Seating at your steel question

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

When I set down to my steel, its done with no thought. I set at the exact same position automatic with no thought. The 12th fret is square to the middle of my chest with my body at a slight turn to the left and about 6 to 8 inches from the steel. Ive seated this way for many years.

My question is,,I see some who are perfectly square up to the steel & almost touching the steel,,,especially D 10 players (Im a S-10 player) and others who may be seated far back from thier steel,,I guess to be able to see the pedals?

I see some who are so close,, they are looking almost straight down on the fret board.

In all the years Ive played this instrument,, I have never heard or had anyone make reference to the proper way one should be seated at the steel,,,has anyone ?

I guess it may be ones personal preference,,go with what works.
Or is it??

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

I think so, too! The most important thing is to be comfortable and relaxed sitting behind the Steel, so whatever is best for anybody, works out.

I am not too close to the guitar body, my body is not touching the steel, that's the way I always did it.

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Doug Seymour · From: Jamestown NY USA (deceased)

I think you have a valid question! Let's see if any of the pros answer you! Good going

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

The center of my chest is aligned with the 16th fret. I like to be able to see the 12th fret good and also it helps me in playing down in "Hughey Land". I almost never play past the 20th fret, though. I guess it's just whatever you get used to and how your leg fits the right knee levers.

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

well, I ain't no pro by any means, but I center around the 12th fret also. I have to be fairly close to the guitar because my eyesight, is gettin worse all the time.I have to be able to see the fret board.

Richard, is there any particular reason why you sit at an angle to your guitar? just curious, if it'll help me play better, I'll be glad to sit at an angle.

[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 28 March 2004 at 06:27 AM.]

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

There have been a number of threads on this forum where a player states what fret he sits directly behind. And it does vary.

Just a gut feeling "average" puts it around fret 18. Some of course higher, some lower.

As to how far under (or back) the average player sits from his steel, I have not read much or thought about it. There was a discussion on Bobby Seymour's (now defunct) forum about placement (front to back) of knee levers.

Consensus was that most players preferred their right knee levers to be in the middle (frong to back) of the guitar; whereas the left knee levers (E9th) more towards the rear of the guitar.

This would tend to lend credence to the fact that most sit closer to the changer end. Again not sure how close or distant to the guitar.

I believe that a great deal of what we notice was spawned during the beginning stages of a player learning to play steel. And of course just simple differences in humans from one another.

This applies to how one holds the bar or right hand picking style, etc. Not sure there is a "right" way. But I will say this, IMO Jerry Byrd and Buddy Emmons, probably emulate the best way.

carl

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

When I play the E9th neck, I slide in pretty close to the guitar. However, when I play the C6th neck, I always find myself sliding back away from the guitar a bit. I think the location of your right knee pedals, in the most part, determines what fret you line up with.
Erv

Paul King · From: Gainesville, Texas, USA

I recall several years ago Jeff Newman discussing this topic. He said the buttons on your shirt should line up with the 15th fret. It feels comfortable to me in that position. I would say it is whatever feels comfortable to each player. We all know each guitar is different and everyone is different as well. I wonder what a person does if they have no buttons on their shirt to line up with. Just a thought.

Pat Burns · From: Branchville, N.J. USA

...they take off their shirt and line up their bellybutton...

Walter Stettner · From: Vienna, Austria

George,

I think you should be nominated for the "word of the month" award for "Hughey Land"! I love that term!

Kind Regards, Walter
www.austriansteelguitar.at.tf

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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

I centre myself at the 17th fret - the justification for me is being able to 'sight' the higher fret-markers from directly above, as these demand greater precision with the bar. It's easier to see the lower registers in my peripheral vision.

I, too, tend to sit back a little when playing the 'C' neck, 'though no matter how far back I am, I seem to touch the body of the guitar. Susie says that this is due to too much time spent at the dinner table!

RR

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

Dang you Pat Burns

You just caused me to spill my coffee

Your post friend was priceless.

carl

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I've heard this discussion for several years now and NEVER paid much attention to it as I had "my place" and that was it.

I just went to the Emmons and discovered that my "buttons" are most nearly in line with the 15-17 fret area. I double checked that with the Rick "on a stand" and it figures out to be nearly the same.

Personally, I always visualized WHERE the ROUND HOLE would be on a flat top guitar (the kind I learned to play steel on) and then srive to do my picking in the area nearest the right hand edge of that ROUND HOLE position. This not only provides for a mellow tone while picking but it also provides your left arm with a full sweep of the neck from open up to about the 15th fret.
The round hole reference was pretty much rigid.......since the attach point of the guitar neck and the body fit snuggly into the inner thigh just above one's left knee. This assured that the right picking hand would be in the same place each time. It's worked for me.........

[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 28 March 2004 at 09:14 AM.]

Richard Tipple · From: Ohio, USA

Hi Terry
The reason I sit at a slight angle is I dont square up my left foot to the pedals.
If I square up my body to the 12th fret or so and try to keep my left foot square to the pedals,,to me it puts an abnormal bend in the left ankle for me when working the LKR & LKL levers.
Some players work the pedals more by swinging the leg from the knee down with less ankle movement. I work the pedals more with my ankle movements for better speed.
Its easier to move the ankle for speed than moving the whole leg from the knee down. Lord knows as steel players, we have enough movement going on with legs, ankles, hands Etc. so less movement is better for me.
Also this position gives me a little better perifial vision of the fret board.
Hope this makes sence

Richard Gonzales · From: Davidson, NC USA

I play an S12 and position the center of my body at the 15th fret. I position my chair so I can get up and down without moving the chair. It allows me to sit on the front edge of the chair which gives about an 8" clearance to my body. I am sitting square to the guitar which the DAY setup allows. When I had the EMMONS setup I found my body position slanted to the left which gave me some problems. The height of my guitar/chair
allow my forearms to be parallel to the floor. I keep this consistent and find it is really helping me to improve my playing.

[This message was edited by Richard Gonzales on 28 March 2004 at 10:09 AM.]

George Kimery · From: Limestone, TN, USA

Walter, I wish I could take credit for the term "Hughey Land", but I am afraid I can't. I read it somewhere in the past on the forum. I don't remember who posted it, and I don't know if it was original with them. Will the real "Hughey Land" author, please step forward and be recognized. It is a great description, for sure.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I center around the 15th fret also. On the topic of the right knee levers determining where you line up the center of the body, in most cases this is probably true. I gave lessons to a guy many years ago that actually slanted his right knees so he centered his body more around the 8th to 10th fret and his volume pedal was actually slanted so much to the right that the front half of it was out past the right endplate.

And, the term "Hughey Land" has been around for many years. I believe that I heard that when my mother gave birth to me, the doctor said that she was screaming at a pitch somewhere up in "Hughey Land".

I would guess that she had his vibrato in her voice also.

Terry Sneed · From: Arkansas,

Thanks Richard. and yea, that makes since. I also try to bend at the ankle when usin my pedals. I think your right about givin more speed that way.

[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 28 March 2004 at 02:51 PM.]

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