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Topic: The Essentials for Non Pedal Steel |
Bunky Markert
From:
Rehoboth Beach, DE, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 5:07 pm |
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I've been scheduling lessons for more than a year from an extremely talented young fellow named Jack Hamlett. Jack has just completed his degree in Chemistry at UMBC in Baltimore, so hopefully he'll be able to devote more time to his music. He is really worthy of wider recognition. Anyway, I was wondering what everyone thought were the essential no peddlers tunes to learn, say the top 20. So far we have covered:
Steel Guitar Rag
Cold, Cold Heart
San Antonio Rose
Walkin' After Midnight
I'll Fly Away
Panhandle Rag
Kayton's Boogie (?)
Steelin' the Blues
What other songs should every self respecting steeler have under his or her belt?
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 5:20 pm
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| Boot Heel Drag? |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 5:48 pm
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Remington Ride
Sleepwalk
Hawaii Tattoo
Steelin' the Blues
Sand
I think "I'll fly Away" and Walkin' After Midnight" wouldn't be in the top 20 repertoire of an accomplished Non Peddler
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 6:05 pm
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IMHO.....if you call yourself a steel guitarist, professional or garage band type, you should possess adequate abilities and/or technical skills, to sit down and play just about any tune that is lobbed at you.
You're never going to be able to learn every steel tune that has been recorded. The one's that will likely get recommended to you are somebody else's favorite.
At one time, I could play every tune "Speedy West" recorded and during one brief period of time, I had the opportunity to play with a 17 year old kid named Mike Quanstrom....who could play every note and riff played by Jimmy Bryant. While the band leader was out in the kitchen with a couple of other guys trying to learn the words to Tennessee Border, Mike and I would sit down and learn three of West/Bryant's killer recordings, note for note.
THE PROBLEM: The band leader and the band could not play the right chords in the right places and thus, we NEVER got to show our degree of expertise.
Develop your EAR and playing ability to where you can sit down and play one solid chorus of just about anything and you'll have it licked. To do otherwise, can prove to be pure folly.
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Bunky Markert
From:
Rehoboth Beach, DE, USA
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 7:00 pm
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| Ray, that is sage advice. In my case, I'm a guitar player first and I have been playing for many years, but steel is a new endeavor. I can play Jimmy Bryant's part on The Night Rider, but I have no hope of playing Speedy's part. Learning any instrument takes discipline and plenty of practice. As for steel, I have a LOT to learn, and besides learning the instrument, I need to know the music too, which is why I posed this question to the group. |
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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basilh
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 8:24 pm
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There probably is a definitive top twenty of non pedal tunes it just hasn't been decided on yet, maybe this thread could hasten the process.
As a Grammy Award winner, Sleepwalk most definitely should be there as should Steel Guitar Rag (Defining the Instrument)
Remington Ride is a "Landmark" instrumental as is "Steelin' the Blues"
As far as non specific Steel Guitar tunes/songs/instrumentals, I would have thought that to feature a tune that wasn't associated with the instrument would not be the wisest course for a "Newbee" if acceptance was the goal.
[This message was edited by basilh on 11 January 2006 at 08:27 PM.] |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 11 Jan 2006 8:31 pm
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Personally, I made a conscious decision a while back to not go the route of learning a ton of steel guitar standards, simply because I've been a working musician for a long time playing many things that were 'standard' repertoire, and I really wanted to go down a different path. Playing steel initially was a respite from playing guitar--however, things have certainly presented themselves in different, but favorable way. I believe that my musicianship (including my guitar playing) has increased even further since I began playing steel.
That being said, I believe it essential to learn a few Hawaiian standards--marches, such as Hilo March and Honolulu March, as well as 12th Street Rag and Hula Blues. There are a ton of Hawaiian Hulas and ballads, as well. There's a lot to be learned from checking out the Hawaiian players, as their swing is incomparable, in my opinion. All the great old Western Swing players such as Bob Dunn, and Bud Isaacs certainly checked them out. |
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Rick Garrett
From:
Tyler, Texas
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 2:48 am
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"Develop your EAR and playing ability to where you can sit down and play one solid chorus of just about anything and you'll have it licked. To do otherwise, can prove to be pure folly."
Ray ol buddy you said it all right there! There's no way a picker can learn any song that might be thrown at them. The way I'm going about learning steel is to learn the neck of my guitar. I've got a good ear so that coupled with my efforts to learn my guitar, at some point should allow me to be able to jam with anybody on just about anything. I guess time will tell but thats the road I'm on at present. Sorry to highjack your thread.
Rick
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Bill Bosler
From:
Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 3:51 am
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Bunky,
Learn to play the tunes YOU like. I spent a lot of time and effort years ago learning all of the above and a few more. After 30 years of gigs, the only two I ever played are Steel Guitar Rag and Speedin' West. I'm not saying the rest aren't good numbers. I still like to play them, but don't learn them because you think someone else will want to hear them. |
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Bunky Markert
From:
Rehoboth Beach, DE, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 5:51 am
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| I appreciate all your comments. There are many non-traditional songs I have and want to learn. In A Mellow Tone and Gravy Waltz are two on my list (I like Buddy Emmons' version of the latter). When I was first learning guitar, The House of the Rising Sun (the Animals version) was considered an essential, incorporating most of the basic chords including the killer F chord. So I was thinking along those lines, songs that involve transferable technique. This is already the case with the songs we have worked on. |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 6:20 am
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if I could ever play as well as Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant I would have had to made a pact with the devil.
those guys are tops. trouble is the more I learn the history of steel guitar, western swing the pantheon of greats becomes more crowded. |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 7:12 am
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Since I'm a Roy Wiggins' fan, I'd suggest Crying Steel Guitar.
George
Some steel players do it on their lap!!! |
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Nick Reed
From:
Russellville, KY USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2006 9:09 pm
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Bunky,
My wife has just recently took up the Non-Pedal Steel. Here's a picture of her new baby, a '58 Fender Stringmaster I had restored for her.
I've started her out with tunes like "Harbor Lights, Mansion over the Hilltop, Coconut Grove, & Sleepwalk". She is a beginner so it's a slow process with her catching on. However, I am starting to hear vast improvement in her playing. The more she applys herself, the better she gets. Nick
[This message was edited by Nick Reed on 12 January 2006 at 09:15 PM.] |
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