Where should I be in one year ?

Ron Patrick · From: Kentucky, USA

After one year of lessons and practice , where should the average beginner be with progress ? Ron Patrick

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Divorced and seeing a psychologist.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

I dont beleive there is any kind of time/work based standard (least i hope there is not as i surely wouldnt meet it) as to where someone should be in their "progression". we are all too different, we learn differently. also somene elses idea of progress might not be another persons. for example someone might feel that after one year you should be able to read music, be playing i a band, be able to play song X at blazing speed, etc...while to another person those acheivements have nothing to do with their progression on the instrument.

since you are YOU, I would say you should probably where YOU are after a year, wherever that may be

Ron Patrick · From: Kentucky, USA

Kevin , you have put me into depression . Ron

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

No pain, no gain.

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

Maybe, after a year you should know if your heart is in it.
You should have the drive to learn as much as you can.

Great success to you!

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Barry Blackwood · Posted 29 May 2008 6:40 pm

You'll know how much your heart is in it by what's left in your wallet .... Winking

Don Drummer · From: West Virginia, USA

On a certain day each year reflect on what you have accomplished. You may be suprised at the progress you have made. Be aware that you are too close to the subject to make a rational assesment. You are probably doing better than you feel you are. Also, one year is a short period of time when it comes to this axe. Just keep on keeping on. Don D.

Steve Broatch · From: Newcastle, England

I've been playing two and I still feel like a complete novice. But that fact alone drives me on to try harder.

Steve

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

After one year, you should be considerably ahead of where you were six months previously. And so on, and so forth. As long as you are making considerable progress every 6 months or so, all is as it should be. Make it a point to record what you're doing, and keep those recordings. Refer back to them every six months or so and see if you can improve on what you did, both musically, and technique-wise. Remember, too, that learning stagnates after awhile if you just sit in your house and play. Don't try to "stay in a vacuum", but rather go out and actually see every steeler you can. Tapes, DVD's, books, the internet, they're all helpful, but nothing stimulates and invigorates like listening to a live player.

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

Able to find the 3rd, 5th, 10th, and 12th fret without counting.

By year two one remembers what actual chord they represent...

Ken Adkins · From: Galena, Mo

Wherever you go there you'll be!!

Michael Douchette · From: Gallatin, TN (deceased)

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

Get in a band, start applying what you learned to real life songs. Get asked to leave the band,,join another and repeat till good.

Get a recorder and record yourself over songs with no steel on it,,listen, find your weaknesses and adjust yourself to compensate. Listen to whether you are in tune or not on the recordings.

Dont let anyone tell you to smile more when you play either,,its a struggle and I personally dont have the brain power left to smile and use two hands and two feet.
_________________
GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Tamara James · Posted 30 May 2008 8:28 am

Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

Hi Ron,

I'm about three years into this and it's already difficult to recall where I was at one year but I do remember feeling like "this is going to take forever!". I don't feel like that anymore but I do think, at the rate I'm going, it's realistically going to take about 10 years to get "good" by my own standards. I'm only getting in about 30 mins practice a day (in the first year it was more like an hour) so obviously I could get there more quickly with more practice, lessons (I'm self taught so far) and when/if I join a band.

I spent the first year mainly with the Sho~Bud "Nashville Set-Up" book and record and Winston&Keith. By 12 months I think I had a fairly good hang of the basic grips, intonation was coming together although far from perfect, I was able to use the A+B pedals independently and in conjunction with two levers – not with any particular finesse. I could play a few tunes from tab and had a modest set of licks under my belt. I was nowhere with scales and I don't remember having any ability to improvise over a simple chord progression other than pick out the chords in a couple of different places.

My right hand blocking was VERY rough and sloppy. I'd say it has only come together in the last year, both pick and palm methods. Still some way to go there but I don't worry about it. I had huge problems moving my foot onto the B&C pedals, now more or less overcome, and major difficulties above the 12th fret, something I really have to work on. Working with some of Joe Wright's material has improved my accuracy and Jeff Newman's courses have paid huge dividends, particularly Up from the Top. Also the John Bidasio book helped enormously. I'm very comfortable with 3 pedals and four levers, I'm getting to the point where I can start to hear how something on a record was played, which is a milestone, and also I can passably improvise to a backing track (especially if it's in G!).

My point is with a minimum of practice but a maximum commitment to that practice, these thing will come. If you are truly passionate about the instrument and look forward to practicing every day, you will INEVITABLY overcome the physical aspects of playing pedal steel over time, regardless of natural ability.

I don't feel qualified to talk about what it takes to become a good musician. That's another thing altogether.

Don Sulesky · From: Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH

I would think that with all the learning material out there today and with the help from this Forum that you will progress much faster than those of us who had to learn 30 and 40+ years ago with none of this available to us.
Best of luck on your journey.
Don

Joe Buczek · From: Montana, USA

I think it depends somewhat on other experience you have playing musical instruments, particularly stringed instruments. I played dobro before starting on steel, so I feel it was easier for me than for someone who had never used a bar before, and certainly easier than for someone who had never used finger picks. If steel is your first stringed instrument, it would be that much harder, and if you'd never played any other kind of musical instrument, it would be even harder yet...

How much you practice, what you practice, and if you can play with others all can play a part, too.

The best thing is to just keep playing!
_________________
Joe Buczek
"My other steel is a dobro."
Williams S-10, Nashville 112

John Coffman · From: Wharton,Texas USA

I to asked myself this question. I am working on year 4. Pratice is key and as is material to learn with. Don S stated that there is a lot of material out there if you look. My question would be are you having fun? Are you retaining what you learn? Are you applying these lessons. One thing I have learned is that if you do not use you lose. I find myself going back over older materail I had completed months earlier and doing another once over. Man I can tell you this has helped my lock onto many key concepts. I also believe that having the knowledge of other stringed instruments is a huge boost to learning the steel. This is a journey and not a race. Enjoy the ride and enjoy each stop along the way. Surround yourself with other players and learn from them. If it all possible get a teacher. Best of luck and enjoy the Journey.
_________________
ShowPro SD10, Mullens RP, Bose S1 Pro, GK MB200, MB500, Bugera T50 Tube amp with SlidgeRig, TC HOF reverb effect.

Forum Index > Steel Players		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic