good at it.  


                                                           M.M.