What's the first thing to learn as a new player?

Darrell Prichard · Post by **Darrell Prichard** » 19 Jun 2004 9:06 am

Knock on wood, my CS will be here next week. Since it's been over 25 years since I touched a steel (and I wasn't really any good then), I'm pretty much starting totally over - and I want to do it right this time. I'm looking for a good instructional book and I'm planning to take lessons once I determine if this is something I'm going to stick with.

In the mean time, if you were to give only one piece of advice or technique tip to a newbie, what would it be? Or to put it another way, until I can get some type of "formal" instruction, what are things I need to avoid or need to concentrate on doing?

(I've found another similar thread http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/005267.html and am hoping to build on top of this.)

Also, I'd appreciate any recommendations for an E9 instructional book that closely maps to the Starter's copedent http://www.carterstarter.com/cssetup.html

Thanks in advance - and Happy Father's Day!
[This message was edited by Darrell Prichard on 19 June 2004 at 10:12 AM.][This message was edited by Darrell Prichard on 19 June 2004 at 10:13 AM.][This message was edited by Darrell Prichard on 19 June 2004 at 10:13 AM.][This message was edited by Darrell Prichard on 19 June 2004 at 10:15 AM.][This message was edited by Darrell Prichard on 19 June 2004 at 10:49 AM.]

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 19 Jun 2004 3:10 pm

Find someone that gives lessons, and even if you have to drive half the day to see and hear them play, do it before you "sign up". Think of some way to politely "shine them on" if they don't set you on fire. Tell them, that you've "got several things going on" and that you'll call them later with an answer. Give yourself some space to avoid "being sold" on something you really might not like.

Do this until you find somebody that really makes you want to play like them as far as execution, and melodic communication, and then take lessons from them.

When you do, spend ONE HOUR a day playing and practicing with an amp and reverb that sounds good TO YOU.

That's about all I can suggest.

EJL

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 19 Jun 2004 5:26 pm

Darrell, Jeff Newman has some excellent instruction material for beginner, and you won't find a better teacher. Some of his courses are available here on the forum. Dewitt Scott also has some good beginner courses here on the forum.
just click on instruction at the top..
Terry

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 19 June 2004 at 06:29 PM.]

Sidney Malone · Post by **Sidney Malone** » 19 Jun 2004 6:14 pm

Call Reece Anderson before you start so you don't waste any money and have to start over like I did. He's just a few minutes southwest of you in Keller.

And that's the best advice I could give anyone at any level of playing!!

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Fessy S-12U, Future MSA Millennium S-12U, Stereo Steel

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 19 Jun 2004 6:22 pm

Listen to recordings you like and notice where the steel comes in and where it lays out. Don't play nonstop.

Tom Callahan · Post by **Tom Callahan** » 20 Jun 2004 9:37 am

First thing, above all others is patience or however you spell it.

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T.C.
Emmons S-10
Rayline SD-10 (#46)

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 20 Jun 2004 11:06 am

Always make sure your steel is properly IN TUNE before you start to work on other stuff! That is unless your "tuning religion" of choice takes TOO much time away from actually playing.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 20 Jun 2004 12:58 pm

Learn to realize, recognize, understand and appreciate "the DIFFERENCE" between:

Strings in Tune or Strings out of Tune;
Pedals in Tune or Pedals out of Tune;
Bar accurately placed above the desired fret.
Right hand in the proper place for picking
and the BEST SOUND achieveable;
Confident picking of strings; not a tentative, tinny sounding metal against metal;
Quality NEW STRINGS; NOT the cheapest set you could find;
Quality chords and electrical jacks;
An Excellent functioning and closely matched amplifier.

REMEMBER, unlike a Sax, or Trumpet, or triangle.... the steel guitar is a carefully selected and matched combination of misc. components, with QUALITY SOUND/TONE being its ultimate and only objective.

If you carefully master the above, you will be on target for your ultimate goal of being
a "better than average" steel guitarist.

Preferred bar, picks, style, pak-seat, etc., will come to you in time......as will the manner in which you stand, tilt your cowboy hat, approach the bar and all of that kind of musician imagry. Good Luck to you.

Pick just one player you really, really enjoy hearing and forget all of the rest for the initial time being. Get some of his/her instrumental tunes (SLOW ONES to begin with!) and try very hard to learn them as accurately as possible. You'll be learning how/why he/she phrases this way or that way and why these/those strings/pedals were chosen over other possibilities. Once you can master several of his/her instrumentals, you can now occasionally listen to other players and determine if you can, how what they're playing sorta homogenizes with your original players techniques.

After sixty years, some of us are still making daily discoveries of how this or that was accomplished; and why this way instead of that way. Steel guitar IS NOT EASY for most, but it will provide you with one of the most rewarding past times one can have.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 20 Jun 2004 5:21 pm

First thing: The bar straight across with no pedals is the I chord. E at the nut, A at the 5th fret, etc.

Second thing: Press the first two pedals to change that I chord to a IV chord: A at the nut, D at the 5th fret, etc.

Third thing: Press the first pedal and the F lever (LKL) to get the other inversion of a major chord. It's a C# at the nut, which makes it E at the 3rd fret, A at the 8th fret, etc.

Those are the first three things to learn. Learn them well and you can find your way around any 3-chord country tune.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Mike Sigler · Post by **Mike Sigler** » 20 Jun 2004 5:27 pm

When To Play And When to lay out!

R. E. Klaus · Post by **R. E. Klaus** » 20 Jun 2004 5:41 pm

Think steel. Listen to other instruments for "licks" and sounds that you could adapt to your style. Learn from other players BUT don't try to sound like them. Above all try to create your own style and sound that you like and enjoy.
R.E.

Dave Horch · Post by **Dave Horch** » 20 Jun 2004 7:04 pm

Darrell - welcome back to the PSG. Only one piece of advice for a "beginner"? Okay; Learn your scales. Major scales at first. Horizonal and vertical. Then harmonized scales. I know it can be boring, but the knowledge drilled in will make you an educated player and save your butt when you get in a jam. Start with scales, and good luck.

Best, -Dave

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Mullen D-10 - It's still one smooooth puppy!
<a href=http://www.davidhorch.com/music>Photo page</a> 

[This message was edited by Dave Horch on 20 June 2004 at 08:05 PM.]

Darrell Prichard · Post by **Darrell Prichard** » 21 Jun 2004 2:35 am

Dave,

"Horizontal and vertical..."

Correct me if I'm wrong (which may be likely)...

Vertical meaning moving from string to string and Horizontal meaning staying on 1 particular string. Correct? Or am I misinterpreting?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 21 Jun 2004 3:39 am

learn to play slow ..it's rather impossible to play licks fast if ya can't play em' slow..

and all the other stuff mentioned above..

t

GARYPHILLIPS · Post by **GARYPHILLIPS** » 21 Jun 2004 5:22 am

#1 Pray and ask the Master to touch your heart and hands The Lord is the one who give you what you need
#2 pray some more

STEELIN FOR JESUS..........Gary

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 21 Jun 2004 5:52 am

Vertical meaning moving from string to string and Horizontal meaning staying on 1 particular string. Correct? Or am I misinterpreting?

Oh well, just learn them both ways and you won't have to worry about which one is called what...

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 21 Jun 2004 6:20 am

There are things in that guitar that can take years to find if your huntin' by yerself, that somebody can show you in 5 minutes if they already have found it.

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 21 Jun 2004 7:21 am

All the info supplied here is useful. One thing has been left out. Your life will be easier if you understand "chord progression".
When I was an guitar instructor(many years ago),young students wanted to learn the note system(I taught the Mel Bay system). I recommended that they study chord progression first so they would know where they were going with those notes.
If you know chords an how to use them, you will find the notes for the melody.
Last but not least; there was a good point mentioned(learn when not to play). When playing backup for a singer, your job is to make the singer stand out and sound good. Do not play when the singer is singing. Add a "tasty lick" to the pauses in the singing.
As suggested, you can understand this by listening to recordings of "good" country artists. The "twangers" not included.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 21 Jun 2004 9:10 am

In line with what John just said, there's a real nice 4 booklet set on music that's available from Radio Shack. It costs the low price of $10. It may be written as an introductory training manual set for keyboards, but it has a wealth of info on reading music, chords, fundamental music theory, and how you make a song.

Ultimately, Scotties books are great as is Winnie's OAK book. Definitely gotta have them in your library.

Nicholas Dedring · Post by **Nicholas Dedring** » 21 Jun 2004 12:00 pm

Practice practice practice. (Just make sure you get a little bit of training on how to play in the right manner and position first)

And most of all: Be patient with yourself. It can be really frustrating... I don't think that necessarily ever stops, you just get frustrated with progressively more trivial and arcane things that don't insult the ears of other people anymore.

Every now and again, you'll put a smile on your own face, and as someone told me early on (not that that's that long ago, mind you): "It's an instrument that always gives you just enough back to make you come back for more." Truer words I don't think I've ever been told.

Good luck, and have fun.

Terry Sneed · Post by **Terry Sneed** » 21 Jun 2004 12:10 pm

"Vertical meaning moving from string to string and Horizontal meaning staying on 1 particular string. Correct? Or am I misinterpreting?"

Darrell, get the Jeff Newman "just play the melody" and he shows you a full scale all on one fret(vertically)and scales up and down the neck(horizontally) . this course is priceless for learnin two note harmony scales.
Terry

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84 SKH Emmons Legrand D10
session 400'rd Steelin for my Lord.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Jun 2004 12:24 pm

There is no way I could add to what b0b said. I would call it an absolute poignant statement.

In a way his words do to the steel guitar world what Jesus did for man, when he said, John 3:16. For IMO it is the ONLY statement in the entire bible that summarizes the entire bible.

carl[This message was edited by C Dixon on 21 June 2004 at 01:29 PM.]

MIKEHOLLAND · Post by **MIKEHOLLAND** » 21 Jun 2004 3:03 pm

Although I'm not a teacher by any stretch of the imagination, I have helped several friends over the course of several years get started. Personal lessons as well as talk tapes. In almost every case when I've sat down with someone for the 1st time, Ive noticed they've wanted to grab 4 or 5 strings at a time or a whole handfull of notes at one time and start sliding the bar from 1 to 4 or 1 to 5. Imho on steel, less is more. The more strings you play especially during bar movement the greater the chances of not being true or sounding out of tune. Think single note slides or 2 string scale slides especially during bar movement.[This message was edited by MIKEHOLLAND on 21 June 2004 at 04:13 PM.]

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 21 Jun 2004 6:30 pm

The appropriate way to take the guitar out of the case and put it back in. First things first before playing, as in 1,2,3. Number two is how to tune your guitar. If it isn't in tune you won't sound good and you may want to quit too soon.

Roger

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 21 Jun 2004 7:15 pm

I'm surprised... shocked, in fact... that no one here has stated the most-repeated truism in the discipline of steel guitar, one to which all neophytes should listen and take appropriate heed:

Black sounds best.

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Texas Steel Guitar Association