Handling the Tone bar

[Al Salmon]

I've just forked out to get a 'bullet-nose' bar and I'm finding it very unco-operative. Does it all come together with practice, or is there voodoo that you doo that I don'tt?

Thanks!

[David Soreff]

A good place to start is to check out Rick Alexander on YouTube and his instructional "shorts"...or just watch his left hand as he plays any tunes. Great basic info, and he has great technique.

[basilh]

Nice to meet you here Al, you can find more examples of bar (and picking) technique here :-
Click Here

This is Pat and I in Holland last week Just a couple of 65 year olds having fun !

and check out what's being said here :- http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 49#1387249

[Don McGregor]

Al,
Yes, it does come together with practice. The bullet bar is a slippery devil, and I reluctantly switched over to it when I started getting serious about slanted bar chord theory. I know some do, but I can't imagine how anyone manages much three string slant work with anything else. As suggested by other Forum members, I use a 2-3/4" by 3/4" Burden, with a couple of same sized Dunlops for backup.
At first, I spent most of my practice time bending over to pick the bullet bar up off the floor, or crawling around on my hands and knees, looking to see where it had rolled under the couch. At one point, I even considered grinding off one side flat just so it wouldn't roll so far when I dropped it. I wasn't making much progress anyway, as it spent so little time in my hand.
However, steel is my passion, and I was determined to get at least somewhat competent on it. I've studied everything I could find on steel, especially Rick Alexander's tutorials, which continue to be a great help. I still go back to them often.
The other thing I do, is I keep one of my backup bars with me at all times, even having one on the dashboard of my work van. I often commute a combined total of 140 miles a day for work, and I find that using that time handling the bullet bar while driving, twisting and manipulating it around in every direction with my fingers has helped a lot to make it finally start to feel like a part of my hand.
Of course, I also keep a lap steel behind my seat as well, for those times when I am idling in line at the bank drive through, or stalled in rush our traffic. I just prop it up on the steering wheel, plug in the Pignose amp, and wail away. The kind people in the cars behind me always let me know when it's time for me to pull forward.
I wish I could play steel while doing my actual driving, maybe duct taping the steel to the steering wheel, but the wheel just won't stay steady enough. My driving is erratic, and three note slants are impossible.
Perhaps sketching, or some water colors might be more soothing.

I am sort of thinking, though, that, one far off day, my tombstone might read,

"DON MCGREGOR WAS A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN".

Stick with it. It's worth it. Just don't get caught driving with it.

[George Piburn]

edit

[Rick Alexander]

Thank you for the kind words David and Don!

Al, a bullet bar seems "uncooperative" at first and it may feel like you're going to drop it or just not be able to manage it.
But with practice it becomes a faithful friend.
Hold it with your thumb and second finger while using your forefinger as a pivot.
Remember, you're not always hanging on to it - much of the time you're guiding it along.
Try holding it (between the thumb and second finger) when you're not even playing.

Here are a few videos that may help you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXc30i44 ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rRNT7b9 ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4w4ekKP ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC8SKiD6 ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYL9rDyw ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjEqlARo ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWckx50j ... annel_page

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtXY1tDF ... annel_page

[Rick Alexander]

I see Mr Boards posted a couple of minutes before I did.
His videos on bar control are excellent!
You should definitely check them out.
And Basil's videos should be very valuable to you as well.

You have come to the right place my friend . .

[Al Salmon]

Thank you all for your advice. I've watched Georges video and also (of course) Rick's and will change my practice schedule accordingly. One thing I've noticed is that maybe my bar is the wrong size??




Basil, It must be great to have your missus backing you up! And Don...I have visions of you at a stop light scrabbling to find your bar under the truck pedals.

Thanks everyone!!

[Rick Alexander]

Al, that looks about right.
Bar size is a matter of personal preference, a standard Hawaiian bar is usually 3/4" by 2 7/8" (app).
Just keep at it, you'll be fine.

[C. Brattain]

Rick, I hope you get well soon!!!!!!!!!
You hold the bullet bar with the thumb and 2nd finger only with the 1st finger just laying on top of the bar. You have to keep all you fingers straight with the tip of the bar even with the tip off the 2nd finger.

[Twayn Williams]

You hold the bullet bar with the thumb and 2nd finger only with the 1st finger just laying on top of the bar. You have to keep all you fingers straight with the tip of the bar even with the tip off the 2nd finger.

+1

I was just noticing this the other day.

I don't lay my first finger flat on top of the bar, but with a slight bend upwards.

There's just a bit of downwards pressure with the tip of the first finger which allow the finger to act as a pivot for slants. The thumb then pushes the back end of the bar either forwards or backwards to complete the slant. The end of the second finger applies slight sideways pressure towards the bar to help the tip of the bar stay in place.

[Ron Whitfield]

And the middle finger's increasing downward pressure aids in pushing the bar back into less forward slant or returning fully to the straight position.

Al, practice anchoring the bar in perfect position on one string while moving the top or bottom end into it's desired position. When you can do this in all sorts of manners, you'll be getting there. This is also good ear practice.
Keeping slant manipulations musical within the song is the key.

Once you get it you'll wonder how come it was ever hard.

[Jerome Hawkes]

so while we are on the topic - how much pressure do you put on the bar. when i started out, i had a slight amount of pressure on the bar, but later, i tried playing with NO pressure, the weight of the bar only with the LH used to guide it along. i thought my tone/vibrato and control got better, i also like the feel of moving the bar without any pressure on it, it seemed to glide better - am i on the right track here? -certainly, SOME pressure from my hand being on the bar is naturally applied - i dont mean to imply the bar is just flopping around.

down on the 1st fret, i do have to apply some pressure as i get some buzz.

[Jerome Hawkes]

ok - i watched the Boards video and i wasnt playing with the TIP of the bar, so i can see that some pressure to the front 1" is needed.

thats one thing i can see that will stumble beginners - you just naturally want to lay the bar across all the strings and play!

[Al Salmon]

C'mon people, no wars.....I guess the handling the bar is a personal thing. Whatever works, works! Look at 'Tut' Taylor!! I thank each and every one of you for your guidance; it has helped me a lot.. (I hope that Ricks missive wasn't the last thing he did before the bus drove on his chest!!) You all have proven the worth of this forum over and over again. Thank you all!

Rev Al.