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Topic: Essential Practice Songs |
Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 10:50 am |
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As a young jazz guitar student one of the things my teacher did was to point out that you should practice songs that have common chord progressions. Then practice those songs in all common keys. For example: 12 Bar jazz blues with turn arounds, Take The "A" Train, Rhythm Changes, Autumn Leaves ect... By doing this you are prioritizing your practice sessions. Over the years I kept adding more and more songs to that list until one day I had the ability to solve anything that came my way. It took a long time. Like 10 years. I have been playing jazz guitar for 25 years now and I values this approach because it really worked for me. I am now using this method when I practice jazz on steel guitar.
My question to you advanced steel players on the forum. What songs do you think is essential for all steel guitarist? Or, What songs have you worked on a lot over the years?
I find myself playing "Your Cheatin' Heart" a lot in a bunch of keys. Both backing chords and soloing.
Penny for your thoughts. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 11:36 am Most acquainted Steel Guitar Song
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Sleepwalk -- Steel Guitar Rag
Last edited by George Piburn on 16 Jan 2017 3:53 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 11:43 am
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I use two different tuning. Cma11, and when I really want the 6 kind of sound I use Cma9. I realize I'm kind of loaner with the way I tune the steel.
Cma11 L-H C-E-G-B-D-F
Cma9 L-H C-E-G-B-D-E - The (G-B-D-E) give me a nice G6 chord. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 11:49 am
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Michael,
You didn't say what kinds of music you want to cover with steel guitar but if it's jazz, it's gonna be the same list you used for jazz guitar: at a minimum, you'll want rhythm changes, 12-bar blues, jazz-blues, minor blues, and a few modal things.
_________________
www.JimCohen.com
www.RonstadtRevue.com
www.BeatsWalkin.com |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 12:27 pm
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The post isn't about me. I'm curious about what songs players like to practice.
Here my question.
"What songs do you think is essential for all steel guitarist? Or, What songs have you worked on a lot over the years?" |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 3:08 pm
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| Michael James wrote: |
"What songs do you think is essential for all steel guitarist? Or, What songs have you worked on a lot over the years?" |
That's two different issues.
Songs, as in repertoire, is one thing. You need to know a bunch of tunes to play gigs!
But "essential" also includes technical skills. Which is whatever is needed to play the instrument and make music.
Scales, chords, slants, harmonics, tricks of all sorts, all the working parts of music. |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2017 4:29 pm Re: Most acquainted Steel Guitar Song
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| George Piburn wrote: |
| Sleepwalk -- Steel Guitar Rag |
Thanks George!
Good call. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 1:38 am
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I think in my limited experience I would recommend
Learn Your Maj, min, and Dom Chord scales
in ALL Keys. I am doing this now and trying to apply to songs like: Its an absolute ball ache but since starting it I can now play 3 different inversions of 2 songs in ALL Keys with subs and their inversions.
Take Me Out to The Ball Game
Autumn leaves
Body and Soul
Night and Day
Rhythm changes
Jazz Blues
Summertime
Round Midnight
etc.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Tony Lombardo
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 3:55 am
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| What your teacher said is excellent advice for the jazz guitarist, and it is also great advice for the aspiring steel guitarist. I would suggest you take the exact same approach and the exact same songs to your steel practice sessions that you practiced on guitar. |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 4:47 am
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I tend to warm up with the songs that I've learnt from instructional material. If I take Cindy Cashdollar's Western Swing DVD's, Steel Guitar Rag is a great picking warm up, San Antonio Rose is good for grabbing chord inversions, etc..I also use Sleepwalk and Aloha Oe for the harmonic stuff.
I definitely agree with Stefan on running through Maj, min, and Dom Chord scales and moving the exercise to start on different strings.
Although it pains me to say it, I am now adhering to the aged advice of jazz players, learn the song in all the keys. Well maybe not all keys: I try to learn a song not in a specific key but sketch it out using a numbering process. To over simplify, instead of learning a song as C, F, G7 I'll use I, IV, V7 and then try and play that song in various different keys.
As to which songs, yeah its down to the style. I ran a thread a while back of essential country songs every steeler (regardless of pedals) should know. It was an interesting list but not at all conclusive.
Perhaps we could do a poll whereby members send in their set lists 
_________________
\paul
Bayern Hawaiians: https://www.youtube.com/@diebayernhawaiians3062
Other stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@paulseager3796/videos |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 8:19 am
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Hi Paul,
I would be very interested in seeing such a poll. Do you have the link to the thread you made?
Thanks, |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 2:34 pm
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Michael,
Do you really have another 10 years to spend on Steel Guitar like you spent on Jazz Guitar, would you rather not just start playing now instead of boring yourself to tears with exercises and scales.
James. |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2017 10:42 pm
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First of all, it's not going to take 10 years. The first many years of studying guitar we're spent understand music from many perspectives. Music theory, Chordal systems, becoming proficient on the instrument through practicing scales, arpeggios, chord inversions with heavy considerations of both left and right hand techniques.
I spent a lot time in learning how to improvise single notes, chords , with a combo and by myself. I also studied the rhythmic and emotionally aspects of improvisation.
I transcribed great jazz players I admire and I analyzed why they sound so good. I also spent a lot of time learning how to accompany in a duo to accompany a horn or vocalist and to play bass on my guitar while playing chords at the same time in several styles of jazz.
I listened a lot to piano players. They play the best intros and endings. They also taught me how to play chords in small combo setting and about great chord voicings.
All the experience I gained through many years of studying jazz guitar which was NEVER boring, I took with me when I dove in steel guitar.
I have been playing jazz, blues and country on steel guitar at gigs for a while now. I started playing steel guitar about three years ago.
For me it's not about the goal or how long it will take or how hard it is. It's about the journey. Learning about myself through music. The struggles a long the way have helped me to find my best inner musical voice and come to terms with who I am as a musician.
Even if it took me another 20 years and I was really old, I wouldn't hesitate to start all over again. I'm still learning a lot on both regular guitar and steel guitar. It's been a good ride.
Keep Strumin'
mj
Last edited by Michael James on 18 Jan 2017 4:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 18 Jan 2017 4:40 am
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Thanks Paul! Great list. I have some work to do.  |
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