moving from AB to BC pedal quickly

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

I have been working on Nashville to Bakersfield in the Winnie Winston book and have a question for you guys. There is a passage in the tunes where you have to switch from AB foot position to BC pretty quickly. When doing this do you keep your heel in the same place and just pivot the front of the foot or do you reposition your whole foot ? It's hard to reposition quickly but my feet are pretty small so pivoting doesn't work too well for me either. I'm sure eventually I will get the hang of it one way or the other but if there is a "right" way I would like to focus on that before I get into a bad habit I cant break.
thanks in advance !
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Don Brown, Sr. · From: New Jersey

Karen,

A lot of people have trouble getting from the BC to the AB pedals, etc. But with lots of practice, I will insure you, you'll be able to do it instantly.

I'd say to keep your heel as centered as possible around the B pedal, and (even with small feet) you should be able to master that move. It's one that's just as important as any other moves on the pedal steel.

I think Bob at one time, said he has trouble with that move and doing it quickly, as well.

Keep practicing and it will become a natural..... Wink

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I 2nd that opinion
Keep practicing that move and you'll get it.
Centering on the B pedal helps a lot.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Some of us have put the string-4 E>F# on a knee lever so you can stay at the A+B position and get the B+C change with the A-pedal and the knee that raises E>F# (the C pedal is now free to put some other change on, or just remove it).
You could always just play the A-Pedal and the open F# string, also.
If that really fast repeating up/down on the BC pedals lick is important to you, than stick with the pedal. Having it on a knee lever opens the door to some cool usages, but closes the door on the really fast BC pedal pumping.

Steve Norman · From: Seattle Washington, USA

also altering your pedal heights to help you feel the pedals makes it easier to accurately located the target pedal(s). I raise my a the highest and my c is second highest.
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Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

it's a very fast action that can take years to master...

it's not as much about where things should be adjusted but rather YOU getting to know your own instruments . Each time you sit at your Steel just make that AB to BC move 25 or 30 times..it's called routine...

good luck

t
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David Nugent · From: Gum Spring, Va.

One additional thing you might check while practicing the move. When you raise your foot to make the change, the left foot should be raised only enough distance to fully release pressure on the pedals. Any more and speed and accuracy may be sacrificed....FWIW: The way I approach it is to release the "A&B" pedals and as I pivot on my heel, slide my foot over the pedal tops(being careful not to exert any downward pressure) until the left half of the sole of my boot is positioned over the "B" pedal.

Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

thanks for all the replies. I'm pretty psyched to be able to get this down. I will keep working on it. practice makes perfect
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Emmons PP, Mullen G2 and Discovery

Brandon Ordoyne · From: Needville,Texas USA

Karen, I am not sure how your pedal heights are setup, but, you might try raising your "C" pedal a little higher than your "B" pedal. I find that this helps when playing. When I slide my foot from the "AB" pedals to the "BC" pedals, I can feel the "C" pedal with my foot because it is raised higher. After you get used to it, it comes natural. This is just my approach. Hope it helps!

OOPS!..I just saw Steve Norman's post...I second that! Smile

Brandon
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

You need to sit where you're comfortable rocking off and on the AB pedals then pivoting around to the BC position. Sitting at my guitar, I find that my heel is angled inward more toward and closer to the C pedal than the B pedal. It's easy to pivot around to BC from there.

That's just the way it feels natural and comfortable for me. I had to go look just now as I hadn't thought about it in years until you brought it up, which means that it's become second nature for me. Your positioning will also after some time.

I would venture a guess that even if I were playing the Day setup, my foot positioning would be much the same as that's the way your legs and feet angle toward the outside when sitting at the guitar.

Still, some people pick up their entire foot for that maneuver. I don't know if that's good or bad technique. I think the general consensus is that pivoting is the most common and most efficient method.

You should arrange all your pedals and levers so that you feel comfortable playing in all positions, so whatever that takes is likely the right way for you. You shouldn't have to strain or stretch to engage any of them.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

karen..whatever works comfortably for you is the right way. my left foot usually is sort of sideways and i slide it right or left more than actually pivoting on my heel.

JR Ross · From: New Mexico, USA

You would be surprised at how much easier this move is in Cowboy boots .. Thats why I always perform in boots rather than sneakers.. Boots need to be soft leather though and worn in. Cheap boots wont be comfortabe or subtle enough..

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

When I read the topic title, "Nashville To Bakersfield" was the first thing that came to mind. It's a tough lick, for sure.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Back in the bad old days, the first three pedal were closer together! Here's a pic of Fingertip pedals. In the pic, the first rod was off for adjustment of the pedal height, but you can see how much closer together they are, and how the third pedal is "clipped," to make access to the second pedal easier;

Bill Terry · From: Bastrop, TX

I think it was Ricky Davis that told me many years ago that it was like driving a car with a manual transmission. He said after a while, you don't think about where the clutch pedal is you just put your foot on it... and it will be the same with pedal changes once you do it enough times. Ricky was right..

Sidebar: I had to look to see whether I pivot or move my entire foot, I couldn't have told you. (Turns out I move my foot, but it also rotates clockwise just a bit)
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Karen Sarkisian · From: Boston, MA, USA

much appreciated guys !
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Emmons PP, Mullen G2 and Discovery

David Ellison · From: California, USA

I don't pivot my foot to switch between the A,B and B,C pedals... I pick it up and put it down. You're already having to cover two pedals at a time with your foot, covering three is too much. My foot is always either in the middle of the A&B, or in the middle of the B&C. I actually don't use the B&C combination that much.

I think that if you just practice picking it up and moving it, you'll get it pretty quick. Just like with everything else involved in playing, your body just gets used to making the right motion.

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