| Author |
Topic: Too many single notes??? |
Tommy Gibbons
|
Posted 18 May 2011 3:37 pm |
|
I've been playing for about 2 years now, and I find myself playing a lot of single note stuff. It's like I'm playing a tele and steel. It sounds OK, but, I don't want to get away from true solid old school country steel!!!
Any ideas???
Thanks, TommyG...
_________________
Mullen SD-10 RP, Evans SE-200, Line 6 POD XT, Peterson Flip Tuner, Geo. L Cable, Hilton Pedal, and D2F Covers for all. |
|
|
 |
Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
|
Posted 18 May 2011 6:40 pm
|
|
Take a single line melody you like and add a third or sixth harmony note to it.
These intervals are commonly heard on steel guitar and often the next step after learning single note scales. Part of the real beauty of PSG is its ability to play two moving note lines independently, with parallel, counterpoint or pedal motion unlike any other instrument.
Clete |
|
|
|
S.M. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 18 May 2011 7:01 pm Just for fun.............
|
|
Why not dig back into the music archives of DECCA records and search out the old Red Foley hits (the mid-1940's), viewable on You Tube, and listen to Billy Robinson at age 18, playing some of the most memorable and beautiful steel guitar back-up and solo's in the history of the instrument.
Among them: Tennessee Border #1; and #2; Careless Kisses;
Kisses on Paper; Birmingham Bounce; Alabama Jubilee, etc. |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 19 May 2011 6:43 am
|
|
The single notes you are playing are the melody notes. If you know the chords, and the chord positions on your guitar, you can add the harmony notes below that single melody note.
This is called "chordal melody" and that's one of the reasons pedals and levers were added to the steel guitar. |
|
|
|
Don Riffle
From:
Oregon, USA
|
Posted 19 May 2011 1:53 pm single notes
|
|
| Heres another approach to the subject. I have a physical problem that took the strength from my hands to the point I could no longer play regular guitar so I thought how about a lap steel as I could hold the bar. Problem with that is I could only use thumb and first finger on right hand so I just went with a flat pick. I tuned open E which of coarse is quite close to regular guitar tuning which was an advantage. I can pick out the melody fairly well after a few months and can use chords for some fill. The point is, I don't think there is any thing wrong with playing different and getting a different sound as long as you are PLAYING. And that is said by a guy that loves the sound of a steel guitar. There are a lot of different sounds and I think if you can get a listener to say that sounds pretty good you are in em.Also thank you to S.M. Johnson for the you tube suggestion, there is some neat music there. |
|
|
|
Allan Jirik
From:
Wichita Falls TX
|
Posted 19 May 2011 7:55 pm
|
|
| I have the opposite problem, I play at least two notes for everything. I've been trying to mix it up, add single notes where they seem to fit. By watching accomplished players on YouTube I've been getting ideas about how to make my playing more dynamic and interesting. |
|
|
|
Jim Priebe
From:
Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
|
Posted 21 May 2011 3:32 pm
|
|
Tommy, I know exacty where you are coming from.
I was (firstly) a guitarist and it took me many years to start 'thinking' in steel guitar language - maybe it's like being multi lingual -and I think that
is the trick to accomplish.
Now my steel style is totally different to my guitar playing Regarding too many single notes - over here audiences generally don't seem want to hear fat chordal melody (too much for the average Joe).
I guess mixing it up is the best. More importantly, you have the opportunity to develop your own style - not just copy the 'greats' or one of them.
Here's a Doug Jernigan quote (I was interviewing him when he was here in Oz)
"many players try to sound like Franklin but we already have Paul!" |
|
|
|
Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
|
Posted 21 May 2011 5:32 pm Re: single notes
|
|
| Don Riffle wrote: |
| ...I could only use thumb and first finger on right hand so I just went with a flat pick... |
Did you try a thumbpick and a fingerpick? If you can hold a flatpick, theres a good chance you may be able to use them. Even if the fingerpick doesnt work out the thumbpick may enable you to use your index for non adjacent string pairs. If you can use the thumb and index independently, you can play any two notes together. Also, have you tried playing without any picks? The Classical Guitar fingerpicking style translates pretty well to steel guitar. How many times have you seen a guitarist with a flatpick between his lips while playing with fingers only, then using it later? Any way you pick it, just keep on pickin'. 
Clete |
|
|
|
