Arching Index Finger On Bar

Deirdre Higgins · From: Connecticut, USA

Is it important to arch the index finger on the bar? Or is it just personal preference. I know JB speaks of arching the finger. I have gotten into the habit of laying my finger flat on the bar.
_________________
Jerry Byrd Fan

Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

Deirdre,

I played for several years without paying much specific attention to how I positioned my index finger. I was still able to do forward and reverse slants etc. At some point I read a piece from JB insisting that arching your index finger was the proper technique to use and started to retool my playing to accommodate. What I find (when I remember to play that way) is it is a much more relaxed way to play, and well worth learning. Hey, check out the song I posted under the heading of: New Odd Swing Tune from G. Elwyn Meixner.

Best of luck,

Gary Meixner

Don Kona Woods · From: Hawaiian Kama'aina

I agree with Gary, and I also believe that it gives one a smoother and more unified oscillation producing better tone. IMHO

David Matzenik · From: Cairns, on the Coral Sea

When I was in Swinging London in the 60s someone scrawled a message on a monument. It read "Eric Clapton is God." Turned out he wasn't, but he is very good guitar player. I've noticed this kind of worship here. I have to respectfully disagree on the subject of arched fore finger. I believe it is a matter of ergonomics as I have said in a number of threads. Here is the latest.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=276844&highlight=
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother.

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Jerome Hawkes · From: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

if i was going to lay the finger flat on the bar...i would just go ahead and get a modified Shubb bar and be done with it.
to me, there is no sense in playing a bullet bar if you don't have the free movement of the bar. and this is not some "JB said so i must do" - thats the way it is shown in many pre-war electric hawaiian methods that came right after players ditched the flat bar.
i was just re-reading some old posts last night and ran across this from Basil Henrique, who has taught more students than possibly anyone (and is no disciple of JB either)
"The method of holding the bar, positioning the right hand and fingerpicks should be studied much more than the beginner thinks is necessary."

i'm pretty sure (almost certain) that when i started playing steel i held the bar exactly the way one would "think" was best to hold it - by smothering it with the whole hand and with my index completely flat on the bar...thats the only way i could keep it under control. i knew nothing of the arched finger until some years later.

now you can watch a lot of pedal steel players and they may well lay the finger flat on the bar - but they don't have to do much more than park the bar over the correct fret and then start mashing pedals...move repeat, etc.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I do not arch my finger on the bar, it doesn't feel natural to me. Instead, my finger lies on top with the first knuckle coming off to the side. I have no trouble executing slants and lots of moves, so I'm ok with it.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Jerome Hawkes · From: Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA

there might need to be a little clarification of what the index 'flat on the bar' means vs the index 'arched'.
having the finger flat on the bar is pretty straight forward - the index is completely flat on top of the bar and the control and pressure on the bar is supplied by the hand as one unit.

**this following is just observation from my own progress and closely watching other players, so dont assume this is some established doctrine here...
having the index arched - (this is an IMO statement), but it can be a range from very little arch to a lot of arch depending on the size of the hand and other factors - but the bar doesnt contact the entire finger - just the tip of the finger is used for control and pressure. the control & pressure needed on the back end of the bar, if necessary for chords, is supplied by the way you grip the bar with the thumb and middle finger. (it sounds way more complex than it is when written out).
when i see J.Murphy's hand in the linked thread, i dont see 'flat on the bar' but just very little arch in the finger - the tip of the index is still controlling the bar.

i think of the entire "how to hold the bar" question is an evolution over time in most cases. like i mentioned in another post, at first, the main task is to control the bar in any way you can - you arent going to get great results from the arched finger method right off the bat if you cant even hold on to the bar at all.
i went thru 3-4 evolutions to get to the arched index - i knew nothing of it - i thought you just held the bar however it was most comfortable. i realized over time that every little 'technical' detail started affecting something else - some for the best, some for the worst. its just a long process of eliminating things that are holding you back little by little...and it never ends - we are always evolving (or should be) on the instrument.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I used to believe in and strive for a 'fundamental principle' that one had to be able to lift the bar at any time and that the grip, flat finger or arched, needed to accommodate this readiness.
I have come to question this. Although a grip needs to be able to perform hammer-ons and pull-offs, I don't know, any longer, if one needs to be 'ready to lift at any time', provided you can lift it when you need to.

Does anyone care to comment on this?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Sometimes I arch my finger and sometimes I don't, I think it has something to do with the phase of the moon. Very Happy

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

Like mentioned above a few times, what was good for Jerry may not be good for everyone. Whatever works for the individual seems to be the way to go....

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Jim Rossen · From: Iowa, USA

John Ely advocates what I believe is the Byrd technique, which is to do slants with mainly finger movement and little if any movement of the wrist. A bar pivot point defined by the tip of the arched finger at the tip of the bar is part of this. As a beginner, I try to do as John says, and am happy that I am comfortable with an arched finger.

Seems many excellent players use lots of wrist movement for slants. For them the arched finger may be detrimental.

Jim

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

Deirdre Higgins · From: Connecticut, USA

Thanks for all the comments.
I want to add that I execute both the forward and reverse slants; using the finger as a fulcrum and the thumb doing the work smoothly, although I do have a slight amount of trouble with the reverse slants, possibly because I'm just starting to use them.
_________________
Jerry Byrd Fan

David Matzenik · From: Cairns, on the Coral Sea

Using the term straight finger is a bit misleading. It sounds like the player is forcing the finger into a rigid position. Its not. Its really just a relaxed finger which contributes to a general lack of tension in the hand.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother.

Deirdre Higgins · From: Connecticut, USA

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic