Origins of the Pedal Steel: India?

Bruce Burhans · Post by **Bruce Burhans** » 1 Jun 2005 6:47 am

This looks like a _very_ interesting instrument.

It can be heard on the soundtrack to "Help" by
the Beatles.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>The vichitra veena is played with the help of a small
egg-shaped glass, called batta, which looks like
a paper weight (although it is bigger than a paper
weight), held in the left hand and made to slide upon
the strings. In the right hand, the artist wears
sitar-like plectrums on the index and middle fingers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

description and drawing

Bruce in Bellingham

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Sho-Bud S-10 Pro-I 3+5 -- http://tinyurl.com/65rcv

Wooden Steels Rock!
[This message was edited by Bruce Burhans on 01 June 2005 at 07:52 AM.]

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 1 Jun 2005 7:37 am

There is a wealth of great slide music from that culture !
The guys around here call it Hawaiian guitar at the Indian music stores. I don't know what came first.

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Bob
intonation help

Bruce Burhans · Post by **Bruce Burhans** » 1 Jun 2005 7:53 am

Bob Hoffnar,

According to that website, the instrument is fairly
modern, from the mid-nineteenth century.

As for calling it "Hawaiian guitar"? Would YOU drop into a
shop that said:

"Vichitra Veena Taught Here!"

Sounds like an obscure Indian martial art.

:-/

Well, I have to get back to my droneless electric
pedal vichitra veena.

:-\

Bruce in Bellingham

------------------
Sho-Bud S-10 Pro-I 3+5 -- http://tinyurl.com/65rcv

Wooden Steels Rock!
[This message was edited by Bruce Burhans on 01 June 2005 at 09:25 AM.]

Post by **b0b** » 1 Jun 2005 9:27 am

No pedals. Topic moved to correct Forum section.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 1 Jun 2005 9:34 am

The scariest steel guitarist in the world is an Indian named Debashish Bhattacharya. He's profiled on page 30 of the July 2005 issue of Guitar Player magazine. He can uncurl long, intricate 128th-note licks better than almost any non-slide guitarist I've ever heard, right up there in speed with Paganini, Indrajit Banerjee, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane - look, Ma, no pedals!

According to the liner notes of his new CD "Calcutta Slide Guitar", he began playing at three, gave his first radio concert at four, and at one point spent a decade practicing over 12 hours a day. He's been playing with Bob Brozman and John McLaughlin among others lately, clearly absorbing some Western influences too. http://www.debashishbhattacharya.com/