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Topic: Pulled strings. |
Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 20 Aug 2011 11:13 am |
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Okay, I can do it but am not sure how to use the technique. Can anyone point me to a song that will show me a good way to put this to use?
Thanks!
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Brian |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 20 Aug 2011 11:22 am
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Brian, here are 2 examples of recordings I did of pedal steel tunes using pulls on non-pedal:
Bud's Bounce
Afternoon Of A Swan
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 20 Aug 2011 11:27 am
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Thanks, Mike. I had already thought of buying the Bud's Bounce lesson from you after I get the first one under my fingers.
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Brian |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 20 Aug 2011 4:11 pm
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Steve, I played that on C6, 8 string with E on top. There isn't much bending, just a few spots. Most of it is slanting and quick bar moves. That is my favorite Speedy West tune and I think one of the greatest tunes written for steel guitar.
That is the hardest tune I've ever arranged for non-pedal. I started doing a lesson for it, but only got half-way through the notating and tabbing. I plan on finishing it up soon.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 24 Aug 2011 8:09 am String Pulling
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Just my opinion and it isn't meant to insult anyone! However, please don't even dream of doing that on any steel of mine! One good player tried that on my ’49 Fender T-8 Custom™ and that was the end of his playing, in no time flat! If you want to sound like a PSG, then go buy your own artical! Regardless of how good or bad it sounds, “Not on any of my instruments! Sorry if I offended any one, but; it's set in stone with me and I've wanted to tell it for a long, long time! Carry on!
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<marquee> Go~Daddy~Go, (No), Go, It's your Break Time</marquee> L8R, jb
My T-10 Remington Steelmaster
Last edited by John Bechtel on 24 Aug 2011 11:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2011 11:04 am
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| When I want to pull strings, I sit down at my pedal steel. I know it's expensive to have one. I also get pedal-like effects by slanting the bar on my lap steels, but it's not the same. Bud's Bounce is nicely tabbed out in Winnie Winston's pedal steel book, btw. |
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J. Michael Robbins
From:
Dayton, OH now in Hickory, NC
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 28 Aug 2011 6:05 pm
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Well, I have now! Thanks!
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Brian |
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Hal Braun
From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2011 9:00 pm
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John
Not insulted, just wondering why it bothers you? I'm not good enough to even start bending strings on a lap steel, but I just watched a video by Arlen Roth and he bends the heck out of them. I also bend the heck out of my strings on both my Les Paul and my 335, and both of them cost more than any steel I own and have been doing it for years with no ill effect.
Did your guitar get damaged somehow?
Thanks! |
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Steve Ahola
From:
Concord, California
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 12:42 am
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String bending is one of many techniques used on lap steel guitars. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the masters from the 30's did a little bending of their own. The only downside I see (at least for myself) is that you tend to use lighter strings if you plan to do a lot of bending, and I think that you can get a better tone and quicker response from heavier strings. Of course some guys can use heavy strings and still bend the sh*t out of them.
I see no problem whatsoever with doing a little bending to sweeten the chords in your slants by making them more in tune.
Steve Ahola
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www.blueguitar.org
Recordings on electric guitar:
http://www.box.net/blue-diamonds
http://www.box.net/the-culprits |
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 8:11 am
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| First, the desire to bend strings is why I play pedal steel, too. Second, before the pedal steel came along in the 50's, I don't believe steeleers bent strings, except for the African American bluse guys who bent strings to play the blues. A great example of pedal steel influenced singing is the song "Once More", in which the Osborne Brothers used pedal steel-like harmonies to great effect. I get somewhat the same effect by slanting the bar (in either direction) to go from a I to an IV chord and back. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 8:53 am
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| John Aldrich wrote: |
| First, the desire to bend strings is why I play pedal steel, too. Second, before the pedal steel came along in the 50's, I don't believe steeleers bent strings, except for the African American bluse guys who bent strings to play the blues. A great example of pedal steel influenced singing is the song "Once More", in which the Osborne Brothers used pedal steel-like harmonies to great effect. I get somewhat the same effect by slanting the bar (in either direction) to go from a I to an IV chord and back. |
Pulling strings is fun for the lap steel players who don't want to play pedal steel. Simple as that. In E tuning, I can emulate the AB pedal move and maintain the note on the top string. It's not something I do often, but if the desire strikes me, who am I to deny it? 
The best use of pulling strings, though, is to get specific chords that are otherwise unavailable. A perfect example is the augmented chord, and the dom7#11 chord, such as used in the tune Tenderly (it ain't easy, though!):
http://www.mikeneer.com/Tenderly.htm
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 9:21 am
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| John Aldrich wrote: |
| Second, before the pedal steel came along in the 50's, I don't believe steeleers bent strings, |
Perhaps Billy Robinson could weigh in on that......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSGkL_c5nT4&feature=related
Bend 'em if ya' got 'em...I always say......I think that string bending doesn't make you (collectively) sound like you're playing a pedal steel....sure, it gives you somewhat the flavor of one when you alter the pitch by manipulating the string, but not the sound and tone......so what you realy have is a momentary hybrid sound that is not distinctively straight steel nor pedal steel, but something in between......
If you've ever seen Herb Remington play pedal steel.....his style is using the pedals to change tunings and to get certain chords....not the moving tones that we're so used to hearing on pedal steel.....
Last edited by HowardR on 29 Aug 2011 9:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 9:21 am
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| .......... |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 12:45 pm
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Howard, I'm sure you can edit your last post (the double post) with your favorite pulled pork joke!
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