How to use the vertical lever?

Gordon Black · From: burns,oregon,usa

I've got a vertical lever on my D-10 Fessy, which loweres the 6th string G# to G. Could some of you experienced steelers please show me how to use it?
Thank you...

John Knight · From: Alaska

with no pedals it gives you the minor of the chord your on. Fret 5 A minor. You get a nice 4 change by dropping back two frets with your e to eflat lever and then g# to g.

I think of it the same way I think of the e-e flat change on the C6th neck

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D 10 Thomas with 8&6, '61'D-10 Sho-Bud 8&3
S12 Knight 6&4
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

This is from the "Tablature" Section; as that is where you want to search this stuff>
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum8/HTML/001154.html
And there is much more; with more search.
Ricky

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

I use the G# to G on a KL. I especially like to use pedal #1(Emmons set up) with the KL on strings 4,5 & 6 or 5,6 & 8. I mainly use it on some of the old Conway stuff when I get a chance. I'd rather lower the G# to a G than raise the #7 F# up to a G. I've played it both ways but I always go back to lowering to a G on #6.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

If you're a guitar player, you might identify with this:
Strings 4, 5, 6(G# lowered to G), 9 give you the SAME NOTES AS THE TOP FOUR STRINGS ON A STANDARD GUITAR. This helps some to visualize where the notes are since many steel players are also guitarists.

The uses listed above are certainly effective ways to use the G# to G. One additional function you can use is the tunable split which is probably on your Fessy. It allows you to lower the 6th to F# (another common and valuable change) and then raise it back to G with the B pedal. You can tune the A (B pedal), G# (open string), G (split), and F# (full tone lower). THAT'S A LOT OF BANG FOR THE BUCK. You may want to consider this.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Len Amaral · From: Rehoboth,MA 02769

I have strings 3 & 6....G# to G on my first pedal with my U-12 and then ABC pedals, etc.

This gives you the option of using the 1st pedal alone for the minor chord as already mentioned but when you use it with pedal A it gives you a 7th chord.

Example: 3rd fret with pedals AB is a C chord with strings 345...456...568

With pedals 1 and A it is C7th in the same position.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I agree with Len that one of the best places for the G# to G change is on a pedal to the left of the A pedal. But I prefer it on a knee lever so I can also use it in conjuncton with the C pedal, and theoretically I can also use it on the B6.

I think the vertical should have the F# to G raise, so that when used in cojunction with the A and B pedals, you get a 7th chord.

I find that it's easier to use the lever if I have the A and B pedals pressed, because the pedals give me some leverage to use to hit the vertical. I find it much harder to activate the vertical if I'm not also working the pedals.

(Edited for spelling and typos)

[This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 24 September 2005 at 06:12 PM.]

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

*

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 24 September 2005 at 10:52 AM.]

Al Terhune · From: Newcastle, WA

Using the B lower vertical with the top two strings (if you have a raise for the F# and a lower for the D#) in different lever combinations gives you an entire three-note scale without slanting your bar.

James Cann · From: Phoenix, AZ

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

If you Lower Strs. #5 & #10 on a vertical, as seems to be the most popular place for it; you need to adjust the heigth of the lever so that it just barely clears your left~knee when the tip of your foot is on pedals (A)&(B) or (B)&(C), but not depressed. Also you need the LKV with very little movement before the strings are activated. You might even want to shorten the Lever~Travel by dropping the pull~rods (1)-notch farther away from the body, on the bellcrank! And then reset the stop~screw. If I engage the LKV w/o pedals, I place the tip of my foot behind the pedals, on the floor and lift my heel. The lever should be low enough that you can operate it with your toe on the floor. (Who said Big Feet are a bad thing?)

Mine are 13's(+)!

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“Big John” Bechtel
’04 SD–10 Black Derby w/3 & 5 & Pad
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence
web site

Drew Howard · From: 48854

It gets you a minor chord.

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Drew Howard - website - Fessenden D-10 8/8, Fessenden SD-12 5/5 (Ext E9), Magnatone S-8, N400's, BOSS RV-3

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

it's a note in a scale...(well actually two)

James Cann · From: Phoenix, AZ

Thanks, John. Makes sense. I'll try it.

[This message was edited by James Cann on 25 September 2005 at 06:56 PM.]

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

If you look at a basic "scale of chords", it goes
Ma, mi, mi, Ma, Ma, min, min, Ma (octave)
So starting from any fret open.
go up two frets and hit the G# to G for a minor chord
repeat,

then up one fret for the IV maj

then 2 frets for V maj,

then two more for VI min

and two more for VII minor.

and one more fret and you're back at the top on your root chord.

This can give you the basic chord base for a full cycle of chords in any key.

I can't do without a minor lower in open, or AB down positions.

Of course the D# to D lever (maj7 to b7)
and flatting the fifth also come into play.

But the base IS from that minor third lower.

Jay Fagerlie · From: Lotus, California, USA

My vertical lever drops my B's to A#
I am at a loss on what to do with it....
Any suggestions?

Jay (aka Mr. Greenhorn on the pedal steel)

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Jay, Two frets back from the open E9th chord is a 7th.

Scott Swartz · From: St. Louis, MO

Another important use for B-A# is in conjunction with the F#-G# raise.

If you are familiar with the sliding 6th intervals on strings 8 and 5 using the A pedal and the the E-D# on string 8, you get the same thing up a 5th by using the B-A# and the F#-G#.

Splitting to get an in tune C note on string 5 is another use for the B-A#.

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

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Funny, I was just wishing today for a G#->G pedal left of the A pedal....
But I'm curious Mike, as to which lever you have it on.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Good points, Scott.
A+B+(B>Bb)=the minor of the A+B chord.

Lee, whatever the open E9th chord is, 2 frets back with B>Bb will be the 7th.
If the open E9th chord is E, open or at fret 12 (or E at the 7th fret with A+B), then fret 10 with B>Bb is E7.

It's kinda amazing how many chord inversions can be found either 2 frets back, or 3 frets up (with this or that pedal/lever combo), on both 9th and 6th tunings.

[This message was edited by Pete Burak on 30 September 2005 at 04:44 PM.]

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