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Topic: Tips for a beginner |
Kevin McAdams
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 8:56 pm |
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| I've had my guitar for about a year now but with being busy with this and that I haven't been able to sit down and get into it much but I've recently decided to start devoting more time to learn and wanted to join the forum and start by seeing if some of you guys could give some pointers out for getting started to a newbie. I've got an e9 guitar with three pedals, 4 levers. Built by Bob Simmons here in Alabama, I've gone to see Bob since he built my steel a couple of times, but our schedules don't line up to allow me to get lessons from him so hopefully I can teach myself or try to find someone else in the Birmingham area, hope someone here may be able to help point me in the right direction, Thanks in advance! |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 9:38 pm
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Hi, Kevin, welcome to the forum.
You'll probably get a lot of (mostly helpful) replies. IMO,
Seat time is of paramount importance for steel, or becoming competent at anything. That being said, my experience taught me that taking SMALL ideas, like variations on a seventh run, and shoehorning them into every song or situation I could think of, got me "better" a lot faster than simply running through every lick, tabbed song, book and course i had on hand.
Essential to the above is learning at least rudimentary theory, how it works on your steel, how it works in songwriting and song construction, and how the two go together.
Spend time away from your steel in the forum archives. LOADS of good advice here from many who have been down the road before. Learn the search function!
Please feel free to contact me off the forum. I'd love to be of service if I can in helping you in your pursuit. Best wishes.
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 3:03 am
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Kevin, Mark didn't mention that he actually sells a really good book on music theory aimed at the E9th pedal steel. Mike Perlowin also has a book on theory for beginners, with a supplement for the steel.
The late Bobbe Seymour and Mickey Adams have some very good videos on YouTube.
There is also a very good book called Pedal Steel Guitar by Winnie Winston and Bill Keith that B0b sells through the forum store.
If you're sufficiently technology-enabled, some teachers give Skype lessons.
Welcome to the steel, and there are lots of resources to help you wrap your head around this strange beast.
_________________
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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Bruce Morrison
From:
Panama City Florida, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 5:17 am
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That (a theory approach to the guitar, as opposed to a lick approach) is exactly what I want as I learn. I will be buying those (it looks like it's only on CD?), but next paycheck, as I've been spending WAY too much outfitting myself this week 
The forums strike again. My time reading through these posts has paid off several times. And not to give someone a big head, but it seems like a lot of insights I've gotten have involved Lane restating something in a way that makes it click.
Thanks to both of you! |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 5:46 am
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The Winston/Keith book doesn't really give you "licks", it gives you a good 12-bar melody (harmonized), and if you want "licks", feel free to slice them up yourself: I did, with this book, the Buddy Emmons shuffle course and all 12 hours of Mike Auldridge lesson tapes (when he gave lessons, he'd record both amps and his talking, and give you a tape [later a CD] of the lesson for later review).
The Winston book also has several chapterettes (none of the chapters/sections are very long) giving an explanation of the theory behind what you're doing.
And I thank you for your kind words. In my current job as an OTR trucker, I get rather little chance to do much playing. But I love the PSG, I love talking, and I have plenty of time to talk and write, and some folks think I'm well-spoken (when I'm not distracting myself in the middle of a sentence). So I talk about it when I can't play. I'm glad many find it helpful.
_________________
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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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 5:57 am
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IMO, money well spent for a beginner is Jeff Newmans "Up From the Top" series. he is very through and you will be playing good 'moves' over the standard country chord repertoire after spending time with it. its more along the 'mentality of playing steel guitar' vs just licks (although he uses those for reference). its not cheap, but about what you would pay for good private lessons for a month. dont get em all at once, just as you progress through the series
_________________
'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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Buck Rodgers
From:
Virginia (Yorktown)
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 9:33 am
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Kevin;
Recommend checking out the Mickey Adams series of instructional videos on YouTube. I've found them to be very helpful. Although this is no longer his "real" home page, it provides easy access to all his posted videos > > http://www.richard-sinkler.com/_mickey_adams/index.html < < . Check it out. And good luck.
Buck Rodgers
(also a Rookie) |
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