Quick tips: Barring the strings at the nut

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 21 Aug 2023 7:43 pm

I post little tips and tricks videos on YouTube every week or so. This latest one is about barring the strings at the nut, something you may not have thought of before. This enables you to add vibrato to the open strings in any tuning. You can also do an open string harmonic and slide up from the nut—I forgot to include that in this video.

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https://youtu.be/kkuBHs0BPNk

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 22 Aug 2023 7:31 am

Mike,
I appreciate that little tip.
I've always shied away from open strings because of the lack of vibrato but now I see a solution to the problem.
Thanks,

Erv

Joe Cook · Post by **Joe Cook** » 22 Aug 2023 7:43 am

Never thought of that, Mike. Thanks, I could use a few tips!

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 22 Aug 2023 12:41 pm

Getting those string grooves right at the nut takes some care. Ideally, the bar should make contact with all the strings without any pressure. The fatter the bass strings, the deeper they have to be. So you cannot just set them all at say, half diameter.

Carey Hofer · Post by **Carey Hofer** » 22 Aug 2023 12:59 pm

Thank you for the tip Mike!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 22 Aug 2023 5:21 pm

I encourage everyone to try out the open string harmonic and then right at the top of the nut place the bar on the string and slide to the desired note. It should be completely seamless and the harmonic should continue to ring but with a changing pitch. This may take a little practice but once you get it, it’s a very useful trick.

Carey Hofer · Post by **Carey Hofer** » 25 Aug 2023 7:26 am

So sorry to highjack the thread Mike, but I was listening to your blues Chicago style-FROM 9 YEARS AGO, (found it by accident when I was watching the You Tube video for this thread) and it was awesome! Never heard any blues on non pedal steel that I like better. The tone is just perfect! THANK YOU!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 8 Sep 2023 2:19 pm

I was thinking of this thread while reading a book on pedal steel guitar repair. Needless to say, do not use this technique on a roller nut with pedals or palm pulls. It can cause the roller to flare and interfere with the return of a pull, requiring replacement of the roller nut. Can't imagine it would be a problem for lap steel unless you have some palm pedals.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 8 Sep 2023 3:24 pm

Interesting technique that I've never seen before. I think this would actually be a form of vibrato (a fluctuation of pitch) rather than tremolo (a fluctuation of volume)...? Or maybe the volume is changing as well.

Mark Evans · Post by **Mark Evans** » 13 Sep 2023 4:57 am

Great little effect (which I stumbled upon as well).

I think I accidentally ‘whomped’ on the nut of my Pogreba Weissenborn, producing a harmonic-like tone. I can also get sitar like sounds if I roll off the nut just a hair - especially nice if I want the open chord to ring/sustain a bit (that ‘space’ between notes thang.)

Also on the Weiss- because it’s hollow - a light bonk on the nut results in a nice hollow percussive tone.

Happy accidents are my faves

Samuel Phillippe · Post by **Samuel Phillippe** » 13 Sep 2023 6:34 am

Wow, I didn't know I was doing something very few are. I have been using this technique since my first attempt at playing. Reason.....I couldn't lift the bar in a timely fashion without slamming it back down.
Thanks Mike for the tip I didn't know I knew.

Sam