| Author |
Topic: Slants |
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:07 pm |
|
Like many of you, I'm sure, I've looked for that perfect tuning: the one that gives you all those chords and (drum roll) NO SLANTS!
But this weekend as I'm playing my Oahu Diana 6 string with open E tuning and practicing improvising over the chords to Someday You'll Be Sorry on BIAB, I realized that I don't want to play less slant, I want to play more.
Despite the difficulty of accurate intonation, it is the slants, I'm becoming to realize, that really create your personality in a song, and what makes the lap steel such an interesting instrument (especially in the interpretation of those 20's, 30's, and 40's jazz tunes that I love. )
In fact it is the lack of slants in pedal steel that make me prefer the lap over the pedal.
I've started trying to find all the slants I can, and practicing by trying to hit only slanted chords, even if the straight bar is available without to much trouble. It is helping me in the long process of developing a personal style on the instrument.
Last edited by Bill McCloskey on 1 Jun 2010 5:26 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
 |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:20 pm If I may suggest..............
|
|
If you'll sit down with the JERRY BYRD instructional course........you can learn all the slants you ever dreamed of.
He teaches you several different tunings and the PROPER WAY to execute bar slants..... in all of them.
The C6th/A7th, affords a player multiple opportunties to slant great stuff.
If you haven't yet.........I'd sincerely urge you to look into it. |
|
|
|
Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:24 pm
|
|
Welcome to that realization, Bill! You nailed it with the comment that it greatly (my word) enhances the ability to develope your own personal style. For the most part, no two people will get the same sound when utilizing slants, without trying anyway. It's a major part of the true voice of the steel and the individual player.
You're obviously a dedicated seeker of benefits from the steel and I applaud your thots of using mostly nothing but slants to work out a tune and find all those beautiful secrets that are right there.
How anyone can ignore the vast vocabulary slants provide is beyond my understanding, or why most pedal players don't use them much.
Using a long bar extends the amount of frets you can grab.
I love slants! |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:37 pm
|
|
I love slants. I know that there are a lot of aspiring players who want to avoid them because of physical difficulties and ailments, and I can perfectly understand that. But if you are able to pull it off physically and you have time and dedication to learning where all the slants are and even being to quickly calculate intervallic relationships on the fly, then I feel you (general) are better off focusing on that and trying to learn first through the proven tunings. Once that's done, then you can tinker with tunings and find most everything you need.
The other thing is, you learn to accept the omission of chord tones and work with shell voicings, and also delve more deeply into harmony, because it's not all black and white.
Slants may seem really difficult in the first year or so, but it is so important to get the technique right. No wrist movement at all--it's all done with the fingers (this is with a bullet bar, not sure how it's done with the Stevens type). Once you have it down with confidence, it's really easy, I promise. I use the force of my hand pushing down, my thumb pushing the back 1/3 of the bar (on either side) and my middle finger and forefinger anchoring the nose of the bar. No wrist at all.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:41 pm
|
|
Thanks Ron,
Yeah, Ray, that is a great instruction book. I used to own it.
I have to tell you, I'm personally not much into instruction courses these days. The joy of discovery and discovering things on my own keeps me busy. |
|
|
|
Roy Thomson
From:
Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 5:48 pm
|
|
Slants are a beautiful resolve to a
musical phrase. Also a connector
to maintain fluid sound.
Open the door to adding more
chords to your vocabulary.
The pedal steel players ( and I am one )
know all of the above. We use mechanics
along with technique to acquire our beautiful sounds.
Jerry Byrd knew how to do all these things
without pedals and knee levers. Staying non pedal
he was able to focus on expression...of which he was
the true master.
He did not make the most money for all his efforts
and talent but he followed his heartfelt beleifs...
which was more important to him.
Good luck Bill with your endeavours.
Roy
_________________
Custom Tabs Various Tunings
Courses Lap Steel, Pedal Steel |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
|
|
|
J. Wilson
From:
Manitoba, Canada
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 6:10 pm
|
|
I don't like slants because I can't nail the pitch without slowing down to the point of frustration. If I drop that damn bar one more time I am gonna throw it threw a window I think!  Kidding, but maybe I need to find something better than my Stevens?
Anyone have some structured exercises for building good slant technique? I am currently playing in E.
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10 |
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 6:11 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
| And it's important to learn the theory involved. |
Agreed, but first I need to hear it. I try and not think about the theory when I'm playing. In fact, sometimes it is the opposite: I play something..then try and figure out why it works the way it does. But I start by listening and experimenting. |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 7:14 pm
|
|
I use my ears a lot too. In fact, the first few years I played steel guitar (and guitar) I knew very little music theory. It was all "hunt and peck", playing totally by ear, playing the chord positions, licks, etc. That worked pretty well for me, but the more I learned about theory over the years the more I was able to connect the dots and understand the tunings, and put together patterns and licks that I never could never have come up with otherwise. I think the ideal situation would be a combination: a good ear & an understanding of the mathematics of music.
As far as the Slants... yes, embrace them! Slanting creates a more fluid sound, and that's what we're going for. 
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
|
|
|
Al Terhune
From:
Newcastle, WA
|
Posted 1 Jun 2010 9:43 pm
|
|
| J. Wilson wrote: |
I don't like slants because I can't nail the pitch without slowing down to the point of frustration. If I drop that damn bar one more time I am gonna throw it threw a window I think! Kidding, but maybe I need to find something better than my Stevens?
Anyone have some structured exercises for building good slant technique? I am currently playing in E. |
J. Wilson -- don't stop practicing. That's all it is. As all have said, slants are where it's at. I can't imagine playing without slants (but one of my heroes, Don Helms, did so). If you watch a Billy Robinson video (youtube him), you'll be astounded. As has been said, much of the beauty in nonpedal is in the resolution and movement from chord to chord using slants.
This is where having one guitar, or at least one scale on the same guitars, will make it easier to learn slants. Changing scales will just make it harder.
As for dropping the bar, get a 2.75" bar in length.
_________________
Al
My equipment:
One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about |
|
|
|
Jon Nygren
From:
Wisconsin, USA
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 6:14 am
|
|
Slants will become second nature if you practice enough, trust me. I had similar frustrations when I first started out- but they become easy.
J Wilson- you may want to look into a bullet bar. I know there are guys who can make it work with a stevens, but a bullet will make your life easier. Try a 3/4" diameter by 2 3/4" length bar to start.
And i'm not sure if it's even possible to get the split string slants with a stevens? |
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 6:31 am
|
|
| The scale length and the type of guitar can make slants easier or harder. My 25" scale Diana makes slants almost effortless. Much harder on some of the other laps I own. |
|
|
|
Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 7:17 am
|
|
I'm still learning the importance of slants not only for unique style but also for inversions to keep from sounding repetitious.
I agree that the bullet bar is best for slants but I still use a sculptured bar. Why? Because unlike many who keep the bar on the strings most of the time, it seems like mine is off the strings most of the time and a sculptured bar, IMO, is easier to hang onto in this case. So I sacrifice ease of slanting for ease of holding.
That said, I can forward slant and dog-leg slant with no problem but reverse slants take lots of practice.
Speaking of the dog-leg... this is a slant that took me a while to perfect using my shubb gs with a rounded end but once I got it it's now second nature for me.
_________________
https://markmansueto.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/65dQ3EyZC2RaqawA8gPlRy?si=dOdqc5zxSKeJI9cISVVx_A |
|
|
|
Mark Mansueto
From:
Michigan, USA
|
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 7:27 am
|
|
Mark,
As a former dobro player, took me a long time to give up the Stevens style bar. I'm playing bullet bars now, but it took me a while to find one that fit me and my hand well. having tried both, it is easier to do slants with the bullet bar. |
|
|
|
Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 9:51 am
|
|
| The right size bullet bar with the indentation on the flat end for your thumb is the secret. I used to avoid slants but stuck with it and it paid off. Just takes practice. |
|
|
|
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 10:15 am
|
|
| Andy Sandoval wrote: |
| The right size bullet bar with the indentation on the flat end for your thumb is the secret. I used to avoid slants but stuck with it and it paid off. Just takes practice. |
The only time I ever use the end of the bar with my thumb is for reverse slants. For forward slants it's not necessary at all.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
|
|
|
J. Wilson
From:
Manitoba, Canada
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 10:38 am
|
|
Thanks boys! I will definitely get a bullet bar then. I am a little worried about the single note playing I have been doing though.. When I first started I had a bullet bar but I got rid of it pretty quickly when I started to realize it was impeding my single string solo style playing. This will probably come with practice though, right? Or is there a bar that meets both these needs? There are so many options for bars that I am kinda paralyzed trying to make the choice...
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10 |
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 10:40 am
|
|
| I adjusted to the bullet bar for single strings and now find it easier than the stevens bar. Much easier. Just takes some getting used to and the right sized bar. I now feel much more comfortable on it than the stevens bars, even for hammer ons and pull offs. |
|
|
|
J. Wilson
From:
Manitoba, Canada
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 10:45 am
|
|
| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
| I adjusted to the bullet bar for single strings and now find it easier than the stevens bar. Much easier. Just takes some getting used to and the right sized bar. I now feel much more comfortable on it than the stevens bars, even for hammer ons and pull offs. |
This is a relief to know! thanks!
How will I know the right size bar? I have had a few recommends...
I have normal size hands. Not small, not large. I have a hand span of about nine inches. My index finger is just over 3.25 inches in length measuring from the inside of the finger to the tip.
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10 |
|
|
|
Bill McCloskey
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 10:52 am
|
|
| I'll try and find the model number for mine tonight |
|
|
|
Mark Roeder
From:
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 11:56 am
|
|
Ever since Chris Kennison saw me, at the TSGA doing slants with my wrist and showed me how to slant by pushing the bar under my hand with the thumb, it has become alot easier and fun to do slants. Wow, what alittle piece of info can do.
_________________
www.deluxe34.com lap steel stands, Clinesmith, Gibson Console Grande, Northwesterns, The Best Westerns
https://www.facebook.com/TheBestWesterns |
|
|
|
Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 12:57 pm
|
|
Yeah, slants can be a little tricky at first.......
.....but all it takes is some practice and they're okay
_________________
"Play to express, not to impress"
Website - YouTube |
|
|
|
Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
|
Posted 2 Jun 2010 2:06 pm
|
|
| I love slants! I'm exploring the neck lately to come up with more. I use a Stevens and can either push it into a slant or hold it in normal fashion. I tend to keep my wrist straight and move my elbow away from my body to swing the bar around when I hold it in normal fashion. I'm not saying that that's "the way" to do it. It just works for me. |
|
|
|
