Top 5 things a steel player should know ?

Wade Branch · From: Weatherford, Texas, USA

What are the top 5 things a young steel player should learn first ? Pick blocking,chords,playing the melody of a song,etc.What helped some of you grasp the steel and helped you become the player you are today ?

Buck Dilly · From: Branchville, NJ, USA * R.I.P.

Basic Music theory

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Wade, I am a beginner myself. I would first agree that BASIC music theory helps, but don’t get too caught up in it at first. "Grips" and "Blocking" were tough for me at first, and though I still don’t consider myself great at either, it has developed well with plenty of practice. So for the top 5, here is what helped me most:

1. String Grips
2. Blocking
3. Basic chord positions
4. Harmony Scales
5. Application of scales to solos and fills.

I am sure there are other approaches, but this is what has gotten me what I feel is a pretty good distance down the road. I play about 5 songs in my band now, and I just started steel 4 or 5 months ago. Having played regular guitar was a great help and although I formally studied theory, I don’t find it really important at first. I would say that you should at least know a triad (and inversions) and the intervals of a major scale to help yourself along. Winnie Winston’s book can really bring the last together for you very well.....James

Joe Alterio · From: Irvington, Indiana

1) All Chord Positions, three ways (open / A&B pedals down / A pedal & F lever)

2) String Grips for #1

3) Volume Pedal control

4) Bar control

5) How to rock on the A pedal.....and never omit it from any lick, ever.

~Joe

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Top Five Things Steeler should learn first:
1... Regulate your drinking until the last set.
2... Position yourself well away from the lead players screaming amp.
3... Make it a top priority to learn the 3 Sears & Robuck Intro's and Endings.
4... Don't make it apparent to the band members that you are very at ease and relaxed on your cushioned seat with the drink holder attached to the leg of your guitar and the best view of the hot chicks on the dance floor.
5... After you get some hot licks under your belt make it point to go to the nearest steel guitar show and watch the pro's do things you feel are not possible... This will build character in you and make you a humble Steel Guitarist.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

1. Listen to a few records of your favorite steel player (choose but one); Learn to identify the chord changes indicated by the bassman and rhythm guitarist, in a given song; Develop your musician's ear; listen to what is being played at that chord change by the steel man; Dig out exactly where the steel man GOT THOSE NOTES and how he did it. No one said it would be easy but it will pay you huge dividends.

2. Learn to play the melody of a given song;
don't be satisfied until you can play that song completely thro', each time differently than previously. BY learning the melody you will be learning "the chord" changing sounds and variety of different locations in which to find a workable melody line. For each song YOU should be able to play at least 4 or 5 different versions.......I'm not suggesting that you "copy the artist's style" but a little of this "research" is necessary if your are to ever understand the tuning in which he is playing and the HOW and WHY he did it that specific way.

3. Spend a couple of hours, several days in a row, starting at zero, making micro adjustments to your amp; find that "exact location" where you found "the SOUND" you liked. Then put it away for a couple of days and then come back and give it a CLOSE LISTEN. Is it the same? or different?
Keep at it until you have "THAT SOUND" and be sure to write it down and/or mark the dials accordingly. Now pack up your gear and take it into another room or location and start the process all over. WHAT DID YOU hear when you changed rooms? Sound will change on you for a wide variety of reasons.
Learn to HEAR THEM and what to do about it. Learn the difference between horribly LOUD playing vs. using enough amp volume, controlled by your foot volume pedal, sufficient to make the amp "WORK". There is a difference.

4. Learn to LISTEN to what you HEAR. You can identify entire tunings and chords by learning, practicing and developing this skill. Learn to identify when YOU are out of tune; make that minute adjustment and keep on playing. If you can't HEAR IT....how do you expect to play it?

5. Playing steel guitar DOES NOT provide instant gratification and it does not come easily, if you expect to do it well. Listen to what you are playing; get rid of those irritating little bar noises, backward slurring of top string, crooked bars and clawing of strings. Don't be happy until you've mastered "ACCURACY"! A steel guitar makes it possible to perform a variety of musical sins........so don't practice them over and over. Exact execusion (like a dancer!) of any picking or bar movement is essential if you hope to reach any level of success.

Picking is an ART....not a mechanical exercise. Bar handling is an ART....not a mechanical exercise. Playing a steel guitar is an ART; not an accident. Start to look at and appreciate the steel guitar much as you would an artists' paint brush......and not as some kind of mechanical monster out of some guy's machine shoppe. Don't think screw drivers and magic boxes. THINK beautiful, sweet flowing music of any variety... It's there before you. Are you up to the challenge of learning it correctly and thoroughly; or, are you still looking for short-cuts and a premature rise to prominance in just a few short weeks after your acquisition of your favorite RED GUITAR?

Barry Blackwood · Posted 20 Sep 2005 3:58 pm

1. How much does this gig pay?
2. How far is it from my house?
3. Who's in the band?
4. What are the hours?
5. Are the drinks comp?

Michael Garnett · From: Seattle, WA

I'm not too far ahead of you. Here's some things that I think helped me.

1.) Music Theory. You won't ever be able to get to the complicated "cool sounding stuff" without it. Learn how to write, speak, and read the language of music.

2.) Right Hand Technique. Start getting that into your head RIGHT NOW (no pun intended)... This is where the vast majority of your tone will come from, assuming you have good gear.

3.) Learn to play bass. Believe it or not, that's one thing that really helped me train my ear to hear chord changes and melody. Plus, you'll make a lot more money from gigs.

4.) Play. Every day. Play as many live gigs as you can stand. I look back on gigs and recordings that I really sucked it up on, and people still tell me, "Man, that sounded great."

5.) Assume nobody else can hear your mistakes. They're probably not paying attention anyway. Be agressive with the instrument, and your tone and style will improve.

I guess it really boils down to 2 things. Learn music, and don't be afraid of playing live.

-MG

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

1) Learn WHEN to play.
2) Learn when NOT to play.
3) Just play the melody.

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

1 - How to tune the Pedal Steel Guitar: No matter how manny hot licks you know or how good you play if you are out tune you are wrong..

2 - Music Theory - Chord Substitutions - Circle of 5ths and Circle of 4ths

3 - Know when to play/When not to play

4 - What to listen for when backing up a singer(s)

5 - the aforementioned grips and chord inversion

Chris LeDrew · From: Canada

1. Buy a steel guitar that has no mechanical issues, preferably a new one.
2. Learn how to hold the bar and wear the picks properly.
3. Learn all chord groupings for open and AB pedals.
4. Forget all the knee levers except E - Eb.
5. Buy Jeff Newman's Right Hand Alpha VHS instructional tape.

I was four years playing steel before I got around to doing any of this. Save yourself the agony.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

How would Buddy have done it?

Jon Zimmerman · From: California, USA

How would Ralph Mooney have done ..

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Buck said it right, and simple.

IF you ain't got the basic theory, you have little chance or REALLY being a player.
Only a rote TAB copiest

Everything else said after is true,
but still comes AFTER.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 21 September 2005 at 09:47 PM.]

Pete Finney · From: Nashville Tn.

Mr. Montee,

I don't know you, though of course I know some of your posts and always appreciate your insights and information about Jerry Byrd...

I personally think that your post on this thread has more intelligent, hard won, musical knowledge than most any 500 posts one usually finds, I tip my hat to you... I hope people take the time to really read and appreciate what you've written, as I will be doing more than once (after 30+ years making a living at this %#*$ instrument...!).

The most inspiring, and inspired, thing I've read here in a long time...

Thanks,
Pete

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Everybody already got the first four, so:
#5) Listen to melodies played by other instruments and learn them. It might seem hard at first to relate a Miles Davis lick or a Bach violin lick to the fretboard, because of the tonal differences. Right! It is hard! That's why only good players can do it, and bad players can't.
#6) You will only get better at what you practice, so you have to choose what it is you want to do and how to get there. For example, reading music opens up the whole wide world - Right! It is hard! That's why only good players can do it.

[This message was edited by David Mason on 22 September 2005 at 10:39 AM.]

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Learning basic theory has already been mentioned. I say take that one step further and learn how what the pedals do relates to it.

This includes The C pedal, and all the knee levers.

Whoever said to forget all the knee levers except E - Eb, I respectfully disagree. I think it's very important to learn how to use the knee levers expecially the E-F raise, as soon as possible.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

1- learn how to be patient

2- learn how to listen

3- learn how to find 30 minutes a day for routine practice

4- learn HOW to practice, kinda like studying for a test..ya don't take out the Math book for a Science test...practice the same stuff over and over until you feel comfortable and understand the music. Develop a daily practice routine..structured...even if it's only 2 or 3 things that you repeat repeat repeat everyday...

5-understand your Instrument,every pedal and knee lever change.

If you have a well configured Steel and DO NOT at least identify what each PULL does..in relationship to each other..the journey will be much longer than necessary.

Mike is very correct here...this does not mean you jump into every change..but if you understand what they do..when it comes time to play extended phrases or scales you will not be starting from scratch.

Start slow..play slow...

Start simple, play simple.

IF you are learning from TAB..use TAB as a road map..but it is imperative that you relate what the TAB is showing you to the overall music on the Steel.

This is a great topic, and obviously many have thoughts and insight..but I think at the end of the day everyone is saying the same thing.

The theory stuff mentioned above unfortunatley is absolutley necessary to advance on this Instrument...the I,IV,V stuff is how this Instrument was developed...unlike the 6 string where you can play a few common chords and get by..( like so many do ) this Instrument is NOT like that...

good luck

t

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 21 September 2005 at 04:20 AM.]

John Daugherty · From: Rolla, Missouri, USA

AND......... Do not expect your instrument to be in tune. You have to play in tune.
The ears tell the hands what to do.

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www.phelpscountychoppers.com/steelguitar

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

A heartfelt thanks to Pete Finney.....for caring enough to comment on my suggestions. It was mighty nice of you. At least one person in this vast audience, read into what I was attempting to say and came out with the same understanding. Again, many thanks.
I too, have used TAB.......to get a sense of where the trail was winding, whether for a beter understanding of a given tuning or what pedal combinations worked here or there. BUT, it is so sad to see hard-working musicians that can't play a single tune without having their music stand and TAB in front of them. OR, who can only play four or five numbers with the band when they should be able to get thro' any tune the band might choose to play; say, 60-80 tunes per night.
If you can't tune it; If you can't HEAR it is out of tune; If you don't know what it is (right or left hand) that makes the "GREAT BEAUTIFUL SOUNDS";, if you can't determine what key the band is playing in; etc., then you're simply not ready to be playing before a paying audience. Being "a professional" is what makes the difference.
PLAYING steel guitar is sorta like being a truck driver. Some only do it for the glory, the presteige, the exhorbinately high rate of pay, for having folks look up to you, and things like that. The real job is doing it correctly, getting it done with a minimum amount of effort, and making it look easy so that others will desire to do it too.
Money, women and drink....... that follows way after what's in first place.

[This message was edited by Ray Montee on 21 September 2005 at 10:23 AM.]

Nic du Toit · From: Milnerton, Cape, South Africa

Wade,
Combine what Ray Montee and James Sission said.
That, together with anything of Jeff Newman you can get, will do it.
Regards,
Nic

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Nic du Toit
1970 Rosewood P/P Emmons D10 Fatback 8x4
Peavey Session 500 unmodfied

My CD "Nightmare on Emmons Steel"
Click here to E-mail us.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Thanx Nic! Much appreciated.......

Howard Tate · From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.

I'm certainly not qualified to teach, but I have some things that help me. Like golf, you don't want your right elbow flailing around , so I sometimes put a cloth or tissue under my right arm and practice without dropping it. Some times I just forget to block, so I practice with a mirror in front of my right hand, or better yet a video camera. Then I can see if I'm blocking all the time. Usually you will hear it, but at times you will not notice if your concentrating on some thing else. Find a lick that's hard to play, and play it every day, starting slow, until you are sick of it. And most important, if you blow your nose take your picks off, you could put an eye out with those things. Take every thing Ray and every one else said to heart.

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Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3, DD-3, Fender Steel King, Understanding wife. http://www.Charmedmusic.com

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

1} Keep your day job

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www.tyack.com

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

A steel player should also know the tunings of the steel guitar and what key a song is in before performing it live or in a studio. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

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