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Topic: what tips can you offer to a young steeler? |
Chris Castle
From:
Paintsville,Ky
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 7:08 pm |
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hey guys. I just want to say thanks to each and every one of you for being a part of the steel guitar community and keeping this beautiful instrument alive and going strong. I love playing the steel and really just love everything about music in general. i have had the privelege of playing with many great steeler's these past 2 years.
i was just wondering if anyone had any tips for a steeler who wants to make a life as a musician, or just for a steel player who loves to play.
I love to learn new stuff and I will take advice from anyone... when you learn something new, you know something you dint know before. It always helps. 
thanks everyone
-chris castle
_________________
Mullen G-2,, derby d-10 rosewood 9&7, derby sd-10 black/birdseye, peavey 1000 and 112, hilton vp, walker seat |
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Russ Wever
From:
Kansas City
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 7:48 pm
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| Quote: |
any tips for a steeler who wants
to make a life as a musician |
Never leave your Wallet
in the Dressing Room
~Russ |
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Chris Castle
From:
Paintsville,Ky
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 7:56 pm
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HAHA!!!
good point russ...
thanks
_________________
Mullen G-2,, derby d-10 rosewood 9&7, derby sd-10 black/birdseye, peavey 1000 and 112, hilton vp, walker seat |
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Bob Simons
From:
Kansas City, Mo, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 9:05 pm
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Don't read Bill Hankey threads!
_________________
Zumsteel U12 8-5, MSA M3 U12 9-7, MSA SS 10-string, 1930 National Resonophonic, Telonics Combo, Webb 614e, Fender Steel King, Mesa Boogie T-Verb. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 9:43 pm
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TIPS FOR A YOUNG STEELER ? Sell it,learn to play fiddle,or forty years from now when you carry a d-10,pak-a-seat,huge amp up three flights of stairs to play a two hour gig,you will wish you had taken this advise,too late for some of us old geezers. DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Dustin Rigsby
From:
Parts Unknown, Ohio
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Posted 12 Jul 2009 9:59 pm uh-oh
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Chris my friend from God's Promised Land of Floyd County,sit down here boy and I'll give ya some tips.
1. Stay away from dope !
2. Stay away from booze !
3. Practice, Practice , Practice !
4. Prepare yourself for the knowledge that being a "professional musician" is a good way to stay slim !
5. When it comes time for you to date or marry, be sure to re-assure your signifigant other that you can't help it that the usual bar floozey wants to be with you because your "in the band" !
6. Never quit playing to satisfy a woman,because you will be dissatisfied with your life if you don't play !
7. Never put all of your eggs in one basket. Learn to play as many instruments as possible and write as many songs as you can !
8. When touring in a van,keep your face towards a window just in case someone releases a body odor that is less than pleasing to the nostrils !
9. Be prepared to stay in some flea-bag motels in the nearest ghetto !
10. Always have someone watch the guy taking in the cover charge at the door to make sure he is not "skimming the till" !
11. After reading all of this you are still interested in being a professional musician,re-read tips # 1 through # 4 !
Lots of Luck  |
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Ned McIntosh
From:
New South Wales, Australia
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 5:04 am
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1. Listen to as much steel-guitar as you can and immerse yourself in the sound of the steel. When the music is so deep inside your head that it just flows out of your fingers and onto the fretboard when you play, without any conscious thought at all, then you're playing steel.
2. Try not to be a full-time professional musician because it is an awfully hard road and frequently a hungry one as well...have a second job if you can manage it. At least you'll eat probably two meals a day that way. The good part about that is you won't get overweight. The bad part is you'll often be hungry, which is a great motivator.
3. Stay single. You can have a wife, or a mistress, or a steel-guitar, but from what I've seen you can only have one of those three at any one time. Of the three, it appears the steel-guitar is actually the easiest to understand. Also bear this in mind; no matter which of the three you have, you will never master any of them in a single lifetime.
4. Listen to as much classic country as you can. Three chords and the truth is what country was built on and that's as good a foundation as you'll ever get on which to base your playing.
5. Tone before speed! Fluidity before flashiness. Fill every note with the emotion only the steel-guitar can give it. Vibrato your notes gently, but with feeling. Keep your bar polished and free of dings, dents and nicks. Always have a couple of sets of spare picks. (Don't lend bars or picks!)
6. Learn how to replace a string and be back in the song before the last verse.
7. Have a spare volume-pedal - or learn to solder really fast!
8. You can't have too many spare strings, especially E9th third strings (G#).
9. The C6th neck is a different place, a different animal, and requires a different mental approach compared to E9th. Don't neglect it; there's a whole world of sound there.
10. Your task is to be a good and true servant of the music. Let the vocalist carry the melody. Your playing is to support him or her and add to the song, not to show what a hot steel-player you are. As so many others have already said in other threads, you will be appreciated much more for what you don't play than for what you do play.
Good luck.
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The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 1:24 pm
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Be sure to have another profession for a Day Job so that you will have retirement in your later years.
Do not rely on Music only to support yourself and your family. You will have more satisfaction and less frustration when playing music. |
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Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 1:38 pm
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Hey, Chris...
To make a living, be able to work solo.
As a professional, my experience is that there are 100 good-paying solo jobs for every one good-paying band job.
Therefore, I recommend being able to sing, play different instruments and work with backing tracks.
Study the music business. Belmont University in Nashville, where I went, has a great program. There are others too, where you can learn the many ways of making money with music. Through your library, you can borrow many useful music-biz textbooks. If they aren't in your library's catalog, the librarian can get them for you through the inter-library loan program.
Don't worry too much about people who say you can't make a living as a professional musician. You'll meet lots of them. They were wrong about me and a whole lot of other pros.
Study all kinds of music, learn the business and enjoy yourself. |
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Jamie Lennon
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 1:45 pm
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Keep practicing !
_________________
Mullen Guitars, Little Walter Amps, Benado Effects, D'Addario Strings
www.georgettejones.net |
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Joe Smith
From:
Charlotte, NC, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 2:11 pm
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| The best advice I can give is: Practice at least 3 hours a day and stay humble. |
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Chris Castle
From:
Paintsville,Ky
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 2:28 pm
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hey guys thanks for all the tips from everyone so far...
I usually practice a couple hours everyday in the summer, but dont have as much time during the school year. I am a senior this year.
I have considered Belmont as a possible college choice, but have already received several BIG offers from several colleges in the US. I actually plan to become a doctor, more specifically a neuro surgeon (neurologist)
but still is truly my most heart-filled passion and there is no way I could ever even think of giving it up...
it is my passion, my friend/refuge in a way, and basically my life.
and it never argues... except when i break a string... haha
it's just such a beautiful instrument and I learn more every time I play.
_________________
Mullen G-2,, derby d-10 rosewood 9&7, derby sd-10 black/birdseye, peavey 1000 and 112, hilton vp, walker seat |
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Skip Edwards
From:
LA,CA
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 2:32 pm
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Two things I was told by Pete Drake...
You don't always have to play a chord on the downbeat of the change...wait for your spot. Answering the vocal, for ex.
And, in a solo, it never hurts to play the melody. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 3:28 pm From where I sit...................
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I strongly recommend that you acquire, no matter how difficult, a copy of the late steeler HOWARD WHITE's book, "All Roads Out of Nashville". Failure to do so will likely be very painful to you.....sooner or later.
Don't overwhelm your EARS with thousands of songs by hundreds of steel guitar players.
Devote some time to identify a single artist and then concentrate on listening to virtually everything that artist performs and use that, as your learning base. Otherwise, you're going to drown in a sea of darkness.
Too much musical info' will defeat your purpose. TRUST ME! |
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 3:46 pm
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with steel, and every instrument, make sure you are playing along with something... get familiar with how the phrase you are practicing sounds against the chord.. it will be easier to implement when you are actually jamming...
pay attention to your TIME... one chord played in time is music, but 8 fancy ones out of time ain't nothin. (metronomes are great for practice) |
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Paddy Long
From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 3:58 pm
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Stay away from booze, drugs and your mates wife !!
Practice diligently !!
Learn when NOT to play !!
And when you have a flat stale period with your playing, have a listen to something Paul has done recently and you will be inspired !!!!! 
Ohhh and as soon as you can afford it - get a ZUM !
_________________
14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Chris Castle
From:
Paintsville,Ky
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 5:40 pm
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wow guys!! thanks so much for the tips and please keep em coming.
no offense mr. Long, but I play Derby and will for many years. That is a personal promise I made to my dear friends Charlie and Margit Stepp. That is a promise I intend to live out and furthermore, the Derby I have that Charlie made is unbelievable. It is the most amazing steel I have ever had or even had the chance to play. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE.
You can all hold me to that. I will always play Derby because I love it and because the man who made Derby was more than a friend to me... He still lives within the walls of my heart.
_________________
Mullen G-2,, derby d-10 rosewood 9&7, derby sd-10 black/birdseye, peavey 1000 and 112, hilton vp, walker seat |
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Chris Bauer
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 6:29 pm
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| There's less risk of burning out if you try to only play half time. (Of course, you'll still need to decide which twelve hours a day to play...) |
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Mat Rhodes
From:
Lexington, KY, USA
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Posted 13 Jul 2009 8:39 pm
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| Don't get married unless you want two wives. You'll spend the rest of your life trying to satisfy both. |
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Cameron Tilbury
From:
Peterborough, England, UK
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 4:10 am
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My one piece of advice is this: no matter what...no matter how frustrated...no matter how low you get...never, ever give up. Before you know it, 30 years go by.
_________________
Sho Bud Super Pro D10 |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 5:24 am
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Well, some of these tips are meant to be cute... here's one that's not:
Rather than owning 4, 5, (or even a lot  ) of steel guitars, use your money (future money, Doc) to get a decent bass rig, acoustic and electric guitars - then use your bass-playing and rhythm guitar (and harmony-singing)* abilities to put yourself into positions where you might get paid to play steel. I seriously believe that you'll have more opportunities and better choices available that way. Particularly if you live in a smaller market, you get in a band then say, "Hey, we can play this song and this song and that song with steel...." When you work up songs, and just explore the chances of playing with various people, being able to bang 'em out on a guitar simplifies things - dragging your pedal steel guitar around everywhere you go gets tedious, at the very least (unless you've already hired a roadie, Doc  ).
Music can be a great and true friend your entire life, regardless of what role it plays (and the role can & will change numerous times over the years).
P.S. (you have to develop bass-playing and rhythm guitar and harmony-singing* abilities... )
*(The Dying Frog Orchestra has yet to call me back  ) |
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Dr. Hugh Jeffreys
From:
Southaven, MS, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 5:39 am steelin'
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| What kind of music do you like? What kind of music would you like to play on steel? What (Who) is your influence? |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 6:10 am
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Five things pop into my head that you should concentrate on not doing.
1.Get married the first time.
2.Get married the second time.
3.Get married a third time saying there wouldn't be another.
4.Forgetting what you said the third time.
5.I think you know what goes here by now.
If you follow my advice,I promise you'll be a great steel player and have any guitar your heart desires.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 6:13 am
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I'm starting to repeat myself.
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Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.
Last edited by Dick Wood on 14 Jul 2009 6:24 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Chris Castle
From:
Paintsville,Ky
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Posted 14 Jul 2009 11:54 am
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as far as the musician side of me, I am very versatile. I can play drums, bass, upright bass, dobro, steel, lap steel, electric and acoustic guitar, mandolin,and piano. Im sure i could play others if I had the chance to play around with them. I also sing lead vocals and have a great ear for harmony on tenor and baritone parts.
I play all sorts of music on different instruments... i love country, but also enjoy gospel, jazz,blues, 80's rock,soul, bluegrass, and some others as well.
my biggest steel guitar influences would include: jeff newman, john hughey, doug jernigan, david hartley, russ hicks, randy beavers, ron elliot, billy cooper, buddy charleton, and a few others as well.
- i learn from everyone i watch or hear play. no matter how brief a time, I will always hear or notice something that will lead me to a new run or lick or style, etc.
But i have my own unique style. I do try to incorporate other styles within my playing though.
_________________
Mullen G-2,, derby d-10 rosewood 9&7, derby sd-10 black/birdseye, peavey 1000 and 112, hilton vp, walker seat |
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