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Bar Acrobatics (Page 1)
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The Steel Guitar Forum
Pedal Steel Archive
Bar Acrobatics (Page 1)
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| This topic is 2 pages long: 1 2 This topic was originally posted in this forum: Pedal Steel |
| Author | Topic: Bar Acrobatics |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 28 December 2001 05:49 PM
At The International Steel Guitar Convention I asked Buddy Emmons how he developed his bar acrobatics. He laughed, and said he learned it from dropping the bar by mistake. I have learned how to twirl the bar, but I have a hard time playing a solo at the same time. My question is - does anyone know how Buddy can twirl the bar and at the same time play complicated solo's so clean and precise? |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 28 December 2001 06:05 PM
Voo Doo |
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Jody Carver Member Posts: 7455 |
posted 28 December 2001 06:14 PM
Smoke and Mirrors & being very,very careful  |
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Bill C. Buntin Member Posts: 642 |
posted 28 December 2001 06:44 PM
Explain "Bar Acrobatics". What is it? |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 28 December 2001 07:31 PM
Twirling the bar round & round while playing. |
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Pat Burns Member Posts: 2896 |
posted 28 December 2001 07:49 PM
..Tom, like anything else, you have to work up to it..start out twirling a baton and playing a solo at the same time.. |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 28 December 2001 07:54 PM
I guess Buddy is the only one that can help me with this problem............. |
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Jody Carver Member Posts: 7455 |
posted 28 December 2001 10:53 PM
Happy New Year I quit twirling my bar years ago. [This message was edited by Jody Carver on 01 January 2002 at 08:58 PM.] |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 29 December 2001 12:09 AM
OK.. Buddy Emmons twirls his bar like a baton, down flat on the strings. He is the only player I have ever seen do this. He is in full control the whole time while playing the solo. Now, is he using the front part of the bar that is spinning around....or the center axis that is staying in one place? When I try to do this I get a LOT of bar noise. If Buddy does not comment on this little "trick", I guess I will wonder about this the rest of my life!! |
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Michael Johnstone Member Posts: 2535 |
posted 29 December 2001 12:26 AM
The only other guy I saw do that was Jeff Newman during a seminar in LA around 1980 or so. |
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Bob Mainwaring Member Posts: 918 |
posted 29 December 2001 01:14 AM
My good wife just tells me where to stick mine. Bob Mainwaring - Shy-Talk. ------------------ |
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Craig A Davidson Member Posts: 1722 |
posted 29 December 2001 06:37 AM
Bob, Can you spin it while you are sticking it though. That's the trick. I have seen Buddy doing the bar tricks also. Beats me how it's done. Joe Wright also has a few moves with his bar. One thing he does is tosses his way up in the air and catches it. I tried a couple times and it worked but then I gave up. I would sure hate to drop and scratch my $70 BJS bar. ------------------ |
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Jody Carver Member Posts: 7455 |
posted 29 December 2001 08:24 AM
Bob Your wife gave you good advice,,I think we should all take her suggestion. |
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Frank Parish Member Posts: 2327 |
posted 29 December 2001 09:41 AM
If you want to add something to the show why not set your hair on fire or just play wearing Saran Wrap. |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 29 December 2001 09:51 AM
What kind of Saran Wrap do you use, name brand or generic? Do you use lighter fluid for the hair, or just LOTS of hair spray? |
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Ricky Davis Moderator Posts: 6522 |
posted 29 December 2001 10:18 AM
I've seen Gary Carpenter do this on a simi fast run up the strings. When I try it; the bar falls through the strings when it gets parallel to the strings...dangit  It is a good entertainment little diddy; but I would not recommend it at a show; until you try it a thousand times at home first. Ricky [This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 29 December 2001 at 10:19 AM.] |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 29 December 2001 11:52 AM
quote:OK, but is Bob going to send us our bars back? |
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John Paul Jones Member Posts: 305 |
posted 29 December 2001 01:00 PM
I've seen bars twirl 'round and 'round but I was always inside the bar at the time, usually with the bartender trying to get me to leave. ------------------ GFI U-12 |
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Jody Carver Member Posts: 7455 |
posted 29 December 2001 02:52 PM
Chas It would be difficult with a "Stevens Bar" |
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Jerry Hayes Member Posts: 3306 |
posted 30 December 2001 08:34 AM
I remember one time Kenny Dail and I were watching an old tape of That Good Old Nashville Music TV show. Someone who I can't remember was singing Kansas City or something like that. Buddy started his solo and right in the middle of the damn thing his bar went in a complete circle while playing notes which were all part of a great ride. We set there with our jaws dropped to the floor and kept hitting the rewind button to see it over and over again. I still can't believe it. If it hadn't been such an old tape I'd think it was computer generated as it's impossible to do what he did!!! ------------------ |
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Ernie Renn Member Posts: 2657 |
posted 30 December 2001 09:38 AM
Jerry; The impossible is normal for the Big E! ------------------ |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 30 December 2001 01:05 PM
quote:I saw him do it at a seminar, it is of course impossible, I've proven that a few times. |
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Ernie Renn Member Posts: 2657 |
posted 31 December 2001 01:36 AM
He played behind his back, too! ------------------ |
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Mark van Allen Member Posts: 2458 |
posted 31 December 2001 11:14 AM
Tom, my question would be-"Can Buddy play his steel WITH a banjo in a bowling alley while being backed up by a Lesbian Drummer"... and I've seen YOU do that... ------------------ |
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Larry Bell Member Posts: 4116 |
posted 31 December 2001 02:40 PM
hey you old flying monkey, I hate to admit it, but I seem to remember seeing YOU in that same situation. (Seems like Stolaski WAS the banjo player, wasn't he????) ------------------ |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 31 December 2001 04:25 PM
When I was singing, Mark played steel. When Mark was singing I played steel. The drummer was only interested in "licks". |
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Larry Bell Member Posts: 4116 |
posted 31 December 2001 06:31 PM
But you played b*njo, right? I'M SO C O N F U S E D ! ! ! So Mark was the steel player who played with a banjo player in a bowling alley with a . . . . . .I'll tell her you said hi. Just played a couple of gigs with her a few months ago. Happy New Year you guys. ------------------ [This message was edited by Larry Bell on 31 December 2001 at 06:37 PM.] |
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b0b Sysop Posts: 8084 |
posted 01 January 2002 09:35 AM
Back to the topic, please! I hate seeing a good thread ruined by b@nJ* talk. ------------------ |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 01 January 2002 11:20 AM
I wonder what it would sound like if Thunderstorm Bob twirled the bar. Would it sound like a tornado? Would he have to change his name to Whirlwind Bob? |
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jlsmith48 Member Posts: 177 |
posted 01 January 2002 07:14 PM
Buddy ain't got nuthin on me. Hell, I've shot that bar about 6 feet onto a dance floor with even thinking about it. Thats about all I've used that pesky 9th string for. |
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bob grossman Member Posts: 420 |
posted 02 January 2002 09:15 AM
I hope this doesn't sound too bad, but IMO, let's leave the bar acrobatics to the expert - BE - and the bar slams to Speedy. Why try to copy someone who already has it down and is likely part of a musical trademark? |
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Tom Stolaski Member Posts: 153 |
posted 02 January 2002 09:29 AM
You are probably right. If I learned how to twirl the bar without making bar noise, what would be next? Wearing a Derby? Drinking booze out of a glass the size of a garbage can? Reinventing the Nashville sound? |
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RickRichtmyer Member Posts: 2522 |
posted 02 January 2002 09:46 AM
Bar twirling must be a "Buddy" thing. Years ago when I took some lessons from Buddy Charlton I saw him do the same thing. And like the "Big E", he could play outstanding stuff while doing it. ------------------ |
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chas smith Member Posts: 3168 |
posted 02 January 2002 10:31 AM
quote:Gives you something to do when the other players are soloing. |
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Tony Orth Member Posts: 428 |
posted 02 January 2002 10:41 AM
Bar Acrobatics?????? I've done these several times.......... ps. You don't need a b@njo. Just lay a magic marker across the strings and pluck away. Steel Rockin' in Indiana |
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Mark van Allen Member Posts: 2458 |
posted 02 January 2002 01:54 PM
Some years back I was playing a college club in Athens, GA with John Berry. I set my (custom made for me by a friend and student) bar down on my steel to pick up my 6 string for a song. An adorable co-ed came up and picked up my bar, gave me a sly wink and slid it down the front of her jeans, turned and disappeared into the crowd. I sure miss that bar- but maybe they do acrobatics all on their own... ------------------ |
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Bill Llewellyn Member Posts: 1882 |
posted 02 January 2002 02:04 PM
Would a b@njo sound better if it were played with a steel bar? |
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Dave Baker Member Posts: 57 |
posted 02 January 2002 06:59 PM
I hate to admit this, but ... no ... the banjo does not sound better when played with a bar. |
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Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 02 January 2002 09:34 PM
They sound best hanging on the wall. Arrgghhh! I've been baited into replying to a b@nJ* post! |
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Tony Orth Member Posts: 428 |
posted 03 January 2002 06:17 AM
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