How many of you actually roll your bar?

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 13 Jun 2004 10:44 pm

Love this post!

Vibrato is everything. It's a defining element in every player's unique style. It's what the steel guitar is all about. It's the soul expression that gives our instrument it's incredible voice. It's what makes a great player great and a not-so-great player sound...well...not-so-great. Rolling, sliding, grating or slicing...Vibrato can be WAY overdone, but if done right it can let our ideas sing.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 14 Jun 2004 2:42 am

That circular vibrato works really well for me, both clockwise and counter. So does sliding, and rolling. I come from a rock guitar background, and I've noticed that only people who have been playing long enough to build up good hand strength can bend up to a note, then vibrato it both above and below pitch. Vibrato on a fretted note is invariably only sharp, and to me the best-sounding vibrato goes more flat than sharp. Female jazz singers and Indian musicians seem to pay more attention to vibrato and how they get from one note to another than anybody else - even classical musicians seem to have a set of rules for vibrato which are used to judge a "good" sound. For that loony 40's steel guitar vibrato, as well as Speedy West-type effects, a lighter bar definitely helps.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 14 Jun 2004 6:18 am

Roll for subtle vibrato, slide for wider and wilder. Best way to beat the nervous and overdone vibrato is to practice your songs with no vibrato at all (man is that hard). When you can do that, add back a little vibrato as subtle as possible.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 14 Jun 2004 6:45 am

Well said David,

Also..

"The biggest offender of the use of vibrato )in my opinion) is Dolly Parton"

I would have to agree. You find this same habit amongst steel players here and there. I imagine it got started as a way to learn to vibrato as it was forced, then it stuck. And indeed it is extremely difficult to break once it sets in.

As one poster alluded to, try and play an entire song with NO vibrato, if you are a player who uses it a lot. It'l' tickle your mind like crazy if yer like me. Almost have to force it NOT to. Then if my mind lapses even for a moment there I am doun' it agin

.

I seem to recall even Buddy once said on this forum, that he has to "concentrate on it" once in a while or it drifts back. IMO, there is nothing prettier than to see a player who has really developed a vibrato that truly enhances the song. Some of the greats are absolute masters at this.

I have also seen Cellists and violinists who are incredibly good. Then I have seen the opposite. I suppose it is a sign of those who were given "that" awesome gift.

As the ole saying goes, "Some got it, Some don't got it!"

Praise Jesus' holy name,

carl

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 14 Jun 2004 7:29 am

"It's what the steel guitar is all about. It's the soul expression that gives our instrument it's incredible voice."

that's what I wanted to say, but didn't know how.

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 14 June 2004 at 08:30 AM.]

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 14 Jun 2004 8:58 am

I find sliding vibrato to be harder than rolling. It uses different muscles

Yes, sliding uses muscles all the way to your shoulders, maybe a little more difficult to be as accurate as rolling the bar... Depends on distance travelled too.[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 14 June 2004 at 10:01 AM.]

Robert Porri · Post by **Robert Porri** » 14 Jun 2004 9:42 am

This is a very good thread. As a new player this is one of the big questions that has come up for me. I have one Jeff Newman video and on it he is clear the way to go is rolling. On the other hand, my teacher and most here seem to slide and roll as needed. That's a good thing, because that's what I've found most useful and have been using both. The Jeff Newman video is an older one(I want more), and I think he changed some of his opinions about things as time went on. He also pretty much clobbered pick blocking in the video and talked about palm blocking as the way to go. I talked to him on the phone one time and asked him about that and he said "Well to play the faster stuff, you have to pick block." I would assume he was really more open to both vibrato techniques than he let on in the video.

David Mason, I'm not sure if you're familiar with nylon string playing, but in that case, a classical type of vibrato on a nylon string guitar does indeed raise and lower the fretted pitch. Not trying to split hairs, just thought it was worth mentioning.

Bob P.

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 14 Jun 2004 10:59 am

I roll on most stuff. If I'm covering a large space, for example, when I'm playing distorted, then I slide. Each has its own purpose.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 17 Jun 2004 5:01 pm

I don't know if he is slidin, rollin or skiddin or what but Bryan Adams has the nicest vibrato on slow country I have heard in sixty years of listening.
And he's a nice guy too...my two cents

Willis E. ( Buddy Van ) Vanderberg

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 17 Jun 2004 5:20 pm

after 20+yrs of slidin the bar, I decided when I started back playin a few months ago, I was gonna learn to roll it. In my opinion it just gives a smoother sound. I can roll it fairly well, it's just gettin the speed right now.

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 17 Jun 2004 7:00 pm

I find that I roll the bar at high frets because they are closer together and a small movement (roll) is required. At the 1st - 5th frets, for example, I need to move the bar more to get the same vibrato effect so I end up sliding it.

as always, your milage may vary.

t

David Spires · Post by **David Spires** » 18 Jun 2004 8:25 am

Both - Each has a distinctive sound, and I use them as described by some above: wider & rolling - more on ballad work; and narrower / sliding / faster on certain medium country stuff, overdriven lap steel sounds, and faster tunes.

It really has to do with the feel of the material. I would really suggest learning both styles / techiniques, so that they just become another "tool" in your bag of tricks. So much expression comes from that left hand...

Just as a footnote - I find that John Hughey and Herby Wallace have extremely different bar vibrato on ballads, but each evokes a unique tone/sound that I love.

Wishing I was practicing,

David Spires

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 18 Jun 2004 11:12 am

I've been paying more attention to my left hand lately, and I've come to this conclusion. I actually use the same motion for both, but when I want a wider vibrato I grab the bar with my thumb to slide. For small vibrato I lift my thumb and let the bar roll.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 18 Jun 2004 12:22 pm

Nobody can beat John Hughey on ballads. I love to hear him play those high frets!

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 18 June 2004 at 01:25 PM.]