Lessons learned and advice for a new player.

Pat Haley · From: Walker, LA USA

I would first to like to Thank Ricky Davis for the great job restoring this Sho-Bud. I am a new player and have been bitten by the bug. I would also like to thank Mickey Adams for a wonderful instruction book.

Around 1977 or 1978 I was working with Royce Tarver in the Baton Rouge, LA area. One day he said he played a pedal steel guitar. Form that day I have wanted to own a PSG. Well, that day has arrived.

I have a question for the members of the forum. Knowing what you know now, how would you start learning the PSG? Is there anything you would do different?

Are there any bad playing habits or obstacles you learned starting out that someone just starting to play should be on the look out for?

Any other advice would be great.

Marke Burgstahler · From: SF Bay Area, CA

Hiya Pat - welcome to the "addiction"! I know I got hooked...

I've only been playing for about 3 years, so I'm still pretty wet behind the ears (wow...that's a SONG in the making!)and perhaps not the best one to answer this, but my advice is to spend a decent amount of time on right hand technique. String grips and palm/pick blocking. That seems to have helped me with my progress quite a bit.

Another tip I learned from another player I met was to keep my foot off of the volume pedal. Pretend it's not even there. This is helping me quite a bit with my blocking technique and keeps me from tending to pump the volume pedal.

Again - I AM A NEWBIE, and there are a lot of guys n gals here with WAY more experience than me. I'm only sharing some stuff I think are good habits I'm working on to develop. Your mileage may vary.

Smile

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"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Aint' Got That Swing"

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

The volume pedal is not just for volume. It is for Expression and changing the dynamics of what you are playing as the song progresses. The strings of a Steel Guitar are not like other instruments i.e. a violin where you can lighten the touch of your hands and bow for differen't dynamics. Learn to master your volume control, not do away with it.

Marke Burgstahler · From: SF Bay Area, CA

Thanks for making that important point, Billy! I was having a problem pumping the volume pedal - I was using to "cover up" my mistakes that resulted from sloppy picking or blocking - so as a result I was pumping it too much vs.using in an expressive manner, as it should be used. Just MY experience and what I did to help me correct a problem I was having. Sure didn't mean to imply eliminating it entirely.

Smile

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"It Don't Mean A Thing If It Aint' Got That Swing"

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

Whatever instruction material you have, go over and over it until you get it..............then keep on going over it.
An "in person" teacher is a big help. There were not any close when I started .........probably why I am still trying to learn.

Paul E. Brennan · From: Dublin, Ireland

With regard to the right hand, learn as much as you can about the various techniques. However, do not accept anything as dogma. Pick and choose from the various right hand styles until you arrive at a technique that you're comfortable with. If you find something difficult that just means you need to give it a bit more attention.

Develop your ear. Learn to tune by ear. Forget about tuning meter settings. Just use the meter to get a reference E.

If I was starting again I think I'd get a cheap lap steel. There's no distractions of pedals and levers. Just the picks and bar and that's what it's all about.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I can tell you that, after thirty-something years of playing, I wish fervently that I'd been more careful about my right-hand technique!!! I just took the line-of-least-resistance and did what came easiest - now I fight those flawed basics at every turn!

I guess I've found a way to make it work, but I do with I could go back and start again.

Do the difficult work now, and don't flinch from the task. You'll be very glad you did a few years down the road. There is any amount of instruction media available these days, so no need to blunder ahead in ignorance.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles, Martins, and a Gibson Super 400!
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Pat, search around the forum for players in your area of Texas. Find a steel club, get to know some of the guys. Their hands on experience and knowledge will save you years of searching and benefit you more than anything. There's a bunch of fine steel players in Texas, La, Ark....probably one near you.

Inquire of players/technicians like Ricky, Herb Steiner, Junior Knight, David Wright, Texas steel guitar club, MSA headquarters etc as to who might likely be of some help in instructing you.

Always some good pointers here as well, but nothing beats a face to face. JMO.

Larry Baker · From: Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.

I have only been playing about 5 years, 2, seriously. I found for me, that mastering l song led me to find the next songs a little easier. I started out just playing with everything, and when mistakes were made, I just kept going and not backing up to see where I went wrong. Backing up and finding your mistakes tend to sharpen your memory.
That's just my 2 cents worth. Larry
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Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P.

Gordon Hartin · From: Durham, NC

For your bar hand I'd say

At first try to use as little vibrato as possible. That way you will be focusing more on playing in tune, not covering up being out of tune.

Try not to move the bar with a whiping motion. Meaning don't have the top of the bar get to the next fret before the rear of the bar.

Don't move your bar 1/2 fret back to see if you are on the right fret, gotta learn to trust your ears.

Gordon

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