| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Pop Goes The Steel
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Pop Goes The Steel
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 15 Jul 2022 9:37 pm    
Reply with quote

I'm probably the only guy in the world that enjoys playing pedal steel to pop classics. Doctor's office music. I kinda do it like a sax player playing the distinct melody as if the singer was singing it and only pulling chords for accents. If you think about it a sax can't pull a chord but it can bend notes. Kenny G made a few million dollars one note at a time. The pedal steel has a unique tone compared to other instruments and even a Hawaiian lap steel especially when you factor in string stretching and unstretching.
You can make a pedal steel sound just as uptown as a chamber string quartet or country or bluesy or jazzy or swingy, etc. It's all how it's driven. Not sure how it got labeled by the general population as a strictly hillbilly instrument. Us pedal steelers know better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJsaaudU05M
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Joachim Kettner


From:
Germany
Post  Posted 15 Jul 2022 11:24 pm    
Reply with quote

As a lifelong Fortunes fan I really dig your performance of this song!
Thank you Mr.Mitchell.
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 16 Jul 2022 6:41 am    
Reply with quote

Joachim Kettner wrote:
As a lifelong Fortunes fan I really dig your performance of this song!
Thank you Mr.Mitchell.


Thank you Joachim!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Gil James

 

From:
Louisiana, USA
Post  Posted 16 Jul 2022 6:53 am    
Reply with quote

Refreshingly delightful! Thanks for expanding the horizon.👏👏👏
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 16 Jul 2022 10:25 am    
Reply with quote

Gil James wrote:
Refreshingly delightful! Thanks for expanding the horizon.👏👏👏


Thank you Gil!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Jim Kennedy

 

From:
Brentwood California, USA
Post  Posted 16 Jul 2022 11:42 am    
Reply with quote

The best advice I ever gleaned from the forum: Just play the melody.
_________________
ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 16 Jul 2022 2:41 pm    
Reply with quote

Jim Kennedy wrote:
The best advice I ever gleaned from the forum: Just play the melody.


Thanks! It's always worked for me. Once the melody is in my head I can embellish it all I want. But the lack of ability to hear the melody playing in your head leaves you at the mercy of playing the way someone else played it and that's no fun. Well occasionally it is. 😄
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Roy Heap


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 17 Jul 2022 6:17 am    
Reply with quote

Very nice playing David, love the tone.
Who says the steel can’t fit into every genre of music, the players before us have proved that, Buddy and many of the other greats!
Keep on keeping on.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 17 Jul 2022 9:15 am    
Reply with quote

Thank you Roy!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill Cunningham


From:
Atlanta, Ga. USA
Post  Posted 17 Jul 2022 5:54 pm    
Reply with quote

Great playing and nicely produced, sir.

M buddy, the late Tommy Dodd, made a niche for himself on the steel show circuit doing similar arrangements. Your post reminded me that TD would say, “the steel guitar doesn’t know what kind of music it is playing.

Thanks for sharing.
_________________
Bill Cunningham
Atlanta, GA
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 19 Jul 2022 3:45 am    
Reply with quote

Bill Cunningham wrote:
Great playing and nicely produced, sir.

M buddy, the late Tommy Dodd, made a niche for himself on the steel show circuit doing similar arrangements. Your post reminded me that TD would say, “the steel guitar doesn’t know what kind of music it is playing.

Thanks for sharing.


Absolutely! I sure enjoyed the videos Tommy Dodd made. Such a great player.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Dale Rottacker


From:
Walla Walla Washington, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jul 2022 4:52 am    
Reply with quote

Always liked this one David... Your production is always great... I think by now its 2nd nature for you.
_________________
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
https://www.youtube.com/@steelinatune
*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
David Mitchell

 

From:
Tyler, Texas
Post  Posted 19 Jul 2022 4:02 pm    
Reply with quote

Dale Rottacker wrote:
Always liked this one David... Your production is always great... I think by now its 2nd nature for you.


Thank you Dale! Always enjoy your great videos friend!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron