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Topic: Making faces when you play!! |
Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 7:52 am |
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My wife says to me a while back when I first started playing again" Why do you have such a serious look on your face when your playing. You steel players all look so serious." I explained in regards to me I told her that I'm concentrating very hard. She said she would rather see me up front on the mic singing cause I look like I'm having more fun.
I do catch myself sometime making some kind of godawful facial contortions and I have noticed other players as well.
Do you make faces when you play?? Greg
( this sounds like fun)
_________________
Derby SD-10 4&5 Black!(duh)/
Derby D-10/Steelers Choice/
Goodrich 120/ 2- Katana Boss 100's
/Nashville 400
RV-3/ Zoom MS-50G
As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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Glyn Bone
From:
Halifax.Nova Scotia. Canada * R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 8:22 am
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I don`t make awful faces when I play....but everyone within earshot does   
_________________
Glyndwr
Carter SD10 4x5 with Wallace TrueTone ( 18K ohms)
Peavey NV 112
Hilton Vol.Ped.
Brad Sarno 'Freeloader'
Boss/Roland SE-20 Space Echo
BJS `Hughey` bar
BJS 1" bar
Zookie thumbpicks
Dunlop and JN finger picks |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 10:03 am
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'Tis true that most steel guitar players, particularly PSG players make faces while playing. Some less some more.
I love him like a brother, he played at my show, and he even admits it; but the oddest I have seen has got to be Jack Hearn when it comes to making faces while playing the world's most beautiful, yet most difficult to play musical instruments.
It appears that he is actually in a serious conversation with someone, (and I mean serious), the entire time he plays. But if you listen to what is coming out of his amp you KNOW why. Cuz it takes a lot of serious practice to get what he does. A very fine PSG player and dear friend.
Many others go through a myriad of facial movements, expressions and contortions, from very subtle almost imperceptable to distortions that sadly, turn some viewers off. But I doubt that any of those who are turned off by it could do much better, since the very nature of playing a PSG, requires soooooo much concentration, that many of us simply can't help it.
But of course, as always there is one, THE KING, that does it right. And that is Buddy Emmons. Who else? For he has a smile while playing, from here to eternity, that transcends even his playing.
Try it! Yes try to smile as many have wanted to. I wrote about it in my book. Buddy does it like no other. Like the wife of Greg above said. It appears that Buddy is having the time of his life when he plays.
Almost as if he is proverbially saying, "Eat your hearts out fellows". As his God given physical dexterities and awesome "grin" dazzles us with "footwork", the "business at hand" and that incredible smile on his face.
But the most fun thing of all is: When he makes those infrequent mistakes. For He will, stop, throw up his hands, and let out a spine tingling yell, that can be heard 5 miles away, I gar OWN tee ya. But even that garners yet more adulation and fun in the viewers when ever he does it.
I have one such scenario on video, where David Smith (incredible Bass player) got so tickled at Buddy doing that, he could not play for a few moments.
So even when Buddy does it wrong, it still thrills one and all.
He makes me sa dadburned mad at doun thangs lack at, that I wud truly lack ta hit him rat between tha nose. Wif Bof fists tied behind me back no less. 
Oh well. Some got it, some don't got it. 
May Jesus comfort Buddy in this time of grief. And may Jesus bless all of you, always,
carl
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A broken heart + † = a new heart. |
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Dick Sexton
From:
Greenville, Ohio
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 10:50 am Riiiight!!!!!
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     Pick one!
I know your talking about me. "You look like your working real hard!", I think was what you said.
Well, I'm waiting for you to show me the fun part.
It aint been all that much fun since that time the bar keep took a pool cue over the head and those two women took their fight out to the parking lot. Oh, that's right, South Texas!  |
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Greg Wisecup
From:
Troy, Ohio
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 10:57 am
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Dick that made me laugh outloud!! You may qualify as do I. I love and respect Larry Sasser. I think he's great but watching him got me thinking about this. Maybe If I make more faces I could play more like him.
Nice reply Carl.
Dick........not so much
_________________
Derby SD-10 4&5 Black!(duh)/
Derby D-10/Steelers Choice/
Goodrich 120/ 2- Katana Boss 100's
/Nashville 400
RV-3/ Zoom MS-50G
As long as I'm down in the mix I'm Fantastic! |
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JACK HEERN
From:
MURPHYSBORO,IL. USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 11:02 am
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The great Hank Corwin can lay some facial movements on you when he plays. He can play more jazz on the E9th with 3 knee levers than 98% of us C6th players with 8 & 8 and a gadget box can. He can sure do some ugly faces though.
Carl, I'm shocked that you said that about me. Most people call me polker face when I play. 
Jack |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 11:03 am
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Buddy is probably saying exactly that with his smile, Carl, and we are all indeed eating our hearts out. We would have grins wider than Dr. Sardonicus pasted permanently on our mugs if we could play even half as good as Buddy.
But the steel is an emotive instrument of the highest caliber, and for most of us it takes all we got to make the most of it, with hardly time to sell tooth paste, as Jerry Byrd would say.
The only playing face I would give exception to is when one hits a bum note and that grimmace shows up, telling the whole audience that you blew it, when if the player had remained poker faced it may have gone unnoticed by most.
I started a thread similar to this a few years back and it got plenty of fun response, and hopefully this one will as well. |
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C Dixon
From:
Duluth, GA USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 1:20 pm
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| Quote: |
| The great Hank Corwin can lay some facial movements on you when he plays. He can play more jazz on the E9th with 3 knee levers than 98% of us C6th players with 8 & 8 and a gadget box can. He can sure do some ugly faces though. |
Indeed he can Jack!
I never had (before this past weekend) the pleasure of seeing him play, even though he has been doing it forever.
And does he ever. You are soo correct about the chords he can get out of 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. I had a chance to spend a great deal of time discussing that very thing with him.
He is truly out of this world when it comes to getting more out of less. And yes, his playing is echoed with one facial expression transcending to yet another. In other words, you almost don't have to listen to what he is playing, since you can FEEL it looking at his face
What a player. Wow!
carl
_________________
A broken heart + † = a new heart. |
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Steve Hitsman
From:
Waterloo, IL
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 2:38 pm
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Here's a guy who makes faces when he plays:
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 3:33 pm I resemble that remark............................
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| Been accused of doing that for decades! |
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JACK HEERN
From:
MURPHYSBORO,IL. USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 4:31 pm
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Steve, That is a good pic of Joe's Sunday face! Joe fell out of an ugly tree and hit ever limb on the way to the ground. Butt, Big E made this statement to Hal Rug and myself at the ST Louis convention after Joe's set. "HE (JOE) is the best damm steel player in the world". Hal said something about tone. Buddy's reply was we aren't talking about tone, we are talking about taking complete charge of the guitar. I thought that was quiet a statement from the man himself. It sure impressed lil ole me.
Jack |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 8:43 pm
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I only make faces when I make LOVE,come to think about it,my wife makes me turn ALL the lights off. DYKBC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Tommy Shown
From:
Denham Springs, La.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 8:48 pm
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I'm guilty of it too. It's just a thing of emotion, if I play a pretty ballad, I get moved by it.If I play something up beat, again I smile with a lick that I just picked. so there is nothing wrong with it. Because when I play, I want the people in the audience to feel the same thing I feel when I play.
Certain songs just do that. I mean, I can't dance around on the band stand like the regular pickers do.
Tommy Shown |
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Chuck Thompson
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 9:49 pm
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when i played guitar i was often accused of making "guitar" faces. since i am now learning steel i found that the guitar faces dont transpose well and i am having to learn all new facial contortions. i study the pros and try to copy their "steel" face
Last edited by Chuck Thompson on 25 Feb 2009 10:10 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 9:53 pm
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| Most steel players have lived the songs we are called on to play. Especially the ballads. Gets you a little emotional when you are playing. Thus the faces. Jody. |
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Tommy Shown
From:
Denham Springs, La.
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Posted 25 Feb 2009 11:59 pm
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| Jody Sanders wrote: |
| Most steel players have lived the songs we are called on to play. Especially the ballads. Gets you a little emotional when you are playing. Thus the faces. Jody. |
That's what I'm talking about, Keith Whitley's "Don't Close Your Eyes" , or Vince Gill's "Go Rest High" or "Look At Us". The great John Hughey playing just melts me down everytime. |
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Steve Norman
From:
Seattle Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 12:10 am
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I look real mad apparently. that or I look like I sat on a pinecone. I am ashamed to say I have been working on my faces so pictures of the bands dont get ruined
_________________
GFI D10, Fender Steel King, Hilton Vpedal,BoBro, National D dobro, Marrs RGS |
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 5:29 am hi
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Don Lynch from Montgomery Al. is the most smiling steel player there is, go for it Don.
ernie |
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Charles Curtis
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 6:05 am
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| IMO smiles are infectious. I think that most people that smile a lot influence others to smile also. Whenever I get to watch Buddy Charlton at a show, he smiles, that coupled with his fantastic playing is soooo entertaining. |
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Charles Curtis
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 6:21 am Facial expressions
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| Here's another situation; for example if a man is in a bar in the rough section of Dallas and frowns at a stranger? What usually happens? The reason I'm using Dallas is, I have a young friend from Dallas who is a machine gunner on active duty. Quite a young man. |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 7:46 am
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| Have you ever noticed how classical guitarists seem to be struggling for breath while they're playing ? In many cases you would think they had just run a few miles round the track before they sat down. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 9:57 am
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Earnest,you are right about Don Lynch,Don't think he could frown if he HAD to. DYKBC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 11:50 am
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I make strange faces sometimes when I play, and for some reason , it kinda bothered me that I did it, but then I realized I do it mainly because my determination to play is strong. A lot of times, though I like to look up from the steel and not look at the necks to see what I'm playin'.
Brett |
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Austin Tripp
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 26 Feb 2009 5:44 pm
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I have two faces when I play, a mad and constipated look and another like I just got over that constipation (if you know what I mean )
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"Hotrod"
Steel guitarist for Cody Jinks
Member CMA |
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