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Topic: Slipping Off Pedals - Any Suggestions? |
Ric Truett
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2008 10:21 am |
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Brand new steel player (just a couple of weeks)and new to the Forum. One of my many issues in trying to learn this wonderful instrument is that my left foot keeps losing the pedals. When I roll to a B pedal/C pedal configuration and move back, my foot loses the A pedal.
I have tried wearing cowboy boots, ropers, regular shoes, and tennis shoes..and just keep having the same problem. I'm trying NOT to look at my feet and concentrate on the bar, but it's really frustrating to finally hit a lick in tune only to be pressing the B pedal and never get the A pedal to roll back in. The A pedal is resting against the left side of my left foot.
Any suggestions? |
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Lonnie Zsigray
From:
Saint Louis,Mich., USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2008 10:55 am
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Rick,it's gonna take time and some getting used to your steel.Try playing around with the height of the pedals a bit to see if that helps.Some players raise the B pedal just a bit so they can feel it.Others lower that pedal.Whatever is comfortable to you is the point here.Practice is the key with all things concerning the steel guitar.It'll come to ya. 
_________________
If I hear it,I'm gonna try to steel it |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 24 Aug 2008 11:15 am
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| I had this problem when I was playing my Kline guitar as the pedals were basically just a flat piece of steel that was painted. I would get that darn dance floor wax on the bottom of my boots and my feet would slip off the pedals. I ended up putting a piece of that stuff you put on the floor of your shower to prevent slips and the problem, went away. I don't know what your pedals are like, but this works if you have a flat surface to stick it to. |
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Ric Truett
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2008 2:42 pm
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| Good advice guys thanks so much! |
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Austin Tripp
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 24 Aug 2008 8:13 pm
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I have pieces of leather that I super glued on my sho-bud pedals, works just fine. Or just do like Richard said.
_________________
"Hotrod"
Steel guitarist for Cody Jinks
Member CMA |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 9:06 am
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This is something Billy Cooper told me when he was fixing something I screwed up which might apply:
"If you spend more time on top of the guitar instead of under the guitar most all those problems will go away."
_________________
Bob |
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Lonnie Zsigray
From:
Saint Louis,Mich., USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 10:40 am
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Now ain't that the truth 
_________________
If I hear it,I'm gonna try to steel it |
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Matthew Prouty
From:
Warsaw, Poland
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 11:28 am
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| Play Barefoot! |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 2:43 pm Re: Slipping Off Pedals - Any Suggestions?
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| Ric Truett wrote: |
| Brand new steel player (just a couple of weeks) |
Ric, you can't master one of these things in two weeks.  Just keep practicing that AB to BC back to AB jump. It will come in time. It's just a little wider than your leg thinks it is. I couldn't hit that reliably for at least a year, and then one day it just fell into place.
I wouldn't recommend practicing barefoot or in slippers or moccasins or anything you wouldn't want to be wearing around on gigs. You will end up stuck with that inconvenient habbit. Lots of people like sneakers or walkers. Anyhing that fits well and has a reasonably thin flexible sole will do. Some people manage with thin soled ropers, but pointed toes can be a problem. It needs to fit well enough that it rocks with your foot.
Patience and practice. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 3:11 pm Re: Slipping Off Pedals - Any Suggestions?
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| Ric Truett wrote: |
When I roll to a B pedal/C pedal configuration and move back, my foot loses the A pedal.
Any suggestions? |
Yes, find a spot for your heel directly behind the A&B pedals and plant you heel there. Without moving your heel, you should be able to hit any of the 3 pedals individually, as well as A&B, or B&C together. Moving your heel to the left or right can cause you to lose your frame of reference, and it's usually not necessary on a 3 pedal E9th setup. After enough playing, your foot will go automatically to the right position, and you'll almost never have to look at your pedals. |
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Ric Truett
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 4:55 pm
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| Wow you guys are great! Thanks so much for the valuable advice. I will keep working on it and use your tips. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Ivan Funk
From:
Hamburg Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2008 10:37 pm
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Chucks!
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Shane Reilly
From:
Melbourne, Australia
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 1:43 am
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| Vote 1-Bob and Billy,and Chuck...you won't come unstuck with THE CHUCK. |
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Kevin Holmes
From:
Lower Paxton, PA USA
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 4:50 am
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I've been watching this topic because I have a similar problem, that seems to happen maybe every other time I practice. Not all the time, but often enough to be a pain in the neck.
My B pedal rod comes detached at the top, where it connects to the bottom of the steel. It's always the B pedal, and seems to be related to my foot movements.
Anybody have this happen?
I'm a beginner, as well, and am trying to absorb some of the wisdom that I see floating around here.
Before there was a Pedal Steel Forum, there wasn't aa way for folks to learn how to play this instrument. Folks didn't meet steel players too often.
--Kevin |
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bob Ousby
From:
Nevada, USA
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 5:28 am
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| Kevin...On my Excel S10, my rods have the "open" end of the hook at the top facing me. If your rods are flipped around, they can pop off. |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 11:04 am
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| even after 30-40 years this can happen...especially after you get new leather soles on your tony lama's...! |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 11:53 am
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| When I get new boots, I take some sand paper to the soles or go out in the street and rub them on the asphalt to roughen up the sole. |
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Tim Konecky
From:
Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
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Posted 26 Aug 2008 7:31 pm
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Hey brother... I hear ya. I'm only 6 months in on this beast we call pedal steel guitar. One of the first mistakes I made when I got my steel was to level out all three pedals so they were line with eachother. Boy was I wrong. It took me a few times to get the adjustments right, but I think I've got it right (so far). You might want to get those pedals adjusted so that they are in a V shape... with the B pedal the lowest position down there. It makes it easier to "feel" where you are at and it makes it easier to roll of that B pedal for those licks. It's much easier to roll the left side of your foot to the right than vice versa. Plus... those guys talking about Chucks and bare feet know what they're talking about.
_________________
Jackson Blackjack
Fender Deluxe
Peavey Nashville 400 |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 2:45 am
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as mentioned, considering that this Instrument is VERY physical and requires logistical awareness,this is common , we have all been there and some probably still are.
My take, don't change the Steel or the hardware, change your position, make sure your right foot and left foot are in the exact same place when you play,this is more of a person problem than an Instrument problem. Once your left foot is correctly placed and in the same place every time you sit behind the Steel, this problem will go away. I guess I can say that your left heel should be kinda behind the B Pedal and your foot sorta at an angle towards the A pedal, .slightly. In this manner you can pivot towards the A or the C...slight A pedal height over the B pedal can help with the feel.
More seat time will cure it...just like the right foot volume pedal issues, more seat time..more practice..consistent positions for your feet.
Changing or modifying the Steel will do nothing if you are not placing your feet in the exact same positions each time you play. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 6:55 am
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My main problem is an uneven floor. I play in my sub-basement, which has a concrete floor that undulates from one area to another. Some of the time the instrument rocks as I depress the pedals. I adjust one of the legs and within a few minutes the instrument has moved and it needs to be levelled again. The obvious answer is to play upstairs but I get no peace up there.   |
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Dan Beller-McKenna
From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 7:57 am Re: Slipping Off Pedals - Any Suggestions?
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| David Doggett wrote: |
| I wouldn't recommend practicing barefoot or in slippers or moccasins or anything you wouldn't want to be wearing around on gigs. |
_________________
Durham, NH
dbmCk mUSIC |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 8:17 am
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I know, I know - lots of people play with no shoes on. I just don't get it. To me it's like a crutch or bad habit, and poor advice for a novice. If you practice with reasonable shoes on, you learn to play that way, and you don't have to do weird foot stuff at rehearsals and gigs. I don't normally like to appeal to authority, but none of the top pros I admire most play shoeless. Not that we should ape everything they do, but it proves one can play at the highest level with shoes on if one wants to. I wouldn't want to play shoeless in some of the places I've played. You could get hook worm - or worse. But hey, it's a free country (well not quite anymore, but almost).  |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 9:58 am
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| Quote: |
| You might want to get those pedals adjusted so that they are in a V shape... with the B pedal the lowest position down there. It makes it easier to "feel" where you are at and it makes it easier to roll of that B pedal for those licks. |
Have to disagree here. This may work for some, but most players I know don't set them up like this. I myself (a Day player) have my C pedal a little higher than the B pedal and the B is slightly higher that the A pedal. Sort of like a angle sloping down from left to right. If I put my A pedal higher than my B pedal (making a V shape), when I rock off the A but keep the B engaged, the A pedal doesn't fully release.
Of course, this is subject to everyone's personal tastes.
Added to say, when I first set up a guitar, I set my B pedal to a height that I want as a starting point. Then I adjust the A pedal so that I can rock both directions and have the pedals return to open pitch WITHOUT my knee moving. Then I do the same to the C pedal. Sometimes I need to readjust the B pedal and start over if I can't get them right. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2008 10:26 am
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| I havent found any standard for pedal height adjustment. Seems to really varry from player to player. Some say to adjust em so the pedals are level when they are bottomed out. |
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