How is Ralph Mooney Doing This?

[Rick Myrland]

This is a live version of Waylon Jennings doing "This Time" and Mooney has a lick at the beginning of the first chorus at 1:07 -- it's very short buy very powerful. He does a slower version at 1:29. He does something at 0:34 that's so cool, sounds like some pretty intricate bar/finger work. Anyone know how he's doing what he's doing at 1:07? Its such a powerful and versatile lick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKiyoQwi ... re=related

[Olli Haavisto]

Sounds like pull offs/hammer ons at the 3rd fret.

[Jim Park]

He is doing a hammer on with the bar at the first fret, starting at the 8th string. usually you leave the tip of the bar on the string and lift the tail up.

1
2
3 0 1
4 0 1
5 0 1
6 0 1
7 0 1
8 0 1

In the one short lick I think he is using the tip and doing a hammer off at the 2nd fret

3 2 0 2
4 0


I am posting this from memory and haven't sat down and really analyzed it but this should get you started in the right direction
Jim

[Martin Johannesson]

Hey, nice to see that clip! This concert was taped at Stockholm Concert Hall for Swedish TV in 1983. I met "Moon" before the concert and did a short interview for a country music magazine in Sweden. I also got the chance to join Ralph on stage during the sound check and also got to play his Sho-Bud Super Pro guitar a few minutes. One thing that happened that I'll never forget was when I first set down at his steel and played the first notes. I was kind of nervous and didn't think about putting my foot on the volume pedal at first. It happened to be in max volume position so the first notes almost blow the speaker system in the concert hall!! It wasn't enough with that but at the same time Waylon had walked in on stage and started to tune his guitar. He looked like something had hit him in the head when those first notes from me finally died. I remember him shouting "Moooooon, what the h..l". I later got to meet Waylon and Jessie also and he didn't try to kill me so maybe Ralph took the blame! By the way, Ralph did some great playing that night and informed me that he got to play more than usual at this occasion.

[Joey Ace]

What a cool Clip! Thanks for posting it!

In Al Brisco's "Ralph Reel" a very similar lick can be seen and heard at 1:10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y14CKpmv3qU

[Rick Myrland]

That is an awsome clip with some of the most solid, great sounding licks ever coming off the steel; I wish there were instructional material out there geared towards Mooney style playing. I've got a tab for Rainy Day Woman and while you never leave the 12th fret I'm finding it very challenging with all the string/pedal changes (which include all 3 pedals).

Here's a great interview with RM... http://www.ntsga.com/id89.html

[Steve Wood]

Al Brisco has a Ralph Mooney/Bakersfield package he sells.
check him out...


http://www.steelguitarcanada.com/instru ... svideo.htm


about half way down the page, under Al Brisco.

steve

[Joey Ace]

For those that want to use Paypal, for Al's DVD:
http://joeyace.com/moon.htm

All other forms of payment are thru Al at the
www.SteelGuitarCanada.com

[Bill Howard]

that lick is being played in F he is pulling the bar off the strings and sort of bouncing it back on the strings, Pick up the front of your bar and try it off strings then on strings first fret about 4th 5th 6th strings I think

[Carl Hoitt]

This is a very old technique for steel and dobro playing. Listen and you will hear it often. It is particullarly noticeable and neccessary in playing that old great song 'Steelin' the Blues.

P.S. I Love my Carter U 12 it's the best!!!!

Carl