Beginners Sound File

George Wixon · From: Waterbury, CT USA

Hi Guys,
I'm looking for suggestions & any help you may be able to offer on my playing (if you can call it that). I don't have a real person/teacher that I can sit down with to show me or tell me what I'm doing wrong (which is probably everything),or what I may be doing right (which is probably nothing).
If I have bad habbits I want to know so I can work on stopping them before I get to far along and have an even more dificult time of breaking them. I've been learning to play this contraption via Jeff Newmans video courses. I added what I thought were just enough little fills and runs for this song.
This file was made using Band in a Box for the backup in the key of C and was recorded using Power Tracks Pro Audio 7. I didn't add any effects to the file (reverb,echo,etc...) so what you hear is the steel comming directly from the line output from the amp going into the sound cards line in.
I don't play great and I know it so don't expect alot.
You can hear this at http://hometown.aol.com/gwixonjr/myhomepage/index.html
This is a quick homepage which was done just to get the file out and is nothing fancy. I didn't realize that as a member of aol, they give you 2mb of free web space for each screen name. I may change the page in the future but for now its just meant to get the sound file.
Any way let me know what you think outside of "SHOOT THE STEEL PLAYER, IT WOUD BE JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE".
Regards to all,
George

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

Hey George,
Not too bad! I listened to the clip three times so I'd be really familiar with it. For just playing 8 months you're progressing very well. I noticed that your intonation is pretty good right now and will surely improve with experience. You can work on vibrato some but it'll all come to you the more you play. How much do you practice per day, week, or whatever? Just keep up the good work and you'll get there eventually. Your tone's coming along very well too. All in all I'd say you've made some good progress in the short time you've been playing as I've heard some pros who don't play in tune as well as you do. In about 2 or 3 more months, why don't you put another version of the same song on your website right after this one for comparison. The folks on this Forum are great people and will help you every step of the wall with all there knowlege and expertise. I don't know if you have any musical friends but if you have some that you can get together and pick with that'll help you a whole lot. When I was first learning I'd go to a club where some friends played on a Monday night and they'd let me sit in with them. They knew I couldn't play very well so I'd just noodle around on my steel at very low volume to get the feel of playing it with a live band. If you know someone who plays rhythm guitar and sings that'd be a good way to do it also. Talk to you later, Jerry

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Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney tuning.

[This message was edited by Jerry Hayes on 24 March 2002 at 06:53 AM.]

Bill Crook · From: Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance

Real nice job......

As one forumnite suggested:
Just a bit more vibrato will cap it off.

I must add.... You did a good job with the BnB back-up too.

You may wish to obtain some sing-a-long tracks to practic with also. I use them all the time and it helps me do fills and rides.

Barbara Hennerman · From: ** R.I.P. **

I agree! I think you've done very well in a short time. The best teacher is practice with and without other musicians. But playing with other musicians really helps. Keep up the good work!!

Bill Llewellyn · From: San Jose, CA

George emailed me his soundfile before his web page went up, and I felt the same way as the others here. For only eight months, his intonation is quite good, his touch and taste are good, and his overall progress is very encouraging! Go, George!

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Bill L | My steel page | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I have to echo what the others have said here. You're doing real good for the short time you've been playing! Your comprehension of the use of the pedals is quite good...better than a lot of players who have played a lot longer. My only additional suggestion would be a little fuller harmony (some more 3-string groups) added in some places. The expanded string groupings of 3-5-8, 5-6-8, and 6-8-10, along with the old reliable 3-4-5, will add a lot of body to your melody playing. Some of them (especially the 3-5-8 grouping) will take a little practice, but you'll be rewarded with a much richer sound.

Good work!

George Wixon · From: Waterbury, CT USA

Thanks for all your words of encouragement.
As to practice, I normally will practice about 1 to 2 hours every nite and probably 4 or 5 hours on the weekends. I say normally because I also have to do field service work for my company. That file I made was done after 1 week of not being able to practice because I was in Canada the week before. I'm just now getting back into meaningfull practice sessions. One of the other things that I happen to do is video tape myself while I practice and then review the tape after I'm done. I found that I have virtually no vibrato when I start getting busy and know I need to correct this problem.
I've also been trying to find a jam session around here to get into as I also agree that playing with other live musicians would be extremely helpful to me.
Keep the comments comming guys there very welcome and useful to me.
Regards,
George

Les Pierce · From: Shreveport, LA

You have a lot more guts than I do and will probably go a lot farther on the steel, too. You're taking it right to the source.

I have only been at it a couple of years, so I'm no expert, not even close, but here is what I would suggest:

You might want to use a little more blocking and not quite so much sliding between positions. If you ever work with a singer, all that sliding around will really throw him/her off. A little "gliss" goes a long way, just like vibrato.

I agree, your a lot more in "tune" than I am. Keep it up, you're going to do great.

Take care,

Les

Bill Ford · From: Graniteville SC Aiken

George,by George I think you'll make it.As you probably already know there are sites everywhere that you can download tab along with wav files,I find are very helpful,also everyone here will help anytime you ask(you found that out when you submitted your post)hang in there you sound pretty dang good for 8 months, and did anyone say practice???

Bill Ford

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Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Hi George; congradulations on recording the steel guitar your first time.....way to go.
I teach steel guitar; and also Teach Golf....and before becoming a musician full time in '88... .I taught Gymnastics for 8 years before that.
So what I'm getting at is I've been a teacher most my adult life(I'm 40 this year)... .and the one thing I never do with my students, is let them slide even a little on any areas that can improve and I never give false incouragement.
First of all.....your bar control is fine going between your different positions for now. The overall picking contact of your strings are consistant; and that's hard to do early on.. .so good job there. A little less movement of your volume pedal would be a good progression for you also early on; but it's not bad.
Most important thing I heard that needs work first and foremost; is your intonation.
Your positions are flat to the track(that keyboard thing singin' in the background).. .but it is flat throughout the track consistantly. Not sure if your hearing yourself mixing with the track as you record; as that might be it. But I also heard your guitar is not tuned all the way up to par. It's close; but some notes are flat to the other.
I'm putting in this messege box; some tuning tips for the E9th pedal steel. Print them out if you like and look/read them over a bit. It will give you a little more insight to tuning this beast (yes the pedal steel is a "beast"...ha).....I hope you stay incouraged as you are really on the right track and are showing some nice natural traits in your playing....So continue to work on the intonation/tuning of your guitar and also your intonation to playing with a set track.
Have fun...and let us know how you come along.....now here is the stuff....below
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On E9th Pedal Steel>
Our open tuning is an E tuning with no pedals and a "A" tuning with pedals down.
We are so used to tuning to E 440 but the rest of the world is tuned to A 440.
So if you tune your guitar to E 440 and play an open A chord with pedals down; than you are out of tune with the rest of the world because you "A" note(chord) will be flat (Mainly because of the pull on the guitar when pushing pedals; will drop notes).
So since I and the rest of us are used to tuning to the E note on a Pedal steel guitar from the start; what I would suggest is to push "a" and "b" pedals down and while down; pick your "E" note(highest open "E") and tune it to 440 on your tuner. Now let off your pedals and play that "E" note again and look at where it now lays on your tuner(usually sharp to 440); and that is your "NEW" E note and go ahead and retune the rest of your guitar to that E note reference like your used to(and now with pedals down; your "A" note will be in tune to E440 because your pedals down "E" note is 440.
So the way it turns out for your particular guitar is how much difference there is in the way your guitar re-acts to the pedals pushed.
So now in all probability your open E reference is sharp to E 440; but your "A" chord is now tuned to "A" 440 and you will play in better tune than you ever have; if your not already doing this. It is ok to the ear to be slightly sharp.....but it is never ok to be flat. Sharp adds excitement; and Flat adds Death>to the music.
I alway tune my guitar by ear; as Tom Brumley once told me: "Ricky if you always practice on tuning your guitar by ear; than you are practicing on playing in tune and that is the goal here"!!!.
I do have the notes somewhat memorized where they lay on my tuner for my guitar, for the times that I don't get to make any noise at the gig or don't have time or can't hear. But finding out how your guitar tunes to "A" 440 is VERY important.
Another little practice thing I do at home when I ever practice; is I never practice with reverb and after tuning my steel; I will turn on my metronome that has a "A" 440 pitch to it; and I just warm up and play along with that "A" pitch going and you can play in key of A or E or D or C and I really listen to playing in tune with that pitch while I warm up or work on what ever.
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E9th Pedal steel tuning proceedure

First you tune your "A" note to 440 then with
pedals down tune your "E" note to that "A" 440
note. Now you have the new "E" note reference to
"A" 440.
Tuning the open tuning.
Tune the other E note(4and8)
Tune the G#'s (3and6)to E
Tune the B's (5and10)to E
Tune the F#'s (1and7)to B
Tune the D# to B(2nd string)
Tuning the pedals and knee levers
Tune the A pedal(5and10) to the E note
Tune the B pedal(3and6)to the E note("A"440)
Tune the C pedal(4and5)to the A note
Tune E lower knee(4and8)to the B note
Tune E raise knee(4and8) to the A pedal
Tune D note(9th string) to and "A" note
Tune D# lower 1/2 tone to 9th string
Tune D# lower whole tone to A pedal

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Ricky

[This message was edited by Ricky Davis on 24 March 2002 at 07:51 PM.]

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

George, very fine, congrats ! Your in Ricky's fine hands now..Try to get out to a local jam or with some friends, playing with "live" musicians will add a whole new persepective.
TP

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 25 March 2002 at 06:23 AM.]

George Wixon · From: Waterbury, CT USA

Thankyou all once again for all of your help.
Ricky, I've never tried tuning that way before but I am defintely going to try that today. Your thoughts and comments are all very helpful.
Regards to all,
George

Ricky Davis · From: Bertram, Texas USA

Great George; that's what I like to hear pal.
You show some great promise in your technique and you stay with it my friend.
Lemme know if ya have any more questions or need help with anything at all......and we will all be glad to help you out.
Ricky

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