when using strings 8 65 and pushing down the a pedal

Jake Palmatier · Post by **Jake Palmatier** » 15 Sep 2008 6:33 pm

Lately I've noticed that when using strings 8 65 and pushing down the a pedal I can barely hear the change. I've checked the tuning has any one ran into this. Thanks

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 16 Sep 2008 7:39 am

Probably not. What brand of pedal steel are you using? I assume you're using E9th tuning and your A pedal changes the G# strings to A. When you play the other G# does it go up to A as expected (i.e. is it just the low G# that's giving you the problem)?

admin · Post by **b0b** » 16 Sep 2008 10:26 am

The "A" pedal raises the 5th string B to C#. If it's not doing that, it's broken.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 16 Sep 2008 9:44 pm

Barring physical problems with the guitar, a common reason for this is that the thumb and index finger are overpowering the middle finger and it becomes necessary to listen to all 3 notes in the chord to insure that you can hear them all equally. Watch the strings involved as you pick them and see if they are all vibrating about the same. I see this frequently in students and JayDee taught me about emphasizing certain notes in a chord- ie. the root when ending a solo, etc.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 16 Sep 2008 10:23 pm

Confusion. Is the string not pulling up to C# or you just can't hear the string. If it has just started, I doubt it is a picking technique problem as you didn't have the problem before. If it's not pulling up to C#, you have mechanical issues.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 16 Sep 2008 11:59 pm

b0b wrote:The "A" pedal raises the 5th string B to C#. If it's not doing that, it's broken.

or it's not in tune !

Clearly something is amiss. Pedal A should offer a very significant PULL on strings 5 and 10

Pedal B should offer a very significant PULL on strings 6 and 3

Be sure that each pulls the notes ON THERE OWN...because if they do not then it really doesn't matter what string grips( combinations) you are playing.

Jake Palmatier · Post by **Jake Palmatier** » 20 Sep 2008 1:04 pm

Jim Thanks your were right my thumb is hiting the 8 string to much.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 20 Sep 2008 1:40 pm

Welcome Jake- it is a very common problem and way easier to fix than the guitar

Jake Palmatier · Post by **Jake Palmatier** » 20 Sep 2008 7:31 pm

Im sorry I didnt mean to give the impression that Im new to steel Ive been playing for 4 years. I just was gettin lazy i guess thanks for welcoming me though

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 21 Sep 2008 4:53 am

I think many of us took this as the raises were not functioning.

glad it was not the Steel! tHAt makes it easy to fix !

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 21 Sep 2008 8:56 am

Still, you really must have been cranking on the string with your thumb to drown out the 5th string. Glad it's fixed and not a mechanical problem.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Sep 2008 12:48 pm

Jim Palenscar nailed it for you.

And as others have said, this is not an uncommon problem amongst even seasoned PSG players. Also hearing changes over time and what others hear we may no longer hear. And vice versa. (See below)

Music is made up of far more than the fundamental note(s) we pick. There are a myriad of nuances and timbre's to music that young ears hear, that are the first to diminish the more we play, ESPECIALLY if we play and/or listen to loud music.

Back to what Jim said; and his inference to Jay Dee. One can change the entire "color" of music by how hard they pick EACH note in a 3 note chord. For example:

Buddy Emmons' version of "Danny Boy". Within just a few notes at the beginning, (Da da da du "um") Buddy let's off his B pedal while the A pedal remains engaged to get that "um". This change is crystal clear on the record. But often when doing this, I barely hear it, which is a similar scenario to what the author of this thread spoke of.

Another very common problem is the 1st and 2nd strings not being as loud as the others. Upon investigation, I know of 2 causes for this. Believe it or not, one IS the guitar and/or PU on some Guitars.

The other, is the angle of attack of one's fingers as they pick the strings, in relation to the angle while picking other strings.

Finally, as a player becomes more cultured to playing music, they hear things they would never hear the first time that sat down to play a musical instrument. AND vice versa.

This can aid a player OR exacerbate a player.

If you fall into the latter group, may Jesus help you and bring you comfort, cuz you are gunna need it, I gar--own--teeeee ya

c.