Double-Bar Technique on Lap Steel

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 27 Nov 2011 10:07 am

http://youtu.be/A-AVlxO7E0Q

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 28 Nov 2011 2:30 pm

Hi Jim,

Why stop at two?

Bob

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 28 Nov 2011 3:39 pm

Don't ask me, I stopped at one!

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 28 Nov 2011 4:02 pm

Jim Cohen wrote:Don't ask me, I stopped at one!

This is starting to remind me of the trumpet player on a tour with Bobby Sherwood who played two trumpets at once. They had a county fair gig and they saw a guy in a sideshow who played three trumpets at once!

The double-trumpet guy's opinion: "Playing three trumpets at once is a cheap theatrical stunt!"

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 28 Nov 2011 4:52 pm

What about Roland Kirk?

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 28 Nov 2011 4:52 pm

What about Roland Kirk?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 28 Nov 2011 5:05 pm

Bob Russell wrote: a guy in a sideshow who played three trumpets at once!

The great Vic Hyde played "When You're Smiling" on 3 trumpets at once in beautiful 3 part harmony. He also played slide saxophone, sax with all the keys on the left hand so he could accompany himself at the piano, etc etc. This 14 year old kid loved it all.

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 28 Nov 2011 6:13 pm

Earnest Bovine wrote:
Bob Russell wrote: a guy in a sideshow who played three trumpets at once!
The great Vic Hyde played "When You're Smiling" on 3 trumpets at once in beautiful 3 part harmony. He also played slide saxophone, sax with all the keys on the left hand so he could accompany himself at the piano, etc etc. This 14 year old kid loved it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dPXTjGF ... r_embedded

Three trumpets at 1:07, but by the time you get there, you're not really surprised!

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 28 Nov 2011 6:29 pm

Still slightly off topic, I'm thrilled to find Vic Hyde doing the same act that he did for us at Sunnyside Jr High school:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu0Jp3HKOZ4

Mitch Crane · Post by **Mitch Crane** » 28 Nov 2011 6:36 pm

On topic... I guess the guy just needed a way to do the licks he had in his head ? .. Necessity is the Mother Of Invention ? I liked his approach and looks like he achieved his desired goal eh ?

Bob Russell · Post by **Bob Russell** » 28 Nov 2011 6:45 pm

For that kind of music, he's got a cool style. Even if I just heard it and didn't know about the double-slide stuff, I'd put his playing above most of the guys who do that "blooz" thing.

Eddie Cunningham · Post by **Eddie Cunningham** » 28 Nov 2011 7:17 pm

There was a guy , Tom , in the RISGA steel club that played acoustic lap steel with 2 bars linked together with a spring , the front one had a groove that let one string pass back to the rear bar , one fret back , giving him minors and other chords without any pedals !! We were all very impressed with his style and playing !! It really worked out very well !! Eddie "C" AKA the old geezer

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 29 Nov 2011 8:29 am

Wally Pickel, who still has an old time band in central Minnesota, appeared on the Johnny Carson show years ago and played 3 trumpets at the same time while jumping up and down on a pogo stick. He's down to 2 trumpets now and no pogo stick!

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 29 Nov 2011 9:07 am

Hi,

I just remembered that Robert Randolph used two bars in a showcase at the first Sacred Steel Convention in Winter Park (Orlando) in 2000. He used a Stevens-type bar in his left hand and did hammers with a small, round bar held in his right hand.

He also reached over the audience side of his steel to bar, and executed harmonics with his lip. There was nothing reserved about Robert--at least back then (he was pretty young in 2000.)

Tom Grosz · Post by **Tom Grosz** » 29 Nov 2011 3:16 pm

I had a post referencing a similar video a few weeks ago with the title Slide Rings... Creative way to get those sounds!
Peaceland makes slide rings for guitar, so you can have varying slide lengths on different fingers for different effects, diverging harmonies, etc.
It looks like they also make some bars more designed for lap steel.

No experience with those, but I do enjoy the sounds folks get when not living the status quo!

The Steel Guitar Forum

Double-Bar Technique on Lap Steel

Double-Bar Technique on Lap Steel

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