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Topic: Best Advice You Ever Received |
Steve Gorman
From:
Gilroy California
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:05 am |
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| When learning the steel guitar, (and we are always learning, right?) what was the BEST advice that you ever heard? |
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Michael T. Hermsmeyer
From:
Branson, Missouri, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:27 am
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There was a lot!!! But to pick one or two, I would have to say:
Scotty told me early on that when I meet a steel player, have them teach me a lick. I wish I had heeded that more often. Thanks Scotty!
Fred Rushing taught me the importance of the player and not the brand of steel and amp when it comes to tone. A large percentage of tone is in the hands. Thanks Fred!
Herby Wallace solidified the importance of Tempered or Compensated tuning. Very much like Jeff Newman's tuning system, he showed me where and how to temper tune the steel to make it sound in tune the best way possible. Thanks, Herby!
Gene Horner (fiddle builder)told me to throw my fiddles in the fire and just play steel, LOL!!! I still haven't done that, Hahaha!!! Thanks Gene, I think, hahaha!!!
There are so many more, but you asked for one, so I gave you four, haha!!
And to all the people who gave me advice, who hired me, who let me cut my teeth with them and who urged me to not quit and have patience, Thank You!!!
_________________
Currently retired from performing music in Branson, MO
'73 EMMONS D10 FATBACK, '92 EMMONS D10 LASHLEY LEGRANDE, Bray Resonator Guitar,'95 DOBRO F60S, '85 Dobro 60DS, '95 MELOBAR CUSTOM, 1948 National Grand Console D-8, 1951 Supro Clipper S-6. EVANS, FENDER, PEAVEY,
and MESA BOOGIE Amps...
www.onemancountryshow.com
www.facebook.com/utilityman2000 |
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Larry Robbins
From:
Fort Edward, New York
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:43 am
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Bobbe Seymour said "now get out there and make some money" !! 
_________________
Twang to the bone! |
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Ben Lawson
From:
Brooksville Florida
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:44 am
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| Buddy Emmons told me to turn down the mids. There were many others who said "no really, what do you do for a living." |
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Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)
From:
Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:44 am
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Like Michael said, there was a lot of advice. But, to pick out the two best morsels that came my way, here's the two that I cherish most.
I was privileged to get to meet and know Gary Hogue and John Hughey in my very early steel days. Here's what they had to say:
GARY HOGUE --- "Play in tune, play with good technique, play with a good tone and along with all of that play what you know and play it well."
JOHN HUGHEY --- "Don't be afraid to get up high where the money is ... you bought the whole guitar, play the whole guitar."
_________________
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) |
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Michael Robertson
From:
Ventura, California. USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 8:21 am Better now
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A long time steel player and good friend told me forty years ago “Whatever you do don’t try to learn to play one of these things. They will drive you crazy.”
Well after decades of counseling and proper medication I can report that "I am a lot better now". |
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:01 am
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Well, a lot of players told me, "Never stop playin' and always play from the heart". It's advice that I'll always use because even with cerebral palsy, I love to play steel guitar. Jeff Peterson, who once played steel for Clint Black told me before I started, he said "To play steel, you gotta practice hard". Well, he's right, and I do practice hard.
Brett |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:11 am
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| "Don't buy an Emmons." |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:14 am
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| "Don't quit your day job" |
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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:24 am
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| I got a great piece of advice from Jaydee. "Stop looking at your right hand!" The right hand should be automatic, with your attention focused on the left, where you're playing and where you're going to be playing. |
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Stu Schulman
From:
Ulster Park New Yawk (deceased)
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:24 am
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While visiting Red Rhodes he said do me a favor and walk over to the convenience store and get me a 6 pack of Bud!
_________________
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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Peter Freiberger
From:
California, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:26 am
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| I got the same advice from Red. He was very generous with that advice to us young (then) guys. |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:36 am
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| Red told me that he was struggling to avoid watching the right hand as he played. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't play confidently without watching the picking hand. As he said this, there was a can of beer in his right hand. |
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Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 11:53 am
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Best advice?
"Take two weeks off..................................then quit!!!" |
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Ray Leroux
From:
Vulcan Alberta CANADA/Thousand Palms CA.
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 12:22 pm
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| A since passed on friend was kind enough to hire me as a budding steeler 35 yrs ago and just before the gig he said to me "I'll nod to you and if I dont hear those 3 pickup notes nice and clear I'll give the solo to the guitar player". |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 3:03 pm Words from a wise-man............
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I was told early on to "LISTEN to the SONG".......
and then play TO THAT SONG.
Take turns with the other lead players and don't step on anyone else's playing.
[/b] |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 3:06 pm
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| Never look up at a passing bird at an outdoor job. |
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Mike Merz
From:
Seattle, Washington
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 7:30 pm
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| Jeff Newman said "If it dont sound good pedal it" |
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Steve Gorman
From:
Gilroy California
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Posted 19 Jun 2010 9:27 pm
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| In an interview Lloyd Green said, "Play melodies." Such great advice and it's better practice than just playing the same old riffs, or just working with already familiar positions. |
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CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 1:53 am
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| my uncle Richard Grando, a be bop tenor player, told me : " if you can say it w: 4 notes, you won't say with 40 " |
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Alan Tanner
From:
Near Dayton, Ohio
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 3:10 am
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From my dad when I was about 12...."go home and practice..."
from a long ago singer...."YOU'RE not the star here....I AM" |
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Austin Tripp
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 4:13 am
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Learn when not to play in a song. And the famous Buddy Emmons quote "if you miss a note, move up or down a fret cause its in there somewhere".
_________________
"Hotrod"
Steel guitarist for Cody Jinks
Member CMA |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 4:44 am
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| Steve Gorman wrote: |
| In an interview Lloyd Green said, "Play melodies." Such great advice and it's better practice than just playing the same old riffs, or just working with already familiar positions. |
The quote "play the melody" (which is the line the singer sings) always comes up in these discussions. Lloyd didn't do it consistently, (Apartment #9 with Paycheck) and the other great players didn't either. (really famous - Hughey's Look At Us, or Lost In The Feeling) It's the licks/riffs/fills outside the melody that made them famous. If everyone simply played the melody, then everyone would sound the same, with the exception of tone/phrasing. I think a more accurate advice statement would be to stay close enough to the melody that the song doesn't get lost in the mix of licks and riffs. I recently saw a video of a very popular pro player do a break on C6 that without the rhythm section, I would have no idea what he was playing. I'm not really sure that he knew. 
I like the straight melody playing too. Example: Once A Day intro with Weldon. The pros (Like Weldon)know just when to do what and where to draw the line.
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Steve Gorman
From:
Gilroy California
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 6:25 am
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| Rick, I agree that playing only melodies would make for a pretty boring steel player - what I think Lloyd meant, or at least the way I take it, is to practice melodies, not so much to play only melodies in performance. I've found that for me, choosing songs to practice and then staying with them until I can play the entire melody, in several different octaves/positions/combinations is opening new doors and leading to a much better understanding of the instrument. |
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Cal Sharp
From:
the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN
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Posted 20 Jun 2010 6:41 am
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George Edwards and Peggy Emmons both suggested I forget this whole steel guitar thing and go back home a get a real career. I disregarded them, obviously, which eventually led to some advice from Jimmy Dickens that I felt would actually apply to me. He told me to watch him, which is the best advice I've ever had. I've been watching the singer ever since.
_________________
C#
Me: Steel Guitar Madness
Latest ebook: Steel Guitar Insanity
Custom Made Covers for Steel Guitars & Amps at Sharp Covers Nashville |
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