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Topic: I've gone Sheerhorn |
Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 12:54 pm |
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Well ... at the risk of annoying some folks who dislike the mixing of math & music ...
I feel compelled to share the findings of a rather long (over 2 yrs now) ... and quite tiring "study" of Andy Iona's vibrato.
So if you could give a Rat's A$$ about how Iona was able to generate such a fast, wide and ... in my opinion ...perfect vibrato ... please close this thread now ... 
Good ... now, here goes ...
After sampling, filtering and runnin' literally hundreds of sonograms ... of "held notes" by Iona ... I finally figured it out.
Take a look at this "schematic" ...
First: The Extent (depth of changes in pitch) ...
The only way that he could get an extent of 100 cents (and often more) ... is by using a sliding vibrato.
I know, certainly not a ground breaking discovery.
Second: The Rate (speed of pitch changes) ...
Here was the "stickler" ... he was routinely putting out a rate of 6 to 7 Hz ... at will.
If you want to know how fast a 7 Hz vibrato is ... set a metronome at 420 beats per minute ... 
The quagmire was ... how he was getting that kinda speed & extent at the same time ???
Well ... all indications point to a Combination Vibrato ... one that has 2 distinct components.
A sliding component for extent ...
And ...
A rolling component for rate ...
Disclaimer: this "rolling" is not the slow roll associated with the use of big, heavy PSG type bars ... this is an very fast oscillation ... with minute changes in pitch
It is summation of these two distinct wave function generating "motions" .... that give Andy Iona ... and to a lesser extent ... Bobby Nichols and Dick McIntire ... their characteristic vibrato sound.
Personally ... I don't have anywhere near the physical dexterity to "pull this off" with a bullet bar ... so ...
I had developed my own technique to get this "fast roll" ... using a Shubb Pearse SP1 bar ... utilizing a very unusual "hold" ...
Problem was ... I couldn't get the extent that I wanted to hear.
Then I turned to flat bars ("flatties") ... which gave me the extent and a faster rate than was possible (for me) with a bullet bar ...
But it was still to slow ...
Well ... by accident ... I grabbed a Sheerhorn dobro bar the other day ... certainly the most unlikely bar for the slow type of Hawaiian style steel guitar playing that I engage in ...
And after messing with a very unusual "grip" ... I was finally somewhat successful ... in at least coming close to my goal.
Although both Jerry B. & D. would probably "tar & feather" me if they saw how I was usin' this bar ... for me ... it's as close as I've gotten yet ...
Granted ... Andy Iona, ... certainly didn't need any trick bars, etc ...
But I ain't no Andy Iona ...
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Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 1:16 pm
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Rick, let me see if I understand . . Are you talking about 2 distinct and separate oscillation speeds both executed simultaneously by one hand?
Can you post a pic of the unusual grip?
Why is it more difficult to do with a bullet bar?
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 4:06 pm
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Howard ...
I ordered on of those custom ones along time ago ... just to have (I like bars ... what can I say).
But I heard he cut himself real bad shortly after ... and I never followed up on it ... no money involved ... so I didn't wanna bother him.
I did just order a "generic" one yesterday ... figured I could re-shape it with my belt sander.
Rickney Bechet out ... |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 5:02 pm
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That's a dandy little number Rickney! Your vibrato sounds huge - multidimensional in fact.
Definitely worth pursuing. I have a feeling it's harder than walking and chewing gum at the same time. I'd like to hear more about how it's executed - I can't quite visualize the exact hand/finger/knuckle motion.
What type of bar did Andy Iona use? Flattie?
| Quote: |
| who dislike the mixing of math & music ... |
So how do these folks propose we separate the two?
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AJ Azure
From:
Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 5:06 pm
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Rick,
neat stuff on vibrato FYI Gary Swallows of gssteels.com is back in production and healing well. put that order in  |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 7:18 pm
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For y'all to get a much better idea ... have a listen to this ...
Unless you have Vol 9 or a real good memory ... you probably haven't heard this one ....
It was for radio airplay only ... never commercially released ...
That Night in Avalon.
Courtesy of Cumquat Records ... Andy Iona Vol 9
My favorite song for the last couple months, for sure ... 
Rick ... if it helps, the bar only touches my hand at the finger tip and palm-side knuckle joint ...
Kinda like rollin' your hand back and forth at the wrist ... while movin' your arm back and forth from the elbow ...
Except its your palm and fingers ... doin' that motion ...
------------------
Aiello's Cast Steel Guitars
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2005 7:48 pm
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| Man that vibrato on that Iona tune is heavenly Rick and I can hear some of it in your playin as well. I think your on the right track. I'm havin a hard time visualizing how your doin it too but I dig the sound of it. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 19 Dec 2005 4:32 pm
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| Quote: |
| using a spectral analyzer in sonogram mode |
Last time I used one of those, I ended up crawling out of a window......  |
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