Tuning corrections with the bar

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 29 Dec 2002 12:49 pm

I was curious to know if any of you make slight adjustments with the bar to help with tuning as you play. Would it be never, occasionally, constantly? For example, sometimes when I play strings 3,4,5 say at the 16th fret with the "A" pedal and the F lever depressed, it seems to sound a little better if I slant the tip of the bar slightly toward my right hand. That same F chord sounds fine at the 4th fret using the same strings and pedals. Is this just a cop out imperfections in tuning or is this a common practice?

Ken

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 29 Dec 2002 1:00 pm

"if any of you make slight adjustments with the bar to help with tuning as you play"...I was under the impression that that was what it's for....

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 29 Dec 2002 1:19 pm

Right, Charles. To me, the frets are just a "guide" to get me close to the right pitch. Once I reach a given position with my bar I can no longer see the fret beneath the bar -- so I rely on my ears and my ability (whether good or bad) to "find" the position that is in tune. The folks in the audiance can't see if you are "on fret" or not; I figure that if it sounds in tune to me, then it probably sounds in tune to them. Same goes for compensating for pitch differences due to cabinet drop or imperfections in the fine tuning of the changer. At times I have found myself subconsciously slanting the bar slightly to compensate. Also, a reasonably wide bar vibrato can cover a multitude of sins arising from slight intonation problems. We often have to bring the human factor into play to make up for mechanical deficiencies. I don't think these little compensating actions show up to the listener because if I make a slight adjustment with the bar by sliding up or down a little, the steel guitar is expected to slide into and out of chords -- so, if the listener even notices, he likely will think it was just a little nuance I threw in.

This may not apply to everyone, but it's something I have always done -- right or wrong.

Jim Bob Sedgwick · Post by **Jim Bob Sedgwick** » 29 Dec 2002 2:58 pm

YOU HAVE TO! As someone said to a person asking whatis that thing? It's a mechanically operated pitch approximator. That's where ear training pays off. I don't care what the needle says on the tuner. If it doesn't sound in tune, it ISN'T. JMO

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 29 Dec 2002 3:33 pm

Yes-Yes-Yes-.....Happy New Year.........al

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 29 Dec 2002 6:01 pm

Yes, Ken, Lloyd Green does that, for example, adding more pressure at times on one end of the bar versus the other. Just shows what good company you're in as a finesse player.

------------------
Jeff
Pale Monk of Cowtown


"...reguards yo camara exposure nad roconition..." --Speaking in unknown tongues on the Steel Guitar Forum.

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 30 Dec 2002 3:50 pm

Ken, If you ever get the chance to be with the greast Bobby Kofer when he is playing, you will see how it works. He not only tunes with his bar, he tunes in harmony with his bar. If you think that is hard to believe, Ask people that has worked with him. I have never heard him play out of tune. And I rarely seen him tune up.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 30 Dec 2002 4:10 pm

We ALL make tuning corrections with the bar constantly. It's called "learning to play the instrument."

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 30 Dec 2002 4:14 pm

Right on, Herb.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 30 Dec 2002 4:22 pm

Yes, all the time!

There's a constant feedback loop between your ear and your bar hand.

Your ear has to learn to recognise the correct pitch, or harmony when playing more than one string, and your bar hand adjusts accordingly.

Happy 2K3 !

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 30 Dec 2002 5:23 pm

Shoot I never seen Bobby Koefer look at his strings! He doesn't use a bar either. It's a flat piece of stainless steel I think. Probably the best non-pedal player I ever saw.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Dec 2002 3:57 am

Tuners and frets get you in the vicinity, but your ear and your bar gets you the rest of the way! (or doesn't)www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 31 December 2002 at 03:59 AM.]

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 31 Dec 2002 7:46 am

Hey, if you do make corrections with the bar you are doing it right because I've never heard you play anything but flawless and great. Happy New year to you and Janice.---Henry

Buck Grantham · Post by **Buck Grantham** » 1 Jan 2003 11:53 am

Ken, Your ear is constantly getting better, therefore you're hearing more things that are a little out of tune to you . Especially way up on the neck, that complicates the problem .We are all bending our bars all the time. Of course your ear hears diffrent every day of your life. I have listened to you play many times and you definitely play in tune. But as for the problem you're talking about ,, We all have it!!!

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 1 Jan 2003 5:16 pm

Thanks guys for the imput on this topic, and thanks Henry and Buck for the nice words. Buck, I agree that your ear hears things differently from day to day. I've noticed it not only with regards to pitch but also with tone. I've played 5 night a week gigs where get ready to play say on Thursday night and the tone that sounded great the night before is now somehow lacking. Every setting is exactly as it was the night before. And it doesn't matter which knobs you twist it just doesn't sound right.

With regards to corrections with the bar, I don't know if I'd say that I'm constantly making corrections but it would be something pretty close to it. By corrections I meant doing something differently from what you're eyes are telling you is right. Sometimes what my eyes are telling me is right, sounds fine to me. So no correction is needed,at least the way I'm hearing it at the time. I knew that players made corrections as they play, I just wanted to know to what degree.
Every one have a great 2003.

Ken