Hammer-on or whatever

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

The jerrybyrdfanclub site is featuring an instrumental that incorporates some of olde Sol Hoopii's bar work. "HILO MARCH" is rich with the flavor of olde and Jerry Byrd makes it sound so simple.
Do any of you use this affect? Would it not work satisfactorily in country music?

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I believe it's frequently used in all forms of steel music.

For a fast adaptation of the technique, just listen to Buddy's "4-Wheel Drive" intro!

However, after all is said and done, I feel pretty safe saying that another Jerry (Jerry Douglas, that is) is the true master of the "hammer-on", and "pull-off" technique.

Joe Savage · From: St. Paul, MN

Also, the intro to Boot Heel Drag........
To me, it's proof how much influence Sol and other 1st generation Hawaiian steel players had and continue to have on the steel guitar world. I'll probably get killed for saying this but, some of those Jerry Byrd instrumentals are almost verbatim versions of Sol Hoopii's.
Joe Savage

Kenny Davis · From: Great State of Oklahoma

I think Hal Rugg was the master of that technique on pedal steel...

Jussi Huhtakangas · From: Helsinki, Finland

Well, JB's Slippery Elm ain't a bad example either. Vance Terry played a great version of it too. They both make it sound like a Merle Travis' "three finger roll".

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

If you want to get teschnical about this Jerry uses the Mordant effect instead of the hammer. All of you Oahu Pub Co exes will remember this from our 37th lesson I believe. Dwayne Rogers and Jr Height? picked it up right away but the rest of us took a week or two. Put a good hammer/pull man and a good mordant man together and you can really tell the difference. CC

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

"C.C." PLEASE, tell us more.

I too, was an Oahu student but since I only skimmed over sheet music (I got fired as a student from the Gibson Guitar Course of Hawaiian Steel Guitar Studies) I obviously "missed" that important item you have hinted at. I still have some of that olde Oahu sheet music for "Plectrum and Hawaiian Steel Guitar".

I'd truly like to know the difference.

In fact, I learned the term "Hammer-On" accurately or inaccurately, from the same folks here on the Forum that that have been voicing the belief that "String Grabs", "Bar Slamming", "Pedal Mashing", "Magic Boxes", "screaming lap-top guitars" and a wide variety of electronic technical advances is the answer for learning to play steel guitar loud, fast and furiously.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE, "C.C"?

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Well, if I may, a "mordant" is a rapid playing of a note a half-tone higher or lower than the primary melody note. Thus, if you're playing an "E" melody note, and alternating it with a quick, repeated, "Eb" or an "F", that's a mordant, kind of a "boing" effect, I guess. It can be done by moving the bar or by using hammer-on/pull-off techniques. I believe the latter is far more popular...except in cartoons!

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

for me to explain the difference would be an exersize in futility. My only expl is the dobro players do a hammer on/off and steel players if the know what they are doing do a mordant. The mordant has a sweeter sound to it. I,ll try to get in touch with Herb Remington who can really explain it. The difference is slight so it will take someone with some smart.

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

I will be back home from the luau circuit this weekend and provided I am not swamped with honey do projects; I will look for a cassette I have of Jerry in Honolulu 1978? explaining the diff to me and a fellow from CA. I;ll post word for word. CC

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

Ray,
In Jerry's recording of Steel Guitar Rag
is there not a few bars of the "mordant"
effect when he plays it second time around?
It's timed beautifully as I recall.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Hey Donny: The first notes of "Remington Ride" are WHAT? Which word description?

Any other examples you can share with us?
What about "This'N That"....?

Thanks!

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

Donny and CC, this is new to me, and very interesting. So "Steeling the Blues", is this an example of mordant?

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Dave Wren
'95Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; Session500; Hilton Pedal
www.ameechapman.com

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

I always thought ... as Mr. Hinson said ... that when JB played off the first fret and open strings ... he was using "Mordents".

But on things like Hilo March, Beach at Waikiki, etc ... when he flies up the E string ... playin' fretted notes syncopated with the open string ...

He was "hammering on/pulling off" ... albiet with a bullet bar (verses say a Stevens, Sheerhorn, etc).

No matter what you call it ... man ... he was smooth as silk & as exciting as a white water rafting trip ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss

My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 22 September 2005 at 04:00 PM.]

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