From one newbie to others...

Jim Williams · From: Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!

I just wanted to share a few thoughts and a word of encouragement to others beginning the journey of learning this wonderful instrument.

Although a complex instrument I've found that there are a few simple core principles that are key to learning:

1. Use this forum. Read regularly and take heed of advice given to you when you ask questions here. There is an incredible number of talented masters of this instrument here, and most of them are extremely willing to invest time in helping a newbie. These folks collectively have hundreds of years of playing experience among them.

2. Take advantage of technology. There is a vast amount of instructional material available online, much of it absolutely free to be had. Youtube posts from people like Mickey Adams and Steve Benzian (sbenzian on youtube) just to name a couple. Dave Anderson has a number of downloadable, affordable lessons that are full of valuable material as well. If you live in an area without a teacher or someone to help you, video lessons are a valuable resource. There are many members on the forum that have offered charts and scale practice pages free that are extremely helpful. I'll edit this post later and add a few links to some of these threads.

3. Learn proper left and right hand technique. You can play every note of a tab correctly, but if the technique isn't there, it will be sloppy at best.

4. Learn basic chord theory, what chords are used in what keys commonly, what triads of notes make up the chords. "But I want to play songs, not learn music theory" is a statement made by many newbies, but believe me there will come a time when the time you invest in this will payoff and a light will come on that makes you realize the value of learning these principles.

5. Know thy fretboard. Know as many positions as possible for each chord. Don't lock yourself in to just knowing where the basic chord positions are.

6. Learn your scales and harmonized scales. These are the backbone of being able to play melodies and not just play from someone elses's tab.

7. Don't get discouraged. This is not an easy thing to learn. I've been at this for several months and feel that I've just taken the first steps toward climbing the mountain! Keep at it properly and it will pay off.

These comments are not in a particular order, just some things I've learned along the way that I thought might be helpful to others.
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal.

Scott Duckworth · From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies

Good one Jim. Might add to do picking exercises every day.
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I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus!

Daniel Policarpo · Posted 28 Dec 2013 1:05 pm

Jim, I think you are good to mention getting technique together. If somebody can play every little mark on the tab sheet, it won't matter if it doesn't sound good. I'd rather play Silent Night really well, than Bars of Steel half-assed. Not that I can do either.

Frank Sprague · From: Custer , Washington, USA

Another good point is - Don't get in too big of a hurry to buy a bunch of fancy gear - That will come later as you master the pedals , knees and most important - principle # 3 - hand technique . . .
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The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture

David Scheidler · From: Arizona, USA

Good rules for getting started, for sure. I recently acquired a pedal steel after giving up 30 years ago. I've played finger-style acoustic guitar all these years so the right hand picking isn't much of a problem. It's just a matter of building muscle memory for the basic chord grips and then advancing to rolls.

My greatest challenge is learning the pedal steel fingerboard. It's a completely different animal than any standard fretted instrument - partly because of the almost infinite number of movable chords, along with the almost endless possibilities that are available using the pedals and knee levers.

I'm determined to not allow myself to get frustrated this time around. Somebody on another forum said something that really helped with that... They said the best description of a pedal steel guitar they'd ever heard is "a math problem with legs". Using that analogy, all I have to do is learn the "formulas" and then apply the proper technique (right hand/left hand) to get into the right groove.

Kotaro Mukasa · From: California, USA

If I may rant for a bit, for me, it's not about disciplining myself to practice. It's getting my foot in the door in the first place by affording one. I have never been faced with such a high initial cost to get started in something I was interested in. (Even guns are cheaper.) $1K+ for a beginner model: a used one for around $800 (if I could find one). Because of this, I'm starting to think, of course this is an exclusive club. I should've pulled the trigger on a Carter Starter when they were like $600 back-n-the-day.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Kotaro, I do not know your financial position, but I'd suggest talking to your bank and diverting a chunk of your pay to a savings account every week, in the background. I'm currently doing this for a high-end guitar (I should have been halfway there but the taxman tapped me on the shoulder).
If you can Hide $50/week from yourself, that's a Stage 1 in five months. If you can hide only $20, a new Stage 1 is a year away.
(I'm in a good position, with an understanding wife. At 100/week, I'm still a year away from my next guitar).
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

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