Classic Pedal Steel Breaks Every Player Should Know?

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

I'm relatively new to the pedal steel (6 mos. or so), but have been a bluegrass banjo player for decades. I've been following the Forum for a long time and recently joined. I feel like I have a reasonable grasp of who the major steel players are and generally how things have developed over the decades, but my question for the group is this: If you were recommending the 10 Steel Breaks Every Steel Player Should Know (E9 or C6), what would that list be? Doesn't actually have to be 10. More or fewer is fine. As a relatively new player it would be especially helpful if they were in some sort of progression from easier to more difficult.

I've tried searching the archive to see if a thread like this exists, but haven't found one. If it does, I'd be happy to be pointed to it. Thanks.
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Carter S-12, GFI S-12, Emmons S-12, Fender Deluxe 8 non-pedal, Scheerhorn Dobro. Plus banjos.

Glen Derksen · From: Alberta, Canada

I second that. It would be nice to know what kind of solos to start out with and which ones to progress to. Maybe someone can come up with a list of solos starting from beginner to intermediate to advanced? That would be much appreciated.

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

I can humbly submit my pages of tab for you to review. There's over 400 tabs there and many are at an introductory level. Sound files are provided so you can hear what the riff should sound like. If you don't want to peruse all of them, just use Google and type in: "www.gregcutshaw.com Mooney" and Google will do all the work for you.

For E9th a good starting point might be the Crazy Arms intro found near the bottom of the page here:

Tab Page 1

For C6th you might try the 4th riff down on the same page which strings together a whole bunch of common C6th constructs.

You might find it useful to go with some of my tabs, some of the YouTube lessons and some personal instruction. No need to restrict learning to one source.

Greg

Glen Derksen · From: Alberta, Canada

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

Thanks for the replies; always glad to be directed towards more educational info. But what I was really looking for was more along the lines of "...every steel player really should know the intro. to 'Night Life'" (which I assume is true), or, is there any consensus at all about some kind of core repertoire that forms the building blocks of a solid foundation in the basics (and beyond) of steel playing. Coming out of the world of bluegrass banjo, at least in my generation, you'd start with Earl Scruggs' Cripple Creek, progress through the rest of "Foggy Mountain Banjo" and work your way around to Sonny Osborne, J.D. Crowe, et. al.

Mostly looking for words of wisdom like: "Here are the three Ralph Mooney breaks you really should learn to get the essence of what he was doing: ", etc.

Don't know if this makes sense, but happy to get opinions. I do get the impression there's an opinion or two floating around the Forum. Thanks.
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Carter S-12, GFI S-12, Emmons S-12, Fender Deluxe 8 non-pedal, Scheerhorn Dobro. Plus banjos.

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

Thanks for the replies; always glad to be directed towards more educational info. But what I was really looking for was more along the lines of "...every steel player really should know the intro. to 'Night Life'" (which I assume is true), or, is there any consensus at all about some kind of core repertoire that forms the building blocks of a solid foundation in the basics (and beyond) of steel playing. Coming out of the world of bluegrass banjo, at least in my generation, you'd start with Earl Scruggs' Cripple Creek, progress through the rest of "Foggy Mountain Banjo" and work your way around to Sonny Osborne, J.D. Crowe, et. al.

Mostly looking for words of wisdom like: "Here are the three Ralph Mooney breaks you really should learn to get the essence of what he was doing: ", etc.

Don't know if this makes sense, but happy to get opinions. I do get the impression there's an opinion or two floating around the Forum. Thanks.
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Carter S-12, GFI S-12, Emmons S-12, Fender Deluxe 8 non-pedal, Scheerhorn Dobro. Plus banjos.

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

I do not think you are going to get an answer like
you are looking for.
Jim Loessberg has some cds out. One is
25 Ray Price Intros and turnarounds.
and another of 25 different artists. These have
about as close to what you are asking as anything
I have seen. But they are specific songs.
As you get more experience you will feel where you
can use the same kind of breaks.

Glen Derksen · From: Alberta, Canada

I would also think that some of the old Webb Peirce stuff with Bud Issacs should be simple to learn.

Robert Cates · From: Maine, USA

First off Michael
You need to get your eyes and brain working together along with your ears. You will pick up stuff a little at a time. Did you pick up on the stuff that Greg offered you? He is a big contributor on the forum and has some good stuff on his site. You seemed to have shrugged off his helpful advice.(He said....For E9th a good starting point might be the Crazy Arms intro on his page and he gave you a link. Very good of him.
I don't think that there is a magic recipe playing steel. Just lots of seat time and eyes and ears open

Bob

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

First: A big thanks to Greg for the material on his website. I've been flailin' away at this monster since Project Mercury and every bit of material he's got there is gold to those of us on this learning adventure.

Second: Learn all the parts to all of the clips on Rebel and Ricky's site and you'll be good to go...

Smile

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

I took a look at Greg's site - what a great treasure trove, and obviously a labor of love, beautifully put together. I'll be taking full advantage of it, with great appreciation. As I have with Rebel Ricky and Jeff's site, which has been really valuable as well.

The richness of Greg's and the RR & J site lead me back to my original question - and all I'm doing is soliciting opinions - if you were acting as a guide for a new player to help them make best use of these great resources, which half-dozen or so tunes or breaks would you recommend they start with? - artists and albums, etc. - that are great learning examples for somebody who wants to learn steel fundamentals the right way. I'm happy to be referred to more teaching/learning resources (can't have too many of those), but that's not actually the question I'm asking. Thanks for bearing with me on this.
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Carter S-12, GFI S-12, Emmons S-12, Fender Deluxe 8 non-pedal, Scheerhorn Dobro. Plus banjos.

Brian Kurlychek · From: Maine, USA

I will put my 2 cents in for some of my favorites.

Im not sure, but i think its the law that if you play steel you have to play Steel Guitar Rag. Otherwise they come and arrest you or something.

Coconut Grove http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBMg_5xrDBE- Great lesson by Sbenzian

Your Man by Josh Turner http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc04bQTDam8 - Lesson by Mickey Adams

I may be used, but baby I aint used up - Great playing by Moon.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLdUeQ9yFW0

All My Exeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvdEiacpbrc- Killer rendition by TroutKing!

My Weakness Is Too Stronghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnjHc_-hpvk - John Hughey
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Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

Neil Flanz 1970's Sho~Bud record has lots of classic intros and turnarounds.

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

I'm guessing the Sho-Bud record is vinyl-only? - How many can there still be around?
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Carter S-12, GFI S-12, Emmons S-12, Fender Deluxe 8 non-pedal, Scheerhorn Dobro. Plus banjos.

Mark Eaton · Posted 29 Dec 2008 7:34 am

From the second page of Neil's website, two of his albums packaged together for a CD and his re-issued instruction course:

http://www.ambrec.com/Homepages/neil/neil1.html

Michael, back to your original post - I think 10 every pedal steel player should know is about as futile as getting a bunch of folks to agree on "10 greatest rock songs ever."

I have a reasonable knowledge of country music, but it's not uncommon for me to see players list what should be an "essential" and though I will often have heard of the song, I wouldn't be able to hum the melody.

But I can certainly, for example, hum Crazy Arms!
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Mark

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Rather than learning a bunch of intros / solos / outtros off of records my personal goal would be to learn to come up with acceptable parts for ANY song -- ON THE BANDSTAND -- as long as I know the chord progression.

It involves
* learning how country songs are structured -- they aren't all just 3 chords but if you understand how I, II, III, IV, V, and VI chords are used in country music you're most of the way there. LEARN THE NUMBERS. You'll need them to communicate.

* learning typical harmonies -- thirds, fifths -- and where to find them in several places on the neck

* learning to play simple melodies when you hear them -- this may be the hardest but it can be done

With those skills in hand, the guitarist can whisper (5511 - medium tempo) and, whether you have ever heard the song before or not, you can come up with an intro.

Is it a waste of time to learn those great steel parts? OF COURSE NOT. Learn them -- just don't expect any two steel players to agree which are the best or most essential to learn. More than just learning them LEARN WHY THEY WERE PLAYED THAT WAY. Learn to take the IDEAS and use them in different ways.

A good player CAN play the intro or solo to Night Life, sure. But he/she can also come up with a good intro or solo on the spot if need be. Learn to play what you hear.

More than one great musician has said, "If you can't hum it, you can't play it." Truer words were never spoken.
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Franklin · Posted 29 Dec 2008 9:04 am

Michael,

When you listen to any steel part and don't know instantly how its played you should learn it. Whether you will ever use it, or not, should not influence the choice of what you need to learn to advance your knowledge of how to play this instrument.

If musical freedom is your goal? you will need to understand how music is put together within any given instrument. What better way than to learn all the great steel stuff that exists on vinyl. Licks, scales, chords, intro's, fills, solos, song melodies, and endings are all a must do.

Paul

John Lockney · From: New Market, Maryland, USA

A list of "standards" you might find at a jam session ?

Release Me
Crazy Arms
Blue eyes crying in the rain
Way to Survive
Farewell Party
Steel Guitar Rag
Bud's Bounce
Sleepwalk
Amazing Grace
Danny Boy
Together Again
Panhandle Rag
Swinging Doors
The Bottle Let Me Down

Bob Knetzger · From: Kirkland, WA USA

I happen to know MIke and I think I know where he's coming from here, so I'll take a shot.

Larry Bell and Paul Franklin's posts are right on and best advice a novice steel player could get. In short, don't just learn a bunch of "hot licks" or canned tunes.

But...a new player will soon find himself at a gig or jam and will get asked to play songs that everybody should know. Just like any good banjo player should be able to authoritatively kick off "Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms" or "Foggy Mt Breakdown" you'd be well served to have these classic tunes in your pocket.

Crazy Arms
Rainy Day Woman
Pick Me Up on Your Way Down
Blue Bayou
Heartaches By The Number
Singing the Blues
Route 66
Buckaroo
Walking the Floor Over You
Together Again

Some shuffles, a ballad or two, some more "rock" Buck Owens stuff, a two step, a "swing" number on C6th. Work out the melodies, find as many different places and positions on the neck to play them, then add harmonies.

As to where to find courses or tabs, take your pick. I really value going thru the tabs from Buddy Emmons: straight from the horse's mouth, with lots of clever moves in there.

Brint Hannay · From: Maryland, USA

I think some of you guys may have somewhat misunderstood Michael's post.

Michael, correct me if I'm wrong, but I have the impression what you were asking for was not a list of "standard" TUNES, but rather a list of actual recorded examples of PLAYING by accomplished players that would be educational to learn from, as several have described.

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

Michael Moore · From: Bellevue, Washington, USA

What a great range of responses - thanks everyone! I think that Brint Hannay and my buddy Bob Knetzger are most directly dialed-in to the original question that I didn't do a good job of asking. But the range of advice and opinion has given me a lot to work with. I think Paul Franklin's advice to work through the repertoire on vinyl as a place to build a foundation in the quest for freedom on the steel is spot-on. Where the heck did I put that turntable...? Larry B.'s advice is great as well; I've been playing in bluegrass bands for a long time, so there's a fair amount of that that I have in place already, but country music offers an expanded range of progressions and musical byways.

For anyone interested in adding to this thread - how about telling us how you went about learning in your early years? What did you listen to? How did you learn it? When did you feel like you had command of enough material that you felt like you could call yourself a steel guitar player?
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Whip Lashaway · From: Monterey, Tenn, USA

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

More words of wisdom from Mr. Larry Bell. It is right on what Larry is telling us here. This is almost to a T the way that the late great Jeff Newman taught us.
Thanks for expanding our musical thinking, Larry.

Bob Knetzger · From: Kirkland, WA USA

There is another way to read Mike's question.

Where he describes a progression of banjo players' styles (i.e., you start learning to play banjo by beginning with Earl Scruggs' canonical songs and signature licks, then move on to Sonny Osborne's pedal steel voicings, or on to Don Reno's single note style, or Bill Keith's "melodic" style, thru to Bela Fleck, etc.) it would be very cool to get the expert opinions of the forum's players on just what made each the steel guitar "masters" sound unique--and with a concise analysis/tabs of a few classic examples.

The medley on Buddy Emmons' Flying Fish "rainbow" album comes to mind, the one that starts with Wabash Cannon ball, then segues thru Hawaiian, Remmington, etc. A "history of steel guitar styles." Or, some of the duets on the 'Suite Steel" album were great head-to-head comparisons of styles: Emmons and Sneaky Pete together on "Blackbird" couldn't be more different.

Has anyone recorded a single tune with their own take on different players' signature styles? It would be cool to hear, say "Crazy Arms," as played as a sequence of breaks: some pedal pushin' Speedy West, then some smoothy-as-silk Emmons, then "gutted" chordal Chalker, then some single note Sneaky Pete, then some Travis picking Bobbe Seymore, then some pick blocking/ speed picking Paul Franklin, then.....you get the idea.

It would be a real ear opener for a beginning steeler that doesn't have a huge library of older recordings.

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