The Steel Guitar Forum

Recently noticed a great topic concerning tone and the right hand,comments were great.With that in mind,would like to take it a step farther.Sustaining chords kind of gives steel guitar its soul,I believe its what listeners love to hear and I think a big part of the beauty of the instrument.Where does it come from? Is it technique,the guitar,the pick-up,the amp settings etc? Need help.

I'd say that all the factors you mentioned contribute to sustain to a certain degree; strings, bar, pickup, amp, all have a part in it but for the most part it comes from the steel itself and the player's ability to create it. When I want to sustain a chord, I put my volume pedal to the spot I believe will be about right, usually up a bit because I'm going to strike the strings with medium to medium-hard force, depending on what I'm doing, so that the notes will ring longer. Then listen carefully to the notes and as the notes decay, very smoothly and slowly step on the volume pedal, slowly squeeezing the volume up at about the same rate and amount that the notes are dying out. You'll also find that it's harder to keep notes sustaining when gliding down the neck, and they'll sustain longer when gliding up. Anyway, that's just my own observations.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 09 August 2002 at 11:11 AM.]</p></FONT>

YOUR questions are refreshing........not about speed picking and gimmicks!
IMHO it is a combination of all you've mentioned however.....
Take your bar at the 3rd, 5th, 7th frets or so, roll a nice chord and slide up the neck a full octave and vibrato. HOW LONG DID it last?
Now reverse the program. Slide DOWN THE NECK and vibrato. HOW LONG did THAT last?
Some pickups JUST DON'T HAVE that ability to sustain more than one note....or atleast, many do not delivery it!
A combination of what bar you use, Stainless Steel or plastic or wood or beer bottle or pocket knife...in combination with the brand of strings you use....is also an important factor! Jerry Byrd...many years ago, used spanish guitar strings in unusual combinations. This provided him with the "right combination/sound" and when combined with that old Bakelite Rick of his, is was second to none. But then, he added his only playing technique and BINGO!
Good strings, good bar, and of course, the right picking technique and vibrato are equally important.
Just play with it.......for an hour or more and don't use affects. Even turn off your reverb during this test.
Good Luck to you.

The old Rick Bakelites WILL SUSTAIN on even a down the neck slide. It's incredible!

sounds strange but: Think like the bar!
Sound and sustain can be done with your mind, just try! Think and FEEL when the strings needs to stop moving. ( I know, you think I talk like a fool, but it works, but it needs time to practise and concentrate.
JJ www.steeljj.com

Really like the comments so far, my sustain really goes "south"above the 15th fret.Down loaded Reggies"Something Out Of Nothing"clip,probably watched it 50 times but can never hold those notes like "The Master Of Tone"can.

I get much better sustain with my Emmons push/pulls than I ever did with my Sho-Bud or Mullen. Especially up high.

Brad Sarno

Oh! Oh! Brad, now you did it. This post is going to be a long post cause you are defending your push pull, however, I agree. Didn't want you to face the firing squad alone.

When you're sliding down the neck, lift your fingers off the strings behind the bar. It will enhance the sustain.
Erv

I think a good practise is the beginning of Blue Jade. It starts at the 1st fret, then to 3, 4, 8, 8 + pedals and up to 13. At first when I arrived at the 13th fret I got a low volume and too much unwanted noise, but practise makes perfect and now I can do it just like BE.( in my imagination). A large part had to do with correctly silencing the strings behind the bar during the sliding.

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Steelin' Greetings
Marco Schouten
Sho-Bud Pro III Custom; Sho-Bud LLG