If you had to pick one page from the Winston book…..

Nick Fryer · From: Ohio, USA

I know much has been written on this Forum about the Winston Book. Every page of the book seems like a goldmine and a lifetime of practice. I’m curious about what sections or specific pages in particular were important to people. It’s one of those books that you can keep going back to and find new things. Sometimes books like this that have so much in it are hard to wade through. Sometimes one little example at the bottom of a page can get overlooked but might be incredibly important. I know most people will say “every page” but I’m wondering if people might say “if I had to pick just one thing that helped me the most it was (blank)”

Any thoughts?

Thanks and have a happy New Year! I’m excited to keep learning steel in 2023 and really value the wealth of knowledge and experience that this Forum has to offer.

- NF
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J Fletcher · From: London,Ont,Canada

For myself , the page where blocking is explained , with some exercises to practice the technique. Worked on that page for a month , everyday, and finally one day I was palm blocking. Was a breakthrough for me .

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Winnie and Bill's book "Pedal Steel Guitar" was for me the introduction to the pedal steel. I was a teenager when I first got the book. Before that, I started steel when I was 8 years old in 1968. My dad a local weekend musician got me started but never to the sound of the 'Nashville Sound'. I did Hawaiian and western swing, which was fine, but my preference was to Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and the Grand Ole Opry. Local players in Spokane Wa. were ok, but they all played the pedal steel with Hawaiian sounds, using the pedals to get chords instead of lics. When I got Winnies book, the world of Nashville Steel Guitar opened up. The two most important pages for me were 50 and 51. I still use those two exercises as practice today. Also the introduction throughout the book using the 3rd and 5th strings with pedals AB opened up another world. Sorry for the long post, but these things were and still are very important to me and my learning the pedal steel.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Page 28, Harmonized Scales. This is a core skill in playing pedal steel!

Although this would have been MUCH more useful for new players if it had more information:

I don't know why it isn't noted, but these exercises aren't free floating in the universe -- they're all in the key of E.

There are 4 versions of scales listed here (and a few more useful ones not listed).

The first 2, it's obvious what's going on, and these are the ones to really get under your belt before working on the last 2. Those last 2 do some mixing-and-matching of frameworks and string-pairs, so an explanation may be in order. Soapbox: anything that's complicated -- but only includes one sentence of explanation -- doesn't belong on the page where harmonized scales are being introduced!

1) The first example on page 28 is based off of the pedals-down position. So, E would be in fret 7 with AB pedals down (i.e., the "E" note that the scale is based on is on string 6B).

To transport this framework to any another key, say, the key of C, you would drop to the 3rd fret with AB down as a starting point, and then hit the same string pairs and do the same fret-jumps and pedal moves up the neck. For example, to move from scale tone 1 to 2, you would release AB and move the bar up three frets, etc. You're mimicking the pattern of what's listed in the book.

2) The second example is based off of the open, pedals-up position, so E is at the nut. The E note that the scale is based on is on string 4. Starting from this pedals-up fret-position in a given key means you'll use the BC pedal combo as you work your way up and down the neck. And note the string pair that works here -- different than in example #1 above! It's all about string 4... and then whatever harmony note you want to add.

To play this one in the key of A, for example, you would begin with the bar in fret 5 and take it from there, using the same string pairs, and following the same pattern of bar and pedal moves as listed in the book.

3) The third one is a mixture of the above two frameworks. The idea here is to demonstrate all of the following: you can switch frameworks at any point as you move up and down the neck, and you can substitute in another string from a string-pair (stg 3 versus 6), and you can obviously play things down an octave from what's been listed in prior examples.

This example uses the no-pedals starting-position framework for the first 5 notes (but here, it substitutes in string 6 instead of the string 3 that was listed in example #2 above. Legal. Strings 3 and 6 are interchangeable on these scales; it's the same note on both).

And then it finishes off the last 3 notes using the positions from the pedals-down framework (i.e., example #1 above, but played down an octave -- and substituting string 3 for string 6).

4) The fourth example is also a mixture of frameworks, it starts off from the pedals-up position -- E at the nut -- and introduces the use of strings 1 and 2. It does this for the first 5 notes -- but then switches to the pedals-down framework for the last 3 notes (i.e., similar to #1 above, but an octave down, and introducing string 4 as the harmony note).
.

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

Bill McCloskey · Posted 31 Dec 2022 3:18 pm

I was speaking with an old friend of mine the other day. I told her I started playing Pedal Steel. She said, "that reminds me of my old friend Winnie Winston. I know he got really into pedal steel when we were in school together, he was very excited about it. "

I told her that he is very well known in the steel guitar community and wrote an influential book.

She was amazed and had no idea.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

The Chord Theory pages, starting at pg. 39. This was most helpful to me in learning how to navigate song melodies.

My theory knowledge was barely there having limited education through the reading of basic piano sheets as a kid early on.

I used those interval and chord building formulas to help me understand how to compose and play music. They opened my musical eyes. That's when the demystification of making music began for me. It was the most helpful vehicle I had up until my week with Jeff Newman in 1981.

There is so much comprehensive and valuable information in the Winston/Keith journal that I didn't find in other media.

I guess that's why it is referred to as the pedal steel Bible.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I think it's important to acknowledge that the book isn't a methodical course of instruction (some of the early examples are way too tough for a beginner) but is more like an encyclopedia of what the instrument can do.

The fact that it's still in print fifty years on says it all Smile

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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Two pages, actually. The ones with the 2 versions of Red River Valley.

They are beautiful and concise (but not easy!) introductions to just about every technique you need to play pedal steel, on a familiar American (possibly Canadian) folk song, so you kinda know how it’s supposed to sound. I think one of the versions has a mistake in the tab too, and I always wondered if it was intentionally left in.

Jack Hanson · From: San Luis Valley, USA

Pages 100/101 (Gnashville to Fakersfield).

David Dorwart · From: Orlando, Florida, USA

To all the above I would add the blocking exercises on page 50-51. They are little musical excursions developed as exercises. I incorporate them into my warm ups regularly

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

From the top of page 49.
I am putting this one on my grave-stone!

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

Its hard to pick one page over the other from that book, it is such a wealth of information.

I think the page that grabs me though is 34 where Tom Bradshaw describes PSG players to a T. The man nailed it!
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

The book is a must-read for any aspiring player.

Having said that, my favourite page is 16. The guy in that suit lifting the double-neck! I suppose there was a time when that was in fashion but it's a trifle 'sudden' for my taste.

Does anybody know who that is?
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

George E Sell, isn't it? All I know about it. Wait, No GES was the brand of guitar. Builder George E Sell. Dunno the person. He is used in illustrations throughout.

John Drury · From: Gallatin, Tn USA

Jerry, and Roger,

I believe that is George E. Sell in the photos.

And Roger,

Indeed, his tailor should be drawn and quartered! That was bad wrong even for that time!

J.D.
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John Drury
NTSGA #3

"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr

Gil James · From: Louisiana, USA

My favorite photo in the book. Some serious concentration on both sides!

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

George E. Sell, eh?

John Drury:

There's a popular jibe where I come from aimed, usually, at someone who's made a sartorial blunder:

"Who got him ready???"

I want to know who told Mr. Sell that he looked fine and the photo-session could begin.

It's an excellent book, though. In retrospect, I wish I'd studied the C6 version of 'Danny Boy' that's included when I first got my copy. Had I done so, I'd have been further along the C6 endeavour than I currently am.

There are obviously very basic E9 examples but some of the arrangements are far more advanced. It still stands out as the best tome on the subject. I bet there's stuff in there that I've yet to assimilate, even decades after I first bought it.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Steve Morrell · From: Woodway, Texas USA

I just bought a used copy of this book and it doesn’t have an audio CD. I’ve read that the audio is available online. Anyone know how I can access it?

Thanks!
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Mike Friedman · From: Nebraska, USA

49-51 (I know...that's pageS)

When I bought this book in 1997 at Blackie Taylor's in Riverside, CA, he grabbed a Sharpie, circled those pages, bracketed off a few sections and said to start there. Glad I followed his excellent advice.
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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Charles Caskey · From: Tennessee, USA

MIchael Bean · From: North Of Boston

The copedent pages were the best for me, at least the most recent in my limited memory. I referenced these constantly when I was looking for C6 ideas for my U12 copedent.

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