Steel Guitar in a single act

Ric Epperle · Posted 31 Jul 2006 2:15 am

I'm curious if any one of you guys has played steel as a single. I'm currently working as a single again (as I've done so many times in the past), due to the economic situations with some of the clubs in this area. I currently have a pretty extensive MIDI setup with two digital keyboards and sound modules, including electronic drums but I've never gone the sequencer route. I guess I've been pretty much of a traditionalist and like to do all of the playing myself. Lately though, I've been wanting to incorporate my steel into my act.

Any suggestions on the type of gear that may suit my needs?

Thanks a bunch..

Ric.

John Lacey · From: Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada

Ric, last summer I played a single doing steel instrumentals to mostly country standards outside in a gazebo at a local country market on Saturday mornings (4 times). I used CD's with backup trax that I made from Band in a Box trax. I used a ghetto blaster to play the trax with and played my normal steel rig. They liked the volume low so that worked. Had I needed higher volume I would have had to get an amp for the blaster. It was fun yet disconcerting because of handling all the responsibility of the melody and the playing. I'd do it again though.

George Macdonald · From: Vancouver Island BC Canada

Hi Ric, I occasionaly work as a single, running my tracks from a CD player into a small mixer, and from the mixer through the effect loop of either my Nash. 112 or my Fender Steel King. One of the local Seniors "independant living" facilities has entertainment one night every week, and they have called on me several times to do an hour for them. I do a mix of country and Gospel from the tracks I've collected over the years. I do other private functions with the same set up. George

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

I did a single for over a year and a half on my steel. I used a laptop and BIAB with the Edirol SD20 sound modual. I still do it but I mostly have a real band consisting of Stand up bass, guitar, a little cocktail set of drums and myself. Depends of the gig and the money now. I can do a single, Duo, Trio or Four piece. It is a GREAT way to get your own personality into your music. For the first time I get to pick all the tunes we play if I want to. I've now been doing this for about two and a half years. All instramentals, we don't even have to set up a P.A.

[This message was edited by W Franco on 31 July 2006 at 01:10 PM.]

Joe McHam · From: Houston, TX * R.I.P.

I tried to email you Mr. W. Franco.. your email bounces back.. Send me an email please so I can chat at ya. webmaster@joemcham.com
Thanks
Joe in Houston

Ric Epperle · Posted 31 Jul 2006 11:43 pm

Except for my steel, I'm running all of my keyboard and MIDI gear through a Behringer Europower 12 channel stereo powered mixer (300 watts per side) and four Nady cabinets each with a 15" speaker and a horn..

It's a pretty fat sound on stage when you're running everything stereo. Most of the rooms I work around here like the Legion, the Elks, and some Honky Tonks are moderate in size so I like to pack a punch when I need to for the dancing crowd.

I had a Peavy Session 400 for my steel but I had to let loose of that a few years back. Now I'm using a Roland JC 120 Guitar amp with two twelves and a cabinet with a 15" Black Widow. I'm very satisfied with the tone I get. I've also tried the steel through the Behringer and it sounds pretty decent through it. Anyway, I appreciate the input and I'm looking at several different options for sequencing. The CD route just might be the way I go..

Just thought I'd ask how many have played steel in a single environment..

Could be just down right cool..

[This message was edited by Ric Epperle on 01 August 2006 at 10:06 PM.]

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

About to do this at a horse ranch, out doors.

ernie

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

I have a buddy who has been doing a single act out in Hawaii at a resort on the island of Maui for several years. He says that the mini disk is more reliable than full size CD's. He told some stories of singers in Vegas doing singles at the casinos and they had the full size CD get stuck and start repeating on them? I like making hillbilly quality metronome, bass and rhythm guitar tracks on an old 4 track to practice against.

Does anybody else have any info on the mini disk verses the full size CD?

Albert Svenddal · From: Minneapolis, MN

I have used CDs and Mini Disks for my concerts when I am solo and believe me, the Mini disks are much better. For one is the fact that CDs do scratch and can skip. Mini disks are protected by being enclosed in a shell. Also, my mini disk has a great remote that is easy to use. Also, you can set up mini disks so they auto pause at the end of each song instead of having to hit the stop button on a CD. Overall, Mini Disks are winners. Albert

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Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I have a separate rack setup for my backup tracks. I have an Alesis unit that was produced years ago called "The Data Disk". You can input MIDI into the unit via floppy disk and output it via a tone generator. A floppy will hold 20 or so songs. I use an Edirol tone generator and the sound is excellent.

Wayne Franco · From: silverdale, WA. USA

My setup is pretty simple and easy to use. I actually played a singles dance every thursday for a month. It was kinda like slave labor. Didn't like it very much. With the kind of jobs I do mostly as a single I am sorta like "wallpaper" in the back ground. Takes a little getting use to but the people that go to parties or wine tasting, etc usually go there to talk with one another and the music is just the icing on the cake. The odd thing about this kind of gig is you don't think they are listening but when you play well at the right volume you always get lot of good positive feedback many times from the people you didn't think were listening!

Randy Hess · From: Escondido, CA

There was I guy I used to watch play in Pennsylvania in the early 80's (Marty Navarre)who did a single act and somehow had his steel (an old Sho-bud S-10, I believe) wired into a rhythm ace type machine. Somehow he had contacts wired to his first string so it knew what chord he was playing and his volume pedal had side switches for minor changes. Pretty hi-tech for the time. He sang and played at a booth at the Bloomsburg Fair for several years.

Robert Thomas · From: Mehama, Oregon, USA

Hi Ric, my setup is very simple yet fulfills my need very well. I have been doing single for 8 years now and I really enjoy it very much. Most of my work is charitable, but I do some private parties, etc, which I get paid for.
My set up is a Hwp Mullen D-10 8+4, a Mutron Bi-Phase for special effects, 2 Dan Echoes in series for other effects and I use a Korg KR-55 Rhythm Machine for my Drummer. The Korg gives me the ability to change rhythms instantly and I play most requests without having to have a special program set up to cover the request. I use an Audio-Technia head mounted Mike for singing. My amplification is a Peavey MP-600 amp head which goes into one speaker cabinet with 4-12" Jensen Speakers. The whole set up is very portable and quick to set up and tear down.
I have to say I have never enjoyed playing so much. I am going on 73 now and hope to do this for as many years ahead as I can.

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