How Did You Learn PSG?

Barry Hyman · From: upstate New York, USA

How did you learn PSG? (Or how are you currently learning?)

Written material? (Books, tab, notation)

Audio? (CDs, cassettes, records)

Video? (DVDs, YouTube)

Private lessons?

Group lessons?

Self taught?

I've been learning the old fashioned way, by banging my head against the wall repeatedly until intelligence enters. Perhaps there's a better way?
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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

Ray McCarthy · From: New Hampshire, USA

I started with a borrowed Fender student model and the Winston book, (which came with the guitar, thank goodness), followed by 15 years of listening to, and trying to approximate the steel on commercial recordings and a lot of banging my head against the wall. I never became much of a tab reader--I'm almost all ears. But I wish I had gotten more into the instructional material that's out there early on--probably would've save a lot of time (and head-banging).

Derby SD-10 (#316), TruTone, NV-112, Holy Grail Nano.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I started with the original (one volume) Sho-Bud book and the Sho-Bud/Neil Flanz licks LP. From there it was mostly what licks I could steal from other pickers. I did have an advantage, early in my PSG adventures, to work in Nashville at Little Roy Wiggin's Music Store and got to pick the brains of PSG steelers such as Hank Corwin who showed me a lot on the C6th and Johnny Cox who always had the "latest" lick from Weldon, Lloyd, Hal, etc.

But, I played lap steel years before taking up Pedal Steel and I also played guitar and bass so I had enough musical knowledge to be dangerous when I started.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

How did I learn pedal steel? I'll tell you when I've managed it!
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, Quilter TT-12 & TT-15, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Paul Wade · From: mundelein,ill

from the great T.C.Furlong. bought a shobud mavrick
in 1979 got some lessons form t.c. then went on my own. found another great steel player don kates and
took lessons for about a year.stil learning the
p.s.g Smile

p.w

Tamara James · Posted 5 Dec 2009 7:49 am

2 years. Private lessons with a great teacher (I am so very blessed), a little help from my friends, and very good teaching material from Joe Wright and Jeff Newman (both DVD, CD and books.) I can't forget Micky Adams' youtubes. They are awesome as well as his book.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Osmosis.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I took guitar lessons many years ago on the "Hawaiian" guitar.
I gradually worked up to a triple neck Stringmaster.

When I started on pedal steel, I really didn't get the hang of it until I got my hands on some of Scotty's material published by Mel Bay, then the light came on. Very Happy

Steven Dingle · From: Arizona, USA

I'm going through this now! I'm using DVD material as well as private lessons with a great guy locally. LOTS of practice, and studying the chart done by Patricia posted on this board. Also, starting to just pick out and play common songs...like "silent night"...of, course, I have to figure out the part that goes "sleep in heavenly peace", which is on the V7, and how do I get the "heavenly" note the way I want it....

Lots of fun, though!

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Steven,
The "heav" part of "heav-en-ly" is a minor chord with a A pedal. You go from a major chord to the minor and then back to the major chord again. At least that's how I do it.

Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

I started playing on 18 March 1976, literally with a prayer before I hit my first note. Then, it was basically the hard way ... on my own playing along with the following stuff and figuring it all out by trial and error (with lots of errors, you can be sure).

The albums I learned along with were mainly The Happy Goodman & Conway Twitty albums (listening to the great John Hughey), playing along with Poco albums (trying to figure out and play along with Rusty Young's playing), and the old classic "black & white" Buddy Emmons album "Emmons Guitar Co." There were some other albums I'd work with, such as, The Marshall Tucker Band (the first song I actually learned where I duplicated the song note-for-note was "Fire On The Mountain").

Right off the bat, I was privileged to meet and become close friends with Gary Hogue and Gary would play a bunch of E9th while I recorded him on a small cassette recorder and then he'd say, "learn all this stuff and then play it for me next time I see you, and I'll do some more on tape for you". Gary was my mentor, but this was his method of teaching me. I'd work with and learn what he'd recorded for me. Then, during "report card" time on my next visit with him, if there was something I hadn't yet figured out on my own, he'd show me how to do it and proceed then to record a whole bunch more for me to listen to and learn.

That's pretty much how it was for me as a beginning steel player ... it was definitely the hard way, but it sure was fun. Smile

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1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Mike Ester · From: New Braunfels, Texas, USA

A borrowed Blanton S10 2x1, and Winnie Winston's book.
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U.S.A.F. 1978-1982
2005 Carter S12U 7x5
1978 Sho-Bud Pro II Custom 8x4

If you can't be a good example, be a horrible warning.

Richard Park · From: Alexandria, Virginia

I bought an Emmons 8 string back in 1973 for $115. I had a Mel Bay Book and a few lessons from Tommy Hannum. That was all there was in Washington, DC back then. I moved to a Sho-Bud Maverick and spent a few years trying to figure things out on my own with a little success and a lot of frustration. Eventually, I lost interest, packed it up and put it in the closet. Last year, I was in El Paso and a woman proudly told me her son played pedal steel. When I told her my story, she pointed a finger at me and said "you get that guitar out of that closet and you start playing again." So I did. It took about 5 minutes before I started thinking about a new guitar. So now, I'm playing a beautifully restored Pro II and I'm overwhelmed at how much help and information there is out there. This forum is a blessing for anyone who plays or is learning to play. I've learned more in the past few months than I did in all those years back in the 70s and 80s. Thanks to Bruce Bouton, Mickey Adams, Winnie Winston and all you guys who are so generous with your knowledge and expertise.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

The Winnie Winston book I bought a few years before I got my first steel (German brand), I honestly think that this book, as good as it is, is a little too much for a rank beginner. Then the Bruce Bouton video which was very good for my learning, and then "Pedal Steel Guitar Method" by Dewitt Scott.
I was lucky, that I allways could apply the things I've learned at home, in a band situation.

Mitch Adelman · From: Pennsylvania, USA

All of Jeff Newman's courses and videos!

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

I took lessons from two teachers twice a week and after 3 months they both said I needed to go out and ask to sit in.

I did buy a few Jeff Newman,Buddy Emmons,Herby Wallace and Paul Franklin tapes along the way.

That was 27 years ago and I've only slowed down these days because I don't want to play up to 4 nights a week anymore.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.

Paul E. Brennan · From: Dublin, Ireland

Winnie Winston's and Scotty's books and lots of listening. Gerry Hogan's festivals were an opportunity to see the great players in action and even talk to them. I was also lucky enough to have help from Richard Nelson and Martin Cleary in my first year or two.

Ronnie Boettcher · From: Brunswick Ohio, USA

I got a used Fender 400, in the late 60's. Found the tuning for E-9. Tuned it to the top 8 strings of the normal 10. Tuned the A and B pedals like the emmons setup. Sat there alone, and figured out how to use what I had. Then knew I had to have knee levers. Went and bought a LDG and still play it. Trial and error, and my ear, and a good knowledge of music. Self taught.
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Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Started out basically teaching myself with Winnie's book and I think one by Scotty as well.Also a few things I ordered from somewhere - probably from Tom Bradshaw. Got a big helping hand when I moved to Kinsgton, Ontario, where the late Tom Keates taught me a few things - I also got some pointers from Bruce Hamilton, who lived in Kingston in those days. I took a few lessons from Al Brisco when I moved to Toronto in 1980, by which time I had already been gigging for a couple of years. Al taught me quite a lot. But those were the days of six nighters, and so there was not a lot of time for lessons, and I just hit the bar circuit.

Paul Foster · From: Arizona, USA

Bugging every steel player that I happen to run into. Tab does not work for me I am a bass player by trade also play guitar, I watch a lot of Mickey Adams U-Tube watch a few video's a Great CD sent to me by a super guy, Kenny Martin who was a total stranger but he made a CD just for me and shipped it to me with a great explanation of every note, how it was played which pedal to push ect ectI would have never been able to learn on my own!! what a great help that was, Thanks again Kenny. Played my first song in public two nites ago and I was so nervous that I could hardley hold the bar, one of the steel players there was [ready for this} DEL MULLEN !!! What a great nite for me I am playing my second Mullen, Been playing a few MO.Del makes you feel like you have been friends forever Love it, play everyday, im retired and only 71, !!My goal, getting up tomorrow!!!!

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

How did I learn to play PSG ? Those who've heard me reckon I never did. Laughing

Allen Peterson · From: Katy, Texas

Two lessons from Herb Remington, one Jeff Newman correspondence course, two or three Jeff Newman seminars. One Buddy Emmons class, and two Herby Wallace classes. A whole pile of instructional material from Jeff Newman, Buddy Emmons, Herby Wallace, Dewitt Scott, Zane King and a host of others. Twenty-six years of practice. I still feel inadequate on the bandstand.

Allen Peterson
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2008 D10 Rains Pedal Steel, 2000 D10 Carter Pedal Steel, BR-9 Lap Steel, Nashville 400, Nashville 112, '65 Fender Twin Re-issue, MB 200, Telonics Volume Pedal

Duncan Hodge · From: DeLand, FL USA

From listening to CSN&Y Teach your Children and the first NRPS album.
Duncan
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"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."

Ron Leegate · From: Florida, USA

Got my Rains about a year ago. What's been working for me is the following:
1. Spend a LOT of time discovering your pedals, knee levers and positions on your own. This works your ear - you remember stuff when you discover it yourself - training your ear to the sounds, timbre and changes.
2. Get a chart of pedal/lever postions for all the chords - with your set-up.
3. UTube Mickey Adams
4. Get comfortable with the basic AB pedal's sound. BC pedal's sound, AB-E(4&8 lower - basic V chord dom7th), A pedal minor positions, BC minor pedal positions, and start using the lever that raises your 1st string (play with it,you'll discover its uses.
5. Play live as much as you can - open jams,etc, whatever. The pressure to forge ahead in a live environment forces you to learn quickly.
6. Get your Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, George Strait songs goin' on your CD player or computer and just dig in. Listen and find the Steel parts. This ear to hand to eye training will stick in your brain and hands . . . It absolutely works. I am really surprised how do-able a lot of these pro steel parts are to do. You do can all the country steel playin' you could want to do with your ABC pedals, E,F & D levers. A lot of the pro work uses just those.

That's just my short version !!! It works for me.

Bill Dobkins · From: Rolla Missouri, USA

Self taught and still learning.
BD
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Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy.

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