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Author Topic:  Proper bar technique
A. J. Schobert

 

From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Post  Posted 25 Feb 2007 4:10 pm    
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I saw in a newman course and I heard this as well just wondering how many live by it, You should only use the top 1/4 of the bar when playing (standard 10 string). now sometimes that isn't possible but genrally it would be, and I do try this alot. I almost bought a 12 string bar once for giggles to see if it would ease playing, but I suppose that would promote bad habbits. Carter D10
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Mike Wheeler


From:
Delaware, Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 25 Feb 2007 4:34 pm    
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The general idea is to move the bar across the strings only far enough to play the highest note and no more. If your top note is on string 4, the nose should only just cover string 4 and no more. Moving back and forth across the strings like this should become a habit, as it helps prevent unwanted string noise and aids muting.

Tommy White is expert at this. If you watch his video clip posted in Steel On The Web, you'll see this technique in action.
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Mike
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A. J. Schobert

 

From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Post  Posted 25 Feb 2007 7:07 pm    
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Mike I drove home the other night in that ice storm on I 75 from Mansfield to cincy ouch! Hopefully you guys are ok,I'm in mansfield weekly. I like to use the movement of the bar to help favor string blocking I think we may be on the same page, I don't know it is like when you got it figured out you play with 2 left hands!
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A. J. Schobert

 

From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Post  Posted 25 Feb 2007 7:10 pm    
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Mike are you "who dey" or browny? Pick wisely.
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Al Terhune


From:
Newcastle, WA
Post  Posted 25 Feb 2007 7:27 pm    
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When I first started learning pedal and saw steelers doing this and told this was "proper," I thought -- yeah, right! With everything else I've got to do, I need to move the damn bar up and down? I'm not sure when it happened, but I just naturally started doing it...come to think of it, it probably happened when I spent a few years concentrating on the lap.
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Al

My equipment:

One heck of a Wife
The ghost of a red Doberman
Several pairs of reading glasses strewn about
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Rick Abbott

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 10:04 am    
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With the U12 that I play I can grab some wide voicings if it's right for the tune. I had a tapered solid stainless bar made for me. It has extra weight on the butt end so I don't feel out of balance or have to push harder on the bar. Generally, the first inch of the bar gets all the action. Between the tip of my thumb and the tip of the bar.
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RICK ABBOTT
Sho~Bud D-10 Professional #7962
Remington T-8, Sehy #112
1975 Peavey Pacer 1963 Gibson Falcon
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Gary Shepherd


From:
Fox, Oklahoma, USA
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 6:12 pm    
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The proper way to drive a car is with both hands on the steering wheel. One at 10 o'clock and one at 2 o'clock.

The proper way to eat soup is to dip the spoon into the soup and move it away from you.

The proper way to shake hands is with a firm grip and a good stare into the eyes.

The proper way to graph a linear equation is to start at the y-intercept, use the slope to get another point, then draw a line through the points.

Of course, I can do all of the above in many different ways and still get good results. My point is, don't limit yourself to just one idea. Newman was bad about this. If you can block with your thumb, use it. If you can pick with 4 fingers, use them. If you can use a vertical lever on your right knee, do it.

There's more than one way to skin a cat - though I really have no idea why you would ever want to.
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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10 & Peavey Nashville 1000

www.16tracks.com
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A. J. Schobert

 

From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
Post  Posted 27 Feb 2007 6:38 pm    
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Gary the sound coming out of my amp is nicely blocked I try to mind my habbits but I don't lose sleep over it,I do have to disagree with you on eating soup, most would move the spoon towards them, however I am not a soupy type of guy so I would push the spoon away.
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Ray Minich

 

From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
Post  Posted 1 Mar 2007 9:02 am    
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Mark Twain once said something about the poor sap that knew only one way to spell a word...
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