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Topic: Pulling on strings with your bar hand |
Curt Trisko
From:
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 10:21 am |
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Are there any developed techniques for this?
I play a Stage One where the copedent is fixed at a E9 tuning where the F#'s bend to G with the RKL lever. It seems a lot of other E9 tunings have that F# going to a G#. When I play pieces where that change is essential, I get it by using the fingers of my bar hand to physically pull the string up to pitch. It really makes my little guitar scream. I got the idea by seeing it in a YouTube video.
It's hard to consistently do it cleanly. I have to apply more bar pressure on the top string and have to have a really quick left hand to get it back in position for the notes that follow. |
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John De Maille
From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 10:54 am
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| I used to do that on my old Maverick. I learned that trick from Jeff Newman, way back when. My subsequent steels always had that change on them. Even though, it's a fast, easy way to get that lick and sometimes I do it just for fun and watch peoples expressions. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 2:02 pm
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Even though I have levers that raise to G and one to G#, I still pull behind the bar to get a G note. It sounds different than using the lever, end looks cool too. Been doing it for 30 years or more.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Ian Worley
From:
Sacramento, CA
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 2:53 pm
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I was just having that conversation with a good pal of mine yesterday...I don't do it...there's enough to do, but I have been experimenting with bar slants.
Curious to know what behind the bar pulls are useful, and in order of easy to difficult. |
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Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 4:26 pm
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I have the F# to G# on my rkl levers that I use ocassionaly,
but usualy I like to use the 3rd finger on my left hand best.
I think that always give a better sound than the knee lever. 
_________________
aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal
Last edited by Carl Kilmer on 2 Apr 2014 3:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Polstra
From:
Lopez Island, WA, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 7:32 pm
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Every time I think about trying it, I get a vivid mental image of my fingertip being sliced off by the breaking string . . .
John |
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Jeff Heard
From:
Lopez Island, Washington, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 11:58 am
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John, I still have all my fingers and both eyes!
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John Polstra
From:
Lopez Island, WA, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 2:02 pm
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| Jeff Heard wrote: |
John, I still have all my fingers and both eyes!
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You don't fool me, Jeff. I distinctly recall you having 12 fingers and 3 eyes when we first met.
John |
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Ron Pruter
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 9:09 pm
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Just like Richard said. I use my second finger and yank the first string down(actually toward me) to get a quick bluesy note over the no pedal chord or a quick 7th note with A and B down. I love it.RP
_________________
Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112. |
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Mike Vallandigham
From:
Martinez, CA
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Posted 31 Mar 2014 10:35 am
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It's a really cool trick. I learned it from watching ole Bobbe Seymour..  |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 31 Mar 2014 11:35 am
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Also, if you pull 1 with your finger to G#, you'll find that you've pulled 2 to E (assuming standard E9th tuning, of course)
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 1 Apr 2014 10:40 pm
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My guitars raise the first string F# to G with the RKL. Like Richard, I seldom use it. Pulling the string with my third finger behind the bar just seems quicker and more natural. I will occasionally use the RKL in conjunction with a behind the bar string pull to raise the first string one whole step to G#.
Never tried Lane's move of pulling the first string all the way from F# to G#, and the second string to E as well. Afraid the tip of my third finger would be garroted, fly off, and go rolling across the floor. |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 3 Apr 2014 3:56 pm
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If playing rock or blues in say A
8th fret A pedal engaged Am
Yank on the 1st string |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2014 11:09 am
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IMO - it's a lot harder to do on a long scale instrument with high string tension like the PSG.
It's quite easy on my 22.5" scale lap steel though and worth doing of course as it doesn't have the mechanical contrivances to accomplish the task otherwise. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 4 Apr 2014 1:12 pm
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| John Polstra wrote: |
Every time I think about trying it, I get a vivid mental image of my fingertip being sliced off by the breaking string . . .
John |
I'd be more worried about the broken string slicing my Jugular vein. 
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Curt Trisko
From:
St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2014 1:51 pm
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| Is it bad for the steel guitar to do it? I'd have to think it would wear out the string faster because you're putting lateral tension on it instead pulling on it's length like the changer does. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 4 Apr 2014 2:05 pm
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I dunno. Geetar pickers have been bending strings since the Farr Brothers.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2014 8:18 am
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| Quote: |
| IMO - it's a lot harder to do on a long scale instrument with high string tension like the PSG. |
Nah. Piece of cake, and with heavier strings too.
I've been doing it on Dobro since 1974 or so, and most bluegrass dobro players I know do it regularly as well on the 1,st, 2nd and even third strings. We usually use our left ring fingers, but on slower tunes I sometimes pull two strings, one full and one half step. Also pull partials on certain slants to correct the pitch.
This is with a 24+" scale and nickel wound or phosphor bronze 3rd strings.
I do it on pedal steel as well if I need a specific raise and my feet are otherwise occupied...
I found it very easy to learn...I can't remember even practicing to do it - I think one day I was playing, needed a "bend" (I generally equate it to 6 string Pull String type gadgets) and just did it.
_________________
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 |
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Jeff Heard
From:
Lopez Island, Washington, USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2014 10:22 am
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I think raising a string with a pedal or knee lever is more likely to cause breakage than pulling it up to pitch with your finger. The vast majority of times I've broken a string on a pedal steel, the breakage has occurred near the changer. I can't remember ever breaking a string by doing a "finger pull."
That said, I'll probably slice myself up the next time I do one! |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2014 1:01 pm
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I do it on dobro all the time. Lately, I've been messing around with pulling the 1st and 2nd strings up together, the 1st up a full tone and the 2nd a half tone. It's hit or miss, but occasionally it's close enough for a quick pull and let go. It's a different sound than just the slant for the same I to IV change.
I am practicing it in different keys as the tension is different. Hard on the fingers, can't practice long at a time. Is it worth the effort? Probably not, but it's something to do.
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Dave Hepworth
From:
West Yorkshire, UK
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Posted 7 Apr 2014 1:13 am
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Hi,
Have just seen this topic.
How do you stop the string from coming away from the underneath of the steel bar .I have just tried this and this is what happens.Presumably you apply a slight vertical pressure when you pull .Will it work for inside strings too? I suppose it is down to practice at the end of the day -all tho a few tips wouldn't go astray.
Regards Dave |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 7 Apr 2014 2:57 am
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It works on inside strings if you have slender fingers or have wide string spacings like 6 string dobro. It gets a little tight even on a Dobro 8, and right tricky on PSG.
Yes, you have to pull it slightly up as you pull back. With practice that becomes automatic.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Chris Garner
From:
Alabama, USA
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