Learning how to Play

[Mike Perlowin]

Thank you Lane for mentioning my book.

My suggestion, try to play along with records and/or CDs. When I was learning, I used to play along with bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited." I'd experiment with licks that would fit the chords on the various songs.

[Jim Kennedy]

I've been playing about five years now. Playing guitar for 45 years. The biggest single thing that helped me was the Joe Wright videos posted on the Sierra web site.

http://www.sierrasteels.com/lessons/lessons-index.html

His explanation of scale patterns and chords just really clicked for me. As an experienced guitar player it was easy to take his explanations and begin to play with both understanding and freedom. Guitar players have more "practical music knowledge" to bring to psg than they sometimes believe, and I believe the Joe wright videos helped me to apply that knowledge.

I also have the Jeff Newman up from the top A&B pedals. Also very useful, but the Joe Wright videos really made things click in a more comprehensive way.

[John Billings]

Bill,
I've been thinking about this this morning, and I think it may have been the dreaded 5-string banjo that helped more than 6-string guitar. Banjo is a bit more random movements, whereas alternating bass on guitar is somewhat more rigid,,,, if you know what I'm trying to say! I'm doing my taxes, and my brain is in a whirl!

[Donny Hinson]

I am surprised to learn that guitar players struggle to master the pedal steel.

It helped me.

The only thing that translates from guitar to pedal steel is (some of) the right-hand stuff, and the music theory. The pedal steel has an entirely different left hand technique, and it also adds the knees and the feet as essentials...most of the top straight guitar players I've known never duplicated their skills on the pedal steel. (There just aren't many Sid Hudsons out there, players who are exceptional on both.) I've noticed that probably half the people who take up pedal steel quit within a few years.

You can take a quick youtube tour and see that there are child prodigies - amazing singers, violinists, piano players, drummers, and straight guitar players, all under 10 years old. You won't see that, however, on a pedal steel...probably because this in one hard-ass instrument to play!

[Geoff Noble]

I've noticed that probably half the people who take up pedal steel quit within a few years.

I can relate to that, played guitar for about 40+ years when I decided to have a go at pedal steel. Wrestled with it for about a year and then it sat in my attic for the next 3-4 years.

3 years ago I decided to give it a another try, I'm glad I did, it was hard work but I think I'm finally beginning to get somewhere with it.

I learned guitar in local folk clubs, (Scotland), my dad used to take me to, so learned how to pick, though later I was more of a lead guitarist in bands I played in, I've always enjoyed just sitting picking and this has certainly helped to learn on the pedal steel.

I think what has really improved my accuracy of picking recently is working my way through Joe Wrights - The Wright Hand. I put a couple of hours in every Monday night, sit and grind it out. When I play after doing this, it just comes so much easier and more natural.

It's hard, no doubt about that, IMHO you've really got to want to do it and put in the hard hours to get anywhere, but the harder something is to achieve the more satisfying it is when you finally get there

(There, being the the start of the road in my case but at least I feel I'm actually on the road now and not stuck in the ditch )