Icings Of Musical Expressions

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

One of the "icings" known to be part of delivering those ultimate sounds, would certainly include bar control, with varients of originality. The mannerisms associated with picking the strings, contributes noticeably to lesser degrees, in producing those cherished exemplary tones. I'm wondering, do others consider the bar hand to be more critical than the picking hand; when searching for that special presentation? Teaching the bar hand to seek out new pathways through an extension
of searches, may prove to be rewarding. Trying to repeat something played beautifully, and experimentally, may require the best of recall.

David Collins · From: Madison, North Carolina, USA

Hi Bill,

Top of the morning to you.

While I certainly do not discount picking hand technique, I do find myself concentrating on bar control. I have a background of dobro playing, and I find myself using the PSG bar in similar ways to the dobro bar, especially in my approach to tremolo and/or vibrato.

I also carry a spare dobro bar in my pak-a-seat, and use it often to play some no pedals C6, even though I have plenty of pedals available to me at the time.

Once in a while, I just like to wing it with hammer ons and pull offs on the C6 neck, and I can handle the dobro bar in those situations better than I can the PSG bar.

I'm not claiming that this is proper, better, worse, etc. Just saying that it works for me.
_________________
David Collins
www.chjoyce.com

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I preached that very tho't some time back here on the Forum and was almost immediately run over.

You can pick a warm and sensuous TONE all day but without the bar, it's nothing but a monotone voice.

The bar delivers the voice that makes the music. Without out it, your lost with a musical tone that has no vibrato or variance to make a musical scale.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

The bar (and bar hand) make a huge difference in one's playing IMO. I primarily use a 1-pound, tapered 1 1/4" - 1 1/8" bar that completely changes how you play (it's one of Sneaky's old bars....and you can hear certain things in his playing that result from the bar when you use one for a while). Michael Johnstone and Greg Leisz have both messed with it and found it was really a "style changer" - you have to sneak up on notes or you'll overshoot. Same is true in reverse of lighter bars, whhere you can snap from position to position.

Combine bar differences with vibrato speed and "wavelength" and you have "style" completely independnt of what your picking hand is doing, which adds a completely different dimension.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Robert Thomas · From: Mehama, Oregon, USA

The bar is what gives our playing a voice. The pick hand gives the voice an expression.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

David C.,

Thanks for the cheerful top of the morning greeting, and for opening with the first reply. The other three players prompted my imagination with interesting points of view. There seems to be an instinctive driving force telling us within, that unlimited enjoyment is yet to be discovered by determined searches. Additionally, the dreaded monotone syndrome often finds its way into performances, without careful programming. There is something special about a performer who has the ability to avoid losing the attention of a captive audience.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Hallmarks of professionalism will be established by the bar hand. The picks will follow suit either by forward or reversed picking. The supposition that the picking hand is not of tantamount importance when compared to the bar hand may be true. I believe this to be a reasonable assumption.

basilh · From: United Kingdom

I think it falls at at least 75% bar control to 25% picking.
A LOT of players could/should "Take that on Board"

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

basilh,

Thanks for allowing me to expand on the bar issue. Reminding oneself that this is the Steel Players section of the forum, and to be willing to share notions or concepts is an accepted practice. Often times, player/viewer participants will pick up ideas, and stress far beyond expectations. For example, to express differences in motivations, try living through the disappearing bar prank, to see who yells the loudest! Nothing comes close to putting practice on "hold"; while your memory fades with leaps and bounds, during the frantic searches to locate the bar. The relevancies associated with no bar interludes, impacts the threat of a complete shutdown of standardized merriness. The bar IS the steel guitar's most "vital" unattached component. Players have only scratched the surfaces of the bar's latent division of usages. The execution of bar control, becomes steadily improved, as the rewards of accomplishments are realized.

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

Players have only scratched the surfaces of the bar's latent division of usages.

Well put! --- Just don't scratch the bar Very Happy

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Nic du Toit,

Of all the clever analogies, nothing compares with the finesse and fire at the fingertips of the Big "E", as he demonstrates his bar skills by twirling the bar 360 deg. in the uninterrupted melody lines. It certainly rates as a moot point in trying to pursue differences in tone and expression. Another moot point to ponder is mood. There is no doubting the perpetual Big "E" grin, that suggests there is a connection between mood and success.

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

Bill,
Ah, the big 'E'; now there's a man who has mastered the art of turning a grimace into a smile Idea

Although most of us appear to be very serious whilst executing our intricate moves on the steel, we should not forget the 'fun' aspect, hence Buddy's occasional 'smile'. Very Happy

(A great stress reliever).

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Nick du Toit,

The elite pickers in America, are heavily concentrated in a few states. As far as I know Tennessee claims numerous addresses of well known ace pickers, as well as Texas and California. Missouri is trending with steel guitar activities, with Branson highlighting country music at the present time. The ace pickers lower the acceptable performance percentages, by maintaining grueling competitive schedulings. I've heard that intrusive meanderings around Nashville, do little to incorporate a grass roots image, no matter how skilled a player becomes. No proof has been offered for such hearsay, leaving nothing to bank on. The shifting of musical preferences from a country twang, to the universal (sic) rock tempo and lyrics, in Nashville's recording studios, removes all traces of present day hopes for recognition. I apologize for the offensive critical disclamation.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I'm not sure I agree. When you drive a car, you need to be able to accelerate, steer and brake, and if any one of these elements are missing, you're in trouble.

It has been said of 6 string players that the left hand reveals the player's knowledge, and the right hand reveals his or her soul.

Having said that I must say that personally I concentrate much more on bar movement and placement than I do on picking. But I do think that they are both important, and one can't just dismiss the right hand.
_________________
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Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Mike P.,

Attempts to ostracize proponents of advancing knowledge pertaining to the steel guitar, borders on foolhardy approaches to no man's land. The recollection of sporadic heraldings, negating the upright fretboard, that has been in constant use since its inception, proves that many barriers obstruct progressiveness. The oddity of singling out concepts, for the purpose of criticizing, becomes more unreasonable when a quick switch is noted by those who relay information with exhilaration. Much of the fanfare should be directed at protecting consumers from large "bites" taken by industrious profiteering groups.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Jim Sliff,

The idea of differentiations in bar configurations is quite interesting. Would you care to exact a spin-off from your reply a few days ago? Thanks...

Stuart Legg · Posted 5 Nov 2007 2:23 am

Bill Hankey...

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

It becomes quite obvious, that interests of bar magic, commence to fade, as new visions formulate, and the general consensus among writers is to dampen the theories expeditiously. Any lack of interest is the equivalent of steering off course, in the search for equivalencies in total sound management. In reality, there are numerous recognizable and unlimited differences, heard by unrestrained bar activities. One major difference is when the bar size is fitted meticulously to the hand and fingers. A silly iota of bar reduction in the overall measurement, can be surprisingly allied with advantages.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Misspelling has become a serious problem here on this forum. I try to avoid as best as I can, misspellings by reviewing a few times, that which I've written. I'm sorry for the error found this morning in a response from the reply written yesterday. When a cultivated lady from high society exclaimed that I "had just surface intelligence", she had insights that were unappreciated at the time. This morning I noticed the word "equivalent" (that I recall suspecting a possible misspelling) and forgetting to go back to double check for errors. It was not one of my better days. Things did not fall into place for reasons unknown to me. I realize that this forum is not an English study classroom, and by allowing that premise to invade the thoughts of the day, lends to the possibility of embarrassing errors occuring at intervals in written material.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Great bar control certainly can add icing, but is also a big part of the meat and potatotes, IMO. Imagine a serious guitar or violin player without working hard on the left hand. Unimaginable.

I often try to focus on whatever playing aspects that seem, to me, to be the weakest links at the moment. Sometimes that's bar control and/or intonation. But other times, it's picking or - for pedal steel - pedal or knee lever movements, or volume pedal control. And within each of these, there are a myriad of aspects. But over time, I think one has to hit all aspects of playing any instrument to gain real control. I remember the feeling I got the first time I felt I gained real control over some aspect of my guitar flatpicking after months scrapping away at it and realized - "Hey, I can really make this happen now without really thinking about it." That sense is what I shoot for.

But I think another big key is really being able to critically listen and accurately diagnose what one needs to work on. IMO, this calls for intellectual honesty and proper placement of the ego. But in the end - whatever works for y'all. Smile

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Dave M.,

There seems to be a highly refined connection between concentration and bar control. The well known band "Asleep At The Wheel" is very real, and it affects in different degrees, drivers who much like steel players, relax their vigil while playing. Some players have been known to fall asleep at the steel. This negative occurance is an outward reminder that alertness and bar control are closely related. Distractions weigh heavily on those who battle fatigue every step of the way. Bar control is one of the most important (IMO) of all the learned necessary requirements, to accurately follow melody lines.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Dave Stagner,

Thanks for the heads up on the subject of how best to strike the strings. It's a fascinating subject that could provide many words of interest to those in developmental studies. There was a time that I regarded all steel guitarists to be quite reciprocating, no matter how advanced another steel player happened to be. These forum letters have provided a much better insight to real life situations. There are those players who find it enjoyable to assist, while others enjoy a solitary existence, at least from an outgoing player's observations. This "big happy family of steel guitarists", may in reality be linked to conditions that require nothing more than pulling out the wallet, and dishing out the cash. Friendships bought and paid for through expenditures, are nothing more than business acquaintances. What appears to be adherences to traits of the happy family tradition among steel guitarists, is blown sky-high, by the more than obvious lack of participation in technical issues; presented for solutions, and expressed interests here on this forum.

Dave Stagner · From: Minnesota, USA

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