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Topic: Western Swing dance band........foundations. |
S.M. Johnson
From:
Oregon, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2011 8:33 pm |
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If there even is a center for country-western dance bands........are the steel players playing in the old traditional non-pedal style that got its birth on 1950-ish double/triple neck Fenders or Bigsbys or Nationals...........or
Has EVERYONE jumped over to play western swing with the currently popular E9th pedal tuning? Some folks hang on to the notion that those old 6, 7 and 8 string tunings with all of their limitations is actually what gave music of that day.....it character. |
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Aug 2011 8:49 pm
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I was raised on the western swing style of steel guitar played during the late 40's and 50's, and played many dances then using my Fender 3 neck with the A6, E13 and C6 tunings through a Fender Twin amp (no reverb). It was a great sound.
A BIG difference in the sound of real western swing is the beat - it is an orchestra big band swing beat with emphasis on the upbeat and light on the downbeat. No loud electric basses. Listen to some original Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, or Hank Penny for examples. Also, they used no reverb, and the steel guitar amps of that vintage had very limited bass or full sounds of today's amps.
I just played a large western swing gig last weekend
where we had the beat and played a lot Bob Wills stuff. I used my pedal steel,D-10 Emmons for it all.
No reverb and turned down the low setting on my amp.
A lot of the forum members know that I do not use E-9th, but a E 13th tuning I developed in '69 when I got my first pedal steel. I played all of the western swing stuff without using any pedals on either the E13th or C6th necks.
After we played a set of Wills music, and went into the Ray Price, and George Strait standards (not western swing in my books), I cranked up the reverb and lows on the amp and played lots of pedals.
You do not have to buy another vintage rig just to play the old western swing, just try to play all those licks the old way - by moving the bar, and also learn the C6th without using pedals.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 8:23 am
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| Quote: |
Has EVERYONE jumped over to play western swing with the currently popular E9th pedal tuning? Some folks hang on to the notion that those old 6, 7 and 8 string tunings with all of their limitations is actually what gave music of that day.....it character.
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Include me in the latter camp. The moving tone sound - whether it be E9 or C6 - grates on my ear in Western Swing. I want to hear those beautiful licks and tones pioneered by Leon MacAuliffe, Noel Boggs, Bobby Koeffer, Herb Remington, et al. For perspective, I also prefer not to hear Chuck Berry songs played Eddie Van Halen style. |
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Twayn Williams
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 9:12 am
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| Tim Whitlock wrote: |
| I also prefer not to hear Chuck Berry songs played Eddie Van Halen style. |
Nail on the head!!! I'll have to remember this next time I tell Paul Franklin why I don't like PSG in western swing 
_________________
Primitive Utility Steel |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 29 Aug 2011 8:08 pm
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| In the early years "Asleep At The Wheel" used pedal Steel Guitars. However I have noticed over the years that they reverted back to non-pedal Consule Players which IMHO is a much better fit for the Band and their style of music. |
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