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Topic: NAMM 2015, Steel Guitars, and Apples |
Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 12:23 am |
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NAMM 2015 at Anaheim, a few miles down the road from where I live, was as usual a total blast, my legs worse for wear after three days of trekking around the various floors, playing "Sleepwalk", at request, eight times. It is the one tune that people in the industry remember the steel guitar by. Steel guitars... there were only few, no surprise.
The new entry was Bill Asher's 6 and 8 string lap steel models endorsed by Alan Akaka. I was kindly given permission by Bill to play the 8 string a few times. Met many old friends like Gerald Ross, the Kamaka folk, Addison Ching, Kamaki Keawe, and a host of others, and also made new ones like Tani Waipa from the Big Island, a wonderful singer. More details and pics on my Facebook page. I also got to play the Beard "Jerry Douglas" Black Beard signature model dobro, a piece of magic that was hard to put down.
A novelty was the new steel made by Tim Wallis of Axtremity with a mechanical arm to permit getting a sixth or flattened seventh scale note on a major tuning, taking Pat Quilter's technique of wearing a metallic thumb ring to achieve the same a step further.
I also got the chance to talk "steel guitar" with a few notables in the industry and ask them what they knew about it. Conclusion: although well liked, steel guitar is still very much in the "novelty" or "hobby" category in their eyes. Music, however, has a way of re-inventing and morphing into new styles and hope should not be lost, I also noted that country music is one of the fastest growing genres in the industry today so there is a message somewhere. Also,there are a huge number of ukulele clubs sprouting all over the country. I saw umpti-nine ukulele brands at NAMM. It is my opinion that every ukulele club needs a steel player. So, there is opportunity....
The breakfast session with Steve Wozniak of Apple was the highlight of NAMM for me, an Apple owner since 1984 with the Mac128k. Apple came out of nowhere (a hobbyist's garage) beating all the then current trends to become one of the industry's most profitable and exciting companies. Steel guitar needs an Apple-like presence.
From,
Your roving correspondent |
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Dom Franco
From:
Beaverton, OR, 97007
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 2:53 am
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| Quote: |
| country music is one of the fastest growing genres in the industry today so there is a message somewhere |
Modern country music still features the steel guitar occasionally. Although sometimes I am not sure if I am hearing a steel or a slide guitar lick...
The pedal steel has been demoted to background chords and functions as a string "pad" and almost never takes a solo or introduction.
Gone are the days of the Steel and Telecaster trading licks or taking turns on the fills in the verses. Now it's over driven guitars and maybe a slide lick.
I know that I am making a gross generalization, because there are a few artists that still have a steel guitar featured in their songs.
I know music styles come and go and I hope the steel guitar becomes more known and loved again.
Dom
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3 |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 12 Feb 2015 12:31 am
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We must regard ourselves as actors in a grass roots revival of the steel guitar. Go out to uke sing song groups and take your steel with you. Play to make the singers sound better, be humble, not dominant, and do not claim the spotlight unless asked to play a pa'ani (instrumental solo break). And make your steel sound the best you can; as Bobby Ingano is quoted, "play from the heart".
A lot of folk do not know what a steel guitar is.. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 12 Feb 2015 4:17 am
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Kay, thanks for taking time to give us your impressions and share your insights. I don't often comment but I enjoy many of the tunes you've posted.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 12 Feb 2015 4:23 am
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| Good reporting, Kay; I enjoyed the tour. |
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Kay Das
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 12 Feb 2015 8:45 pm
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Andy,
Grateful for the appreciation, I enjoy your posts too. When I get some time I intend to make a new thread to share what I have learnt the past few years of the art of accompanying ukulele singing groups ... and learn from the experiences of others...
Charlie,
So good to hear from you after so long. I mean to rake up "Bossa Sol", the tune you composed and to which I added a steel track many moons ago. I hope you are doing well!
Kay |
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