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Topic: Tip of the day (2) |
Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 1 Jul 2009 4:08 am |
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Breath!!! Slow down and play less, add to the music, do not be the whole band by yourself.
This is what I tell my students, it has a calming effect on their approach. Close your eyes and breath. Listen to the tone and forget the hot licks, you will be happier in the end, because it is all about the tone. (Right JR?)
Larry Behm |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Randy Koenen
From:
Grand Forks North Dakota, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2009 5:45 am
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Larry, You are right on the mark... I've heard people say the difference between good players and great players is knowing when NOT to play.
_________________
1984 E9/B6 ZUM; Pre RP E9/B6 Mullen |
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Dan Beller-McKenna
From:
Durham, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 1 Jul 2009 7:46 am
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| Addition by subtraction |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 1 Jul 2009 10:18 am
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Larry,Great advice! I believe that love for the song should be the most important thing,I've seen a few players trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.Stu 
_________________
Steeltronics Z-pickup,Desert Rose S-10 4+5,Desert Rose Keyless S-10 3+5... Mullen G2 S-10 3+5,Telonics 206 pickups,Telonics volume pedal.,Blanton SD -10,Emmons GS_10...Zirctone bar,Bill Groner Bar...any amp that isn't broken.Steel Seat.Com seats...Licking paint chips off of Chinese Toys since 1952. |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 4:23 am
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Great advise Larry, I had our choir leader call me down when I first started back playing after many years of not playing, then only in my music room >>>>>> You're playing the melody, don't play the melody unless it's your turn to take a lead part, play "fill"
A really bad habit to get into when you only play at home with tracks. If possible, get tracks with vocal.
Good thread...Bill
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
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Fred Nolen
From:
Mohawk, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 4:57 am When Not to Play
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One of my most humbling experiences was an instance where we were practicing at a church and were recorded, wow! The steel was awful. Some of what I played was acceptable but "I never quit" the overall sound would have been much better without me. Even though it "smarted", I really needed that. Jeff Newman shared a similar experience in his early playing career when he was called for a recording session. He set up and immediately began trying to impress everyone with all his hot licks. When they were ready to record,they asked Jeff to set out until they got the levels right. He asked, when do you want me to come in? Their response was, "never." (Paraphrased from an article Jeff wrote in the old Steel Guitarist magazine)
Ol' Fred |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 8:22 am
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Larry, another great piece of advise from you. I make it a point to remind my students on a regular basis about this very thing. It can be and often is the difference in holding a playing job or not.
Jerry |
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John Polstra
From:
Lopez Island, WA, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 8:47 am
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I've noticed that on a lot of recordings that use the pedal steel just as an embellishment, the steel doesn't even come in at all until the last verse. How common is it for you gigging players to do that? I mean, how often do you just sit there without playing a note until late in the song? I'm trying to get myself calibrated on how much I should be playing in each song.
John |
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Jerry Roller
From:
Van Buren, Arkansas USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 9:14 am
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John, this is not my thread but I don't think Larry would mind my input. I think it depends on how many lead instruments are in the band. I try to make certain that they all get an equal share of the fills and solos and I try to stay out of the vocalist's way. In a live situation I see no need to lay out until the near end of the song. I usually fill maybe 8 bars, then lay out for another lead instrument to fill. Often times I will take my hands off the guitar completely and sit and listen and other times I might insert some chords if needed.
Other times we might trade off fill licks. Mainly I try to not play thru a singers line, rather leading into the line or following it and I try to avoid hitting the same note as the singer because a slightly off pitch note by either the singer or instrument makes both sound off pitch.
Jerry |
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Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 10:22 am
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Jerry Quoted:
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| I think it depends on how many lead instruments are in the band. |
You're Absolutely Correct. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 1:00 pm
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| Sorry, wrong post |
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Barry Hyman
From:
upstate New York, USA
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Posted 2 Jul 2009 6:21 pm so true
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Quality, not quantity!
One other thing I always tell my students: Think of the perfect part to play. Then play just half of it...
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I give music lessons on several different instruments in Cambridge, NY (between Bennington, VT and Albany, NY). But my true love is pedal steel. I've been obsessed with steel since 1972; don't know anything I'd rather talk about... www.barryhyman.com |
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 3 Jul 2009 6:06 am
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| Always leave them wanting more- not less. |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 4 Jul 2009 9:08 am
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If you cant stop playing by habit, then roll the volume pedal all the way back to OFF. 
Hang on a minute, thats a hard habit to break!
_________________
A.K.A Chappy. |
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