| Author |
Topic: Exercise for left foot standard E9 |
Jan Strock
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 17 May 2013 4:40 am |
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| I was wondering if anyone can suggest an exercise to help with speed and accuracy on the A-B-C pedals. I am playing a new Discovery with standard Mullen configuration. Should the left heel be planted while moving the toe from A-B to B-C? |
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Carl Kilmer
From:
East Central, Illinois
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Posted 17 May 2013 6:57 am
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Hi Jan, I always have my heel rested on the floor and
just pivot the foot from left to right as needed to hit
which ever pedals I need. Ocassionally my foot might
move forward a little, but I can feel it and pull it back.
_________________
aka "Lucky Kay"--Custom built Rittenberry SD10 3X5, Walker S/S, NV-112, and Hilton Pedal |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 17 May 2013 7:00 am
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Basically, you can't do anything fast, if you can't do it slow.
One song I use for beginers for AB-to-BC is, Knockin' On Heavens Door.
It is slow and it's easy to play along with the original version (pull it up on Youtube or whatever).
I put the AB to BC section in italics:
Starting on Fret-3:
G - Fret3 - No pedals or Levers
D - Fret 5 - Pedals AB
Am - Fret3 - Pedals BC
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G - Fret3 - No pedals or Levers
D - Fret 5 - Pedals AB
C - Fret3 - Pedals AB
I just tried it with my ankle on the floor behind the C-pedal [edit: I changed this from B-pedal after looking closer], and my ankle raised above the floor.
I'd say pivoting the foot with the ankle on the floor behind the C-pedal was easier, but it gets into the personal preference zone.
iirc, Jeff Newman would say, "...put on cowboy boots and pivot off of the heel".
Another basic AB>BC practice song is Fire On The Mountain by The Marshall Tucker Band (YouTube).
The Chorus is all G > D >Aminor> C, then back to Em or G:
G - Fret3 - No Pedals or Levers - Fire On The Mountain
D - Fret 5 - Pedals AB - Lightnin In The Air
Am - Fret3 - Pedal BC - Gold In Them Hills
C - Fret3 - Pedals AB - And It's Waitin' for Me
G - Fret3 - No Pedals or Levers - There
(go back to Em>C after the second time through).
The Verse to this song is all Em>C:
Em - Fret10 - BC
C - Fret3 - AB
This incorporates BC>AB over and over with a Bar hand move as well.
Last edited by Pete Burak on 18 May 2013 2:01 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 17 May 2013 7:51 am
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Pete, why not 3A/3AB or 8/8D# for the verses?
I found it easier to LEARN pedal steel keeping the heel anchored behind B.
Several years ago, I started resting my foot wherever (typically closer to me, usually tapping time), i it to the pedals as needed. I rarely send the foot to the wrong pedal, and rarely have to check its position. But I've watched better players than me play anchored.
I'd still say that learning anchored provides a more amenable learning curve.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 17 May 2013 8:26 am
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
Pete, why not 3A/3AB or 8/8D# for the verses?
I found it easier to LEARN pedal steel keeping the heel anchored behind B.
Several years ago, I started resting my foot wherever (typically closer to me, usually tapping time), i it to the pedals as needed. I rarely send the foot to the wrong pedal, and rarely have to check its position. But I've watched better players than me play anchored.
I'd still say that learning anchored provides a more amenable learning curve. |
The OP is asking about AB to BC excersizes.
No other reason.
Last edited by Pete Burak on 18 May 2013 2:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 17 May 2013 8:33 am
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Practice per Pete's post. For placement, I think it depends a lot on your guitar's pedal size and spacing. Also your shoe size and your anatomy.
I find behind my Mullen or Zum, my heel is almost directly behind the C pedal. That is a natural feel for playing off the AB position and swiveling off the heel for BC or for any one particular pedal. [Example is Emmons set-up here.]
Having your foot splayed outward is lots more comfortable that being perfectly straight behind the pedals in my experience.
Last edited by Jerry Overstreet on 17 May 2013 10:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill Moore
From:
Manchester, Michigan
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Posted 17 May 2013 9:12 am
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I agree with what Jerry said, heel in line with the C pedal. Then just practice.  |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 17 May 2013 9:34 am
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outwardly splayed foot for me too. and cowboy boot with heal.
once again...this is all stuff you pick up on that fits in your comfort zone to get the job (whatever pedal function) done. can't really be taught as a proper one-way-is-best thing.
unfortunately you will occassionally have to use your brain. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 18 May 2013 3:05 pm Re: Exercise for left foot standard E9
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| Jan Strock wrote: |
| Should the left heel be planted while moving the toe from A-B to B-C? |
Generally, yes.
| Quote: |
| I was wondering if anyone can suggest an exercise to help with speed and accuracy on the A-B-C pedals. |
Play...just play. Nothing else is required.  |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 19 May 2013 2:57 am
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This again falls into the one-size-does-not-fit-all category. There are no hard and fast rules. Just do what feels right to you.
I promise you, nobody will ever come up to you on a gig and complain about where you have your heel. Or the diameter of your bar, or the thickness of your picks.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Rick Schacter
From:
Portland, Or.
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Posted 19 May 2013 9:47 pm
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| Go to youtube and look for Mickey Adams video about using the abc pedals. |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 19 May 2013 10:00 pm
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| I don't think pedal excercises are really necessary. The pedals and knee levers are the easiest part of PSG. It's the right hand (blocking) and left hand (vibrato,intonation) which are the hard part. Just play songs that require both AB & BC and the pedal movement will come naturally. |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 22 May 2013 3:56 am
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TTTTTiming is everything!
_________________
ARTIST RELATIONS: MSA GUITARS
2017 MSA LEGEND XL D10, S10, Studio Pro S12 EXE9
Mullen G2, Rittenberry S10, Infinity D10, Zumsteel 8+9
Anderson, Buscarino, Fender, Roman Guitars, Sarno Octal, Revelation Preamps, BJS BARS, Lots of Blackface Fenders! |
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Chris Walke
From:
St Charles, IL
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Posted 28 May 2013 12:11 pm Re: Exercise for left foot standard E9
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| Jan Strock wrote: |
| I was wondering if anyone can suggest an exercise to help with speed and accuracy on the A-B-C pedals. I am playing a new Discovery with standard Mullen configuration. Should the left heel be planted while moving the toe from A-B to B-C? |
From Joe Wright:
https://www.pedalsteel.com/joe/Members/tea/ank/ankle.html |
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