Beginners Notes #68- Fills

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Beginners Notes #68- Fills (what, where, when) country that is.

This subject itself could take up a steel playing lifetime. Why, you ask? Well, I ask, has every fill
that can be played, been played? Is there a book which has every fill that has ever been played,
in it? I don’t think so. I think more experienced steel players, play fills as the song or phrases
in a song moves them (inspires them). I think that what they play as fills are effected by their
mood at the moment or even the mood of the band at the moment. That does not mean a fill
is not ever repeated. A signature fill that defines a certain song, may well be repeated each time
the song is played, to “define the song” and the player.

But your just getting started, a newbie, your not trying to define a song, your trying to
define yourself as a steel player. The local Hash House Band just invited you to sit in with them
for a weekend and you’d like to do it again sometime. You don’t want your walking papers,
after your first bandstand night. You’ve spent time with several instructors (through their
instructional material) and you want to play out. You’ve paid some dues “at home”, you’ve
played along and you’ve put in a good amount of seat time. Your names not Hughey,
Emmons or Franklin, it Joe Something or other, you played guitar as a youngster and know your
chords and a few songs. Now your gonna be a steel player. Woa big guy, what are you gonna
do if it’s not something you’ve studied, learned and practiced. Punt? No, your gonna play fill,
cautiously at first, and as you grow in confidence and experience, with authority. This isn’t a life
or death situation, this is your hobby, you love the sound and enjoy playing “at” your steel.

So what is fill or “a fill”. There might be many definitions and it my be called several things. Like,
a fill, a run, a pad, but I think of the term fill, as what happens when the singer is not singing or
is starting a line or finishing a line. The thing that pulls a song together. It doesn’t necessarily have
to be played by the steel. And how much fill the steel plays, usually is dictated by how many
instruments are in the mix, or on stage. Are there “Laws of Fill”, probably. Are they written
down somewhere, maybe, I don’t know. What I do know, is I don’t want anyone playing over
me when it’s my turn to fill, and I will do my utmost not to play over another player who is
playing fill. Want to loose your steel gig, play over the guitar player (who owns the PA) when
it’s his turn to fill. Could happen.

So lets look at a few fills… In the key of “D”

1______________|______________|__________________|____________________
2______________|______________|__________________|____________________
3______________|______________|__________________|____________________
4______3___5___|______3----5___|__________3---5____|__________3___3__5__
5__5A__3A__5A__|__5A__3A--5A __|__5----5A__3A--5A __|__5A___5A___3A___5A_
6__5B__________|__5B__________|__5B--5B__________|_____5B_____________
7______________|______________|__________________|____________________
8______________|______________|__________________|____________________

You’ll immediately notice that they are all played using the same notes, all starting in “D” and
ending in “D”, each having a different feel. The second uses a slide. The third, a pedal on and
slide, where the forth uses a triplet feel. Each could have it’s place in a song, but maybe not
the same song.

So lets look at a couple more, this time using the E lower knee lever… Again, the key of “D”

1_________________________|__________________________________________
2_________________________|__________________________________________
3_________________________|__________________________________________
4 _________3---3E__3--5_____|__________5----3E---3---5 ___________________
5__5A--5A__3A--3___3--5A ___|___5A--5A__5A--3----3A--5A __________________
6__5B--5__________________|___5B--5 __________________________________
7 ________________________|__________________________________________
8 ________________________|__________________________________________

But what if the space in the song that needs to be filled is twice as long… Still in “D”

1_________________________________|___________________________________
2_________________________________|___________________________________
3_________________________________|___________________________________
4_______3----5________3___6F---5____|________3---5____5___5---3E_________
5__5A___3A--5A___5A__3A __6A--5A____|___5A__3A--5A___5A__5A--3__________
6__5B___________5B________________|___5B______________________________
7_________________________________|___________________________________
8_________________________________|___________________________________

Oops, what’s that? An “A” & “F” at the 6th fret. And again an “E” knee at the 3rd fret. Oh no,
what’s he doing to me? Listen to it! Fits like cheese and crackers…

So how many “D to D” fills is that? Wrong!!! Play them backwards. Do they still sound usable.
Most ascending runs or fills can be played descending with little or no modification. Now play an
ascending run or fill followed by one of the others in its descending order. Try making up a few
of your own in the key of “D” using the D chord at the 5th fret pedals down position, G chord
at the 3rd, no pedals and A at the 5th ,no pedals.

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

If you are not signed up for these you are missing out. www.steelguitar.net Then click on mailing list on the left.

Bobbe's Latest Tips Email, deals almost completely with fills and how they are to be executed, when and by whom. Tremendous incite from a master in our craft with many years of experience. He also touches on what instruments do what and why, even giving examples of bands that have done it best. Eye opening and bandstand changing information, a must read for any steel player(your guitar player too), working or having hopes of ever working more then once.

Sign up for Bobbe's News Letter today, you wont be sorry! And I hope there is more to come on the same subject. Fills and knowing when, where and how to play them, truly in my opinion, is what separates the men from the boys. Money in the bank...

Thank you Bobbe...

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