How does a "sitar" bar work ?

Russ Wever · Post by **Russ Wever** » 21 Jun 2006 6:46 pm

. . . of course those are '1970's dollars' . . . in the prior millenium.

Prolly be $75 today, huh . . .

~Russ

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 21 Jun 2006 6:52 pm

Is this (click me) a sitar bar on LeAnn Rimes' "Something's Gotta Give"? There's no electric sitar in the credits, but Dan Dugmore is on steel, and Dan Huff, JT Corenflos, and Tom Bokuvac are on the guitar. There's also a keyboard, but it doesn't sound like it came from a keyboard synth. It kinda sounds like a fretted instrument during the slide up at the very beginning. Any thoughts?[This message was edited by Chris Lasher on 21 June 2006 at 07:53 PM.]

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 23 Jun 2006 4:39 am

Chris,
I've wondered the same thing. I'll try to find out for you.

I like the sound!

Bryan Daste · Post by **Bryan Daste** » 8 Nov 2006 1:30 am

Your posts inspired me to try a few things I had lying around in place of my bar:

Here are some sound clips. In the first one, I used an extra knee lever from my new Sierra D-10 (new to me, but it's a 1980) to emulate a sitar sound. I used the metal side flat against the strings. Sounds pretty sitar-ish to me!
http://home.comcast.net/~daste/pics/BCD_Sitar-KneeLever.mp3

Then I tried a plastic ink pen, and I got a banjo-like tone from it. However, the pen is so thin it's hard to control.
http://home.comcast.net/~daste/pics/BCD_Banjo-InkPen.mp3

Enjoy! Anyone else out there with more bar-substitution ideas?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 8 Nov 2006 5:06 am

I don’t understand why a flat surface would make a sitar-like noise. It seems like the front-edge of the flat surface would “fret” the string.

When the string vibrates, it alternately contacts the front and back edges of the flat surface on the bar. The same thing happens on a straight guitar when the frets are worn, or the action is set too low. The vibrating string alternately contacts two different frets, giving a buzzing/whining sound.

Mike Black · Post by **Mike Black** » 9 Nov 2006 6:09 am

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 9 Nov 2006 6:45 am

My friend and sometimes teacher Pete Grant showed me how to get a sitar effect with any bar.
Hold the bar parallel with the string you are playing. It is a little tricky to get the intonation right, but for quick single string work, it sounds great.
Jay

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 9 Nov 2006 6:13 pm

If you want a sitar sound, why not buy a sitar ?

I like my steel guitar to sound like a steel guitar.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 9 Nov 2006 11:17 pm

How does a "sitar" bar work?

Not very well, in my opinion.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 12 Nov 2006 11:00 am

Listen to the middle sound bite by clicking on Hear It! at here . With some practice you could do some pretty neat sounds with a sitar bar. Etude for sitar?

Greg
[This message was edited by Greg Cutshaw on 12 November 2006 at 11:01 AM.]

Duane Reese · Post by **Duane Reese** » 12 Nov 2006 2:15 pm

Sounds like a sitar bar on "Flying", on Joe Goldmark's Steelin' the Beatles album, eh?

John Lockney · Post by **John Lockney** » 1 Dec 2006 5:10 pm

It seems not to matter whether or not you mute behind the bar. (It might improve the sound to let it ring but muting behind the bar does not eliminate the sitar sound)

Also, it seems to sound better when I exert slight pressure "behind" the bar to open-up the space between the bar and the strings on the side towards the picks.

On the side farthest from the picks the string seems to make solid contact to "fret" the note. The sitar buzzing sound seems to come from the strings repeatedly vibrating against the flat surface. -- I bet it would still work if only the "front" side of the bar was flat. (the side closest to the picks).

And, thanks for the idea Greg, I am working on making one. (disclaimer: I am currently experimenting with a long, skinny lug-nut)

[This message was edited by John Lockney on 01 December 2006 at 05:22 PM.]

Robert Leaman · Post by **Robert Leaman** » 2 Dec 2006 2:42 pm

I had an Emmons sitar bar. The only good thing about it was the money I got when I sold it. I tried it for about 2 minutes and I didn't like it. It caused distortion like all other effects units and I dislike distortion particular when I hear a Hawaiian or pedal steel guitar. If you like distortion (noise), buy a cheap amp or add some effects trash to an expensive amplifier. Distortion is easy to attain, purity of tone is elusive.