Does a lapsteel require a volume pedal?

Peter Funk · From: Germany

Knowing that the use of a volume pedal adds a lot to the sound of a lapsteel guitar, I'm trying to get used to it for some days now.
I put it under my right foot, but somehow the movements of the guitar constrain my playing.
How do you deal with this? Do you use the right or the left foot? Do you use a stand, when playing with a volume pedal? Or don't you use a pedal at all?

John Mulligan · From: Ontario, Canada

I started out with a volume pedal and recently gave it up in an effort to simplify. I don't think I need it! You can do swells with your volume knob and you can get a lot of good sounds with just manual and bar techniques. I am no master of techniques but I have enough going on that I don't miss the pedal yet. However, I do enjoy playing a violin-style by over-using the volume pedal and I can't quite do that on the volume knob yet.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

If you're just starting out, I would not recommend using a volume pedal. Learn to get a good tone and intonation before dealing with swells and such.
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Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I see no distinction between a lap steel, a pedal steel or whatever.

They are both electrically operated machines, okay?

I've always used my right foot........as I'm right handed.

JERRY BYRD on the other hand, always used his left foot. (this does not imply he was left handed)

It's a quick "on/off switch" in case of a glaring musical error in playing.

Misc. affects can be created by using one. Listen to some of the tunes on the JERRY's MUSIC page on the JERRYBYRD-FANCLUB.com site. Lot's of excellent examples to be found here. Just more tools for you in your musical tool box.

More volume if you need it momentarily or less volume if the change be needed.

I'd strongly urge you to get a good GOODRICH pedal for a modest price and learn to use it correctly from the very first day. DO NOT PUMP it as you beat your foot for timing. It's NOT a pipe organ pump.

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I notice that lap players (or guitarists sitting down) put the pedal out further so that your knee is not bouncing... there's no way to play and pedal with it directly under your leg, the up-and-down will ruin your control.

That said, the volume pedal is certainly not used as much with the lap/straight steel... it's a constant thing with the E9 pedal steel, a major constituent of the sound.
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Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I have used a volume pedal for years now. in the beginning my foot rode the pedal like a teenager behind his first engine. now I set my volume and my foot is no where near the pedal.
why do I use a volume pedal at all? I have three other instruments hooked up in my rig, I use an A/B pedal. the volume pedal is used for my overall output. my instruments volume are usually turned way up so I have the strongest signal possible going into my effect pedals.I feel I get better response form the pedals.
as I said, the volume pedal controls the final output. also, if I have to unplug a guitar with the vol. off there is no noise. (I gig by the way).

Jack Aldrich · From: Washington, USA

My transition from pedal to non-pedal steel:

pedal steel ->goodbye pedals->goodbye volume pedal->start playing standing up.

I know that Jerry Byrd used a volume pedal, and I've been tempted, but, so far, no pedal. -Jack

Tony Lombardo · From: Alabama, USA

I've never used a volume pedal.

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Get the lowest profile volume pedal you can find.
Just thinking...
I have never tried this but what about a nice carpet covered 2x4 for the opposite foot so the lap steel will remain just about the same level?

I use a keyboard stand most of the time and the volume pedal is a large part of my playing style.
Dom
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Helmut Gragger · From: Austria

I started off with pedal steel and a volume pedal under. For tall guys like me, the guitar needs to be elevated such that the legs inclusive volume pedal fit under. There is no way moving the volume pedal either forward or backward. I went for a low profile model.

Today´s Hawaiian players seemingly hardly ever use a volume pedal (search this forum, this has been mentioned before...), however if you call it an expression pedal its use is eminently justified.

I used it on the right foot, but the device got in the way so I moved it onto the left foot which works well either.

Under my console guitar I use it lefty as well, but have it slightly more forward to keep the altitude at a more comfortable height (lower).

Be ultimately careful though, in doing this you change your resting point for the foot and thus the pot range you are working on, which may result in too big signal dynamics if you are deviated.

For a beginner, I suggest you leave the volume pedal away, you have more important issues to cope with.

BTW I never could really find out whether Jerry Byrd used the volume pedal to take the attack away like contemporary pedal steel playing suggests it or whether he just used it to change the volume when a song demanded it. Too much is in his touch to tell from records. Maybe somebody knows.

-helmut
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Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Jerry Byrd used his VP to "soften" his pick attack ... you still hear the picked note ... just at a lower volume ... for a couple of milliseconds.

Only on the passages that he wanted that "violin effect" ... would he "hide" the attack completely ...

His control was stunning ... just as surgical as his left hand was on the bar and his right hand was on the picking.

His VP "came on in reverse" ...

His rapid downward foot movement was in perfect sync with his picking hand ... and his fluid return to volume ... resulted in extremely effective, vocal quality to his playing.

He told me how to "re-wrap" the cord on a Goodrich VP ... so the taper was correct. Switching the hot and ground lugs on the pot puts it in reverse ... but the taper is bad that way.

You need to wind the little yellow cord counter-clockwise .. and adjust the sleeve so the "come on" point is just about when the VP is pulled up a "hair" from fully depressed ...

I had Keith Hilton build me one of his that comes on in reverse ... I think I played better with a VP ... used to subtly reduce the pick attack ... back in the days when I played alot.

I think my best HSGA convention was 2007 when I used my Hilton ... http://www.horseshoemagnets.com/aielloalohaoe.wmv

Now-days, I don't have the leg control to do it ... so no VP anymore ...

Helmut Gragger · From: Austria

Rick,

great you brought in some light into this matter. I suspected Jerry used it the way you describe, but you cannot hear pumping. He mastered this technique too.

Going through all the pot woes, I tried his pot trick just to see what it feels like. As you say, the taper is way off that way. I tried to change the way the cord is coming on but on the Goodrich model I have this was not possible. The cord´s supports were made for the other direction.

However, I found the pot discussion was futile...

Despite what everybody else seems to prefer, I use a volume pedal for both a lap and pedal steel, which frees me from the burdon of riding the volume by hand. Another distraction...

Take care,

-helmut
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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

as far as lapsteel goes..no vp ..it's not a sophisticated instrument like pedal steel. it's just for sliding around on and going waa oooh waa waaaa, and then eating pig at the luau as the waves crash.

Joe Naylor · From: Avondale, Arizona, USA

Sometimes you remember the funniest things.

But I have remembered this since I was 6 - my steel teacher (of course lap) told me, "You have to have a gas pedal to make a steel go"

then when I was not playing loud enough he would yell -
"STEP ON THE GAS"

I still tell steel players to step on the gas.

Very Happy

Joe Naylor
www.steelseat.com
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Mike Neer · From: NJ

I play most of the time without one, but I certainly do use one once in a while, especially on the bandstand where I need to be able to change my volume often. I don't really use it as an effect.
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Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

I always used one in the old days, 40s & 50s, for country music of that era. Still have the DeArmond pedal, but never use it these days for Hawaiian music...it eats pots anyway Very Happy

Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

I always use a volume pedal.

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Me too. I've never played without one.
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Chris Scruggs · From: Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Chris Ivey-

"Not a sophisticated instrument like pedal steel"?

No matter what the instrument, the sophistication is in your hands. Either you have it or you don't.

-Chris Scruggs

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I first tried an old Bigsby pedal and then a Fender that also had the cool secondary capability of doing side-to-side doo wah Fx. I gave 'em up largely 'cause I just couldn't stop my foot from keeping time and THAT happening on a volume pedal, was a disaster.

Helmut Gragger · From: Austria

Steve Ahola · From: Concord, California

At least for me trying to use a volume pedal with a steel guitar in my lap is a disaster as it makes the steel go up and down. That is not a problem if the steel is on a stand or has legs.

Here's an idea: why not have a volume pedal for lap steel players that rotates left to right rather than up and down? Fender had pedals that used the left to right movement to control tone (and some to control fuzz as I recall.)

Steve Ahola
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