Finding new ways to fail!
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
- Christopher Woitach
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: 24 Dec 2009 9:35 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
- Contact:
Finding new ways to fail!
Every first Wednesday, I play a gig at a Portland club called Tony Starlight's. I accompany a great singer, who also plays some piano, sax and accordion. I play mostly six string, but I also play several jazz tunes on the pedal steel, usually just voice and steel. We just played this past Wednesday.
We start the night with a tune that she plays piano on, and I fill with some almost country style ballad swells, etc. It goes great - I'm in tune, nice vp, no problems. As the night goes on, my wife said at the break "How come the volume of the steel keeps keeps changing so much?" As it turns out, because my left foot is so engaged with making all the chords, and I'm concentrating hard on playing in tune, hitting the right strings, single lines with comping, etc, I was keeping time with my right foot!!!!
Obviously, I now have a heads-up, and I'm sure I'll be a better person for it, not to mention a better player, but man, this instrument continues to kick my butt!
I practice a lot, and now have more to work on... Working up "Donna Lee" is great, but you have to keep the expression pedal in mind at all times...
We start the night with a tune that she plays piano on, and I fill with some almost country style ballad swells, etc. It goes great - I'm in tune, nice vp, no problems. As the night goes on, my wife said at the break "How come the volume of the steel keeps keeps changing so much?" As it turns out, because my left foot is so engaged with making all the chords, and I'm concentrating hard on playing in tune, hitting the right strings, single lines with comping, etc, I was keeping time with my right foot!!!!
Obviously, I now have a heads-up, and I'm sure I'll be a better person for it, not to mention a better player, but man, this instrument continues to kick my butt!
I practice a lot, and now have more to work on... Working up "Donna Lee" is great, but you have to keep the expression pedal in mind at all times...
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- Posts: 1605
- Joined: 8 Apr 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
- Greg Cutshaw
- Posts: 6610
- Joined: 17 Nov 1998 1:01 am
- Location: Corry, PA, USA
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- Posts: 182
- Joined: 23 May 2012 8:00 am
- Location: Michigan, USA
- Christopher Woitach
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: 24 Dec 2009 9:35 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
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- Michael Hummel
- Posts: 467
- Joined: 13 Jun 2012 8:53 am
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Christopher:
Oh boy, you are not alone. I don't usually have a problem with limbs moving to the beat. For me as a beginner, when I'm operating the right knee levers the volume pedal goes all over the place.
Because my brain is SO focused on the knee action, when the sound disappears I look down to see if the cord fell out of the guitar jack! Then a split second later I realize what I've done.
I should practice that more...
Oh boy, you are not alone. I don't usually have a problem with limbs moving to the beat. For me as a beginner, when I'm operating the right knee levers the volume pedal goes all over the place.
Because my brain is SO focused on the knee action, when the sound disappears I look down to see if the cord fell out of the guitar jack! Then a split second later I realize what I've done.
I should practice that more...
MSA Classic 5+4
Too many 6-strings and amps to list
Too many 6-strings and amps to list
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- Posts: 21192
- Joined: 16 Feb 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
I feel your pain, Chris. Jazz can be sometimes incredibly hard to follow when there's no clear and obvious "reference" to the timing. Carolyn Leonhart sometimes does rather unconventional interpretations of simple songs, and it took a lot of listening for me to wrap my head around this one! Enjoy...(that is, if you can. )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxo8isig_BE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxo8isig_BE
- Christopher Woitach
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: 24 Dec 2009 9:35 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
- Contact:
Donny
That was great! Afro sixes are a beautiful feel.
At this point, after playing jazz (Dixieland to very very modern) for 30 years, feeling the rhythms isn't a problem, for me. Translating the feel to steel isn't hard either, but remembering that feet are a huge part of the game - still working on it!
That was great! Afro sixes are a beautiful feel.
At this point, after playing jazz (Dixieland to very very modern) for 30 years, feeling the rhythms isn't a problem, for me. Translating the feel to steel isn't hard either, but remembering that feet are a huge part of the game - still working on it!
- Larry Behm
- Posts: 4400
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Mt Angel, Or 97362
Chris, Larry Behm (Portland) here. Possible fixes, do not use a volume pedal; adjust the pedal so that it is always on a little so you can hear it in the off position; play with the pedal full on and adjust your amp accordingly. Need more ideas, call me or better yet come over, I could use some jazz lick ideas.
Larry Behm
971-219-8533
Larry Behm
971-219-8533
'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533
Phone: 971-219-8533
- Christopher Woitach
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: 24 Dec 2009 9:35 am
- Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
- Contact:
- John Shadid
- Posts: 242
- Joined: 5 Feb 2012 5:39 pm
- Location: Oklahoma City, OK
When I begin practicing a new part at home, I take my foot off the volume pedal and rest it on the pedal bar. It trains my foot not to move and put more focus on my hands. Recording myself also helped me realize how much I was over-using the volume pedal. I guess when it comes down to it, I'd rather have the audience hear my pics buzz the strings every once in a while than always miss the first half of every chord I play.
Johnny Up PSG Lessons @
http://www.youtube.com/user/johnnyupok
http://www.youtube.com/user/johnnyupok
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- Posts: 4
- Joined: 1 Feb 2010 7:14 am
- Location: New South Wales, Australia
- Contact:
Tapping the volume pedal
I understand the issue, especially when the band is really swingin'. My approach is to take my foot off the swell (volume) pedal and only use it sparingly - typically fills behind the vocalist in slower songs. I use my picking attack (fingers, no strings) to attain required levels...
To each his own - the worst I have done is start an intro in the correct position - on the wrong neck!!!
To each his own - the worst I have done is start an intro in the correct position - on the wrong neck!!!
Songwriter & musician (all types of steel - especially 8 string C6 non pedal) who has retired from IT & now working on my original tunes in my home studio. (Pity 'bout the beer fridge!)