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Some Thoughts by Jerry Byrd - Another gem from da chief on steel guitar fads and gimmicks
The Queen's Songbook - a new collection of famous and previously unpublished songs written by Lili`uokalani. Jerry Byrd's Instruction Course - where to order this steel guitar classic
Tunings for Steel Guitar - by John Ely
Tech Tips - Build a Steel! - John Tipka on steel guitar building.
'Da Book' - Lorene's great new sourcebook ©2000 by Ely Music/Pub |
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"So You Want To Play..." Steel Guitar Hawaiian Styleby Alan Akaka Part VI - Bar Technique Finale(NOTE: This excerpt from the Winter '96 issue is the most recent of an ongoing series in the HSGA Quarterly. So far, Alan has concentrated on bar techniques with diagrams, pictures, and practices. Future issues will carry on with tunings, solo, and backup variations on through advanced material. HSGA Quarterly is a 16-20 page magazine of articles, musical arrangements, members contributions, disc reviews, and many photos, mailed to all current HSGA members 4 times a year.) HSGA member Laurent Mettraux of Lausanne, Switzerland wrote to me recently, with a steel playing question I'd like to answer here, for everyone: "I used to bend my wrist and let the pointing finger leave the top of the bar. Then I started following your lessons. My question is, when you are in that slanting position, can you really lift the bar (without letting it drop!) to play another slant a few frets higher if you don't want to slide the bar?" It's okay to slide the bar. You rarely need to lift the bar from the strings, unless you are changing necks, or bouncing the bar on the strings, as in the march section of "Hilo March". A steel player should be able to maintain control of the bar in any position without dropping it. I covered Bar Technique in Part II, Winter '95 issue, and suggest you review it, and yes, PRACTICE Jerry Byrd's reverse slants. (If you're an HSGA member, follow Alan Akaka's lessons in the HSGA Quarterly. Some HSGA members around the world are willing to help beginning players get started. We use the "Members' Corner" column in Quarterly for these requests. Jerry Byrd's full steel guitar lesson course is available from Harry's Music in Honolulu, DeWitt Scott's International Steel Guitar in St. Louis, MO, and from Jerry. Write him at P.O. Box 15026, Honolulu, HI 96830.) HSGA * HAWAIIAN
STEEL GUITAR ASSOCIATION Homepage URL: www.hsga.org (hsga@lava.net) Last updated: 07/23/02 by Gerald Ross (gbross@umich.edu) |
