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Topic: Steel guitar is a great humbler.... |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 10:24 am |
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but if you have the desire and an open mind, you will find many friends here to help get you moving in the right direction, regardless of what you play. A healthy attitude and a little respect goes a long way.
I was reminded of this when I saw a video clip of a new band on the Letterman show--the guitarist was playing a Fender lap steel with a flatpick, just doing his best to be musical. I did this for a few years, too, and I remember how little information was available to me at the time. Of course, things are much different now. The forum was a big game changer for me.
No matter who we are when enter the door, we are all equal when we enter the room as beginners.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Joachim Kettner
From:
Germany
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 11:03 am
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... and he is musical!
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Will Hart
From:
St. Croix, Virgin Islands
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 11:05 am
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Well said, Brother.
I played for months on a tuning I made up trying to imitate Don Helm in the 70's before someone showed me open G. Sure wasn't Don Helm but it opened up a whole world for me. Funny now, but we all start on the same path
The Forum is a wealth! Praise The b0b. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 12:09 pm
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| The humbling aspect is so rarely touched, Mike, and it's one every steeler worth his salt has experienced. So many think it's easy, and it is to a point, but to become anywhere near accomplished it will put you thru the wringer, and if you push hard, it will reward in spades. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 12:43 pm
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I remember when I was first starting to play in a Band at 14 and 15 years old on my Gibson 6-string BR model. I could play smoothly and delibertly but all I could play by Ear was Melody. I would listen to all the Steel Players improvising and could not understand how they come up with it. Gradually I started experimenting out of my head and one day it just came to me where I could start improvising. I was not trying to absoulutely copy what I heard someone else play. I would imitate a Style such as Boggs or Murphy but tried to do my own thing. When I got my three necked eight string "Barder" it opened up a whole new world of playing to me.
Memories from an Old Codger ! |
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Geoff Cline
From:
Southwest France
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 3:23 pm
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| Indeed, Mike, indeed. Then again, humility is a most welcome trait in a musician...or anyone for that matter. Go heavy on the music, light on the ego. |
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Roual Ranes
From:
Atlanta, Texas, USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 6:36 pm
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| The more you learn the more you know you don't know and that produces HUMILITY ! I haven't even scratched the surface. |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 7:53 pm
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So true - I've been a professional jazz guitarist for a long time, and have been used to thinking of myself as a competent musician, able to deal with almost any situation. Then along came the steel guitar... Imagine sitting in front of Reece Anderson and having to count the strings to put my right hand where he told me to - a beginner again. Humbling, indeed.
_________________
Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 2 Oct 2011 8:13 pm
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Great post, Mike. I had a probably typical learning curve when I started, trying to find others to share info, trying to learn from records while not knowing exactly how to do that, etc. I sure would have appreciated a resource like the forum.
I remain eternally grateful to several people like Dewitt Scott and Garland Nash who selflessly encouraged and aided me. I try to reflect the generous spirit they shared by helping others get going when I can.
b0b and the generous forumites here do more than they know for many "seekers".
Thanks, everybody! |
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Ted Solesky
From:
Mineral Wells, Texas, USA
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Posted 4 Oct 2011 8:19 am
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I didn't do the lap thing but I respect those pickers. I still remember when I was told I was a bad picker. It took a while for me to improve, but I was determine to pick better.
Now I'm on U Tube under Ted Solesky. |
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 4 Oct 2011 10:25 am
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When I was hired for my first professionsl job after highschool, I was replacing a great single string western-swing steeler, Shorty Messer.
Shorty was playing all of those single-string western swing riffs while I was still trying to get my guitar out of the case.
But later, I was tutored by the Western Swing Hall of Fame players Bernie and Boyd Rogers, and their presence on the Panhandle era.
God Bess Bernie and Boyd Rogers for their contribution to western swing mnusic, and to my brief association wih them.
_________________
"FROM THEN TIL' NOW" |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 5 Oct 2011 9:23 am
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Since beginning piano lessons as a child I have enjoyed playing many instruments, woodwinds, brass and strings, also percussion, guitars, etc.
It is my personal opinion after years of observation and participation that no other instrument in the world is more conducive to generating temporary debilitating psychosis in the mind of the player, particularly in the presence of other steelers... |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 5 Oct 2011 9:45 am
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| Steel guitar has been very, very good to me. |
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William Lake
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 5 Oct 2011 10:34 am
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Like Christopher Woitach, I am a 6 string jazz player of decent ability. I always considered "hawaiian" guitar silly. All you could do was play a triad and slide it up an down the strings. Childish.
I have since learned how wrong I was. I still cannot play this damnable instrument very well. 
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Bill |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 5 Oct 2011 1:19 pm
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I remember when I was 12 years old, watching Santo and Johnny play Sleepwalk on American Bandstand, and thinking "That looks easy. I bet I could do that."
Well, at least I was half right.
I feel that after playing for 32 years, I'm starting to have some insight into the instrument.
If we could live forever, we still would not have enough time to uncover all of its secrets.
_________________
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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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 5 Oct 2011 2:25 pm
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Are Steel Guitar PLayers a lot like Piano Players
There are Piano Players, Pianists, and outright geniuses playing the Piano. IMHO the Piano has so many ways of interperting and executing music, it also will never be competely mastered ! |
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