Fast As You - Problem Solved

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 24 Mar 2015 10:42 am

The keyboard player and guitar player swap back and forth and it sounds great. I don't play some crap and ruin the flow.

I probably will get by not having to play a solo in the song. I'm stubborn and would maybe like to come up with something. The reason being, about every 4th or 5th gig, the bass player will lean over and ask if I want a solo. I just tell him no. And, that is pretty much the end of it. But last Saturday (the day I was battling that dead string, so I was already in a bad mood), the bass player does his asking, I say no, and then the band leader announces over the PA for me to take a solo, and I shake my head no. Then the keyboard player, bass player and girl singer join in, OVER THE PA. So even if I wanted a solo, the solo time was already in progress and I would have to jump in mid solo. This was so embarrassing. I had a meltdown at break and chewed the leaders ass out, along with the rest of the band. I told them "you don't F'n embarrass me onstage", and gave my notice. They said that they thought I play a solo in the song, which I never have with them. By the end of the night we patched things up.

One consolation is, because of the issues I have been having with the nerves and tendons in my right arm being damaged, I'm probably dwindling down to maybe my last 6 months (or less) of being able to play, well, at least in public anyway. It is painful to play and I have almost lost complete control of my middle finger (it misses strings I am try to pick, and sometimes just randomly falls back on the strings). My whole hand is weak. My doctor has put in requests for a referral to a neurologist, but it has been about 4 or 5 months, and the neurology department at the hospital has not scheduled me in yet. I gave her the name of an outside Neurologist I used when I had these problems, surgeries, back in 2005, but she has not returned my doctors calls.

Ollin Landers · Post by **Ollin Landers** » 24 Mar 2015 10:51 am

We fired our guitar player a while back and I took over the duties of 6 string along with PSG. I try my best to do as much PSG as I can.

So I play the vamp and when it gets to the solo I just crank up the distortion and play some Duanne Allman inspired licks. I play a combination of B6 and pedals down sort of A6th mode.

You think "Fast as You" is bad....

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 24 Mar 2015 11:10 am

I can actually think of stuff to use with an envelope filter, but I don't have one. The parts using straight steel doesn't sound that good.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 24 Mar 2015 11:56 am

There's so many people watching this thread, I'll put out a call for backing track. I'll do something Monday.
Richard, you lower 6 a whole, right?
If I can recall your copedent, I'll try to avoid changes I have that you lack. I'll certainly avoid the ones you have that I lack.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 24 Mar 2015 12:48 pm

I do lower 6 and split it. My tunings:

http://www.richard-sinkler.com/tunings.html

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 24 Mar 2015 1:19 pm

Right on. Anything I can play, you can find. Except for the Franklin pedal, which I don't use much.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 24 Mar 2015 2:40 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:Not sure where to post this, but, as with every other country band known to man, my band plays this absolutely horrible song...I have never been able to come up with anything that sounded good and wasn't embarrassing...What do you guys play in the song?

Seriously? Shades of Henry Mancini. Well, I've found his old "Peter Gunn" theme fits right in! Just play the sax lines and trade off with with the lead man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK-b5PLhrEI

Bobby Hearn · Post by **Bobby Hearn** » 24 Mar 2015 3:01 pm

If song is in E, you can milk some of that 10th fret starting with strings 4 and 5 rocking on to A pedal for a 7th

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 24 Mar 2015 3:18 pm

Yeah Bobby. I could, and have, do that. But it sounds too much like what I do in 2 or 3 other songs. Honestly, the best thing for this song is to let the organ and guitar take everything. I don't need to take solos in every song. That is what the band thinks.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 24 Mar 2015 4:59 pm

Richard -
I feel your pain. Really.
My shoulder is so bad I can hardly use a knife to cut some french toast today.
Hang in there bro!

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 24 Mar 2015 6:58 pm

Bobby Hearn wrote:If song is in E, you can milk some of that 10th fret starting with strings 4 and 5 rocking on to A pedal for a 7th

That does work good Bobby, use it all time.

Stuart Legg · Post by **Stuart Legg** » 25 Mar 2015 12:53 am

Here is from my 2015 BIAB file with "Fast as You" imported midi.
After it loads click on "lead sheet" for notation. For older versions just click on notation.
The parts are real easy to hear and simple to play with just a little listening and practice. The chord chart alone gives you a lot of ideas.
BIAB file
midi file

James Jacoby · Post by **James Jacoby** » 25 Mar 2015 2:53 am

I guess we all have a song or two, that we hate to play. Mine is "Waltz Across Texas"! With all the great music coming out of Texas, I don't know how this one snuck in! I would rather play "Fast As You", and "Guitars and Cadillacs" all night long, than do that one time!

I have no issue with the lyrics. Just the two chords, and the "watching paint dry", speed! -Jake-

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 25 Mar 2015 3:38 am

James, may I suggest that, with that one, just learn the basic Charleton ride, and just play it as purty as you can?
There are only a handful of solos that make me think "I'm not gonna think of a better line, so I'll just play it like the record", and that's one. I'll play with phrasing and inflection, but stick to the blueprint.

Side note: Karen, do you either drop 6 a whole, or raise 7 a whole?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 25 Mar 2015 11:12 am

I really don't like "Waltz Across Texas", but I love playing it. There's so many ways to embellish the melody so it stays true to the song, but let's you add some of YOU into the song. Those are the types of songs when you can shine.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 25 Mar 2015 11:21 am

I don't mind playing Waltz Across Texas but the singer never gets it right.
They are suppose to say "Ah Buddy now" when I start into my solo. What's their problem? They never get it right.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 25 Mar 2015 11:22 am

Honestly, the best thing for this song is to let the organ and guitar take everything.

That would be my answer as wellâ€¦

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 25 Mar 2015 11:32 am

i like playing it...and mustang sally. long as you have a grooving band.

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 25 Mar 2015 4:56 pm

I like playing "out of the box" stuff like this. I try to think "I'm playing MUSIC not PEDAL STEEL GUITAR!!! The Steel Guitar is only the TOOL I'm playing MUSIC on.I don't use a distortion device. I try to imply the mood by my phrasing. I play in the house band at a local open mike night. We play Hendrix and Beatles things among others. I like it because it ISN'T country, although I LOVE Classic Country, and play in a couple of Classic Country bands. For my own entertainment I'm trying to work up an arrangement of "Holiday For Strings" by David Rose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi4M-sXZ440
I'm by NO WAY a monster technical player. I just love to play music and Pedal Steel Guitar is a great tool to play music on.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 25 Mar 2015 8:23 pm

Bo Legg wrote:I don't mind playing Waltz Across Texas but the singer never gets it right.
They are suppose to say "Ah Buddy now" when I start into my solo. What's their problem? They never get it right.

Singer???

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 25 Mar 2015 10:21 pm

Richard, the next time the bass player ask if you want to do a solo just smile and tell him: "After you, sir."

I must say though, I'm one guy who likes "Fast as You" and am a big Dwight Yoakam fan and I always looks forward to playing the song but play it on 6 string guitar.

I will try it on steel at home the next few days and if I come up with anything reasonable, I will chime in. stevet

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 26 Mar 2015 4:36 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:
Honestly, the best thing for this song is to let the organ and guitar take everything.
That would be my answer as wellâ€¦

I think steel guitar has a future in creating sounds--organ, choir, strings (it has them); it seems it was built for it,
particularly when the song hangs on the root for too long.

I like Steve T.'s advice, "After you, sir." While 'sir' does that, laying down chords with unconventional voicings,
giving the piece texture, seems a good way to explore that territory.

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 28 Mar 2015 7:19 am

Jerry-
Holiday for Strings is an AWESOME song!

Here is another version by Roy Lanham:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/431 ... trings.mp3

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 28 Mar 2015 7:26 am

The "after you sir" thing wouldn't work. The bass player is really good and would probably play a good solo.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 28 Mar 2015 9:12 am

Would thinking "What would Tom Brumley do?" be a good approach? He seemed to do well with what he was handed by Buck and Rick...

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Fast As You - Problem Solved

Re: Fast As You

After you, sir