Intro to use of the 5th string half tone lower

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 5 Sep 2010 12:43 am

Here is my effort to shed some light on uses of the 5th string half tone lower; commonly the left knee vertical lever. I incorporated some of the ideas presented by various forum members in my recent thread "What chord is this?" Thanks to all for your input.

The more I worked on organizing this material the more uses I found for the lever. Someday I may do a second video on the subject, as I wasn't able to get everything into one session.

Have fun. Paul

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LV6BD3zHzo

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 12 Sep 2010 6:45 am

Paul, Thankyou for sharing. Can't wait for your second vid.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 12 Sep 2010 7:15 am

Like I mentioned in another post, Paul has a clear and understandable way of explaining things.
Teacher material here!
Thanks Paul.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 12 Sep 2010 12:22 pm

Paul, bravo! Your Youtube postings are doing much to promote pedal steel guitar. This is the way it should be if we want newer/younger players to take up the instrument. Taking the mystery out of the instrument does this. Thank you.

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 12 Sep 2010 12:38 pm

James, Bent and Kevin: Thanks for the comments. I have learned a great deal from other forum member's videos, tabs, and general discussion, so I am just giving back a little. I enjoy putting together the videos, and it really helps me organize my own thoughts on how I play steel.

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 12 Sep 2010 2:12 pm

Just keep going Paul. There is something about your videos that appeals to me anyway. Maybe it's the clarity, the direct no nonsense approach. I have downloaded the LKV video and burned it to disk. That way I can practice with the TV in front of me. Great way to learn, for me anyway.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 13 Sep 2010 7:37 am

I really liked the video Paul, thanks for making it!
I had been using the vert knee in a few stray licks but your vid gave me a better understanding of it.

It was hard for me to load the vid tho, it kept stopping every few seconds. i tried a faster computer and that was a little better but it still paused frequently to load. I wonder if others had this problem? maybe its my connection? or maybe if the vid were done in two parts it would load faster?
I notice Mickey Adams keeps his vids kinda short, maybe thats why?

anyway, that was a really cool and helpful vid Paul, Im gonna check out your BC one next. Thanks again for the free and very useful lesson!

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 13 Sep 2010 9:05 am

Ben: I just viewed the video in its entirety on Facebook. It loaded and played fine. But I have recently encountered the very problem you described on other videos I viewed on Facebook, including on some of my prior videos that always played fine before. I don't know what to say as I am just barely computer literate.

Regarding the length of the video; what I posted was actually the fourth take. The first take was about 36 minutes long. The second take was about 22 minutes long. The third take was about 16 minutes long. I guess I like to talk too much. I'll try to be more organized and concise in the future. Perhaps I should divide the topics into smaller packages as you have suggested.

Thanks for your input. I'm glad you are finding my videos helpful. Best regards. Paul

Bent Romnes · Post by **Bent Romnes** » 13 Sep 2010 9:30 am

I believe that the slow loading video has to do with the connection speed, something we don't have control over. I have cable (fast connection speed) and the vids usually load instantly. Once in a while they stop and load, stop and load. Since I know that I have fast speed, I blame it on Youtube's server. Maybe I caught it at a time of overload?

Paul's vid loaded instantly. I can't believe the enhanced video quality once I downloaded it, burned it to disk and viewed it on my TV.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 13 Sep 2010 9:41 am

thanks for the info. In am guessing my connection at home just isnt as good as it could be.

Barry Hyman · Post by **Barry Hyman** » 14 Sep 2010 7:23 pm

You Tube is weird. My wife downloads entire feature-length movies that download faster (in kilobytes per second) and playback MUCH better than 3 minute YouTube videos. I don't know why...

I will check out your video soon, Paul. (My wife is sleeping now and I have to be quiet.) I just got my B to Bb lower vertical 16 months ago, and I have found at least a dozen wonderful uses for it; this is a topic that interests me a lot. Thanks, Paul; sorry I was so rude to you a few months ago...

Rick Winfield · Post by **Rick Winfield** » 15 Sep 2010 12:43 am

Good video with some great ideas.
thanks
Rick

Bob Snelgrove · Post by **Bob Snelgrove** » 15 Sep 2010 12:43 pm

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

Fred A. told me Tony uses it a lot in this vid.

Can anyone figure out where and how?

thx

bob

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 17 Sep 2010 11:00 am

Hey Paul, I been gettin alot of mileage out of this vid and your BC vid too. Thanks again, really helpful.
Next topic: 2nd string lower?

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 18 Sep 2010 12:52 pm

I have been out all week on a long road trip for family business, so haven't replied to recent posts. Thanks to all for your comments regarding the video. I am thinking about the next video, but I'm not ready to record just yet.

Barry: I welcome to opportunity to put the unpleasantness of the past behind us. Thank you for the gesture of reconciliation. We won't always agree on things, but we don't have to be enemies from afar. Paul

Otis Dillon · Post by **Otis Dillon** » 20 Sep 2010 7:25 am

Hey Paul!
God Bless and thanks for this most eye opening video. I am new to the forum and this is my first post, but I had to say SUPER JOB!

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 20 Sep 2010 12:00 pm

Another use for the 5th string, 1/2 step lower:
On an all pull guitar - combine it with a full step raise of the fth string (pedal A) and you get a net 1/2 step raise on that string.
I use this to decend the one in a minor triad which is a common blues lick. ie "Mission Impossible" theme.
One must have the means to tune the combine raise/ lower which my Fessey does. That is, my fifth string lower has a tuneable hard stop. To tune the raise/lower combo, I use the fifth string, 1/2 step lower nylon tuner at the end.

Jim Robbins · Post by **Jim Robbins** » 20 Sep 2010 8:24 pm

Hi Paul,
Nice job on the video, as always. Thanks for the credit, very kind of you.
- Jim

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 21 Sep 2010 8:13 am

Jim Pitman wrote:Another use for the 5th string, 1/2 step lower:
On an all pull guitar - combine it with a full step raise of the fth string (pedal A) and you get a net 1/2 step raise on that string.

Yes, if your guitar lets you tune this note (open C natural), it makes the lever much more useful.

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 21 Sep 2010 10:00 am

Great stuff Paul.

If you do another video, you might want to mention that working from the IV chord (pedals A and B pushed) and lowering the E's also gives a flat 5 that can also be moved down two frets to grab a 9th chord.

Brian McGaughey · Post by **Brian McGaughey** » 22 Sep 2010 10:44 am

Another thanks from me too, Paul. Helpful stuff for many of us who are early in our pedal steel careers!

Danny Bates wrote:

If you do another video, you might want to mention that working from the IV chord (pedals A and B pushed) and lowering the E's also gives a flat 5 that can also be moved down two frets to grab a 9th chord.

That's where I grab that 9th chord, too, since I've got the 5th string lower tuned to C while A pedal is pressed so can't do as Paul shows.

The cool thing about the position you mention Danny is you can start w/ E's lowered, and G#s raised, then rock onto the A pedal and "8s" become 9ths.

Danny Bates · Post by **Danny Bates** » 23 Sep 2010 12:33 am

Also, if anybody doesn't have the B to Bb change on their guitar, they can raise their E's, hit the second pedal and move down three frets instead of two.

Another extra bonus is the 9th chord has viable substitutions 6 frets away either direction. (tritone substitution)

The Steel Guitar Forum

Intro to use of the 5th string half tone lower

Intro to use of the 5th string half tone lower

x lever

Tony Arrowood B-Bb