Stupid Question

Will Brown · From: Oklahoma, USA

IS there any law that says you have to use a volume pedal when you are playing a pedal steel. I mean do you really have to. Who do- did you know who did not. I mean other then giving a little drive to a section of a song etc. do you really have to use one. I know some are going to say for sustain etc. But the late Great Jeff Newman said a volume pedal is not was not meant to be used as a sustain device. he said either your guitar had sustain or it didn't.

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Don't think of it as a volume pedal. It's an expression pedal. If you want to play expressively, you need one.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

You are going to hear from pro players and teachers that volume pedal technique is essential to becoming a complete pedal steel player. Jeff Newman may have said what he said, but I doubt he ever went on stage without one. He would probably have sounded great anyway, though.

As a relatively new player, I use it to adjust my volume... Some songs are louder and more aggressive than others, and with no volume knob on the steel, the VP is absolutely necessary. I also use it for volume swell effects, especially to sustain a long riff where I only pick the first notes and then slide or pedal to the end. I am working on using it to soften the pick attack on ballads, which the pros do effortlessly and make it sound natural.

PS There are no stupid questions. There are unqualified answers occasionally Rolling Eyes

Peter Freiberger · From: California, USA

They come in handy when the band goes from a high energy rock song to ballad. Seriously, they can be mis- and over-used, it’s not a gas pedal. And it’s interesting to practice without one, but used well a volume pedal adds a lot.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Not exactly a law, but a city ordinance in Branson, Missouri. You can get away with it if you don't get caught.
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Will Brown · From: Oklahoma, USA

OK Guys Thanks but do you know of any one who played who didn't use one

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Here is a link to one of Danny Sneed's videos. You should take time to watch all of them. He does just fine without a volume pedal.

Click Here
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Either I'm right, or there is a sinister conspiracy to conceal the fact that I'm right.

Williams Keyless S-10, BMI S-10, Evans FET-500LV, Fender Steel King, 2 Roland Cube 80XL's,
Sarno FreeLoader, Goodrich Passive Volume Pedals, Vintage ACE Pack-A-Seat

Abe Levy · From: California, USA

Jonny Lam, who is an excellent player, does not use one as far as I know... Jonny? In my opinion you can do whatever you want, but you will not get volume swells without one...
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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

IMO, it's just like the question of whether one must use fingerpicks. There is no law. It all depends on what you're happy sounding like.
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Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Good question, with many possible answers Very Happy

Although I find a VP indispensable, I quite often reduces its range by dialing up its "off" level to about -10db below fully on. Only possible on some VPs that are less used for steel.

John Spaulding · From: Wisconsin, USA

As Skip Edwards put it, it's an expression pedal. If you have one in your signal chain, you can always choose not to use it... if that's the sound you need.

Here's a video clip from The Paul Franklin Method that makes the case for using a volume pedal to get a more emotional sound in your playing.

The Emotional Pedals

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Brian Gattis · From: Georgia, USA

You can do what ever you want, but you will never get the emotion and soul without a volume pedal and good technique

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Tony Boadle · From: Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland

As a learner, I'mm just getting the hang of three pedals. No knees yet, and the mere thought of another pedal, of any sort, fills me with dread!
But to use or not to use a volume pedal reminds me of my early days learning the b***o. There was constant debate regarding anchoring one or two fingers on the head when picking..... different strokes I guess!

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I've seen L. T. Zinn play Hawaiian music on his Magnatone without a volume pedal. Beautiful!

I take my foot off the volume pedal on certain songs, mostly in rock or folk music.
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Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Of course, you can play without a volume pedal, just as you can play without picks. But almost all pedal steel players use a volume pedal, at least sometimes, for a reason. I think it's an important part of the arsenal of tricks that make the instrument unique. I sometimes use one for 6-string guitar - players like Larry Carlton certainly have used them to advantage. I think more guitar players would use them if there weren't usable volume controls on guitars.

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

By accident, I was making some adjustments on my Telonics VP experimenting with different tapers and I also turned the on/off adjustment screw a bit to where the pedal is on a little bit even in the off position. A different feel rather than 100% off.

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

I guess it can be used as a panic button for mistakes and if you have to read notation Winking

Seriously, even though most of my practicing is done at home without a volume pedal (I think it's good practice to learn how to play dynamically, using your natural technique and finding sustain and attack with your hands only), I still think it's a good idea to know how to use a VP on the bandstand... much in the same way that every electric guitar has a volume knob to adjust to the stage level.

The "expression pedal" that Skip mentioned is a real thing too. The VP is a great tool for steel players, but we need to pay close attention not to fall into the bad habit of pumping it like an involuntary tremolo when we do use it... something that I've seen way too often.

Will Brown · From: Oklahoma, USA

Rick that is what I think you know if you want to get more volume when playing out but really don't want to be use a VP just use a matchbox 7 A I mean there are lots of people who don't use a VP how about back in the day when people were playing the fender 1000 were they had to use both feet most of the time on the pedals etc I think if you use your tone and bar you can get all you need as far as emotion etc and a lot of people with out knowing it use a VP to cover up mistakes etc . I was just asking this so as if I ever played with out a Vp if I was going to get shot or run out of town. my self I am not a big fan of volume pedals or gagets in general I thing people think they have to have this stuff to make them sound better but that's just my thinking. ok guys lets keep the answers coming

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Why wouldn't you want to use one?

I've been playing in the club scene a long time and my pedal went out one night. I tried to finish the last set without it and found it to be very difficult.

Keeping a consistent volume level throughout a song was next to impossible.
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Lee Baucum · From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier

Lew Houston? ---> Click Here

They show a closeup of him when he takes his ride at about 2:28.
Watch that pinky finger.

Kevin Fix · From: Michigan, USA

Could not play with out it. Expression for sure. Ballads yes. Up tempo songs not so critical.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

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