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Topic: Lifting the bar? |
Tony Harris
From:
England
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Posted 15 Jan 2006 8:46 am |
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| Listening to tunes that lift the bar for trills - pull-offs and hammer-ons - like Remington Ride, I find I can't easily lift the bar without completely changing the way I'm holding it. Should I be able to do this with a standard bullet bar, or should I use a Stevens-type, where I guess it would be much easier? Thanks. |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2006 9:25 am
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| Bigger bars are easier to get a hold of. By bigger I mean 15/16" and 1" bars. But even a 7/8" bar can be picked up if you practice at it. Also bars that are a little longer than usual give you more to hang onto. Both Doug Livingston and myself use 4" bars and find them easier to manipulate altho Doug has his drilled out to lighten it a bit. I'd say if you're having trouble you might want to take a look at the way you're holding it. |
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Bill Miller
From:
Gaspe, Quebec, Canada
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Posted 15 Jan 2006 9:31 am
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I switch back and forth between two BJS bars depending on the type of tune. For slow, mellow stuff I prefer the heft of my 15/16 diameter 10 string bar. For stuff requiring more agility and speed (ie. lifting the bar) I like my 7/8 12 string bar because it's a bit lighter and the greater length allows me to curl my thumb under the butt end. That seems to give more control when you lift the bar or when you want to play single note lines on the bass strings with the tip of the bar.
I don't know if you've looked at the video clip that Bobbe Seymour posted awhile back, but I found the way he handles a bar inspiring. He makes it look so easy. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 15 Jan 2006 10:08 am
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| Quote: |
| I find I can't easily lift the bar without completely changing the way I'm holding it. |
Then you must be holding it wrong. And no, unless you have some sort of physical deformity or disability, you don't need a Stevens, or other special bar!
Hold the bar between the thumb and your middle finger. This should be a relaxed grip, just enough to keep from dropping the bar. It takes very little strength or pressure to control the bar, so grip the bar like you're holding a baby's hand, and not a baseball bat! Rest your index finger (lightly) on top of the bar, and use the remaining two fingers to mute the strings behind the bar. [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 15 January 2006 at 10:11 AM.] |
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 16 Jan 2006 7:38 am
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Or try a Jim Burden bar. It has a recession in the end that is just right for hooking your thumb into.
Chris |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 16 Jan 2006 9:02 am
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| * [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 16 January 2006 at 01:12 PM.] |
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Robert Porri
From:
Windsor, Connecticut, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2006 2:38 pm
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Tony,
For some reason, this has not been the easiest thing for me to be able to do consistently as well. Mind you, these are just my observations. I really don't think someone is necessarily holding the bar wrong if they have a little bit of a challenge with this. Different size hands, different amounts of dryness and moisture on your hands, and different size bars will affect how this works out. Assuming the basic way you hold the bar is correct, you still are dealing with a bunch of variables. I've tried several different size bars and the Rajah bars also. The Rajah bars do have more "grab" to them on your hands. I have a Red one and I think the Black one is even more that way. I've ended up being very happy with a 7/8" BJS bar though. It IS a slippery bar, but over the past few years my grip has become better and I can lift it when I need to with only slight awkwardness. Joe Wright talks about squeezing it (between thumb and middle finger) and it is supposed to sort of "pop" up. Well, it's not THAT easy for me yet, but thinking of it that way helped a little. Something else, if all else fails, if I cup my hand and blow a little moist air into it, the bar sticks great. I don't know if that is a good idea to do or not, but then the bar grabs perfectly for me. Again, just my opinions here that helped in partially solving some of my own issues with this.
Bob P.[This message was edited by Robert Porri on 16 January 2006 at 02:43 PM.] |
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Dan Beller-McKenna
From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2006 3:10 pm
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Ditto Bob P.,
I was noticing yesterday after washing some dishes how easy it was to pick up the bar, whereas I normally have trouble with this too. I did some experimenting and, indeed, moisture makes a huge difference in whether the bar comes right up or needs to be grabbed with a different grip.
Dan
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Dan Beller-McKenna
Durham, NH
Dekley S-10, Telecaster, Guild D-35, Peavey Heritage VTX
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 16 Jan 2006 10:14 pm
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I look at the bar like a violin bow. If I clutch on to it or have any tension in my hand when I hold it then I kill my tone and make it impossible to play in tune. I spent a day with Joe Wright where he showed me this bar holding/sliding excercise that made a world of difference in my playing. Also a couple one on ones with Buddy Charleton where he did nothing but get on me about holding the bar brought it home. Once you learn how to relax your hand muscles it becomes easy. Once I figure out how to upload vids to my site I'll put something up. Its pretty subtle. Best to find a guy to show you.
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Bob
My Website
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Tony Harris
From:
England
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Posted 17 Jan 2006 1:31 am
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| Thanks guys. Maybe I AM holding it wrongly. I think I'm basically guiding and controlling the bar, resting it on the strings to take the weight. When I actually want to pick it up, I have to chnage my grip.... |
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