Hello, Newbie Post, Right Knee Lever ?

Steven Hoffer · Post by **Steven Hoffer** » 11 Mar 2005 6:28 pm

Hello Steel Guitar Forumites. I'm honored to be a member of this forum and I look forward to learning anything that I can. I'm 29 years old, I have been playing guitar for 13 years. I started playing lap steel about 9 months ago and I got my first pedal steel 2 months ago. Even though I am new to the steel guitar I have been playing out with it anyway, trial by fire I guess, and it always amazes me how many people come up to me and ask what it is I'm playing. Its sad that most people don't even know what a steel guitar is. My band is called The Shed Keys, we play out 3-5 times a week. We play alot of old country,(Hank, Waylon, Willie, Buck, George Jones, Cash etc.) as well as rock, blues, requests. My first question is about my right knee lever. I have Sho Bud Pro I, my RKL lowers 2nd string D# to a D. It also changes my 8th string E. Any suggestions on what I should do with that E changer? Thank you Bob for this awesome site. I look forward to hearing from you guys.

Steve

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Sho-bud Pro 1, 52 Tele reissue, 83 Les Paul Standard, Fender Twin

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 11 Mar 2005 6:48 pm

If you use that knee lever with the B pedal down you gat a terrific dominant 7th chord. Throw in the A pedal and you've got a dominant 9th. Used by itself its a minor. Most frequently used knee lever I believe.

Michael Haselman · Post by **Michael Haselman** » 11 Mar 2005 9:56 pm

Welcome Steven. Being a fellow Twin Citian, maybe I'll run into you sometime. I play out with numerous organizations. The easieast way to get used to the E lever (as it's usually called) Is to play a chord with A-B pedals, slide down 2 frets and let off the A pedal and hit the E lever. (with the B pedal still down). That will give you the 7th of the original A-B chord, and if if you hit the A, you've got the 9th.

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Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 11 Mar 2005 10:42 pm

Welcome Steven,,if you love steel guitars,, you're at the right place!!
Larry

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Emmons S/D-10, 3/4, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 11 Mar 2005 11:06 pm

Trial by fire, the only way to fly. Dig a hole then climb out of it. Ain't it fun?

Steven Hoffer · Post by **Steven Hoffer** » 14 Mar 2005 12:08 pm

Yes Ray it is fun. Thank you guys for the responses. Should I tune the RKL 3rd string E to an F? My LKL drops it to a Eb. I hope I'm making sense. Michael it would be great to hear you play sometime, so let me know when your playing. Ounce again thank you for your replys.

Steve

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Sho-bud Pro 1, 52 Tele reissue, 83 Les Paul Standard, Fender Twin

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 14 Mar 2005 12:33 pm

The E to F change (strings 4 and

feels very natural on LKL for most people. LKL is the best position for that change.

If you only have 2 levers, you should lower the 2nd and 8th strings on your RKL. Those two strings are almost never played together.

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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 SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)

Steven Hoffer · Post by **Steven Hoffer** » 14 Mar 2005 1:59 pm

Thank you Bobby. The tuning guide in my Mel Bay book has 4 knee levers and I wasn't sure which ones to go with. Thanks again.

Steve

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Sho-bud Pro 1, 52 Tele reissue, 83 Les Paul Standard, Fender Twin

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 14 Mar 2005 4:48 pm

You'll be missing the 4th string lower, but keep in mind that Lloyd Green doesn't have it either! Here's his copedent: <pre># note LKL Ped1 Ped2 Ped3 LKR RKL RKR
1 F# __+G________________________________________
2 D# ________________________________-D/C#_______
3 G# _____________+A_____________________________
4 E ___________________+F#____+F________________
5 B _______+C#_________+C#______________________
6 G# _____________+A_____________________________
7 F# ____________________________________________
8 E __________________________+F___________-D#__
9 D ____________________________________________
10 B _______+C#__________________________________ </pre>So you see, you'll be combining Lloyd's two right levers into your RKL (without the half stop on the 2nd string). Hmmm... this gives me more ideas. Uh-oh!

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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 SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)

Steven Hoffer · Post by **Steven Hoffer** » 15 Mar 2005 12:55 am

Hello again, thanks again for you response Bobby. I tried to tune the RKL Es up to Fs but they wouldn't tune up to F, as a matter of fact I screwed the plastic peice all the way off. I couldn't get them past Es. Any idea whats wrong? Sorry to be a pest. Thanks again.

Steve

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 15 Mar 2005 5:44 am

hey Steven, I too live in Minneapolis. same situtation as you re: playing. I think we have the same pedal steel. perhaps we can get together and help each other out.

Jaim Zuber · Post by **Jaim Zuber** » 15 Mar 2005 9:44 am

I did a quick search on The Shed Keys and didn't find anything. When do you guys play? Sounds like cool stuff.

I'm pretty new to the steel, but I'm getting a lot of milage from raising and lowering the E's.

Raise the E's to F and hit the A pedal and you've got a major chord 3 frets up from the open position.

Like previous posters mention, lowering the E's can give you a nice minor chord, or a dominant 7 with the B pedal.

Steve Waltz · Post by **Steve Waltz** » 15 Mar 2005 9:45 am

[This message was edited by Steve Walz on 14 December 2006 at 09:51 AM.]

Post by **b0b** » 15 Mar 2005 10:06 am

I'm sorry Steve, but I don't know enough about Sho-Buds to answer your question.

Steven Hoffer · Post by **Steven Hoffer** » 15 Mar 2005 12:20 pm

Hey Randy that would be great to get to hang out, fell free to e-mail me, or you could just give me a call at 612-827-2294. Jaim, we are playing tonight and tommorrow at a place called the New Delhi in Minneapolis, 14th and Nicollet (across from triple espresso?). If you like Indian food it is a good place to go, also on Sat and Sun they have sitar and tabla players until 10pm. We'll be back there on Sat too. Every Thur we play at Stub and Herbs (Minneapolis, Washington and Oak, by the U of M). If you like cheap beer it's a good place to go, (1.50 16oz PBRs). We start a little after 10 and play untill close. We are playing the terminal bar next week as well as the annex the next week. Got one at the Fine Line next month too. I need to figure out how to make web site. I'd love to see you all show up. I gotta warn ya that my steel playing aint that great yet but it feels like I'm learning quicker then with just the book alone. Steve thanks for the suggestion on the book I will see if I can find it. Thank you Bob, I appreciate your time and effort. I read my last post again and it seemed weird, let me just clarify this for my own sake. I have sho bud pro 1, 72. it has 3 floor pedals and 2 knee levers both on the right side. The pedal that moves to my left changes the 4 and 8th strings. The pedal that moves to my right changes the 2nd and 8th strings. I want to tune my left knee lever up to Fs. I tried to do this last night at band practice but screwed the plastic peices off and couldn't raise them past E. If any of you guys who know a bunch about Buds has any suggestions it would be greatly appreciated. Sorry to go through the same question twice, I didn't feel I was that clear earlier. Thank you guys for post,

Steve

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Sho-bud Pro 1, 52 Tele reissue, 83 Les Paul Standard, Fender Twin[This message was edited by Steven Hoffer on 15 March 2005 at 12:21 PM.]