"Steel Boogie"

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 18 Nov 2009 6:05 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOyq3GwXelU

Ok last one for a while! Fresh off the grill right here boys!

Well done or medium rare?

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 19 Nov 2009 7:18 am

Great job Kenny! Keep um coming!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 19 Nov 2009 1:18 pm

Wish there was a way to get the "Big E" to tell me what he thought of this! Good or bad! That would be cool!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 20 Nov 2009 11:25 am

Hey guys comments welcome! Its how i improve!

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 20 Nov 2009 7:02 pm

Well, Kenny, It sounds like you are looking for some real feedback this time. Here is my honest take on your boogie tune:
I have nothing at all to criticize on this piece. I think you pulled the whole thing off like a pro. Everything about your playing is pro here: Right hand(deviates a little bit from the "Newman norm" - that's not saying it's bad, just different and it works! I would kill for a right hand like that. A very confident hand indeed. Your string attack is superb - you pick with great authority. Your left hand is accurate.

One thing I have noticed, not so much in this song as in others - your left foot; sometimes it deviates from the norm -it goes off the pedals all the way, like swings aside and then, when only the A ped is needed, the foot hits just that pedal when it should have been hovering above AB both and the left side of the foot should have come down to do the A ped.
I know it's nitpicking but does it hamper your playing ever?

Nah..I'll give you a 10/10

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 21 Nov 2009 4:56 am

Thanks Bent and good or bad it helps me do better!

Thanks for the kind words on the picken!

As for the foot, i think that started a while back with my Emmons but it is even more noticable with the Derby!
Having my foot above the pedals concerned me because this Derby is so sensitive! If you slightly touch a lever or pedal it moves the string!

My Emmons PP wasn't as sensitive so sometimes i even rest my foot on the AB pedals! Now un-knowing too me, i think i'm just making sure i don't touch the pedal. The other part is i can't stop my left foot from moving!

I tap my foot, twist it, rock it so its a habit and until i made video's i didn't know it was moving as much as it does!

Anyways, it doesn't bother my playin or at least i don't think it does!

Thanks man!

Peter Nylund · Post by **Peter Nylund** » 21 Nov 2009 5:01 am

nice picking

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 21 Nov 2009 1:01 pm

Thanks Peter! Great to hear from ya across the pond!

Brett Crisp · Post by **Brett Crisp** » 21 Nov 2009 2:23 pm

Yes!! That sounds great bro! We need to get up real soon when I get off the road! Im sure Emmons wouldnt have anything negative to say about that.

Don Brown, Sr. · Post by **Don Brown, Sr.** » 21 Nov 2009 9:16 pm

Kenny, a real nice job.

Bent, believe me when I say there really is no right nor wrong way to play. I get so tired of hearing that. What works for one, doesn't always work the same way for someone else.

The fact that Kenny removes his foot from the pedals, only shows he's in full control, as I didn't find him having any problems, getting it back to where he needed it to be, when he needed it.

The same with only pushing the pedal you need at that time down. Not a thing wrong with that either.

Although I know you were only passing on what you've been taught. There is no "One way fits all" when it comes to playing pedal steel.

As well, I've heard people say, look!! His/her elbow is not tucked in where it should be.. No sh**! I'd like to see those same people, attempt to play on the front neck of a D-10, with their elbow tucked in by their side. "It's virtually impossible to do."

Real nice job Kenny..

Eddie Harper · Post by **Eddie Harper** » 21 Nov 2009 9:24 pm

I'll say it Kenny: YOU'RE AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Your Friend Eddie

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 22 Nov 2009 5:29 am

Hey guys thanks for the comments! Truly good or bad, makes me take a look at what i do to make it better so its all good!

Hey Brett!!!
Hope you are staying safe out there brother! Terri Clark should be proud to have ya!!

Hit me on the cell when you get off the road and we'll set some time for a Christmas jam! We do it every year so i'll let ya know! You can swing in and stay here!
It would be cool if Mr. Emmons made a comment even if he said i stink!

Just having fun guys!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 24 Nov 2009 12:11 pm

David Wright · Post by **David Wright** » 28 Nov 2009 2:52 pm

Kenny,
Sounds great, just watch that foot!!!! It's a jumper!!!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 29 Nov 2009 5:51 am

Thanks David! If you stop that foot i am in trouble!

It's funny to watch it myself but now when i play i think about it so hopefully it won't slow me down!

You should see my face when i'm playing fast!

I grit my teeth and hold my breath but i don't notice it until i finish the run!
Oh well, crazy steel players!

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 29 Nov 2009 9:17 am

Kenny, you're playing technique is fine and intonation is good and accurate. What I'd like to see improved on your videos is the sound quality of the steel. I believe its origin is in the settings used on U-tube to record it, not the steel sound at your place of recording. It tends to have rather a strident sound with an unpleasant top end, again, I think a function perhaps of the u-tube recording. It'd be great if that were improved. Other than that, clear sailing and great chops.

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 29 Nov 2009 1:33 pm

Thanks John and i agree!

The sound is distorted a little but its mainly due to the camera. I'm just recording with the camera and what ever it picks up. I have tried low volume but it still is distorted and high end!

One day i want to get something to record it with the right way!

Thanks for the kind words man!

km

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 29 Nov 2009 5:24 pm

Don Brown, Sr. wrote:Kenny, a real nice job.

Bent, believe me when I say there really is no right nor wrong way to play. I get so tired of hearing that. What works for one, doesn't always work the same way for someone else.
Real nice job Kenny..

Hi Don,
I gathered from the way Kenny formulated his post that he wanted a bit more feedback than the usual Hey man, Great! Or keep'em coming brother!" Or "sounds good".

So I gave him what I thought was a fair assessment of this YouTube video.
Please note that I did not tell him that he was playing the "wrong way". The strongest words I used was "deviated from the norm", which was easy to observe as just a deviation from what the likes of Jeff Newman has taught us, and not touting this as the only right way to do things. So, yes, I also get tired of hearing "there is a right and wrong way to play". Thing is I never uttered those words.
The foot was also just that - a deviation from a norm- nothing negative implied. It is quite obvious to me that Kenny is in full control.
The ending of my post should verify this fact when I gave him a 10 out of 10.
Respectfully
Bent

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 30 Nov 2009 9:32 am

"Bent, believe me when I say there really is no right nor wrong way to play. I get so tired of hearing that. What works for one, doesn't always work the same way for someone else."
I would disagree with that, Don. I've taught a lot of students over the last 40 years or so and there has to be a baseline of proper technique so the student doesn't start off on the wrong foot, then have to radically change their style to achieve a good tone and speed. Very often, the student will start off with a right hand developed from a guitar technique, then simply rotate it 45 degrees to go parallel with the steel neck, not extending the fingers and therefore having to either rotate the wrist to block or not block at all. At that point, their elbow is out about halfway to their shoulder setting themselves up for postural problems later and they end up blocking the strings with their volume pedal. These are common technique maladjustments that should be fixed at the beginning of a persons learning stage and I feel are important. Other things like playing the 1st. pedal with one foot are just things a person does to vary the overall technique from the norm. Kenny certainly doesn't have any overt problems that I can see and plays with considerable style and aggression, indicating a seasoned player with great musical sense and obviously good technique. Now, within those parameters there is room for a fair amount of deviance, but for beginners, I think for the sake of standardization of the instrument, certain ground rules should be laid down early, for the sake of ease later.

Jamie Lennon · Post by **Jamie Lennon** » 30 Nov 2009 2:17 pm

Kenny that's great, we need to get together play!!!!!

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 30 Nov 2009 4:39 pm

Thanks Jamie! Ready when you are man!
Just having fun as usual!!

Hey John,

Thanks for the post and i'm always looking to improve!
On the pick blocking thing, i started playing steel and then guitar, then dobro, then banjo and you are right, it can make thing interesting learning all of them! I have never been able to extend my pinky finger like alot of players do to block with because for me, it slowed me down on a speed lick! I block with the side of my hand and a little of my pinky!

The one thing i work the hardest on is string rattle! What i mean is when you hear someone play a lick and before its totally block they pick it again and there's a little zip sound as well as string rattle1 It happens to me and these video's sure can make you aware of it!

I wish i had taken lesson's but never did! My Daddy played lap steel and was learning pedal steel a few years before i started! He was my hero and would beat on my head for wanting to play fast all the time!

I also play dobro and a little banjo so practice tends to be long but steel is where most of the time is taken!

Anyways, i appreciate all the comments from all you guys and never worry about telling me what ya think!
Good or bad, i go look at the suggestion and sometimes it changes my approach!

Thanks again!
kenny

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 4 Dec 2009 2:44 pm

Thanks everybody for the comments and seems i have a few hundred emails on this little steel boogie!

I'll try and get a tab done on this for the request i have!

thx

km

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 5 Dec 2009 12:34 pm

Man, I'd love to have a tab of this; IMO, It's just great.

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 9 Dec 2009 4:51 pm

Hey Charles!

Working on it but i'm also breaking it down in a clip!

Should have something in a few days!

Thanks everybody!