How does a session steel player think of new licks?

David Hartley · Posted 30 Nov 2010 10:28 am

If you're recording on new material and you only have a session ( how ever long that is in the studio ) to get your steel tracked, does the player just play by ear and fit in as many freshly learned licks in the track or get told by the producers when and what to play?

I have been doing a few Internet recording sessions recently, but have the pleasure of taking as much time as I want to try and drop in a new lick or run that I may sit and work out as I record the track. OK, so it's the finished product that gets returned to my satisfaction, and I never have complaints, but when you have to do it in the studio with other musicians on a time scale, how do you think of new stuff to play?

I suppose having a head full of licks and doing it for a living helps as maybe you just have to play daily, and work new bits out?

Do you get many second chances to correct any errors, or do the recording guys pick and choose from the best of what the steel player plays during the track?

Regards to you all, David.

Steve English · From: Baja, Arizona

David,

As an admirer of your performances, I think you have the answers already built in to your natural skills.

As far as intros, turn around/lead sections, and endings, I believe most all that I've heard are derivatives of the melody.

Most times I think simplicity (a necessity in my case) and melody if it's a time constrained session.

If I am allowed the luxury of having time to work at my own pace, I think simplicity (again, a necessity) and melody.

Sometimes a new found lick can be fun..... Cool

.... however, the song is rarely all about the steel (except to us, of course).

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

For ideas at a session I try to forget the pedal steel and all the licks I have ever played or heard. Then I listen to the music and try to think like an orchestrator/arranger. What does the song need to help it work ? If there is a pitchy fiddle I take the 3rds out of my chords to make the fiddle sound better. If the verse is too similar to the chorus I do something to bring one out. If the 3rd verse brings the story together I don't play anything so the words are more clear. If the song is melancholy I might not resolve all my phrases back to the root chord. If the melody and bass line are moving upwards I may play a desending line to bring that out.

To get ideas I try to not listen to steel players. I spend my time time listening to how viola parts in string quartets and trombone lines in Ellington's music work.

Often all that's needed is a couple simple chord pads. To learn about how to place them I listen to the french horn parts in classical music. How Sibelius uses horns in his slower pieces is masterful. If I can play a part that is transparent and yet becomes essential to the recording I'm golden.

With all that what happens most of the time is I try to figure out what the producer wants and play it right away without messing around.

My favorite sessions are the ones where everybody is in the room playing together and nobody screws it up by talking.
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Clyde Mattocks · From: Kinston, North Carolina, USA

I agree with Bob's approach. I'm not thinking of the new lick I learned yesterday. Something inside me plays the lick for me. The foremost thought is how to keep the melody interesting, maybe throwing in a surprise voicing that still suggests the melody. I play a lot of different instuments on sessions and I think that cross pollination keeps the ideas flowing. Don't be afraid to play an old cliche lick. Sometimes that's what works best.
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Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

session players are session players because they can come up with things, be creative, quickly grasp the song or the concept and produce something that will make for a success for the writer/artist/producer. you dont come up with things...you wont get many call backs for more sessions.

in the old days there was a formula....maybe just play the melody of the back half of the chorus for the intro etc... now there is the need for a "hook"...some catchy lick that will act as an intro and catch the ear of the listener telling that this song is coming on the radio or the cd player and grabbing their interest.

i have recorded thousands of session in the last 40+ years on all sorts of instruments...nothing big time, just all sorts of jingles, soundtracks, demos, projects...but no matter where you are recording and for who, the workings are the same.

someone "a producer" is supposed to be in charge. most of the time they have much less musical acumen than the players so they really dont tell you what to play, just keep all the cats herded together and in the same direction. in this situation the players contribute the ideas and make the producer look good and he usually takes all the credit for it and if the project is a success he loves you and puts his name on it. if the project sucks, he blames you for it and moves on to the next project.

sometimes there is an actual arranger who writes out all the music and you just have to play that. i prefer these as you already have what to play in front of you and you just get a handle on it and do it.

seems like the demo mentality rules these days. somebody makes a demo, somebody hears it and pitches it to an artist, the demo is played at the session and you just use that for a guide and change things to make it fit the artist that is using it.

you just never know what is going to go on, until you get in the studio, set your junk up, meet everybody there, get a grip on who to listen to and who to ignore, avoid the bull...t, get a good mix in your phones, play as good as you can, dont make any waves, keep your mouth shut sometimes to the point of blood running down the sides where you have bit your lip too hard from wanting to say something, but knowing you would be better off not to....lol..

takes a special kind of player to really be a fine session player.

just my humble opinion based on my experiences....if you think i dont know what i am talking about, i just applied and was accepted to recieve my American Federation of Musicians Union Pension from the contributions made on my behalf from all the recording i have done over the years. i dont do a lot these days..the biz has changed so much.....i dont miss it that much at all. most of the stuff i hear these is just rehashed crap i heard for years. i rather enjoy just doing overdubs for projects here at my house....with NO ONE AROUND BOTHERING ME!!!!!!!!

Barry Blackwood · Posted 30 Nov 2010 2:42 pm

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

The 3 S's

STYLE, SCALES, and SIMPLICITY

The STYLE of the song dictates the energy level. Where does the steel come in? How much content should it provide? How does the steel interact with other instruments?

The SCALES are dictated by the key and harmonies that are inherent in the chord progression. That determines your palette of notes to choose from.

SIMPLICITY is always appropriate. I assume you've heard Paul Franklin or Buddy Emmons in concert and have also heard them on recordings. Yeah, you will hear catchy ideas (licks) but, compared to a live performance, a simplistic approach to a studio performance will almost always be more appropriate and well received by most producers than a barrage of 16th notes.

I am certainly NOT Paul Franklin but, up front, I tend to ask for a demo at minimum and, if possible, the full track I'll be playing to. I rarely play anything but overdub sessions and find that an hour of preparation can allow a song that might take an hour or more to add the steel part to be done in a half hour or less. In addition, the confidence level when I'm playing something I've run through a few times is MUCH higher than something I just heard.

I really don't think much about licks. Much more about the progression and a countermelody that works with the chords. That's kinda related to both the STYLE and the SCALE part of the 3 S's.

I try never to forget that the SONG is much more important than the STEEL PART.
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Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Bill,

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

Henry Matthews · From: Texarkana, Ark USA

David, I'm in no way or means a session player. The artist would go broke just paying for my time to get it right but the point I'm trying to get to is that this creativeness that you are speaking of is not really new licks. Of course, there are some new stuff that comes from session playing but I'm talking about in general.The licks may be new to you or me but I think that the player is going to play what he knows and maybe arrange things a little different. From my small experience of playing in the studio, that's what happens to me. I'll listen back to what I've done and think that I've been creative but the more I analyze what I've done, I realize I'm just playing stuff I know but in a different order. Session players are special and I know I could never be one. Listening to your stuff, I think you are very creative.---Henry
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Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

I've been studying creativity and innovation for several years now.

There ain't no magic bullet...

It is amazing how no one can quite put a finger on the source of creativity. The academics dance around the issue, but never identify the trait or "genetic" source of the capability. In the literature they give many, many examples (Einstein, Newton, T. A. Edison), but point to the source as being something inherent in the inventor's/creator's imagination.

They do state that having a deep and complete comprehension and understanding of the subject matter is helpful. Wink

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Bart Reed · From: Clarksville,Tennessee

David, funny you should post this question, because I have wondered this very thing myself quite often. On my originals, it's no big deal because I have the luxury of time to hear phrases in my head that I think add something to the song, and of course, the fact that it is my own composition. Therefore, I already have something in mind during the writing of the song.

I would probably be pretty intimidated coming up with something off the cuff for a session in which one is a hired gun, where time and patience can run a bit thin. I have to admire all the great session players who thrive under these conditions, regardless of the instrument they play. To my mind, I have to think Paul Franklin is really the master at this, because I have heard him put outstanding steel work in places I would have never thought it would fit.

I'd love to know how Paul came up with the steel lick in George Strait's "Nobody in His Right Mind". That lick to me is the epitome of well applied steel. It simple, and hauntingly beautiful, and completely defines the song.

Rick Abbott · From: Indiana, USA

Bob H. Your first post is a wealth of ideas, Mr. Hatcher too! It's one thing to devote yourself to the instrument, learning how to play well, and quite another thing to create something new out of the aquired information in learning the instrument.

The last recording session I did I had a tape to practice to. It was way too busy with 2 and 3 guitar tracks, dobro, mandolin on a couple, keyboards on most...you get the idea. I practiced; I went to the session. Not one note I thought up was accepted. The artist hummed what he wanted...I followed his melody, and recorded what was in his head, about 10-15 seconds at a pass, and doubled all the parts. (A) tremendous pain in the you get the point, (SS)
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Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

I just finished a 6 song session today for local heartthrob Connor Christian, and I was wondering about the same things...
As usual, a couple of the songs were easy and natural to me, I came up with parts that fit and sounded good, and supported the song. Sometimes the track is so solid and/or unique that I can just hear a good part.

A couple of others were more of a struggle- nothing obvious presenting itself to my creative self, so I might just elaborate on pads, mirror or answer another instrument in the mix, play something ethereal... fortunately they loved all the steel parts, but as usual I'm left somewhat in awe of the guys who, session after session, can come up with hooks, that not only fit but define the track.

It's a heady skill.
In past chats I've had with session greats, they indicate a good amount of time spent in the 'shed coming up with new twists and turns they hold in reserve for the right needy track.

Marc Jenkins · From: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Thanks for the wealth of great ideas fellas. I've got a session coming up where I've got to record overdubs for potentially several instruments on a few Christmas tunes. Timely advice!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I guess this may sound rather crude, but..and it is no different in any job where creation is required... Some have the gift to create, Engineer, design..etc..

Others have the craft and ability of executing what has been created.. Two totally different worlds, both required.

Session players create, that's how they endure the career, day in and day out,year after year, ......others have the skill of doing it exactly right day in and day out...

If you are at a loss on the session, no big deal, talk with the producer ask what they are looking for, ask them to hum or sing the line that they are hearing in there head..then you play that line...

it will come out fine...

but the best advise is two fold, as mentioned above...

Listen to the producer
( you can't listen if you are talking )

Do what HE/SHE wants

I'm in the middle of an E Session ( it's local as well) on a sort of popish Country Tune, I hear non pedal slide rather than Pedal Steel, I gave him a ruff track with more of a slide style, he liked it but he wants traditional Pedal Steel. Next week I'll do the session at his studio and will play Traditional Pedal Steel, get paid and go home ! Everyone will be happy !

t
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Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Some interesting points Tony brings up- we are all wired a bit differently.
I greatly enjoy the creative process in the studio, hearing fresh tunes and adding something to, hopefully, advance the process is really a joy. In fact, I kind of prefer hearing the tracks first on the session.
I can come up with more solid, refined parts if I work on the track for an hour or two at home, but listening back, the studio spontaneity is lacking. I also love playing original songs (or original licks!) onstage.

On the other hand, playing in copy bands where every note is as close to the recording as possible is difficult to outright drudgery to me.

mtulbert · From: Plano, Texas 75023

Having had the pleasure to work with with guys we all respect in the seventies, the one common theme I got from everybody was that the key was the melody. Hal Rugg told me that this was how he stayed fresh when doing three sessions a day. A couple of years ago I did a post where I had the same song which was recorded by two different artists. One one track the steeler was Hal, on the other it was Weldon. The fills while alittl different were actually quite close. Again showing that these two great players were keying on the melody.

Happy Holidays to all
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

In my old life (pre-'98 when I emigrated) session-work was 90% of my income. I know something about it, and I think Bill Hatcher has hit the nail on the head.
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Roger that is very true, but it first requres a player that can create on the fly..if you can't ceate on the fly it really doesn't matter how good the group is you are sitting with and how much respect you have for each other.

What about the sessions where you are the only player called in that afternoon or evening ? You and the Producer...no group hug !

I have not done all that many session but the ones I did I was the only one tracking, sometimes with an arranger sitting with me talking about the track/song.In some cases it was a distraction because they were thinking they wanted Country but didn't want a Country sound..they didn't want it to sound countryish..they knew nothing about Steel and had no exposure other than " it's a Country instrument". In those cases it reqired drawing on past musical exposure..pop, rock, blues..etc...then a merge of the styles to fit what they had in mind.

it's all good though...

t
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CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Well, I suppose the game has changed with the advent of a bewildering array of technology - these days any number of people might find themselves in a situation where they're asked to 'add some steel' to an existing track, but that's a different world to the one that I recall.

Back in the early '60s I did some studio work, but that was only because of my links with the artist - I was in his group and I was his pal, so there I was, unceremoniously dumped into a situation for which I was decidedly unqualified! He meant well, of course but, back then, guitarists were tolerated rather than welcomed - the Old Guard were still resisting rock and roll for all they were worth, and my aptitude for the style didn't cut any ice with those guys! If it wasn't written on a page, it wasn't 'legit', and it wasn't considered professional music-making!

That was the London scene circa 1962 - I think I rose to the challenge but it wasn't a pleasant experience. I worked hard, though and, although I'm still not a real sight-reader (you either are or you're not - never say you can read unless you're very good at it!), I've learned enough to stay out of trouble.

Adding some steel to an acquaintance's project in an unrushed and pressure-free situation is a very different matter. As Tony says, they often don't know what the instrument does or is capable of, and don't have a clear idea of what they want. That's a far cry from a serious pro session.

Nashville is, and always has been, a very different matter. There the emphasis is often on a player's ability to come up with something on-the-spot, then repeat it as required and play it with skill and authority. Reading isn't a part of that process (outside of the standard N/V number-chart so everyone knows what the chords are), even though I bet that a surprising number of those guys are better readers than some here might imagine. There's a lot of music recorded in Nashville - maybe not as much as there once was, but only some of it is on the 'head arrangement' principal; clearly the only way any orchestral or large-ensemble recording is going to get done is with the benefit of proper charts.

That isn't what David asked, though - his question was related to the 'instant head-arrangement'. I've done that, too, and can't argue with the 'quote the melody' principal (always provided that there is a melody! Then it's a question of the technical skill and confidence of the players involved - self-belief will go a long way in such a scenario. It'd be great if one could execute every musical notion that one could hear in one's head, wouldn't it?

I'm not there yet...
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

I usually feed off of the other instruments, vocalists and I always try to play something the session leader likes. I like to give the leader three different approaches for each intro or turnaround. I always remember who's writing and signing the checks. Keep'em happy! When it's over, I leave and most of the time can't remember what was played w/o first listening to it. Intonation is a must also. Got to be perfect. The tapes don't miss anything.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

I completely agree with Bob Hoffnar on his approach for most of my session playing. Most of my work isn't limited to doing the 'country steel guitar' part, as is also true with Bob's extensive recording experience.

However, I do play the occasional NCS session, where what they want to hear the same old same old. For this type of session, the less original ideas, the better.

Guess which type of session I prefer? Smile

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