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Topic: Advice for NEW PEDAL STEEL PLAYERS... |
David Hartley
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 8:39 am |
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Here's some PSG advice I gave to a new player just recently who emailed me. I thought I would share this with anyone here learning too.
I would suggest to learn as much as you can without using TABS, or just use them to learn the LICKS you like and string them together in your own way. It will take time. You will eventually get to the stage where you are not thinking about your pedals, knee levers and volume pedal but concentrating on the finished SOUND of your steel. When that comes, you will have great confidence. Try it now, play along with a track and use just 4 LICKS all the way through it, but try and make them sound better each time using GOOD volume pedal control, ACCURATE tuning and most importantly GOOD VIBRATO at the END of each tag/lick. It will come and I wish you all the best in your learning of this great instrument.
David Hartley |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 9:06 am My thinking about pedals.................
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When it comes to pedals, I had to employ a mental step that perhaps others have never had to rely on....but it works for me.
Instead of approaching the instrument as a mechanical monster and trying to figure out which pedal you should push here or there........
I simply tho't of the g'tar as an OPEN CHORD machine.
I'd try playing a simple tune like "The Waltz You Saved for Me"........ in E7th tuning. I applied the necessary slants and all in my attempt to emulate Bud Issacs. It worked but it wasn't always easy in the E tuning.
At the place where I simply could NOT get the notes I wanted/needed.........I applied the "A" pedal. Sure enough, the SOUND I wanted for that phrase was right there.
If the newer student could envision the E9th tuning, as an example,........as a COMPLETE and perfect tuning in the OPEN E format....and merely THINK of the pedals as merely being an enhancement that enables one to raise a note or lower a note (or two) where a forward or reverse slants would otherwise be required you'll be able to move into pedal steel playing quite rapidly.
Don't think of the pedals as a NECESSARY but rather... as an OPTION in order to get the tonal change you desire without slanting the bar.
After all, that's what it's all about, is it not?
Same thing applies to those top chromatic strings.
NEVER think of them as being a necessary string to be plucked each time you want to play a harmonious chord. THINK of them as the magic note you were needing at that point in the song.
GOOD LUCK. |
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Twayn Williams
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 2:55 pm
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My advice for new PSG players is get a lap steel 
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Primitive Utility Steel |
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David Hartley
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Posted 14 Jul 2010 9:55 pm Hi
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That's funny you should say that Twayn, I had a chance to catch up on a few emails yesterday and there was another person who has been learning for quite some time on a pedal steel but has never had the pedal bar and pedals connected but now feels they are ready to use them. I suppose being confident on steel and knowing your way around without ever using a pedal can help but I tend to think if you are learning from listening to records and cd's and/or tablature, it's not going to many seconds before you hear or see a written a pedal movement and if you haven't got your pedals connected, what do you do? I think learning this way would give you a bit of a head start in having your own 'style' eventually.
David Hartley |
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Elton Smith
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 20 Jul 2010 7:01 pm Very good advise
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This thread got me thinking.Im playing slide guitar.No matter what tuning, Its still slide guitar.I can play that.So as a guitar player (6string)I cut my thumb pick down so I didn't have to raise it so high because Im not used to jumping strings.It helped.It sorta opened up some things.Psg is still slide guitar only on steroids.Thanks
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Old Peavy Amps |
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John Macy
From:
Rockport TX/Denver CO
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Posted 20 Jul 2010 8:13 pm
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Tommy Cass started me out on my steel guitar adventure...some of his advice that I found invaluable were start playing out in front of people as soon as possible--sucking in front of them will either make you get it together or quit...and always be the weakest player in the band--you will either swim or sink....many thanks Tommy, it worked....
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John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 22 Jul 2010 10:00 am
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I am a new psg player who is still somewhat more comfortable on lap steel. I have recently fallen into the same mental process that Ray is talking about above. It seems to be working out. And I think it's even more effective on C6 than it would be on E9. Trouble is that I am realizing how little I really need pedals on the C6 neck. Still, there are some songs that just cry out for some of those fat chords I can get with these pedals.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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