I have a problem with the purring cat

[Bande]

Hey, I guess many of you have read the article about whammy bar tricks here in Ibreathe.(Eric, that article was cool!!!) So, there's a technique explained at the end of the article, called "the purring cat". Well, I've tried to figure out how to do that, but I couldn't find out, because I didn't really understood the explanation :( (not yer fault, Eric. I'm just stupid).

I like that trick, and I would like to use it my solos very much. But hey, it beats me.

So, if someone could tell me (or at least try to), then I would be very grateful!

Thanks

[DemonSorcerer]

Ok, dude, i'll explain the theory and then i'll go to the method...

Basically what you do is shake the the bar, making the bridge vibrate at a really fast speed, getting a kinda rrrrrrrrr-y sound of the note...pretty trembling, shaky, almost purring kind of sound...Vai uses it a lot, an there are several songs where he uses that technique...Bad Horsie, Blue Powder (in the ending part, he purrs some notes, i think at 4:03- as Eric said), The Riddle (3:44 approx.)...

How to do it?? let's try an easy one (i'm assuming that you have a Floyd Rose or similar double locking system on your guitar): We'll go REAAAAALLY SLOWLY so you won't miss anything...rotate your bar and make it face away from the tremolo, in a way that when you press down on the bar, it will raise the pitches...pluck the open g string and place your index finger on the very tip of the tremolo bar...push down on the bar and raise the open G to an A (push till you get a whole step bend)...as the A is still sounding, LET THE BAR SLIP OFF OF YOUR INDEX FINGER...this will cause the bridge return to the Zero point pretty harshly and abruptly, and will be vibrating and shaking on its feet for a split second...:P the note will be 'purring as long as the bridge is shaking from the abrupt release of the tremolo bar...

So now do it quickly and if it anything goes wrong, just post a reply and we'll figure it out together, eh??

David

[EricV]

That´s a really good in-detail explanation, prolly better that the one I wrote. I also did post a video-vlip of me doing cat purrs at the forum last year, I don´t know if that would be helpful since the audio wasn´t exactly in synch with the video.
Anyway, I would like to add that you can also do this without making the bar face away from the trem... you can also leave it pointing towards the headstock, that way it´s a bit closer to the position you´re picking at.
And of course, as David mentioned, you need a Floyd Rose or similar system, which needs to be set up correctly ( free-floating, well-balanced ), otherwise it might not work at all. It works great on the LoTrs Trem on my Ibanez, while it didn´t work quite as well on the Kahler on the Vandys
Hope this helps
Eric

[Bande]

Oh, hell yeah.

Well, I guess that was the problem. I mean: I don't have a Floyd Rose, or similar system. BUT. I tried this technique in the instruments shop on a Floyd Rose guitar, and...

It DID work. I had some problems with it, but i think if I had a Floyd Rose myself, I'd be able to practice it. So, my next aim is to purchase a guitar with a Floyd Rose!:D

Oh, and I heard that changing strings on Floyd Rose is pretty much a pain in the neck. So could you tell me something what problems might I have changing strings if I have a Floyd Rose??? 'cos I break my strings very often...

Thank you anyway for the explanation!

[DemonSorcerer]

And of course, as David mentioned, you need a Floyd Rose or similar system, which needs to be set up correctly ( free-floating, well-balanced ), otherwise it might not work at all. It works great on the LoTrs Trem on my Ibanez, while it didn´t work quite as well on the Kahler on the Vandys
Hope this helps
Eric

Hey, Eric...Be specially carefull when manipulating those Lo TRS's...no offenses, but those are Ibanez's worst bridge system...i have this friend that owns two Ibanez RG's and he constantly has to check the arm setup, 'cause after some time, the bar starts 'clunking' as you press down or pull...he always has to tighten some screws to make it work right...
On the other side, i recently bought this Ibanez RG7 Prestige with the new tremolo...EdgePro 7...whoa, that remolo really rocked my world as i saw/played it...lower-than-low profile (It looks like a normal bridge if you don't pay too much attention) and and it has a few improvements...some things on the saddles, etc. etc...i encourage you to try one of those bridges...

David

[DemonSorcerer]

Oh, and I heard that changing strings on Floyd Rose is pretty much a pain in the neck. So could you tell me something what problems might I have changing strings if I have a Floyd Rose??? 'cos I break my strings very often...

Thank you anyway for the explanation!

You'll only have problems if you remove all the strings from the bridge...the rule is, remove one, put the new one on, stretch it, tune, re-stretch it, retune...same process for every string...if you remove all the strings, one thing to consider is that you'll have a very hard time setting your bridge to the Zero point and also tuning your guitar...you can spend hours on that process, believe me...it's quite painful...those are the downsides of having a floating bridge...*sighs* but anyways...do as i told you and you'll never have problem...

A good point about the Rose is...if you put new strings yesterday, and magically you break the first string, you can always loosen the locks, pull some more string from the tuning post and put it on the saddle and relock...you don't have to buy a new set of strings...'cause you don't need the ball-end on Floyd Roses or other floating bridges.

David

[shinkyo00]

there IS a floating bridge system that does actually require the ball on the strings

my Ibanez Rg270 has that

[metaljustice83]

I think when it requires the ball end on a floyd rose, or similar, it means it not double locking? I think.

[shinkyo00]

i thought he was just talking about floyd rose bridges in general, if not then my bad, sorry for the confusion!

[Bizarro]

If you're breaking strings all the time you probably have a rough metal edge on the saddle which is causing the string to break... File is down! :)

My old Floyd guitar would not purr after about 2 years of use. The knife edges wore down a bit too far to do it anymore. I recently replaced the saddle plate and now it'll purr again! (I bought this guitar new in '88 or '89)

[prodigy84]

I recently read EricV's article on Harmonics. Very nice stuff there.

I had a problem with my sound at first as it sounded like a cat dying. But now I can do it, I still have trouble getting a prolonged effect. And it's also kinda difficult to pick the note and slide of the bar articulately. I uploaded a small video of me doing it to show what I mean.

http://www.freewebs.com/prodigy84/video/purr.WMV

[DemonSorcerer]

I recently read EricV's article on Harmonics. Very nice stuff there.

I had a problem with my sound at first as it sounded like a cat dying. But now I can do it, I still have trouble getting a prolonged effect. And it's also kinda difficult to pick the note and slide of the bar articulately. I uploaded a small video of me doing it to show what I mean.

Try to hammer the notes from nowhere...lots of peolple do it that way...slam those fingertips against the fretboard and you'll be sounding the notes the right way...;)

David

[prodigy84]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try and practice that way. =p