What can we do to play steel guitar better?

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

With the introduction of the multitude of affects stomp boxes.....have we as players begun to rely too heavily on artificial means in the belief that we're
improving "our SOUND"?

I was first introduced to them at a Jeff Newman Seminar and promptly went out and purchased an entire line of them. Some players today rely on the Chorus and/or Delay to get "their SOUND".

While I'm not suggesting that anyone 'not use' them or stop using them.....but rather, asking the question if in some instances, is it possible that some of us are using them entirely too much of the time?

Emmons might use an Eboe on one song out of a dozen or so on a single album of say, twelve songs. Byrd did the same thing.

Would you recommend using any of the devices the entire dance gig or stage show performance? What's your views on this subject?

Steve Ahola · From: Concord, California

The only effect I would leave on all night is reverb. And it isn't completely unnatural- in the old days when the bands played in big halls there was often reverb from the room itself. And I believe it was in the mid 50's that they started using chambers in recording studios for reverb.

Steve
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Benjamin Franz · From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

I'm trying to get into the habit of playing completely dry. It can be quite confronting how much extraneous and ugly noise you make when those rough edges aren't smoothed over by effects.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Ray, I agree that learning how to play the steel guitar sans effects helps you to get a better foundation in your touch and technique, no doubt about it. Much has changed in music over the years, though, and using effects is part of the soundscape of a lot of today's music. I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing; like anything else, you have to learn how to master your effects, as well. Also, they are not going to help much if your foundation is not solid.

Here's an anecdote on this topic: When I was about 17 I was in a Rock band and I was the guitarist and vocalist. We did a few shows and had hired a professional sound company to do our sound. I listened back to a recording of one of the shows and heard a ton of echo. The first thought that popped in my head was, "Not only did I just hear myself sing a bad note, I heard myself sing it twice."
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Gary Meixner · From: New York, USA

Ray,

First I would like to say that have I missed hearing from you on this forum and always appreciated what you have had to say.

With both guitar and steel guitar I try to steer clear of most effects and lately have been playing with none at all. I love the sound of a small single ended amp dialed in just right. This approach works well for me at practice and in smaller venues but when playing on larger stages, particularly outdoors I need to switch to a larger amp and often struggle to find a sound that I like. I have been experimenting with various effects to see if they help and lately have added reverb and maybe a little echo. I thought a sonic maximizer might be a good idea in bigger venues but to me it just adds to the harshness.

I do think many players over use effects and some do rely on them to make up for poor musicianship. I have also heard great musicians use effects brilliantly. I think a lot times players are just experimenting to see if a particular effect fits their musical sensibilty - nothing wrong with that. Sometimes you just get into a rut and need to find something to help push you in new direction.

When I was a young musician I became obsessed with the playing of Bix Beiderbeck. Despite playing a diffrent instrument, Bix played cornet, I have wanted to emulate his tone and attack. I think that Joaquin Murphy was similar. There just isn't a pedal that is going to give that to me.

Gary Meixner

Billy Tonnesen · From: R.I.P., Buena Park, California

Sometimes, for instance you have to adjust your Amp, digital delay, reverb, etc. setting to the acoustics of the Venue you are playing at. At one time I played in an Nat't Guard Armory which had concrete walls and a metal roof with no sound deadening curtains or wall boards. When you played a passage and blocked off, the sound just kept bouncing back and forth and all the melody and chords kept playing on top of each other. There was no way to compensate for these acoustics. A miserable night, Tommy Duncan was the headliner !

AJ Azure · From: Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

I play progressive rock. Effects are necessary. Used properly they create a sonic pallete you just can't get with a dry sound. Effects like any tech can be used creatively or they can be abused to cover up bad technique. Playing an acoustic quickly exposes all the flaw in one's technique. It's a good idea to work on new techniques clean (unless it's an effect based one) but, you don't need to do away with effects totally if you know how to use them sparingly or way over the top if you're going for that sound. Using effects takes as much skill as not using them.

Why should guitarists get to have all the fun?!

You'll have to pry my reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, phaser and pitch shifter from my cold dead hand Smile

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I tried some of the various effects pedals my son has. Some of it strays too far from the natural for me, losing my idea of steel guitar. The effect that I do like is a very light touch of reverb, barely noticeable....
And a small bit of reverb does make some not-so-good amps sound better.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

I play solo most of the time, so It's nice to have some variety in the sound of my steel so that every song doesn't sound the same. I use light reverb all the time, Some slight delay or chorus on some songs and overdrive when playing blues or rock.

I also look for ways to vary my playing style to make my arrangements more interesting. For example.
Single string heavy vibrato, for a Vocal/Hawaiian type sound.

The next verse I'll play lush chords, and moving slants...

Then perhaps on the chorus Big full octave slides, and high palm harmonics.

No effects needed, the tone is in your hands!
Dom
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Hal Braun · From: Eustis, Florida, USA

I think anytime you plug your guitar into any device.. you are plugging into an effect. Even "dry" into the amp. The amp has tone effects.. and people choose different amps for different effects (my vibrolux reverb, even without any reverb, has a significantly different effect than a Marshall stack) They used to poke holes in the speakers with a pencil back in the day to get "overdrive".

Heck, even a volume pedal is an effect right? So ultimately we are talking about a sliding scale from less to more.

My take is if you use are using an effect to get a certain sound.. rock and roll.. it is why they make so many! If you are using an effect to cover a playing deficiency, well that is not all bad either if you are working on improving.. if it just makes you "lazy" to Ray's point.. then you probably need to practice without it to remind yourself.

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

"What can we do to play steel guitar better?"

Practice Mr. Green

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Mitch Crane · From: 1000 Oaks, CA

As a life-long electric lead guitar player, I strived for a 'recorded' sound when playing live.

Most guitar tracks I played on or engineered, used compressor / limiter, reverb and / or delay, EQ. So that's pretty much what I've used right along. Now with steel, I'm finding I don't use my compressor hardly at all, reverb to taste, and tap-tempo delay to the point I can hear it, then backed off a tad.

I think getting "your sound" can actually inspire a better performance. I rememeber seeing a Jerry Byrd video where he wouldn't start the song, mentioning that "I'm not getting the sound I'm used to"..

As to the thread subject line, none of these things make me a better player, but they DO improve my sound... sound not being tied to touch, feel etc. but strictly to external, electronic 'stuff'
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Wayne D. Clark · From: Montello Wisconsin, USA

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmany year ago when I learned Hawian guitar it way on a second hand Sears Acoutic guitar tuned to "A" [I think] A year later I purchased a second hand National New Yorker [with Mom's help] The only device that came with it was a small box amp with an on and off switch and a volume control. Later I added another device, a Volume pedal and the last device I added came with a new Fender Amp, the built in reverb. Nothing has been added since, Oh maybe a new guitar, a new Amp or foot pedal. But the same set up Amp with reverb and Volume pedal. This is not to say other devices are wrong. I'm just confortable with what I have used over the years.

Wayne D. Clark
Melbert 8 Counsol
Goodrich pedal
Pevey 110

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

Pay a lot more attention to intonation.

Carl Mesrobian · From: Salem, Massachusetts, USA

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Another thing we can do is learn the fundamentals of music--understanding rhythm AND harmony. I've noticed that there are a lot of folks who struggle with the rhythm element of playing. This is something that every player should address. You may have great intonation, but if you are rushing your phrases or pushing the beat, it sounds very unpolished.

Understanding harmony is something that enables you to go outside of the box and introduce more flavors to your playing. I'm sure we all can agree that vanilla and chocolate get a little boring after a while. Laughing

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Mark Mansueto · From: Michigan, USA

Ray, that's an interesting question and here's my take on it... I've always considered myself to be first and formost an electric guitarist even though I actually play more acoustic and steel these days. That said one of the problems that I've had over the years is the fact that I almost always practice dry many times without an amp. So what happens is when I apply my effects I need to change my playing to incorporate different damping techniques, etc. So as much as I love the dry and undistorted sound I should be practicing more WITH all the stuff hooked up more often.
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Eric Ebner · From: Texas Republic

Music is certainly in the ear of the beholder. In many cases you could substitute the terms "audience" or "customer" in here as well. The market is pretty good at rewarding or not-rewarding what an artist is attempting to do. The most important thing to remember is to "know your system" and enjoy your passion! Failure is often a healthy indicator of hard work. Proof that people are willing to take chances and/or new faces are entering the market. Evolution begins with no rules. Propagation persists if we remain individuals. For a long time there was no steel guitar;-) Then it happened.
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Tom Grosz · From: Carlisle, Pennsylvania

The song or other players in a band will sway which, if any, effects I use. I view them as I would a 'colour' chord. The listener can get fatigued if they are always bombarded with an effect. It would be similarly irritating if we would play a set only using 6th interval runs, or 7th chords.
Applied as needed, effects make our instrument or, more importantly, the song stand out.
They expand our palette of colours and textures.....but they aren't the picture.

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I have to use something to cover up my lack of talent. Laughing

Steve Ahola · From: Concord, California

In the field of blues/rock there are many guitarists who use a lot of effects and I personally get really bored with their sound really fast- it all sounds the same to me. The guitarists who use nothing but reverb and perhaps an OD pedal (if their amp can't create good overdrive tones) are a lot more enjoyable for me to watch as they control dynamics with just their hands. IMO you just can't beat the sound of B.B. King Live At the Regal. I feel the same way about a lot of the classic non-pedal players as well.

But for more modern music (rock, pop, et al) FX are an important part of the guitar sound. The lead guitarist with a Top 40 band at the local bar is expected to get the same sound as on the original recording hence the big pedal board or multiprocessor.

So I think it depends on the type of music you are playing. If you are trying to capture the vibe of Hank in the early 50's you should probably leave the flanger at home. Whoa!

Steve
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