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Topic: The more I play, the more I appreciate Winnie & Bill |
Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 7:04 am |
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At this point I have accumulated a bunch of books and videos on the pedal steel. I can say that everything I have bought has a lot of value.
Last night I got into "Pedal Steel Guitar" by Winnie Winston and Bill Keith. My copy of this is so old that the front says "pedal steel record included".
Anyone attempting to learn this instrument should have a copy of this book. In my opinion the written parts of this work are as valuable as the tabs, songs and exercises.
I live in an area where there are only a very few (actually only one or two that I know of), pedal steel players and nobody teaching classes. The written material in this book is almost like having an experienced teacher or player sit down and talk to you and share their knowledge with you.
Sure the tab is a bit dated as it was written primarily with a 3/1 setup in mind, but honestly if you just read it through several times without playing anything I think it would still prove to be extremely beneficial. Even the limitations mentioned above are probably actually a good thing...it's better to learn to walk before trying to run.
Winnie & Bill gave a great gift to the pedal steel community when they produced this book.
_________________
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. |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 7:51 am
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I bought the book years before I bought my first pedal steel. Somebody offered me a Gibson J- 200 for a very good price, but instead I choose an ABM- steel, to find out if I can play what's in the book.
I don't regret it!
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 11:59 am
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Jim, I want to point out that the 3+1 doesn't reflect the time it was written: by the late 70s, pro guitars ALL had 3&4, although the vertical was posh.
Instead, they chose to aim at beginners on student models, because there were LOTS of Red Barons, Sidekicks and Mavericks out there.
In my new project of videos (look at my thread from Monday for the first three installments), I am playing the tabs for which audio didn't make the record. There is some interesting stuff on those pages, stuff that either:
1) I'd forgotten was there, or (more likely);
2) I couldn't quite wrap my newbie head around back then, so I didn't play it right, so it didn't sound so hot so I didn't make it a part of my vocabulary.
When I went back to look at it 34 years later, there is some stuff there that made me say "hmmm, kinda cool."
BTW, I apologize for the jerky phrasing on these videos, but only halfheartedly. I have one day a week in which to take care of business, wrenching on the Bud and playing the top side of the guitar. Since I don't want to skip the other parts of my day, I only budget 30-45 minutes for each. So I run through them several times to make sure I got the idea, then turn on the camera (all of those were like take 4 or 5).
_________________
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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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 12:36 pm
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i agree its the best book out there and i bet thousands have learned from it. the advice is solid and the arrangements are challenging and well thought out for a beginner to learn the skills necessary.
i wouldnt worry at all about the 3x1 setup - you will find in years to come that 90% of your playing falls under that setup.
Bill Keith, for those that dont know, was a musical genius. He basically redefined the 5-string banjo post-Earl Scruggs.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 12:46 pm
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(And invented the tuner they call the Scruggs tuner)
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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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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 1:41 pm
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| There are a lot of cool fills in the songs, although the tablature is not all that easy to follow. |
Doug, I'll attest that it hasn't gotten much easier with time.
I'm enjoying this little project, because even in its simplicity, it has some challenge
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
Last edited by Lane Gray on 9 Apr 2014 5:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 2:27 pm
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
| (And invented the tuner they call the Scruggs tuner) |
LANE!!
I'm surprised at you!! Bill (William Bradford) Keith... when I met him in 1963 with Big Mon he was "Brad" Keith... did NOT invent the Scruggs Tuner!
Earl Scruggs invented the tuners that bear his name. They were cams operated by two extra tuning pegs on the peghead of his Mastertone. The one he swapped with Don Reno, and the one with the little aluminum box that covered the cam device.
Check your album covers, son! 
Bill, OTOH, came up with a locking thumbscrew design that eliminated the two extra pegs on Earl's banjo. This design became the "Scruggs-Keith" tuner, manufactured by the Beacon Banjo Co., Bill's company.
Okay, 'grass discussion paused. Back to your regular programming.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 9 Apr 2014 10:07 pm
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Lane, your videos on YouTube were actually what prompted me to take another look into the book. Nice work and very helpful for us newbies.
_________________
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. |
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