More Begineer Questions

Jeff James · From: Texas, USA

Hello all...new pedal steel player with some very basic questions. I am a gigging tele player wanting to pick up the steel. I have a 99' Marlen S10 3 X 4 that I bought here through the forum a few years back. I finally have some gigging downtime, so I am making myself take the steel seriously now. I have been playing it alot the last few weeks & am having a blast. Unfortunaltely there arent any steel players in my area that I know of to sit down with & go over some basics. Few basic questions.

1. What is the proper way to tune this guitar? I am talking mechanically, not 440, tempered, etc. I want to fully understand the guitar & be able to make adjustments as necessary myself.

2. Recommended videos for begineer? Jeff Newman's "Up from the Top"?

3. Volume pedal. What is the rule of thumb on using the volume pedal? Do most folks have it 3/4 open during normal usage,then wide open for lead rides? I just want to make sure I do not overuse the volume pedal as I'm sure alot of begineers do.

Thanks in advance. I am really excited about getting decent on this steel. I'm sure I will have several more questions as the days go by. Thanks again.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

As far as the volume pedal goes, for me it's ...

Backup work - 1/3 volume
"Lead" work (intros and rides) - 1/2 volume

The last half of the volume pedal travel I use just for sustaining chords or long notes at the same volume.

As far as tuning, I say "tune it 'til it sounds in-tune". Wink

Methods for this vary widely, but the results are pretty much the same.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

Not sure about a Marlen, never having owned one...
With most modern guitars, tune the open strings first. Then engage the pedals, one at a time, and tune the pedal change at the other end, using the wrench which fits on the nylon tuners. Now do the same for the knee levers.
Now, put your bar on the "C" fret. Engage pedals 1 and 2 for an F chord. Pedal one only should give you an A minor. Pedals 2 and 3 should give you d minor. The knee lever that lowers the E strings should make an e minor chord. The 2nd pedal only and the lever which lowers the E strings should give you a G7 chord. The 1st pedal only along with the lever which raises the E strings, bar moved up three frets, should give you another inversion of the C major chord. You may have to move your bar up slightly higher than 3 frets to play this change well in tune.
Check all of these options to see that they are well in tune. Once they are, you are ready to play.
There have been many posts in the past about tuning. Research some of these for more information. Have fun.
Larry J.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

Jeff there really isn't alot of info on the volume pedal, I think everyone is a little different when useing it. To me I use it to help sustain, as the note is dying out you would add volume pedal to compensate the loss, how much should you add? well that is reflective of the given moment.

Jeff James · From: Texas, USA

Why are some of the nylon tuners red & the others are not?

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

Jeff, aim high with the bar, or you may play flat from aiming below the frets on reg. guitar. Use the volume pedal as little as possible for a while, it is common to overuse it in the beginning. Get the fingerpicks on as soon as possible, and get it over with. Remember that any fret with pedals gives you an easy 1-4-5 chord. The frame of reference is similar to 6 string, open fret is E, 5th fret is A, etc. Good luck, JP Oh yeah, play with as many live musicians as you can, to help with intonation.
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Carter,PV,Fender

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Brandon Ordoyne · From: Needville,Texas USA

As for a beginner...start on working on your major triad grips first: 3-4-5; 4-5-6; 5-6-8; 6-8-10

This way your finger muscles memorize the spacings of the strings.

Pick those up and down open first which is an "E" Chord. Then Press your A & B pedals pick the same grips up and down and thats your "A" Chord, move up 2 frets with A&B down and thats your "B" Chord. What you have played is the 1-4-5 of the key of "E". I did this and still do every night when start playing my steel.

Also learn your scales, vertical and horizontal. I play these every night as well.

I have heard that a good way to learn technique is to plug your steel direct to your amp. I suffered and still do sometime of "over" using my volume pedal.

When Jody Cameron has his next Texas Steel Guitar school I would recommend it highly.

Jeff Newman material is still the best.

Also, make it a point to get the Winnie Winston "Pedal Steel Guitar" book...I hear alot of experienced players referring to it all the time. Every time I read it I learn something new Smile

Hope this helps! Smile

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'74 Emmons D10 P/P 8x5,'15 Rittenberry D10 8x5, Peavey Nashville 112, 400 & 1000, Fender Twin Reverb Tone Master, Hilton, Goodrich L120, Boss DD-3 and RV-3

Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

Yes, get the Winnie Winston book!!! Read it from the front cover to the back cover,...then start over!
I'm on my 2nd copy!
JE:-)>

Gary Shepherd · From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA

I know you didn't ask for it but here's something to help with your right hand. Four beats in each measure. You can adjust it and make up exercises that actually sound like a song.

Gary Shepherd · From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA

I forgot to mention...

After you play the tab above (or some variation of it), slide it up to the first fret and play it again in F, and then at the 2nd fret in F# and so on. If you have Band In A Box or one of the similar programs, it will really help you play in tune later on if you practice WITH the Band In A Box track now.
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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10 & Peavey Nashville 1000

www.16tracks.com

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

Bruce Boutons DVD is a good beginners dvd. $19.99
Ask ten different people how to use the volume pedal you will get ten different responses..dont sweat it too much..it will just come one day. Have fun (cause it IS fun)and good luck.

Gary Shepherd · From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA

Personally, I think the Bouton DVD should be used AFTER the beginner stage. But it does have SOME things that are useful to beginners.
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Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10 & Peavey Nashville 1000

www.16tracks.com

Jeff James · From: Texas, USA

Thanks so much for all the help!! I have been doing a lot of playing, reading, listening, etc. the last 2 weeks & amazed by how much I have absorbed already. I am really excited & very determined to get going on the steel. I obviously haven't even scratched the surface yet, but am amazed how much better I am than 2 weeks ago. I have been recording some stuff that I have been playing a long with & some of it actually sounds like a pedal steel Very Happy

I am working with the grips & they are coming along pretty good. Luckily, I am a tele player that uses a thumbpick, so I have a little advantage there. I have the Jeff Newman DVD's on the way (UP from the Top A & B pedals), so I am really looking forward to getting to work on them.

I am definately interested in Jody's school. I can see that being a great place\way to learn. I am going to keep an eye out for his next one.

Gary....thanks so much for the offer..I was actually in Ardmore a few weeks playing a private party. I am out in west Texas (Lubbock). I will definately look you up next time I am out that way. You do the same if you are ever out west.

There are a few steelers in Lubbock, but I dont think any give any lessons. Wally Moyers is here in town, but not sure what he is up to nowadays. I plan to go out & see Wilbur Keeton this Sat. before my gig if I can. I have heard that he is a great player.

Thanks again to everyone for their generous help & time for a newbie.

Also...here is a pic of my steel. 99' Marlen

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Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Jeff,
That sure is pretty and looks to be in perfect shape. I'd like to see a picture of the underside if you get the time. Dick

Joe Calabrese · From: New Jersey, USA

Hey Jeff,
I've only been playin steel for about 5 months now so I can offer you little help. However, I have a great teacher in Jim Heffernan and it's made a big difference in my playing. I tried to "figure this thing out" on my own having played guitar for 30 years at a professional level. Find a good teacher. In the first 4 weeks of playing on my own, I already started to develop bad steel habits. Jimmy squared me away quickly.
1.Learn the grips inside and out. Everything starts with the grips.
2.Learn the voicings or position of every chord. Just like a conventional guitar, you can play a Cmaj chord in many positions using different voicings. Same holds true with steel.
3.Get to the point where you know where you are on the neck at all times.

Jim told me this and I thought it was funny. "we are going to learn all the voicings and where they are on the neck" "Because what'll happen is you'll go out to play or jam with other musicians and you'll get "LOST AS LAST YEARS EASTER EGG" Because thats what happened to him !!!! Although its hard to imagine him ever struggling when you listen to him play now.

I have a full time day gig, a sound tech gig on the weekends and a recording studio I just finished building so practice time is hard to come by for me right now.

At the end of each lesson Jim records what we went over that week. He plays and explains everything. I leave with a CD of each lesson.
Once I get home I dump that CD into my Ipod and listen to it constantly on my way to both jobs or whenever.
Hearing it played correctly is a big help. It trains my ear to know what its supposed to sound like.

In closing I'll tell you what I've found and what a forum member said to me when I first signed up here.
"The hook is in you now"

Enjoy your new obsession
Joe
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Peace,
JC
http://www.obsmusic.com/
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=124287

Tamara James · Posted 15 Aug 2007 10:52 am

Gary Shepherd · From: Fox, Oklahoma, USA

Yeah. You can make up all kinds of exercises with just a little bit of knowledge. And as you learn more, you'll be able to make up more exercises. Many of the exercises can be used in real songs.
_________________
Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10 & Peavey Nashville 1000

www.16tracks.com

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