Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2010 10:35 am |
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Hi, Jesse, and welcome to steel. If you have a "standard" Maverick or similar ShoBud, the knee lever was probably intended to lower the 2nd string a half tone, and the 8th string a half tone.
There are lots of threads here about concept and useage, but basically, the 2nd string lower changes that note from a major 7th to a dominant 7th, with no pedals, and with the A&B pedals engaged, from a not-so-pretty b5 or #4 to a 4 note that fits with the "pedals down" chord.
You can do rolls through the top strings, single note lines or two note harmony lines using the knee lever to make the 2nd string fit the chord of the moment.
With just the A pedal alone, you have a relative minor (to the no pedals chord), or C# minor open. The 2nd string sounds best as a 2 in that scale, or without the lever. Again, rolls, licks and harmony by using the top two strings along with the rest of the chord.
The 8th string lower gives you several chords at open position including G#m, B, and B6 depending on string selection, and B7 along with the B pedal.
There are also great harmony possibilities, particularly used along with the 5th string. Try exploring up and down the neck using the 5th and 8th strings and combinations of the A pedal,(raising 5 a whole step) and knee lever lowering 8.
I hope this helps a bit. I don't know if you're playing blues on the pedal steel, it's actually very good for that. You will find some more useful blues stuff, especially dominant things if you get to play a guitar that also raises the 8th string to F. For now, try using the 9th string (b7 open) and A pedal in and out for dom 7th and 13th chords. |
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