My first impressions playing pedal steel

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Hey, this isn't that hard! I should have gotten one of these a long time ago.

As long as I keep away from the F# string, and the top two strings, it's pretty much like playing lap steel. But with extra fun parts. I'm glad I've played eight string lap steel as long as I have, so I'm not totally thrown by the tuning.

My biggest help so far has been from the Steel Guitar Information Resource site that Carter Steel Guitars provides and from b0b's E9 Theory page.

I'm supposed to get together with Pete Grant when our schedules coincide so he can point out my mistakes and intimidate me with his playing.

And I'm planning on showing up at the San Jose steel jam in October just so the bar is set low enough for everyone else to excel.

It's a lot of fun so far.

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 09 September 2003 at 10:44 AM.]

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Yup.

It starts out seeming harmless enough....

Try to stop in about 6 months and give us a progress report..

EJL

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Another day later...
What's that F# string there for? How can I play modes on E9 tuning? How come everything I play sounds like Jerry Garcia? Where are the minor chords?
I'm finding that leaving the volume pedal alone while focusing on pedal changes avoids that nasty I'M TOO LOUD syndrome. I get a nice chord pattern going, playing around with it, and suddenly I hit the volume pedal as I press a knee lever and I'M TOO LOUD AGAIN.

James Morehead · From: Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.

Now, to me it's like deep water. I still have no idea how "DEEP", but that's what drew me to steel---endless potential.

Eric, I been at it for 6 months now. I'm going for the deep sea diving equip now------

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Press the first pedal or the lever that lowers your E strings to get minor chords.

The F# string is part of the B6th chord with your E's lowered. Think of it as your lap steel's C6th on strings 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4. It's the same intervals, tuned one fret lower.

------------------

Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

So I figured out that if you drop back two frets and press pedals B and C, you get the minor chord (for example, in A, the third fret with B & C pressed is A minor). Cool. That's what the F# string is for.
I've been listening to "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" for inspiration on my way to work. What great examples of pedal steel playing!
I'm having more fun that I probably ought to be having. I'm just making pretty sounds right now, but I figure after I get a clearer map in my brain as to where everything is, I'll start working up some real songs.

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

Brad,

A lot of us think of the E9th neck as having an "open" position and a "pedals down" position at each fret. The latter being with the "A & B petals down-- G#'s raised and the B's raised.

In the pedals down position, you can get the relative (6) minor by stomping B&C pedals.

The other night I was reviewing a lesson in one of Jeff Newman's courses on chord progressions and he teaches that minor chord position and quickly adds, "...but the B&C position is awkward and that's not really what that C pedal is there for", or words to that effect.

Anyway, I always think of the chord positions as relative to both the open and pedals down positions. Starting in pedals down, you get to a V chord by releasing the pedals. Starting at the open position you get the IV chord by pressing the pedals down. Same type of thing with the minor b0b mentioned with the knee that lowers the E's.

A couple other common chord positions ... from open if you press the B-pedal (raise the G#'s) and the knee that lowers the E's you'll get a V7th. Or, if you press the A pedal (raise B's) and the knee that raises the E's and slide up 3 frets you'll get the same I chord, e.g. G at the 6th fret.
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HagFan

[This message was edited by Ron Page on 11 September 2003 at 09:58 AM.]

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Thanks, Ron. That certainly makes it even more interesting. When I get home again tonight, I've got some more experimenting to do.

Ulf Edlund · From: Umeå, Sweden

The F# string is there because once you get used to it it's very convenient.

That probably helped a lot did it?

Uffe

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Actually, having the F# there does make perfect sense once you stop thinking of E9 as an E pattern and start thinking of it as a B pattern. From bottom to top I have the following intervals in a B scale
1-b3-4-5-6-1-4-6-3-5
instead of the same strings in an E scale
5-6-1-2-3-5-1-3-7-2

I brought my Fender Princeton Reverb to practice last night (with saxophone, bass, and two drummers). The amp held up okay in that I was able to hear myself all night, but it definitely was not the tone I was seeking. The Princeton Reverb sounds great with my lap steel, but it's underpowered for pedal steel.
I'm going to try my Deluxe Reverb next.

Charles Curtis · Posted 20 Sep 2003 7:19 am

Back in about 69, Jeff Newman put out a E9th course that I believe utilizes both the F# and E#....if you can get it; once you get the feel of this top strings you will wonder how you ever did without them. Trust me I'm an ear player but that course did a lot for me.

Charles Curtis · Posted 20 Sep 2003 8:03 am

One afterthought; if you have any of Ernest Tubbs records, then listen to the song "Walking the Floor Over You" and I'm quite sure that's Buddy Emmons making liberal use of the top F#

Bowie Martin · From: Wilson, NC USA 27896

Jeff Newman has got some super courses, and they helped me greatly...you might want to get one of his catlogs and look it over; sure can save a lot of time; and I particularly like the idea its on video or dvd, plus written materials and CD's to practice with. You are in for a great time!

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Brad, another way to find that minor is to play the A+B pedals, but push the A pedal only 1/2 way down. You can hear and feel how far to go. (You can also add a B->Bb vertical knee lever to do the same thing) Or, for a C major to C minor transition, start with your bar on the 3rd fret with A+B down, then slide up one fret higher as you simultaneously release the pedals and lower the E string.

I played non-pedal and Dobro before I got a PSG, but once I got started I was permanently hooked -- and it sounds like you are, too. Good luck!

Charles Curtis · Posted 20 Sep 2003 11:00 am

I made a mistake Brad (hey I'm much older than Buddy Emmons), the tune was "Driving Nails In My Coffin" and the instrumental begins like this; press B pedal and hit strings 5&6, rock on the A pedal while pressing the B pedal, then with A & B down, pick the 4th string, then pick the 1st (F#) string, then pick the 3rd, 4th and 5th strings, with the B pedal down and rock on the A pedal at the same time you pick the 3,4 & 5th strings. This should give you some ideas. Then Ernest would say "aw now Buddy".

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

Brad, about thirty years ago, I bought a D-10 Sho-Bud Pro. I was a six string rocker with a strong attachment to Bluegrass and country. I tried to play that beautiful thing for weeks! Couldn't make heads or tails of it. I never really had ever thought about theory. I had no clue what was going on. Packed it up and put it in the closet for a year. I couldn't believe that I had spent that much money on something I coudn't play! Did that twice, out of the closet, fry my brain, put it back in the closet. Then a friend said he knew someone who could help me make sense of it. Beginning of first lesson he asked if I understood the tuning. I knew the notes, that was all. He took out a six-string and put a capo on the fourth fret, played a C chord (course it was an E chord up there) He said to forget the first two strings on the steel for a while and concentrate on strings 3 on down. "They're basically the same as this chord." strumming the capo'd C (E) chord. A giant light bulb went off. "That first pedal there, does this to this guitar chord, that pedal does this to it." Lights were flashing very fast by now. Three lessons and he found a band for me to play in. Haven't stopped since. As soon as i was able to relate steel to regular guitar, I got kick-started. And I sure know my theory now!
That's just my story, but I'm stickin' to it!
John Billings

Walter Hamlin · From: Talladega, Alabama, USA

Brad I have been trying to play steel guitar
since 1976 when Southern Gospel quartets and groups were using Pedal Steel in their recordings and concerts. I still love Southern Gospel and Country Gospel above any other. I became addicted to the steel guitar and I still am. A person never quits learning on one of the contraptions and,I love it. You are always checking out the latest lick or electronic device to find out what you can do to make your sound better of different. Oh yeah, I play in a country, gospel, country-gospel band that is family entertainment oriented. I also play bass for my church and steel when an event warrants. Good steeling Brad, I hope you enjoy it from now on.
Walter Hamli

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

John B;

"A giant light bulb went off"....

That's called a "geshtalt"...

Sure is a wonderful thing too, especially when it involves the PSG.

Regards

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Thanks, guys. I think my many years of playing lap steel are really helping me figure out the pedal steel. This is a heck of a lot of fun, I'll tell you. I could sit in my bedroom and make weird noises on this thing all night.

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