The Steel Guitar Forum

This clip reminds me of the version Paul Franklin played at the 1989 ISGC. I was surprised to see that the staff band did not know the tune. It seems that this popular melody would be a no brainer. It was the only noticable mistake that was made the whole set. Yes... these guys are human!

I thought I was the only one that did not bend the finger picks around the tip of the finger. I leave them almost completely straight. I have noticed my old finger picks that I used for a long time were worn on the side of the pick. I guess I pick the string with the side of the pick instead of the ...

Every time I go up north to visit my brother, we have the same discussion about being born with talent. He tells me that I am a good musician because I was given this gift. I remind him that I started reading music at nine years old playing the accordion, and have put in many hours of study on the s...

Paul's post about tone and the sound of the picks hitting the strings reminds me of the the last time I saw Buddy Emmons play at Scotty's convention in 2006. They had big screen TV's on both sides of the stage with views of the hands and the feet. I was amazed at the volume pedal technique that I ne...

I got goosebumps watching this one. Amazing and exciting

Thunderstorm Bob

I used to go to the St Louis convention to study the technique of Buddy Emmons. I would try to soak up as much visual information as well as audio. When I got home I was ready for lengthy practice sessions. True inspiration.

I took one of his C6th seminars at Scotty's convention. Great stuff. My son is starting to learn how to play. I plan on giving him Jeff's C6th course when he is ready for it.

There are not many solos that I learn note for note, but when this one came out I loved it so much that I had to learn it. There are a couple of spots where the timing is not where you would expect it to be which makes it even more cool. I think Paul should have got some kind of award for this one. ...

I have a two string Ebow, but it looks a little different than yours. Mine is chrome all the way around except for the bottom section. I did not know that there was more than one model for the two string job. Nice version of the Christmas tune. I use the same technique except I play single notes on ...

I still have a steel ebow that works. I bought it in 1978. What is really cool about having two drive channels is getting that old Moog sound on strings 8 & 10 and then sliding up an octave. I also set it on two higher strings while picking two lower strings to get an orchestra sound. I think it...

When someone comes along that is so great, that you you cannot come up with words to describe the person or his accomplishments, you have to pick one out sooner or later. Buddy Emmons is the greatest steel guitarist on earth. Even Rusty Rhodes would agree that Buddy Emmons is the Foremost Steel Guit...

I think the Buddy Emmons phase shifter era is my favorite. I would have loved to bring in the new year watching these guys pick.......

That is some great pickin by Paul. I love it. I was just wondering if Paul wished he had the ol Boo-Wahh change just for this show. I am not saying that I missed it, just for the fact that it is a great take on the standard Emmons turn around. I think I heard one little section that was copied from ...

One time I played a bluegrass gig for a couple of hours during the day, and then went to my steel gig that night. It was one of my best nights playing the steel guitar. I guess my right hand was all warmed up and ready to play. Everything fell into place. I was relaxed and could rip off fast licks a...

I think it's just natural to pick hard when you are playing a passage that is very fast. I don't think I could play a fast lick with a light touch. Maybe it's because I played banjo before I discovered the steel guitar. In a slow song, picking hard will get you twice as much sustain. I like the Paul...

I had the pleasure of working with Linda Hargrove around 1979-1980. Linda died on October 24th 2010. She was a great person to work for. I learned a lot from her considering the short time I got to be around her. Linda had Pete Drake as her record producer. Her albums featured Pete Drake, Jimmy Craw...

I have been pick blocking for a while now, and I notice that during a fast tune you can't really hear the picks coming back down on the strings. During a slow song in the recording studio, when I put the picks down on the strings to block, I get a little metal to metal sound that sticks out like a s...

Many years ago I sat at my steel and practiced the same lick for four hours straight. The next day my hands went into shock. I could not move my fingers. I probably should have mixed up my practice session with a few scales or something different to avoid the strain on the same area in my hands. You...

Living in Kalamazoo with Mark VA and Larry Bell, I also had my first big recording session on pedal steel at Uncle Dirty's Sound Machine. It was The Morrow Brothers making an album for their church. The hardest part was coming in to overdub and trying to match bad timing. It was a good learning expe...

I am an old guy playing in young bands for the college crowd. I am suprised how informed the young kids are about steel guitar. I don't get that question - "What is that thing you are playing"? Maybe it is Robert Randolph or CMT, I am not sure. I get a lot of thumbs up from the kids in the...

A friend of mine is recording a few cuts in Nashville for a CD that he plans to give away at shows. He is paying for the session himself. He does not have a record deal. He wants to have a lot of Pedal Steel on the cuts. Not a lot of solos, but in the backround, padding like an organ player. This Pr...

I like the story about Buddy Emmons learning Pat Martino solos, and then discovering that he could play better in minor keys.

Mama Hated Diesels

I took an advanced C6th course with Jeff at the St Louis convention, which really jump started my understanding of the tuning. I thought that his seminar was very good. I got a Jeffran College T Shirt and wore it the next year to the convention. My wife at the time put in too much bleach when she wa...