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Topic: Choppy playing |
Ron Thompson
From:
Bridgeton, N.J. USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2023 7:54 am |
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| My wife came in to my music room last night and said my playing was bad, it was choppy. She couldn't explain any further than choppy. Can't be after many years playing so I recorded myself and she was right, I hate that. My playing sounds like a string of phrases instead of one smooth continuous song. How can I correct that problem. I don't know if I just started to play that way or hate to think I was playing like that all the time. Any suggestions greatly appreciated. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 27 Jun 2023 9:20 am
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legato
To play “legato” is to play smoothly, making each note last for its whole duration. Knowing the word and the concept and consciously striving to play that way allowed me to be a little less annoying to listen to on trumpet. Suspect it would work for steel, too.
The opposite is “staccato,” which is playing each note for a very short duration. Sounds like choppy to me. |
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Steve Lipsey
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2023 3:57 pm
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Although....I'm trying hard to play in phrases, as a person would speak, rather than one continuous stream...so if your phrases are meaningful and interesting, keep doing it...that is what the great players do...the pauses are what makes it have meaning...
_________________
https://www.lostsailorspdx.com
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham Resos, 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor |
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Ron Funk
From:
Ballwin, Missouri
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Posted 27 Jun 2023 7:45 pm
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Ken Pippus -
I was just recently introduced to the term "legato" by JayDee Maness at the Mt Vernon IL show. He played the Steve Wariner instrumental song 'Forever Loving You' for his wife of 60 years Luaine.....who as fate would have it, was sitting next to me.
Not only did JayDee perform "Forever Loving You" 'legato' - but also 'solo' ......(ha!) meaning 'no band.'
A really moving moment in time.
You can capture JayDee's studio version of "Forever Loving You" at 34:00 to 38:00 in the attached video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxr7IbhLr9o&t=6s
PS: The same instrumental tune is on the Tom Brumley CD entitled "In Time"
Ron |
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Paul Sutherland
From:
Placerville, California
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Posted 27 Jun 2023 10:30 pm
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Try to think like a singer. Singers need time to breath. Those pauses can also be applied to steel. Try to NOT play any of your hot licks from your bag of tricks. Just play phrases, two and three notes is often enough. Play more single note phrases than you normally would.
Steel sounds excellent when played simply, but with precision (as in solid intonation), and a touch of vibrato, like a good singer. Don't over do the vibrato. Audiences react to beautiful steel far more than they react to hot licks.
PS: practice with a metronome--SLOW.
_________________
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing.
Last edited by Paul Sutherland on 30 Jun 2023 8:56 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 28 Jun 2023 4:54 am
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To continue Paul’s idea if you are playing along to a track put your bar down and sit on your hands. Sing what you would play on the steel. DO NOT play. Sing a phrase until you really know it. Then play the exact phrase you sang exactly like you sang it. No extra bends. No extra picking at all. Train yourself to only play what you hear in your mind. And don’t play anything that you don’t hear. That way you will be playing music on the pedal steel. Make your heart and mind the boss instead of your hands.
_________________
Bob |
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Gil James
From:
Louisiana, USA
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Posted 28 Jun 2023 6:46 am
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| Paul and Bob, that is gold. What a forum! Thanks. |
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Will Slack
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Jun 2023 2:19 pm
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| I agree with Paul and Bob. I'll emphasize Paul's second point a bit and highly recommend more slow playing to a metronome. Whenever I hear choppy playing (including from myself), I always think "more metronome time needed." I took lessons from Bob starting out on lap steel and he got me more into practicing with a metronome and a drone tone. These exercises have become meditative for me--I look forward to them! |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2023 8:36 am
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Agree with all the above.
Learn some instrumentals, like San Antonio Rose, Buckaroo, Last Date, or simple classic jazz like All Of Me or Summertime. Beatles songs will add a melodic dimension to your phrasing. Try playing in weird keys too. |
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Ron Funk
From:
Ballwin, Missouri
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Posted 30 Jun 2023 6:11 am
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I also agree with Paul Sutherland's comment.
At a Paul Franklin St. Louis seminar, (wherein Paul was using the great Keith Whitley song "Don't Close Your Eyes" as his 'playing example,' - for when and where to add steel guitar fills - Paul educated everyone by saying:
"the music needs room to breathe."
good words to live by....
Ron |
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Jerry Horch
From:
Alva, Florida, USA
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Posted 30 Jun 2023 4:42 pm Jd
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You can always tell it’s JD …. Always stays true to his form…another great…
_________________
Franklin D10 /Walker Sterio Steel JBL's /DigiTech Quad4/ Korg Toneworks/ Dobro DM 1000 / Santa Cruz Guitar VA |
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