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Topic: Common misconceptions |
Joerg Hennig
From:
Bavaria, Germany
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 11:37 am |
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Yesterday a lady came around who was interested in my apartment that I´m about to give up. She noticed the steel, obviously had never seen one before and asked: "How do you play it? Do you beat on the strings with sticks?" I´ve heard a lot of things, but this was new! I then put on my picks and said, "No, I use fingerpicks..." then she said: "Oh, then it´s like a zither?" Remember the zither is very popular around here since it´s used a lot in Bavarian folk music. I then gave her a quick demonstration of how the PSG works and she seemed quite impressed and wished me good luck with my music.
When running out of ways to describe it, instead of saying "It´s not a keyboard" like RR, I can always say "it´s not a zither"...
Regards, Joe H. |
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Joey Ace
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Joerg Hennig
From:
Bavaria, Germany
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 12:49 pm
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That´s interesting, Joey. So, how about "Hawaiian Zither"?
BTW, when that lady mentioned "beating on the strings with sticks" I thought she had in mind that instrument that the Hungarian gypsys play, a zymbalon(?) - don´t know how to spell it correctly. I would best describe it as something like a piano without keys, you beat on the strings with sticks instead, it even has a damper pedal. I´ve seen it now and then and it sounds amazing. Maybe someone who´s keen on instrument history could give some more info.
Regards, Joe H. |
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 1:07 pm
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It's a Fretless Horizontal Hawaiian Harp
and she thought it was a Hammer Dulcimer..
go figure .  |
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Paul King
From:
Gainesville, Texas, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 1:22 pm
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| I was showing my steel a month ago to some friends. There was a man there when he saw the steel in the case he said, "Does it have legs"? I have been asked if the pedals were like the pedals on an organ. I have found the biggest majority of people I come across know nothing about how a steel works. Most people also believe it is strictly used in country music and cannot be used for any other kind of music. |
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Nicholas Dedring
From:
Beacon, New York, USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 1:43 pm
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It's kind of funny to have something that you do with a certain amount of conviction/intensity or whatever and have virtually everyone who hears you mention it have actually NO idea what the hell you're talking about.
I have now done demonstrations (unplanned) for my super, the cable guy, the electrician, the gas company guy, the exterminator, and any friends who happen to come by... |
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Roger Shackelton
From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 2:34 pm
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A Forumite was asked in a club,"What is that thing you are playing?" The steel player told the person that it's a pedal steel guitar. The lady said , "No It Isn't.
Roger |
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Mark Herrick
From:
Bakersfield, CA
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 3:38 pm
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| Sometimes I'm tempted to beat on mine with a baseball bat... |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 4 Apr 2004 5:05 pm
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Saw a picture of a guy playing PSG with a fiddle bow..Would like to hear what that sounds like.
Bill |
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David Rothon
From:
London, England
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 4:37 am
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| At a gig once, someone referred to my pedal steel (to a third party) as an 'accordion'. Anyone got any idea what an 'accordion' is? |
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Steve Hitsman
From:
Waterloo, IL
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 4:53 am
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| Industrial-strength cheese slicer. |
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Ed Naylor
From:
portsmouth.ohio usa, R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 4:57 am
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| Many years ago I walked into a restraunt across from my store, and two little boys saw me come in. One said to the other"He plays that SITTIN' BANJO..Ed Naylor Steel Guitar Works. |
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John P. Phillips
From:
Folkston, Ga. U.S.A., R.I.P.
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 6:37 am
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Hey Ed, I'm sure b0b will like that one ! 
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JUST 'CAUSE I STEEL, DON'T MAKE ME A THIEF
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 8:07 am
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I don't know which is more fun, listening to a PSG musician go from a V to a I while passing thru about 17 beautiful changes, (Like Jay Dee or Buddy E.) or actually doing it myself by accident.
You just can't explain THAT to the uninitiated. |
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Roger Edgington
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 9:13 am
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| While on break one night a horn player asked me if I played the table guitar. At least he was close. It really is a problem. We play a beautiful , challenging intraument and few people have a clue what it is. EVERYONE knows a banjo, guitar, sax, piano, drums, etc. If we want this thing to grow, we really need to educate everyone. We need to get steel guitar in their face and break the idea it's only good for country music. Not easy. |
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Joerg Hennig
From:
Bavaria, Germany
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Posted 5 Apr 2004 9:57 am
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Well then it looks like I must be on the right track. We only just started out and even though our music could be described as some kind of country, it looks like we´ll mostly be playing in rock clubs. I´m exposing more and more people to the PSG who didn´t know what it is. Even people who usually don´t like country, tell us they like us. We probably won´t have a lot of success with the "country" crowds, you know the line dancers and wanna-be cowboys (remember that´s all there is over here - this is not Texas), but I really no longer care about that.
(Isn´t that what the term "alternative country" is all about?)
A guitar player told me, "You must be crazy to play that thing!"
Answer: No, I´m not crazy, I´m eccentric...
Regards, Joe H. |
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Chris Brooks
From:
Providence, Rhode Island
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Posted 7 Apr 2004 2:47 pm
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Guy called me the other night about doing a duo with him as a General Business group. He asked if I was the person who played guitar and "steel pedal."
(I have not pursued this opportunity as of yet ...)
Chris
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now living in the Ocean State ....
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