tuning a steel---put up your soundclips

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 10:10 am

i've edited my title because jimmy lewis didn't like it and asked me to change it. but he said here in america we can talk about what we want, so i guess that means i can too.
so with the super smart members presenting their long and winding dissertations on what they have decided is the right (or only) way to tune, i ask these brilliant players to put up recordings of how in tune they are.
i don't claim to be nearly as advanced as the many very good players on the forum, but i think i play pretty well in tune.
here is a link to a thread of mine a while back that has examples of live and recorded playing.
let's hear all of you that claim to have it all dialed in. you know who you are.
fyi, i don't even know what ET or JI mean and i really can't even remember where i used to tune on my tuner.
i rarely use a tuner anymore.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 662328d6df

once again,this is just to see if the tuning talkers play in tune as well as they talk in tune. i'm not bashing anybody, jimmy lewis, and no, i obviously don't own the forum. as a matter of fact quite a few people are dominating alot of space lately but i don't do that. i generally try to keep my posts short and to the point. i hope this is more to your liking , jimmy. i certainly wouldn't want to make anyone unhappy

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 10:37 am

granted that i've posted this due to an increasing amount of smart talkers filling up the forum. i respect players, not talkers.

edited for jimmy lewis to censor irritating words.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Jul 2015 10:44 am

Chris,
"Smart Talkers"; isn't that kind of like a pot calling a kettle black?

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Jul 2015 10:51 am

It was years ago, when I showed up at the occasional session with a guitar that had aluminum necks and they would always put me under the air conditioning vent. The air comes on and the guitar retunes itself up a semi-tone, the air goes off and it can't remember where it was, originally. Because of this, every producer in LA thinks steel guitars can't play in tune and I'm very proud of my accomplishment.

This is a performance I did on Guitarzilla where I'm doing real-time loops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4IUQgU ... e=youtu.be

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 11:03 am

beautiful chas!
and yes, erv. thank you for noting the irony of it all.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 13 Jul 2015 11:09 am

Chris,
Glad to help.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 11:17 am

and of course i'm not expecting everyone to post their playing. this is more to get the point across that execution is more important than talking about what is the right way to do things.

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 13 Jul 2015 11:21 am

I'm convinced of two things, maybe three after a couple glasses of Zin:

1. 90 percent of steel owners cannot pick.

2. And a huge number of steel owners would rather discuss inane topics instead of practice so they could -- see above.

I was out of the pedal steel scene for -- let's see, stopped playing the tonks in 1986, so that makes 30 years almost -- but nothing has changed. The hottest arguments are about the most petty things and people will get really upset if you disagree with them, especially the bedroom types.

Kind of fun to watch but not really educational. Plus it has pretty much run off the great pickers although a few remain holding on for dear life in a tide of keyless, centless, E#-less folderol...

YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Jul 2015 11:28 am

So what!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHRjIRQ7uRc

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Jul 2015 11:40 am

While we're at it, I had just gotten a basket-case Emmons D-11 wraparound which needed a complete rebuild. This was the 1st time I played it out. I got a call where Greg Leisz had a conflict and could I sit in for one with Tiger Army. I'm behind the bass player:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbyp8fIu2CQ

Lee Dassow · Post by **Lee Dassow** » 13 Jul 2015 11:44 am

Real nice Joachim. What make steel guitar are you playing? Tenn.Lee

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 13 Jul 2015 12:09 pm

It's a Sierra, Lee. Thanks!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 12:17 pm

nice joachim. i already liked you for the way you seem to relate to music. it's nice to hear you have good ears too!
(so what...haha...good one)
chas..how many d11 wraparounds are there?

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 13 Jul 2015 12:26 pm

I'm behind the bass player:

Chas, you must be in stealth mode..

Here's a link for some fake tatoo sleeves if you get called back..

http://www.amazon.com/Bundle-Monster-Te ... B003RPYKLK

Now, can you explain pounding rhythm on a White Falcon with a Bigsby?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 13 Jul 2015 2:04 pm

Tom said:

The hottest arguments are about the most petty things and people will get really upset if you disagree with them, especially the bedroom types.

If you're talking about the color and types of sheets I have on my bed, there will be quite a debate coming.

Ivan Posa · Post by **Ivan Posa** » 13 Jul 2015 2:19 pm

Arguments about tuning are just waffle and hot air. I am of the opinion that how the Steel is tuned open strings is basically irrelevant. As soon as the bar goes on the strings it is up to the individual player as to whether the Steel sounds in tune or not. Very little music played on Steel is done on open strings.

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 13 Jul 2015 2:29 pm

I'll put my money with chris.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 2:30 pm

thank you ivan. i agree!

thanks frank...let's hit the casino!

Les Cargill · Post by **Les Cargill** » 13 Jul 2015 2:56 pm

chris ivey wrote:and of course i'm not expecting everyone to post their playing. this is more to get the point across that execution is more important than talking about what is the right way to do things.

Of course it is. But surely it's clear that just getting the basics of instrument in tune before you're even playing it matters.

However, this being a Web forum, what you get on here is words. Here, have some more

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 13 Jul 2015 4:13 pm

Chris, what I can hear of your steel playing sounds pretty in-tune; no complaints there. The female who's singing, on the other hand... $:\$

Jimmy Lewis · Post by **Jimmy Lewis** » 13 Jul 2015 4:23 pm

It amazes me that Mr. Ivey thinks he is the owner of this forum and can blast people every time they say something. Mr. Ivey this is AMERICA we can talk about what we want and when we want whithout you think YOU are the master min of evrything. I suggest you rephrase your topic title because there are some people who do not care for your self centered know it all attitude. I'm done now.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 4:48 pm

okeedokee

i went back and changed it for you, jimmy. hope that's more to your liking. double smiley faces!

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 13 Jul 2015 5:09 pm

Hey Jimmy can you pick this?

https://youtu.be/gsT2x1J7yJs

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 13 Jul 2015 5:35 pm

Here's something I posted maybe 7 years ago where I used Jeff Newman's backing track. I tune using a Peterson and I think it sounds ok and the bands never complain.

I'm not smart enough to know if Peterson uses ET or JI or whatever.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jaffe/01%20Track%201.mp3

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 13 Jul 2015 5:43 pm

Hot pickin' Dick!