The Bar Hand Exercise

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 7 Feb 2013 7:37 am

Would some one please explain what a DRONE track is.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 7 Feb 2013 7:42 am

Hans
My understanding is that it is a track with a single sustained tone, You play the exercise on Your guitar while this single (drone) is sounding.It helps greatly with intonation and ear training.
Best regards
Billy

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 7 Feb 2013 7:43 am

Thanx for the speedy reply Billy.

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 7 Feb 2013 8:38 am

If you want to create your own drone track download
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
Its free.
Menu at top > Generate > Analogue Oscillator
then when done go File > Export and choose your format
Voila.

If you want a ready to use drone E track (329.63 Hz) send me an email.
Available as FLAC, MP3 or WAV

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 7 Feb 2013 3:43 pm

For those who may be interested in a "full range" CD, you can get the one Richard Schwartz produced (which is the one I use) for less than $10 and download it online.

This is his site: http://raschwartz.wix.com/the-tuning-cd

or you can get it from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tuning-C-D-A- ... B002COP51Q

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 7 Feb 2013 4:13 pm

Dickie, after listening to the CD, I will get the CD.
Forget my home made track.
It may be free but it is not the quality of the CD.

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 7 Feb 2013 4:38 pm

Hans, I hope you will be pleased with it. I've really used mine.

Pete Conklin · Post by **Pete Conklin** » 7 Feb 2013 4:57 pm

Hans, you might also consider fellow forumite Bob Hoffnar has a great drone CD. He's on the second page of this thread or http://www.bobhoffnar.net/

Hans Penner · Post by **Hans Penner** » 8 Feb 2013 7:10 am

I'm still too green, I must admit.
Please explain.
At the very start of this thread Paul talks about using an E drone track to play along with.
In both the drone CDs just mentioned everything looks to me to be an A drone track.
What am I not understanding?

Pete Conklin · Post by **Pete Conklin** » 8 Feb 2013 7:32 am

I can't speak for other CD's, but Bob's CD has a drone track for several major keys including E, a couple minor tracks and a couple min7 tracks. I'm happy with it.

Dick Sexton · Post by **Dick Sexton** » 8 Feb 2013 7:36 am

Hans,
Mine is named "Long Tones and Chords for Ear Training by Bob Hoffnar"

Includes & is labeled as follows:

SINGLE NOTES: 1. E, 2. G, 3. A, 4. C, 5. D, 6. Bb, 7. B

CHORDS: 8. Amin7 9. Amaj7 10. Bmin7 11. B 12. Emin 13. E 14. G#min 15. G

Very useful tool, IMO... Seems I read somewhere that Mr Hoffnar added the Es to make it more useful with Mr Franklins exercises. Don't quote me on that though, might have dreamed it.

Dickie Whitley · Post by **Dickie Whitley** » 8 Feb 2013 6:29 pm

Before anybody thinks I'm trying to dis Bob, let me say the first CD I bought was Bob's. However, I wanted a variety of keys to play against and "The Tuning CD" answered the need. It has all 12 major keys, as well as minors, 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 6ths, and 7ths.

There are over 30 different entries on this CD worth looking at.

Again, I'm not disrespecting Bob in any way, shape, or form. Just offering a second opinion.

Hans, I apologize for any confusion I may have caused, I'm sure either CD will help you in your "intonation" studies. An "E" drone will help you play in tune with any song or practice in the key of "E" and/or related chords. Then playing against other drone notes in other keys adds the variety. Hope that makes sense.

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 8 Feb 2013 9:42 pm

I've been doing these exercises virtually every day since Paul Franklin so graciously presented them to us in 2010. It takes me less than 10 minutes per day, and it's almost always the first thing I play on the steel each day.

I believe they have really helped my playing, and they are well worth the minimal effort. They are a good way to get your fingers warmed up. These are exercises that every steel player should be doing.

I play the cycle first with palm blocking, and then with pick blocking. Also I play once through with each blocking technique picking ascending (string 8 then string 7), and then descending (string 7, then string

. I start out slow and gradually increase the tempo on the metronome.

Re-read Paul Franklin's first couple paragraphs at the beginning of this post. Listen for intonation, no vibrato, keep the bar straight, and don't stop for mistakes. Great advice!!

Thanks again Mr. Franklin.

Alex Cattaneo · Post by **Alex Cattaneo** » 20 Nov 2013 9:14 am

Bump for a great drill.

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 8 Mar 2014 9:35 pm

I will become proficient at blocking.
I will become proficient at blocking.
I will become proficient at blocking.
I will become proficient at blocking.

Tommi Toijonen · Post by **Tommi Toijonen** » 10 Mar 2014 1:31 pm

45 minutes of E drone made with DM1 drum machine combined with these eerie scales really drives me nuts.

But I think I hit the notes better.

Now some quality time with Linda Ronstadt album.

Michael Coggins · Post by **Michael Coggins** » 22 Apr 2015 1:12 am

Bump!

Anyone interested in doing a video of this exercise??

I'd like to know if I'm doing it correctly.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 22 Apr 2015 3:54 am

Clete posted a link to a video back on page 4....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU2lcEiOwSM

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 22 Apr 2015 4:07 am

One thing you may note about the video I posted is that I am playing 8 then 7, not 7 then 8 as Paul describes in his initial post. There are many variations on this drill you can come up with on your own though. For instance, you can change the tongue twister so that the picking alternates 7-8, 8-7 etc. Or you can add another string and try 6-7-8. The important things to concentrate on here are tempo and pitch at any rate!

Michael Coggins · Post by **Michael Coggins** » 22 Apr 2015 4:07 am

Missed that, thanks Jay and Clete.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 24 Apr 2015 4:58 pm

Paul, I want to thank you. I have been playing for over years, it just goes to prove, one is never too old learn. Many, many, thanks.
Tommy Shown
SMFTBL

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 28 Apr 2015 7:54 am

This is great stuff Paul shared over 5yrs ago, But Paul left the building Jan 31, 2010.

DG Whitley · Post by **DG Whitley** » 28 Apr 2015 8:05 am

Not so Stuart....

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 28 Apr 2015 8:40 am

Thanks for pointing that out I totally missed that. Really great stuff!

Pat Moore · Post by **Pat Moore** » 19 Dec 2015 7:30 pm

This needs to be back to the top! GREAT stuff!
Pat

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The Bar Hand Exercise

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Franklin Exercise