| Author |
Topic: oh great! another new guy without a clue! |
David Hoskins
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 4:01 am |
|
hey, folks! i am 53, been play guitar forever and i am finally going to take the plunge into learning the pedal steel. i have a very keen ear and i know i will be able to do this, but i have no idea where to get started. my biggest question is about the tunings. E9...C6?! why are there two and which one should i use? i also need to know how many pedals do i really need. i have seen some really nice playing on youtube using just 3 pedals. so how come some people have 8 or 9?
okay, go ahead and roll your eyes skyward! hahaha! any help would be great appreciated. thanks!
David |
|
|
 |
Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 5:25 am
|
|
Hi David:
There is no such thing as a dumb question. Just my opinion but I would start with a single neck E9 with 3 pedals and 3 knee or 4 knee levers. Aquiring technique and getting familiar and comfortable with the instrument will get you a few years into playing.
Good luck,
Lenny |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 6:09 am
|
|
Not dumb questions. Good ones for someone just getting into pedal steel guitar.
The two common tunings are the E9th chromatic (or "Nashville") tuning, which is what you hear on 99% of the recordings. The other is the C6th tuning which some consider their "jazz" or "western swing" tuning. The C6th tuning is also used by non-pedal (lap) steeler's.
The most common E9th pedal setup is 3 pedals in either the "Emmons" (most common) or "Day" setup. The knee levers do the same thing as the pedals, raise/lower strings and four or five knee levers are most common.
The C6th usually has 5 foot pedals (thus the 8 floor pedals you see commonly on double neck guitars) and at least one knee lever.
For a starter, the GFI Expo S-10 model, would make a good starter and even a good pro model. It is E9th and has three floor pedals (Emmons setup) and four knee levers that cover the most common changes. Bobbe Seymour, Steel Guitar Nashville, is featuring this guitar right now on his web site CLICK ME |
|
|
|
Larry Phleger
From:
DuBois, PA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 6:17 am
|
|
IMHO Jeff Newman's Up From the Top is the best way to start out on E9. You will need a guitar with a minimum of 3 pedals and 4 knee pedals, but you can get by with 3 knee pedals to start. Jeff was an excellent teacher and we are fortunate to have his teaching available on video and CD. This series and others are available at Jeffran College. Here is a link to the Up From The Top series. Read the info and see what you think.
http://www.jeffran.com/courses.php?content=UpFromtheTop |
|
|
|
Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 6:18 am
|
|
Hi David,
If you live anywhere around Fort Worth,I'd be happy to work with you. Having someone help you makes learning so much faster and easier.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
|
|
|
John McConnell
From:
Yuba City, CA, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 6:26 am
|
|
What Jack said is good. The "Day" and Emmons" setups are just mirror images of each other as far as the function of the 3 pedals and their relationship to the knee levers and it is entirely up to you. The "Emmons" is used more, but not any better. I would recommend getting some of the old Jeff Newman beginning courses such as "Just play the Melody" and "Backing Up the Singer". Also, Mickey Adams has a new beginning course that is very good, though a little pricey. I started about the same age as you and I am now 63. I play with a Country Band regularly switching off on Tele and Steel and really enjoying it. I owe most of my development to the generosity of the forum members. There are no stupid questions except the ones you don't ask.
John McConnell
ShoBud Professional-Peavey Nashville 1000
Fender B-Bender Tele-Twin Reverb |
|
|
|
Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 7:13 am
|
|
Welcome! I echo Dick's suggestion. If you're anywhere near him, take him up on his generous offer. Otherwise, I bet there are several others somewhere close that will be happy to get you started. Nothing beats hanging out with experienced steel players. It can save you years of frustration.
The instruction material mentioned is good as well. Check out the tunings/copedents button at the top of the links page here and you can see what tunings some pros use. http://b0b.com/tunings/index.html
Good Luck. Keep us posted and holler if you need help. |
|
|
|
Graeme Jaye
From:
Spain
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 7:26 am
|
|
| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| The two common tunings are the E9th chromatic (or "Nashville") tuning, which is what you hear on 99% of the recordings. The other is the C6th tuning which some consider their "jazz" or "western swing" tuning. |
Jack, would you care to expand on the above a little bit?
I'm another new player (couple of months now and started a bit late at 67) and my first instrument is an S10, E9th tuning. I'm more of a jazz/swing/latin player than a country one and everything I do always seems to sound very country to me (although I realise that it's very early in the game and I'm till struggling to find my way around th instrument).
Reading what you wrote is making me wonder if I would not be better off with a C6 tuning, given my musical preferences?
_________________
Graeme
Some of my music here |
|
|
|
Rick Winfield
From:
Pickin' beneath the Palmettos
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 7:31 am welcome
|
|
Welcome Dave
Rick
Last edited by Rick Winfield on 21 Aug 2010 8:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 7:47 am
|
|
BTW-If you do live close,come by Rodeo Exchange in the Fort Worth Stock Yards either tonight or Saturday and you can check out what I play and talk shop.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 8:54 am
|
|
Graeme,
The E9th Chromatic tuning is what is used on almost all recordings out of Nashville that use pedal steel guitar. "Together Again" and "Look At US" are two very good examples of what can be done with the E9th tuning.
The C6th tuning would be more suited to what you want to do. The Bob Wills type songs, Hawaiian, Jazz, etc would be more suited for the C6th tuning. All of this can be played on the E9th tuning but the C6th makes it easier. |
|
|
|
David Hoskins
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 8:57 am
|
|
well, DUH!!! two necks...at least twice the pedals! HAHAHA! never thought of that.
thanks for the warm welcome and all of the informative responses. you have all answered my questions. funny, the GFI is exactly what i have been looking at, particularly the model with the arm pad. thanks again.....now to go find a steel guitar!
david
ps...i live in magnolia, about 40 miles NW of houston. |
|
|
|
Dave Ristrim
From:
Whites Creek, TN
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 10:34 am
|
|
The most popular tuning is the 10 string E9. I say get a single 10 string, with 3 pedals and 4 knees. If you can find a double neck 10 string that is of similar quality and doesn't cost much more, buy it. That way you can experiment on the C6 neck, or just get around to it when and if you decide to. There's plenty on just one neck.
You should be having fun with it in no time at all. Enjoy. |
|
|
|
David Hoskins
From:
Texas, USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 11:38 am
|
|
| well, that didn't take long. just picked up a GFI Ultra S-10 PU on ebay for about half what a new one would cost! hahaha! wish me luck! |
|
|
|
Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 12:00 pm
|
|
Try and go to some Steel Guitar club get togethers.
Check it out first hand.
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes |
|
|
|
Graeme Jaye
From:
Spain
|
Posted 20 Aug 2010 2:39 pm
|
|
Jack, thanks for your comments.
| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| The E9th Chromatic tuning is what is used on almost all recordings out of Nashville that use pedal steel guitar. "Together Again" and "Look At US" are two very good examples of what can be done with the E9th tuning. |
I understand that this is the most popular tuning. It's one reason I went for it myself - thinking if most players used it, it must have something going for it.
However, the two numbers you referecned are what I am finding so wrong for me - to my ears they are distinctly 'country' in structure. I have nothing against country music, it's just not what I want to spend the rest of my life playing  .
| Jack Stoner wrote: |
| The C6th tuning would be more suited to what you want to do. The Bob Wills type songs, Hawaiian, Jazz, etc would be more suited for the C6th tuning. All of this can be played on the E9th tuning but the C6th makes it easier. |
Yes , I think that was really what I was asking. I have no doubt that any type of music can be played with any tuning (in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing) and it more a case of 'would C6 be a ,relative, shortcut to where I want to go?'
I would love to be able to follow up Ken Metcalf's suggestion, but I'm on my own here - literally - there are no psg playes for miles around. However, I am going to the ESGF get-together in France later this year, so I am hoping this will provide more insight into what and how others play.
_________________
Graeme
Some of my music here |
|
|
|
