Is pedal steel the most enjoyable instrument to play?

Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

All of us love pedal steel and try to learn it because we love the sound so much. However most also play some guitar, bass, and maybe fiddle, piano or lap steel. Which instrument is most enjoyable to play for you, in terms of physically playing or the interpretation/expression of the music. Thanks!

Al Evans · From: Austin, Texas, USA

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

I just play six-string, bass, steel, and a very little dobro. Never could figure out that upside-down tuning, so unfortunately no mando, fiddle, or banjo. Probably a better six-stringer than anything else, but I like steel the most, because of all the points of interaction --both hands, both knees, and both feet. New players can get intimidated by all the things you have to remember to do, but what I learned was that once muscle memory takes hold, all those points of interaction make it possible to connect in a very direct way with what's coming out of the amp.

There's an old quote from a Battle Of Britain pilot that he didn't fly his Spitfire; he wore it. That was my "a-ha" moment about pedal steel! Winking

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Pedal steel is my favourite if I want to give my brain a good workout. If I want to give it time off, then it's the trombone!

But then no-one points at my 'bone and says "Haven't seen one of these before".
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Nothing moves me like the pedal steel when I execute the things I want to do. Most fulfilling. I find it the most expressive and the sound is unlike anything else.

OTOH, nothing frustrates me more when I cannot.

I also tinker with guitar and dobro. I love those too.
Different tools for different jobs.

Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

All of these!! Very Happy

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Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

I have been playing bass for over 50 years, always wanted to play pedal steel so decided I better try before it is too late a little over 2 years ago. There is nothing that gets to me like those strings bending and the bar sliding. Better than sliced bread!

David Ball · From: North Carolina High Country

I've played lots of instruments over the years from Bassoon to Banjo. I have to admit to a certain OCD tendency, and pedal steel is perfect for that. Occupies all four limbs, brain and eyes and there's no room for slack on any of the above! Love it.

Dave

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Playing steel seems like work. Much easier to just sit at the piano and push the keys down. As old Bach said: "You merely strike the right note at the right moment and the Organ does the rest."

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

It may be the most enjoyable to play ( after a period of learning) but its NEVER THE MOST ENJOYABLE TO LUG AROUND ! Laughing

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Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Jerry Byrd called the steel "the most expressive instrument".
For me, the key is not having frets, so that statement applies to any stringed instruments without frets.
In that light, frets are like training wheels.
There are student model cellos with frets.
When playing with multiple fingerings, at once, on a stringed instrument there's obviously a need for frets,
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Karl Paulsen · From: Chicago

Steel is the most interesting (almost magical) instrument for me to play and certainly the most challenging. However, I'm still not good enough for it to come easily when I play with others.

On the other hand, after 30 years of bass, the easy fun of playing it with others makes it the most enjoyable musical experience for mme.
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Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

For me, the most important for playing with others is playing in tune with them.
Most things played on steel with others, are not in open position, unless you use a steel or and dobro capo, so that means good bar control to keep things in tune.
Practice sliding from first fret to the octave at the 13th.
Practicing with prerecorded music is a good way too.
Playing along with radio is what convinced Buddy to move away from tempered tuning to straight up A440 with some minor tweaks like slightly flattening the 3rds and the F of the E-F change. There my be other tweaks, but I don't know them.
Then there's vibrato technique.
With steel not being as "out front" and hardly any solos in today's country music, it can also help thicken to overall sound,
Like chorusing.
I remember at Jeffran, Jeff had one of the first digital stereo effects.
I think it was an Ibanez that had chorus and delay.
I remember what a big beautiful sound that was.
These days, I don't hardly use either.
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"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

David Mitchell · From: Tyler, Texas

I can't say that I have a favorite although my phone always rang for need of a pedal steel player. I have more of a producers brain since most of my career was either engineering and/or producing other musical artist. Because of that sometimes I'll record a song of my own playing all the instruments and choose not to put a steel guitar on it. Sometimes I'll do a steel guitar instrumental if the mood strikes me. I do other types of music besides country so steel is not a requisite but I obviously love pedal steel or I wouldn't have spent 50 years playing it day after day, night after night. Sometimes I just want to play rock on a 6 string guitar. I view musical instruments as paint brushes for an oil on canvas artist. No need to use all your brushes for all your paintings.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

David- Me thinks I've seen this pose before:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V61vKMkXmeM
_________________
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

I feel like this is a trick question, which makes it a good one. Iâ€™m going to equate it with the â€œdesert islandâ€ scenario, and go with my acoustic guitar. Probably the new Martin, but only because at the moment it has less fret wear than my noble and trustworthy Takamine friend.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

I've been playing guitar mostly in the DADGAD tuning. Why I like it to much is most things I play on it are fresh to me.
By that I mean, no more trodding on the well worn paths of standard guitar chord sounds. (E, D, etc.)
Tune the G to an F and you're in a G major chord.
I like this tuning also because there is no third note in the bottom of the tuning identifying it as minor or major.
What's nice about that is that when sitting in with a band and you don't know the the song, you can easily find out the key to the song and not make mistakes. That will get you going with an unfamiliar song.
As far as the choruses, bridges, intros and endings, you might have to lay back.
These days though, bands don't let people sit in like they did back in the day.
For us steelers, it's not so much "who's going to fill their shoes?", it's pretty much, "where are you going to cut your steel teeth? ".
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Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Sierra Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
"The Tapper" : https://christophertempleton.bandcamp.com/album/the-tapper
Soundcloud Playlist: https://soundcloud.com/bluespruce8:

David Mitchell · From: Tyler, Texas

Mike Bourgue defies all logic. He plays the lead guitar and steel guitar in bands and never misses a beat. You got to see him in action to believe it. He was already a monster guitar player and he's quickly becoming a great pedal steel player. For a real musician it's easy to be in love with multiple instruments.
Not sure if you need a Facebook account to watch this but here's a link... The last I heard he's doing double duties for Gene Watson. He's always playing the hot spots in Nashville.

https://www.facebook.com/100031147172669/posts/564729804575254/

Curt Trisko · From: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

As i have posted before i started on the violin when i was a child. Took up steel many years later. It is said the violin is the most difficult instrument to master. It sure surprised me when i mastered it. Laughing

Bill Fisher · From: Oklahoma, USA

5-String, Earl Scruggs style, Bluegrass Banjo.

Bill

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

According to A.R. Duchossoir, the steel guitar is among the easiest of instruments to play... badly.

Andy Jones · From: Mississippi

Same here,Bill.I've been playing bluegrass banjo,Scruggs style,over 50 years.I don't have to think;I just play.Playing steel tires me out thinking so much because it doesn't come easy to me.I suck at steel and I know it.

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

Whatever instrument you practice the most is probably the one you enjoy the most. For me that's pedal steel.
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Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

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