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Topic: The Learning Curve-Brumley kicks newbie's butt! |
Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 22 Aug 2013 5:19 am |
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A couple days ago, Rolene Brumley sent me the two Toms (Bradshaw and Brumley)fine tablature book for "Tom Cattin'", along with the backing tracks.(Thankyou Rolene!) I also found a clean copy of the vinyl record for a fair price which will come today. Meanwhile, I've been working on a couple of tunes available on Youtube.
I thought that after a year I was getting someplace on this instrument, but trying to learn some of these licks, never mind the tunes, is tough. I love Tom Brumley's playing; easily one of my favorite players, but boy! do I have a whole new respect for his style after trying my hand at this stuff! Putting me in my place proper.
I am starting my first lessons this weekend and am really looking forward to it. We all know the pedal steel takes a lot of time and energy to get something halfway decent out of the amp, but what helped some of the more experienced players make the most out of their practice time?
How about you new players, what do you find is working the best for you?
Thanks,
Dan |
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Michael Hummel
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 22 Aug 2013 5:31 am
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Dan: Boy do I know what you mean! I am exactly one year in now, and just when I think I'm getting somewhere I will try to duplicate a part on a song by any pro player.
I think two things have helped me the most -- one is getting my hands on Jeff Newman's fundamental lessons. And a few months ago I started taking lessons on Skype with John McClung. (Being out of work just now, I have stopped lessons, hopefully temporarily). John really helped me clean up a couple of bad habits and got me thinking in a more efficient manner when trying to learn parts by ear. It really is true that most of the time the pros find the simplest way to get something done. I was often making things too complicated.
And while it can be a little boring at times, nothing takes the place of practicing the fundamentals just to help solidify the muscle memory (palm blocking exercises, picking exercises, harmonized scales, etc.)
It always helps to have encouragement too! Most of us are pretty hard on ourselves and chances are we really are better than we think.
Cheers,
Mike
_________________
MSA Classic 5+4
Too many 6-strings and amps to list |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 22 Aug 2013 7:37 am
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| The Tom Cattin book has a few mistakes in it which you should discover in time. If you can play every tune on that album note for note you have accomplished something. The right hand blocking is essential. |
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Greg Cutshaw
From:
Corry, PA, USA
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 22 Aug 2013 1:21 pm
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Thanks for posting that Greg. A few months ago I was going through some of your pages and found it a real treat to be able to work up some intros and parts from Merle Haggard's and Ernest Tubb's repertoire. A lot of what you do is amazing and revisiting the pages just now, I can see I've come along a little bit, enough to apprehend more of the passages and certain parts, like the Brumley style lick you just put up. Maybe now I can start getting into more of the material you have. Thanks for sharing your generous resources.
Michael, I really like going over Newman's articles in the old Steel Guitarist magazine, and just reworking my palm blocking and pick positioning with the right hand Alpha information was a big boost in efficiency and accuracy. That is one thing I can say after a year, my blocking is pretty clean. That is one of the reasons I thought I was ready to tackle Brumley.
ha!
I should really check out more of Newman's stuff proper.
Kevin, if I can play Brumley's stuff note for note someday, I will have exceeded my technical aspiration by a long shot.  |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2013 8:37 am
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I'll second that the tab book has some errors that might throw off a beginner, so just be aware of that. It'll get you in the ballpark though.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 24 Aug 2013 2:07 pm
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| Good to know, Jerome. Thanks! |
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 24 Aug 2013 6:14 pm
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Daniel you are taking the correct approach, blocking is everything.
Larry Behm
_________________
'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Stereo Steel amp, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533 |
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Daniel Policarpo
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Posted 27 Aug 2013 6:29 pm
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| Thanks for the assurances, Larry. It's definitely one of the things I pay attention to on just about every exercise and new motor memory function I come across; that and remembering where the dang escape hatch is from wherever I get myself cornered into. |
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