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Topic: Become a good steel guitar player |
Hank Ruf
From:
Little Elm, Texas USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 3:25 am |
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Become a good steel guitar player
I believe one of the most important factors in becoming good at anything is - Motivation. How do you get motivated? How do you stay motivated?
1 - Set your goals
2 - Make a plan on how to reach them
3 - Look at your plan often - let it inspire you to work harder
Learn technique and scales
Learn the fundamentals. Technique, scales and chords, are in a way building blocks of music. Learn them well, because they give you a strong base for creating your own voice on your steel guitar.
Practice your weaknesses. Play the things you find difficult often, and you will get better at playing them. Practice often - try to play a bit every day, and practice different things. For example, you could practice technique for half an hour, take a break and practice scales for another half hour. You get the idea. Don't just learn to play a song.
Timing - Practice with metronome or drum machine
Timing is everything. You must be able to play the notes with good timing. Make a habit of practicing with a drum machine or metronome, especially when playing scale patterns and such. Get some play-along material you can jam with, or record your own backing tracks. I know most of you don't like to play scales but it is necessary if you want to improve your playing.
Take lessons
Take a few lessons from a teacher with good reputation, and explicitly state to the teacher what you want to achieve. Informing the teacher about your goals and gameplan will make teaching and learning easier and more effective for both parties.
By Hank Ruf
Website: the Steel Guitar Network
Last edited by Hank Ruf on 7 Jun 2016 8:30 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 7:39 am
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Excellent and very clear post! I've been teaching guitar for about 35 years, and I heartily approve of your concepts - thank you!
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 8:30 am
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Great post, Hank. I'll suggest adding then study of theory, as it applies to your instrument and the genres you wish to play within, as a shortcut to "getting better".
Motivation- I'm one of those who avoided theory as overly mathematical or "eggheaded",,, right up until the first time using a theoretical construct made me a demonstrably better player. It's very motivating to learn some small thing that one can see will give one a whole bunch of new ammunition!
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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Buck Grantham R.I.P.
From:
Denham Springs, LA. USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 8:40 am Learning to play steel
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That is great advice Hank. I always tell young players that they need to learn where every chord is on the guitar neck first from memory, and don't try to play just licks first. Buck
_________________
Music to light up your life |
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Hank Ruf
From:
Little Elm, Texas USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 8:42 am
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Good Idea Mark.
Hi Buck longtime no see. |
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Buck Grantham R.I.P.
From:
Denham Springs, LA. USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2016 3:50 pm
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 Hello Hank -- hope you,re doing well....
_________________
Music to light up your life |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2016 4:32 pm Become a good steel guitar player
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New players, this may sound crazy, but you need to learn to play the steel before you learn to play songs. I know it sounds backwards, but sitting for hours and learning to play a song or songs, doesn't get you very far. You could learn to play Steel Guitar Rag great and what better off would you be?
Now if your whole goal is to simply sit at home and play songs for your own enjoyment, (and there is nothing wrong with this if that is what you want to do) then learn all the songs you can and have fun. But if you have any ambition to playing in a band, you will not get to play any of the songs that you have put so much work into, believe me. Bands I have played in for close to 50 years just don't do instrumentals, as a general rule. I play about 30 instrumentals and every once in a while, the singer will ask me to play Way to Survive. I do my turn on our theme song Alabama Jubilee, a few times a night but that's about it.
All the advice in this post is great. Take heed if you want to progress to a decent steel player. |
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Joe Goldmark
From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 8 Jun 2016 5:40 pm
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Well spoken Hank, but you might also want to add:
- don't get health issues
- don't get divorced
- don't get in debt
- don't get depressed
- don't get addicted to anything
- don't get a day job
- don't put family first |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 8 Jun 2016 9:02 pm
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| Joe Goldmark wrote: |
Well spoken Hank, but you might also want to add:
- don't get health issues
- don't get divorced
- don't get in debt
- don't get depressed
- don't get addicted to anything else
- don't get a day job
- don't put family first |
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 9 Jun 2016 4:36 am
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I believe the process described is very good..but as usual I would like to add something.
which is..during the process of becoming a better player its equally important or perhaps MORE important to become a good musician. They are not the same.
A good player can whiz the crowd , play in tune, do all the correct intro's and fills, play great emotional solo's.
A great musician can perhaps do some of that stuff but knows when NOT to do it ! Doing stuff is very important but not near as as important as knowing WHEN NOT TO DO it.
While becoming a better player we should also become better musicians while understanding what the difference is.
There is nothing worse than playing live and getting ready to play the signature turn or fill and someone else just jumps in and does it (differently) which can change the entire direction of the music.
patience grasshopper ! 
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 9 Jun 2016 6:36 am Re: Become a good steel guitar player
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| George Kimery wrote: |
| New players, this may sound crazy, but you need to learn to play the steel before you learn to play songs. |
This fits with Tony's take on becoming a good musician.
And good to read a pro's statement (Joe G.) on the rest of what it takes.  (Now I have good excuses. 'Oops, did that one already....')
Mr. Goldmark can play a lot of songs, but I'll bet he played a lot of music before he recorded them.
Seems like half of my career was playing tunes I hadn't played before. |
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Joe Goldmark
From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 9 Jun 2016 9:10 am
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So I admit, my earlier post was intended to be a little snarky. The point being that life is a bumpy road and your state of mind is going to be different every time you sit down to practice. It's not always easy to practice, as we all know, because of the things I outlined. I would add to that list, just plain being tired, and being discouraged by our own lack of natural talent.
However, I agree with Hank that MOTIVATION is the key ingredient. Having a gig where you have to learn songs, or just finding a tune that excites you to want to cop the licks or add your own, is very important. You'll find that you can practice for hours if you're engaged in creating something or under the gun to learn something. If you're just going to practice scales or technique, good luck doing it for 20 minutes.
Finally, I'd say that the hardest part of practicing is initially sitting down to do it. Once you do that, you have maybe a 70% (?) chance of having an enjoyable half hour or more.
Joe |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2016 10:22 am
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| Joe Goldmark wrote: |
However, I agree with Hank that MOTIVATION is the key ingredient. Having a gig where you have to learn songs, or just finding a tune that excites you to want to cop the licks or add your own, is very important. You'll find that you can practice for hours if you're engaged in creating something or under the gun to learn something. If you're just going to practice scales or technique, good luck doing it for 20 minutes.
Joe |
Joe I agree with that... But would like to know what you’d suggest for someone who has always been a horrible student or one who couldn’t/wouldn’t sit down and practice repetitive drills like scales or technique... like you said, if I get engaged with a song I’m trying to figure out and arrange to my liking, I can sit there for quite a long time..., some of that time perhaps due to my lack of proper technique, not having spent enough time studying theory or scales and how to apply them... So how do I get engaged enough to practice those things?... appreciate your insight.
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com |
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Joe Goldmark
From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 9 Jun 2016 10:39 am
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Hi Dale,
I guess i assume that everyone already knows basic music theory. If you don't you should learn that ASAP in principal, and how it works with the steel.
Scales are amazing on the steel! If you've never tried them, it will open your eyes to where some notes are. What I object to, is practicing them by rote as exercises, just because it's boring. I know that the great players will disagree, and they often do even more basic exercises. But for us fun seekers, find things that make you want to sit there for awhile and enjoy yourself. Simple.
Joe |
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Dale Rottacker
From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2016 10:43 am
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As far as performance goes, playing within one's ability can make one sound better than one actually is.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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Ron Scott
From:
Michigan
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Posted 12 Jun 2016 11:08 am
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Well said Joe on the last comment and especially the last part of it..RS
_________________
Franklin D10 Stereo - 8 and 6 - Black Box-Zum Encore 4 and 5 Nashville 400,Session 400, DD3 for delay ,also Benado Effects pedal.
Steeling with Franklin's..and Zum Encore |
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Tommy Shown
From:
Denham Springs, La.
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Posted 12 Jun 2016 4:39 pm
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About three years ago, I had to relearn the steel guitar. Because I was playing like the average, working on chords only. I never had anyone to really sit down with me and work with me. But two people, of whom I am eternally grateful to. Wilburn Stewart and Jim Lindsey. I really did not to chance to work with Wilburn much, because I moved to Texas and lived there for about six months back in 80 to 81. When I lived there I would go to the dancehall, and would watch the steel guy in the house band play. Recently, Jim Lindsey sat down with me, and he rated my playing as average. He then said I needed to learn the melody line, for fills. Along with what I was playing.
Buck, Hank y'all both have done a great service in teaching playing. |
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