The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm a fairly new player, and just getting in to chiming notes and chords for expression.

But when I try to chime a note, and slide it, other strings make noise and mess it up. I'm trying to use the nose of the bar as best I can, and muting what strings I can with my palm of my picking hand. But still they aren't clean as I want them.

Anyone care to share any tips of how to do it cleanly?

Tom

Pick up the butt end of the bar (just slightly is all that is needed) and use just the nose of the bar on the string(s) you're chiming. You'll also need to pick forcefully, even a little stronger than you pick normally, to get a nice strong and clear chime.

I agree completely with Jim. The only other suggestion I have is Practice, Practice, Practice and DON'T GIVE UP!

You might also want to try muting the strings with the trailing fingers (behind the bar) of your left hand when you slide, especialy if you're chiming more than one note. If you're chiming a chord you will have to do this to prevent bar noise on other strings. You should always mute the strings behind the bar with your left hand anyway even when not chiming. Good Luck!

Steve

<b>ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS...
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR><SMALL>You might also want to try muting the strings with the trailing fingers (behind the bar) of your left hand when you slide, especialy if you're chiming more than one note. If you're chiming a chord you will have to do this to prevent bar noise on other strings. You should always mute the strings behind the bar with your left hand anyway even when not chiming. Good Luck!
Steve
</SMALL><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Best advice to ANY and ALL players... no matter how well they play

[my opinion]

2pT


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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

could someone fully detail this?
I have Herb Steiners arrangment for Sleepwalk and it says to mute on fret 15 with right hand

<SMALL>You should always mute the strings behind the bar with your left hand anyway even when not chiming.</SMALL>

Not according to Tommy White on his instruction video. He recommends (while sustaining notes for slow songs, I assume) to NOT dampen the strings behind the bar EXCEPT at harmonic frets like 5, 7 and 12. The extra vibration adds to the body and sustain of the notes.

With the proper "vibrato" coming from the left hand you get a much cleaner/clearer sound, when you allow your fingers to rest on the strings. It should be noted, however, that the amount of pressure from those fingers to the strings should vary, depending on what exactly the left hand is doing with the bar at the particular moment. I haven't experienced Tommy's course, but I have experienced what he is refering to. I believe this is a split/hair situation that does apply, providing the player doesn't actually try to lift those fingers intentionally (which will bring about much extra string chatter in most cases) but does so instead by easing the pressure coming from those fingers. This is much of where "personal tone" is created among players. In as much as finger pick placement accounts for tone variance with regard to the Picking Hand, finger pressure (among other things) and placement accounts for tone variance on the Bar Hand. Though I eleviate nearly all pressure from fingers when making chimes, the Bar Hand fingers are still making limited contact with those strings. If they were not making any contact I would generate a "string buzz" of limited proportion. There is a certain amount of affect each individual guitar plays in this as well.

[my opinion]



2pT

------------------
TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

Jim Bob said,

"The only other suggestion I have is Practice, Practice, Practice and DON'T GIVE UP!"

It is my understanding that Buddy Emmons practiced for hours on end to perfect his "pinky" finger style of chiming. For sure, it paid off! His chimes are crystal clear and distinct.

The other day I was listening to J D Walters chiming on one his fantastic selections that have been made available on this forum. In my opinion, he is second only to Buddy in chiming. I am sure J D practiced for hours too. NO way can anyone do it that way without "putting in the time!"

So Jim Bob is correct. One final note: Even though you feel it won't come, when you least expect it, suddenly it will be there. Which is the case sooo many times when one is trying to learn something new.

May God bless you in your attempts,

carl

Well said Carl. ...and even the greatest flubb one here and there... so don't feel as you'll not get it. You get better at it the more you practice

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

I think that we have to remember that there are several ways to “chime” a note. I first learned the “palm” chime with the back of my right hand. I picked that up by watching Jimmy Day. Some years later Rick Price taught me to do a chime with the first knuckle of my ring finger (Fourth finger, right hand), which is still the way I do it to this day.

Chiming is really a combination of several things. It is your right hand (Whichever of the several methods you use), your left hand, and the volume pedal. A “chime” generally speaking, will decay before a note that is “struck” with the finger pick or thumb pick. Therefore, you have to use the volume pedal to get the sustain you need. It is probably even more complicated than that, but I don’t really know how to explain it.

I would say, figure out which method is most comfortable to you. Then as Jim Bob said, “Practice, practice, practice!!” I know we all hate the “P” word…but there are some things about this instrument that come naturally to people. Then, there are others (Myself included!!) that have to WORK at it.

Oh yea, and if you ever really want to hear a "master" of the chimes, go watch Butch Cornwell! I have never seen anybody better!

B. Bailey Brown
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by B Bailey Brown on 07 May 2002 at 01:54 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by B Bailey Brown on 07 May 2002 at 01:59 PM.]</p></FONT>

The absolute best advise on chiming is found here by Jerry Byrd in NO Pedalers:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/002913.html

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Sierra S12 8+5 A6/D9
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