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Topic: Dumb Mistake # 47 |
Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2009 12:02 pm |
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I made the mistake of mentioning to our rhythm guitar player /singer that I could sing harmony , so he stuck a boom with a mic on the end of it in front of me last nite - I've been only playing steel for little over a year now , and sometimes I have my hands full just playing the song - now I have to sing too? How many you steel players out there sing and play at the same time ? At the end of the nite I found myself doing it , but it took all the concentration I had!
_________________
The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2009 12:25 pm
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The chicks like it, Frank!
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 25 Jun 2009 12:28 pm
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 Jeez, if you have been playing the steel for only a year and are able to sing as well as find your way around that fret board and copendants, you are better than most in here.  |
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Roual Ranes
From:
Atlanta, Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2009 2:45 pm
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Just wait 'till you get up here to mistake #4774.
Enjoy the trip. Mistakes add up faster for some of us. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Jack Dougherty
From:
Spring Hill, Florida, USA
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Posted 25 Jun 2009 3:46 pm
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Fortunately for all concerned I only get paid to pick.
The only singing I do is when I take the garbage out...seems to resonate with the cans 
_________________
There is no such thing as too many steels!!
Emmons P/P 8/7 Strings....whatever I have.....Picks..mixed...Bars...one of four..but I like the Bullet Bar
Walker Stereo Steel Amp
TC M1 XL
Peavey Nashville 400. Fox Mod
Various sundries and toys.. |
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Bryan Daste
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 4:45 am
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| i do both...it was weird at first, but i got used to it |
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John Lacey
From:
Black Diamond, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 5:32 am
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| Having sung before I took up the steel, I made the mistake of mentioning it to a bandleader a few years back. He cajoled me into singing harmony then within a few weeks fired me... I think it was my singing... |
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Nathan Golub
From:
Durham, NC
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 7:05 am
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| Yeah, I did the same thing when I started playing steel. It ended up being too much to think about. Most of the singing would have been when I wasn't playing steel in the songs, but there's already enough to worry about when setting up at a gig. Having to do vocal check and all that was stressing me out. Maybe at one point I'll have my steel playing down enough to do some singing too. |
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Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 7:16 am Dumb Mistake #47
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I have to make it plain -I was just singing a harmony part - I couldn't pull off singing lead and play at the same time - they just wouldn't want to hear that anyway! But Marimba b0b ? there's a special place for guys with that kinda talent !
_________________
The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Rick Campbell
From:
Sneedville, TN, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 7:32 am
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Next thing you know, they'll be expecting you to carry in and set up your own equipment.
If it's a problem, tell them that you only sing when you play banjo. That should nip it in the bud. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 7:33 am
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My biggest mistake was letting my band leader at the time (the late Jerry Eugene,) know that I owned- note the use of the word "owned" as opposed to the words "can play"- a B---o.
The results of this unfortunate slip of the tongue were NOT pretty. 
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 9:26 am
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Mike P., oddly enough, I got my first banjo gig the same way. A guy came by and said, "I hear you play the banjo." I said, "No, I own a banjo." He said,
"Well, can you sing baritone?"
_________________
LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Ray McCarthy
From:
New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 2:42 am
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Back to the harmomy thing--it's always been easy for me to sing harmonies--second, third, even fourth parts. In fact I even add harmonies to commercial recordings on my 4-track tascam machine. But I have a heck of a time trying to do it while playing steel.
The same thing happened to me when I started playing recently with some guys--I told them I might be able to add some harmonies, so they stuck a mic in my face, and I found myself choosing between singing or playing. I'm getting to the point, however, where I can do it on a few songs that I practised enough that the steel parts are second nature. That's the secret--the steel playing has to be automatic. unfortunately that's also the hard part.
Practise, practise, practise!
Derby SD-10, NV112, TruTone, Goodrich.[/u] |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 3:31 am
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Try eating a Snickers bar while playing pedal steel.
_________________
You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Matt Dawson
From:
Luxembourg, Europe
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 8:44 pm
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I love to play steel.....and I like to sing in the shower. These two activities should NOT be attempted at the same time.
Matt |
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Shannon Farmer
From:
Oklahoma, USA
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Posted 28 Jun 2009 7:37 am
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| I do and have sang harmony while playing steel but I LOVE it when the other lead instruments sing harmony.....that usually means I get to play more because very few guitar players can sing harmony and play fills too. So in short, if you want to play more, leave the harmony to other pickers! |
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Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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John Lemieux
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Jun 2009 8:41 am
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Pat,great job,excellent steel,great voice,it seems second nature to you John
_________________
music is the spice of life |
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Dale Bessant
From:
Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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Posted 28 Jun 2009 12:58 pm
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I too sing and try to play both together, but I use a Sure headset Mic so I can keep my eyes on the fretboard....works ok for me.But it takes alot of concentration for sure..
_________________
BMI S-10,3+4,Peavey Vegas 400,15"BW equipped,Goodrich 120,Zoom Studio rack mount-FX,Liberty Resonator,Fender Telecaster,JT-148 Jazz Box,Blueridge BR-180 |
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Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 28 Jun 2009 6:00 pm
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Pat, excellent work there! I used to be able to sing a few and play steel...no way you could make me do it now though. It's tough!
As a matter of fact, Big City was one of my songs also.
_________________
BenRom Pedal Steel Guitars
https://www.facebook.com/groups/212050572323614/ |
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Alan Rudd
From:
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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Posted 28 Jun 2009 7:40 pm
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| I played out last night for the first time on my own steel. I normally am the lead singer with my band, but this was a jam situation. They asked me to sing and play a few, and they were very gracious, but everyone seemed to love it, except me. That is crazy difficult to do. The owner of the place asked me to come back and play for him in a couple of months. I may do it! Whew! My first time is over with! |
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Willis Vanderberg
From:
Petoskey Mi
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Posted 29 Jun 2009 4:19 am
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| I believe it was Buddy Emmons who said " the best fill you will ever play is when you are backing yourself singing ". You won't overplay. |
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Alan Rudd
From:
Ardmore, Oklahoma
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Posted 29 Jun 2009 4:57 am
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| Yeah, some of my best fills were total accidents! |
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