How to use the Slide Bar, an invention of Mance Grady's

• How to use the Mance Grady Slide Bar •

Mance Grady invented the Slide Bar as a means of accomplishing quick tonal changes while being as comfortable as possible, while maintaining stability with the instrument.

How the Slide Bar works-- essentially, it is a padded shuttle which slides upon a rod, thus enabling you to achieve stability with the drum, while it allows you to easy, quick tonal changes, and gives you the ability to increase pressure upon the skin while remaining comfortable.

How to use the Slide Bar:

First, as shown in figures 1, 2, and 3, fit your hand through the shuttle with the black tension cord running across the palm of your hand.

Rest the drum comfortably as you normally would, and move your shuttle hand fluidly up, and down while gaining stability, and experimenting with the tone. Please note the slight diagonal of the post. This is helpful.

That's it!! It might take a short while to get used to the Slide Bar, but have patience, it's worth the wait. As always, if you have any questions, just email (mance@mance.com) or call (401-333-2293 EST USA).

What not to do.

Don't give up easily.

Never have the cord scraping upon the skin.
The cord itself should go all the way back to your thumb (see figure below),

and when you're ready to play the cord will actually roll away from the skin.

If you touch the dowel, wash your hands. The dowel can develop a light dust upon it through use that can be transferred onto the skin, so be careful.

And lastly, make sure that the bar is alligned properly before screwing the Allen screws at either end so as not to damage the inner threads.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me or call me.

click here to view video demo (quicktime - 3.4mb)