Strings 1 and 2

[Rick Holden]

Drummer turned to pedal steel. Learning from instinct and from what I can gather by watching and listening. I have purchased a new ETS S10 and love it so far. Can't really figure out where the top two strings fit in to most of the chords etc... Any help or hints at how I need to use these? I am actually doing pretty well so far with most of the major and minor chords, pedals and knee levers but those two bad boy strings on the top don't sound so good. Help!

[Mark van Allen]

Welcome to steel obsession, Rick! If you can grok some major scale layouts, in particular E, A, and C# major you'll see how the notes on the top two, with and without the changes your knee levers make, fit in those scales. Where there are several chord grips or stacks in the lower part of the tuning, the upper strings are usually used as chord extensions or melodic notes to make up scalar runs and fills, or add color to the chords made from the lower strings. for a good start, try playing the pattern (of strings) 3-1-4-2-5 with no pedals, then with just the A pedal, then with the A pedal and the knee lever raising string 4 a half tone, then with both A and B pedals down (and the knee lever lowering the 2nd string a half tone). This should give you a starting point for using the "top 2". Of course you can do this at any fret, but at the open position those are extensions to the chords E, C#m, C#, and A respectively. Have fun!

[Rick Holden]

Thanks for the help Mark. This site is really great and I appreciate how everyone is willing to share. I will attend my first steel guitar convention here in the Dallas area next week the Texas Steel Guitar Association home is actually here in my hometown of Cleburne. Albert Talley is the pres and got me hooked up with my new ETS so I can't wait to meet a ton of fellow players in a week or so. Thanks again.

[CrowBear Schmitt]

if you listen/look on the E9 tuning (fret 0) you'll hear/see 2 chords E & B
E : strings 3 4 5 6 8 10 (9 dom7)
B : strings 1 2 5 7 10
the highest pitched string is 3
string 1 : F# is the fifth of B & 2 : Eb is the major third of B
the lever (E) that lowers the Es strings 4 & 8 also gives you the Eb : major third of B
activating pedals A & B gives you the A chord at fret 0
activating pedals B & C gives you the F# minor ( String 1 : F#)

[Lowell Whitney]

Hello Rick, Welcome to the club. I've been trying to play steel for nearly five years and I haven't figured out what do with all ten strings.
Lowell

[Gary Preston]

It takes a little time to find out how these '' Wild ''strings are used . You will need to find out which pedals and knee levers work with them also . You also have wild strings at 7/9 strings . I use the 6th string and 7/9 with the'' B ''floor pedal . Also i use the '' A '' floor pedal with these . You can use knee levers also . The list goes on and on . Have fun G.P.

[Jim Pitman]

Listen to Buddy Emmons behind Judy Collins on "Someday Soon". - A classic not only for the string 1 and 2 licks but the tone as well.

[Rick Holden]

This site is great. I never dreamed to get so many responses. I hope I can one day lend a fellow steel player a hint. Thanks to all that have responded so far.

[Rick Holden]

This site is great. I never dreamed to get so many responses. I hope I can one day lend a fellow steel player a hint. Thanks to all that have responded so far.

[Quentin Hickey]

A whole new world has opened up to me on these 3 strings after really diggin in to them. They are great for certain chords but what I really like using them for are decending and ascending scales and transitioning patterns. Like the others said it takes alot of reading and studying but it pays off!
Quentin

[Quentin Hickey]

Listen to people like Tom Brumely and JayDee manness, They have some really neat sounding stuff using these strings.