Some Low Notes

[Gary James Peters]

After my recent ear-piercing activities, here I sink lower (and I'd already sunk pretty low already).

[Danny Mitchell]

Very soothing, Gary, lovely changes. What kind of bar do you use? Is it a steel bar/steel strings combo? There's a fair bit of zingy string noise in there.

[Gary James Peters]

Thanks Danny, glad you were suitably soothed.

As to your question: I use two bars (not at the same time you understand). One I got with my Emmons in 1983. It is longer than usual (more like a 12-string bar) and it is rounded at both ends. It's been pretty knocked about over the years, but it has an amazing tone. I tend to use it for slower things where I'm trying to get my best tone (it's heavy). My other bar, the one used in the video, I bought about 4 years ago from a guy called Ben Burrow (Ben's Bars), it is normal size etc and very good. What is more, it was only £29.00 and I think it's pretty close to as good as anything out there for a lot more money. I think a few people have mentioned these on the forum. And yes, it's steel, not one of those ridiculous plastic things that I keep seeing people using (you included I think!!). Here's a link:

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ben-burrow-067761135

I've always used nickel-wound strings but recently decided to experiment with some steel-wound GLs I bought from Gerry Hogan. I like them.

As for the video/recording, I was deliberately trying to exaggerate the string-zing noise because I'm perverse in that way. In fact, the piece is a recording of 4 steels with 2 of them being used specifically to generate that infernal steel-on-steel abrasiveness. Needless to say, I love it!!! Ha!

And, yes, they are nice changes...especially the little pedal 4 shift at the end of each cycle...corny but effective. And you can only do that on a U12...another reason to ditch those silly old D10s

G

[Danny Mitchell]

Thanks for the info, Gary. Yes, Ben Burrows' bars are an excellent buy, I've got one myself, and very nice it is too. As for your disparaging remark about Basil's Eezee Slides, I can attest that they do what it says on the tin. Why, it's like finding an extra gear, or like getting busy with a well lubed tool, well worth a dabble.
And, that's a very, interestingly, unconventional (as we've now come to expect) approach, regarding the string noise!
Keep them coming.

[Gary James Peters]

Does the Eezee (!!) Slide actually come in a tin? Another reason not to buy one: I haven't got a tin opener.

G

[Haddock]

Like the low stuff a lot Gary! It’s so nice to know there’s others out there that are also ‘out there’. You need a looper though- playing over your own recordings is still ‘recording’. Throw away the safety net!
Re the Bars, I’m split between the pair of you. I have a couple of Bens bars and they are as good as the expensive steel bars for a fraction of the price. Also I really like the profile of the heel which has a slightly softer curve than other bars which I now find a bit sharp on the palm. I also have a Basil bar which i went back to when I wanted less string sound. Mine has gone a bit ‘matt’ and doesn’t sustain as well as the Ben but is quieter and easier to slide (as described on the self opening tin). There’s probably something else out there but I’m frying other fish at the moment. Will stick with the Basil for now.
Cheers

[Gary James Peters]

Hi Calum

So I have to sink this low to draw you out of the woodwork!

Sefl-opening tins! Are you kidding? We've only recently got food in tins down here in Somerset, and cider in cans would you believe.

Strange, I always think of loops as a safety net.

As regards the plastic bar, you've put your finger on it (pun intended): to my (super-sensitive) ears they lack sustain. To me, that's like buying a Telecaster and putting nylon strings on it (actually I might try that).

Back to loops: here's something I finished yesterday. It's built around three pedal steel loop-like figures and two loop-like guitar figures...but all played throughout so that all the f***-ups give the piece an organic feel (I tell myself). The actual loops, over which all of this is played, are only revealed in the last 20 or so seconds.



So there.

G

[Jif]

Like this Gary. It's nice when some higher notes come in, gives it a bit of zing. Some of the bends you are doing sound very much like portmento on a synth, neat effect.

I have a similar regime on bars, a 12 string heavier bar for slower more tonal stuff, and a smaller lighter bar for faster movement. The larger bar has a chrome coating, the smaller bar is stainless. I also use a pottery bar for getting a bottle neck type sound, it's a great wee bar and very light, it didnae come in a tin though. I have some coated bars and they're OK but they lack a bit of tone you can get from a metal bar so rarely use them. Basils bars may be different in this respect, I've never tried one, but you cannae beat the feel of cold steel!

I tried stainless strings for a while but went back to nickel, found the stainless to be just a wee bit too bright for my taste.

[Gary James Peters]

Geoff

While the jury's definitely not out for me on the bars, it is for the strings. The main problem for me with nickel is that the wound strings go dead far too quickly, and I'm a stingy bastard who doesn't want to be forking out £20+ for 12 strings every few weeks. Also, I think the real low strings on the U12 (54 and 70) have more tone than nickel (or something like that). Not sure what I think really. And most string noise/zing can be avoided by playing properly!!! I just happen to like it sometimes. I once recorded a track where I close mic'd the pedals and levers so that the clattering virtually drowned-out the sound of the steel. So you see I have form.

G

[Ken Byng]

Geoff

While the jury's definitely not out for me on the bars, it is for the strings. The main problem for me with nickel is that the wound strings go dead far too quickly, and I'm a stingy bastard who doesn't want to be forking out £20+ for 12 strings every few weeks. Also, I think the real low strings on the U12 (54 and 70) have more tone than nickel (or something like that). Not sure what I think really. And most string noise/zing can be avoided by playing properly!!! I just happen to like it sometimes. I once recorded a track where I close mic'd the pedals and levers so that the clattering virtually drowned-out the sound of the steel. So you see I have form.

G

I'm a fully paid up member of the Stingy Bastard Club too Gary. I definitely shop around when it comes to strings. Years ago I would use Scrotumsound Strings, that were marketed under the pseudonym of Rotosound. Mainly because they were dirt cheap, but they had a very high breakage rate. I then progressed to Ernie Ball, George L and Emmons strings, all of which were nickel. I then went over to Stainless SIT strings, until I got the chance to try Bobbe Seymour's Cobra Coil strings. I stuck with them for a long time until the quality nosedived and the plain strings all had rust spots on them. Most recently I have found the strings that suit me best are Live Strings and Jagwire, both of these being their stainless steel range. I have over 100 sets of strings from the 2 companies, and make sure that I keep a dehumidifier running in my studio to keep any damp out of the atmosphere.

Going back to your recording, I love the fact that you are delving into the low strings. Many players that I watch very rarely venture below the 8th string on E9. The beauty of stainless string is that great twang and growl that they give on the bottom strings.