How did you guys start?
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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Jason Holt
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 4 Apr 2018 9:45 am
- Location: Tennessee, USA
How did you guys start?
How did you guys start and learn the pedal steel? I am new to the pedal steel and don't really know where to start. I have played the guitar and banjo for several years but am lost on the pedal steel. I have the Winnie Winston book just looking for other options as well. Any ideas?
Jason, welcome aboard and brace yourself for a deluge of advice.
The Winston book has a kind of biblical status but it gets quite difficult quite soon. It's not a graded course of study and you can skim through it a fair bit - there's a lot of knowledge there.
Jeff Newman's courses are very good organised instruction with only as much theory as he deems necessary.
Good luck!
The Winston book has a kind of biblical status but it gets quite difficult quite soon. It's not a graded course of study and you can skim through it a fair bit - there's a lot of knowledge there.
Jeff Newman's courses are very good organised instruction with only as much theory as he deems necessary.
Good luck!
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs
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Jack Hanson
- Posts: 5024
- Joined: 19 Jun 2012 3:42 pm
- Location: San Luis Valley, USA
Here's how I got my start: I needed a set of strings for my Ovation flattop and entered a music store owned by a guy who could sell ice to Eskimos. I walked out with a student model pedal steel. But most importantly, I signed up for private lessons with a local professional player. First thing he told me: Buy the Winnie Winston book (which was new at the time, and is as relevant today as it was when it was written).
My recommendation: Take some lessons from an experienced player who is also an accomplished instructor, and then practice, practice, practice. Worked for me.
My recommendation: Take some lessons from an experienced player who is also an accomplished instructor, and then practice, practice, practice. Worked for me.
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Fred Treece
- Posts: 3920
- Joined: 29 Dec 2015 3:15 pm
- Location: California, USA
I’ve been getting started for 35 years. I highly recommend getting a teacher or spending a few bucks on a methodical approach like Paul Franklin’s or the Jeff Newman stuff or Joe Wright’s video series. There are a few teachers here on the forum, too, that do lessons via Skype. John McClung and Bob Hoffnar come to mind.
Pages 1-27 of the Winnie Bible are where the true beginner’s material is. Then skip to page 33 for the basic major chord grips. Then go to 47 and read about blocking. Then go back to Silent Night and Great Speckled Bird before trying Red River Valley and Streets Of Laredo. The latter took me months before I could play them in time. The other two are easier.
The chord theory section is not really Pedal Steel specific, but it is nice to have it there if you haven’t studied theory before.
Just about everything beyond those few tabs in the book is at intermediate level, and probably best approached after your basic technique has been approved by a qualified teacher.
Pages 1-27 of the Winnie Bible are where the true beginner’s material is. Then skip to page 33 for the basic major chord grips. Then go to 47 and read about blocking. Then go back to Silent Night and Great Speckled Bird before trying Red River Valley and Streets Of Laredo. The latter took me months before I could play them in time. The other two are easier.
The chord theory section is not really Pedal Steel specific, but it is nice to have it there if you haven’t studied theory before.
Just about everything beyond those few tabs in the book is at intermediate level, and probably best approached after your basic technique has been approved by a qualified teacher.
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Jason Holt
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 4 Apr 2018 9:45 am
- Location: Tennessee, USA
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Harry Teachman
- Posts: 210
- Joined: 19 Feb 2000 1:01 am
- Location: South Dartmouth,Massachusetts, USA
I would agree with what Jack said about finding an experienced player that is also an accomplished instructor. There is so much info available between the internet, published courses, tablature, etc., that where to start is mind boggling. An instructor can help you navigate those waters without you spending a lot of time alone trying which path to take.
You should already have a decent understanding of music, playing guitar and banjo. An instructor can start you in the right direction with specific pedal steel instruction.
Keep looking for someone in your area, you may have to travel some distance.
Just my $2.50 worth.
You should already have a decent understanding of music, playing guitar and banjo. An instructor can start you in the right direction with specific pedal steel instruction.
Keep looking for someone in your area, you may have to travel some distance.
Just my $2.50 worth.
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Edward Rhea
- Posts: 1181
- Joined: 14 Mar 2013 6:36 pm
- Location: Medford Oklahoma, USA
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Allan Haley
- Posts: 275
- Joined: 19 Dec 2013 10:07 am
- Location: British Columbia, Canada
Joe Wright has videos here: http://sierrasteels.com/lessons/lessons-index.html
I first tried them five years ago when I was starting out. Took me a month at least to get through vid #1.
My advice is not to skip ahead- learn it deep.
If it's in your head but not under your fingers, it's not useful.
My frustration with this instrument started to abate when I stopped jumping from fancy lick to fancy lick and focussed on the basic grips and where the major and minor chords can be found (this is limitless).
You can get a lot of music out of good basic positions played in time and in tune.
Advice from a fellow beginner,
Al
I first tried them five years ago when I was starting out. Took me a month at least to get through vid #1.
My advice is not to skip ahead- learn it deep.
If it's in your head but not under your fingers, it's not useful.
My frustration with this instrument started to abate when I stopped jumping from fancy lick to fancy lick and focussed on the basic grips and where the major and minor chords can be found (this is limitless).
You can get a lot of music out of good basic positions played in time and in tune.
Advice from a fellow beginner,
Al
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Greg Lambert
- Posts: 763
- Joined: 10 Oct 2016 3:07 pm
- Location: Illinois, USA
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Ken Metcalf
- Posts: 3575
- Joined: 21 Oct 2005 12:01 am
- Location: San Antonio Texas USA
- Contact:
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Kyle Everson
- Posts: 842
- Joined: 20 Mar 2006 1:01 am
- Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Hi Jason! Where in TN are you located?
As a guitar player, you have an advantage on the E9 tuning. To help remember chord positions, think of it like this:
Open (no pedals) fret positions are the same as guitar barre chords played with the 6th string as the root. Example: open is E, fret 5 is A, fret 10 is D, and so on. Use only strings 3,4,5,6,8,&10 at first.
Pedals-down positions are the same as barre chords played with the 5th string (A) as the root. Example: open is A, fret 5 is D, fret 10 is G, and so on. Same strings.
b0b wrote a great article on introductory E9th that really condenses the important stuff into an approachable concept. You can find it here: https://b0b.com/wp/?page_id=960
Good luck and have fun!
As a guitar player, you have an advantage on the E9 tuning. To help remember chord positions, think of it like this:
Open (no pedals) fret positions are the same as guitar barre chords played with the 6th string as the root. Example: open is E, fret 5 is A, fret 10 is D, and so on. Use only strings 3,4,5,6,8,&10 at first.
Pedals-down positions are the same as barre chords played with the 5th string (A) as the root. Example: open is A, fret 5 is D, fret 10 is G, and so on. Same strings.
b0b wrote a great article on introductory E9th that really condenses the important stuff into an approachable concept. You can find it here: https://b0b.com/wp/?page_id=960
Good luck and have fun!
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Jeffrey McFadden
- Posts: 311
- Joined: 11 Jan 2018 7:19 pm
- Location: Missouri, USA
Rank beginner replies
I began the pedal steel in early March. Before that I played lap steel for several years, before that regular 6 string. Here's how I wish somebody had started me off.
1: ignore everything but your A and B pedals. That's all for later.
A is the one that raises your B open notes, your 5 note in the open chord, strings 5 and 10. It's probably the one one the far left, but in some guitars it's 3rd from left.
B is the pedal that raises your open G# notes, your 3 note in your open major chord. Strings 3 and 6. It's beside A and you cover both of them with your foot, so you can press both or rock your ankle to get just one or just the other.
Now:
Lay your bar anywhere with no pedals down. Call that the key you're playing in. 3rd fret is G. You can get your chord on strings 3-4-5 or 4-5-6 or 5-6-8. Same chord, 3 flavors.
Now step on both pedals without moving the bar. As if by magic you're playing the 4 chord in your progression. (C if you're in G at the 3rd fret.) All the same string combinations. Oh, you can throw string 10 in there too.
Now, without taking your foot off the pedals, more your bar up 2 frets. That's your 5 chord, D in our example.
So now you've got 10,000 country and rock'n'roll songs at any two frets by stepping on and letting off two pedals.
If your song has one of those funny chords in at where it goes, for instance, G to A to D at the end of the verse, that A is at the same fret with the D except no pedals.
Now you're up to 17,000 songs.
For the minor chord that goes with this progression, stay at your original fret, rock your foot up off the B pedal but keep the A down. That's your basic minor chord, the "relative minor," the 6 minor. Em in G. Works best on strings 3-4-5 or 4-5-6.
That adds in 97% of Bob Dylan's repertoire.
Play for a while. Mess with it. You can get a usable 2 minor by playing strings 2-3-4 with the A&B pedals down.
That'll let you make music with it.
Oh, by the way - an ascending major scale at any fret, starting on string 8:
8 NP (no pedals)
7 NP
6 NP
6 BP
5 NP
5 AP
2 string
4 (back to your octave.)
For extra credit on the test you can skip the 2 string and use one of the knee levers while picking your 4 string,so your scale is on strings 8,7,6,6,5,5,4,4.
It's not that hard to make usable music with a PSG, then you spend the rest of your life working to make it better. There are thousands more wonderful tricks hiding amongst those pedals and levers, but this will get you in the door.
1: ignore everything but your A and B pedals. That's all for later.
A is the one that raises your B open notes, your 5 note in the open chord, strings 5 and 10. It's probably the one one the far left, but in some guitars it's 3rd from left.
B is the pedal that raises your open G# notes, your 3 note in your open major chord. Strings 3 and 6. It's beside A and you cover both of them with your foot, so you can press both or rock your ankle to get just one or just the other.
Now:
Lay your bar anywhere with no pedals down. Call that the key you're playing in. 3rd fret is G. You can get your chord on strings 3-4-5 or 4-5-6 or 5-6-8. Same chord, 3 flavors.
Now step on both pedals without moving the bar. As if by magic you're playing the 4 chord in your progression. (C if you're in G at the 3rd fret.) All the same string combinations. Oh, you can throw string 10 in there too.
Now, without taking your foot off the pedals, more your bar up 2 frets. That's your 5 chord, D in our example.
So now you've got 10,000 country and rock'n'roll songs at any two frets by stepping on and letting off two pedals.
If your song has one of those funny chords in at where it goes, for instance, G to A to D at the end of the verse, that A is at the same fret with the D except no pedals.
Now you're up to 17,000 songs.
For the minor chord that goes with this progression, stay at your original fret, rock your foot up off the B pedal but keep the A down. That's your basic minor chord, the "relative minor," the 6 minor. Em in G. Works best on strings 3-4-5 or 4-5-6.
That adds in 97% of Bob Dylan's repertoire.
Play for a while. Mess with it. You can get a usable 2 minor by playing strings 2-3-4 with the A&B pedals down.
That'll let you make music with it.
Oh, by the way - an ascending major scale at any fret, starting on string 8:
8 NP (no pedals)
7 NP
6 NP
6 BP
5 NP
5 AP
2 string
4 (back to your octave.)
For extra credit on the test you can skip the 2 string and use one of the knee levers while picking your 4 string,so your scale is on strings 8,7,6,6,5,5,4,4.
It's not that hard to make usable music with a PSG, then you spend the rest of your life working to make it better. There are thousands more wonderful tricks hiding amongst those pedals and levers, but this will get you in the door.
Last edited by Jeffrey McFadden on 11 Apr 2018 3:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Well up into mediocrity
I don't play what I'm supposed to.
Home made guitars
I don't play what I'm supposed to.
Home made guitars
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Ken Metcalf
- Posts: 3575
- Joined: 21 Oct 2005 12:01 am
- Location: San Antonio Texas USA
- Contact:
The Pedal Steel Guitar E9 Nashville Tuning : Demystified for Standard Guitarists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKM2DwOwoHk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKM2DwOwoHk
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Rich Gardner
- Posts: 280
- Joined: 7 Jul 2008 12:19 pm
- Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
My steel teacher is still with us. I and several of her former students got together and played a jam in her honor last October 29. It was a wonderful day for all. This is the lady that got me started back in the late '50's and '60's.
The second picture is me talking to her with my original Ric steel that I bought from her circa 1962.
The second picture is me talking to her with my original Ric steel that I bought from her circa 1962.
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Jason Holt
- Posts: 13
- Joined: 4 Apr 2018 9:45 am
- Location: Tennessee, USA
Kyle Everson wrote:Hi Jason! Where in TN are you located?
As a guitar player, you have an advantage on the E9 tuning. To help remember chord positions, think of it like this:
Open (no pedals) fret positions are the same as guitar barre chords played with the 6th string as the root. Example: open is E, fret 5 is A, fret 10 is D, and so on. Use only strings 3,4,5,6,8,&10 at first.
Pedals-down positions are the same as barre chords played with the 5th string (A) as the root. Example: open is A, fret 5 is D, fret 10 is G, and so on. Same strings.
b0b wrote a great article on introductory E9th that really condenses the important stuff into an approachable concept. You can find it here: https://b0b.com/wp/?page_id=960
Good luck and have fun!
I am around the Knoxville area
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Dan Robinson
- Posts: 1462
- Joined: 17 Jun 2014 10:26 pm
- Location: Colorado, USA
Hi Jason, welcome to the madness.
"It's a nice little hobby"
I think most of us consider ourselves students of the instrument, regardless how long we've been at it. There's so much to learn. This topic has a multitude of dimensions. Maintaining your motivation is an important one.
I recommend playing with others.
Anything that you learn, even the simplest of things, when played well. has "that sound." There's nothing like doing that with other musicians to reinforce your motivation.
Beware, there is a flip side to it. So don't take your mistakes too seriously.
"It's a nice little hobby"
I think most of us consider ourselves students of the instrument, regardless how long we've been at it. There's so much to learn. This topic has a multitude of dimensions. Maintaining your motivation is an important one.
I recommend playing with others.
Anything that you learn, even the simplest of things, when played well. has "that sound." There's nothing like doing that with other musicians to reinforce your motivation.
Beware, there is a flip side to it. So don't take your mistakes too seriously.
Hey Rich!!! It was a fun day!!!! I started about 35 years ago. I started on a Gibson 6 string lap then moved up to a Maverick. Teachers in my area did not exist. Learned on my own by listening to and playing along with LP's from the 60's. Anybody learning today, "Has it made". Between material and the internet. Check out, "Modern Music Masters" by Paul Franklin. Paul's new online course will get you well on your way.
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Skip Ellis
- Posts: 1500
- Joined: 17 May 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Bradenton, Fl USA
Started about 40 years ago - my band let me fumble around on songs I could handle until they ended up hiring a guitar player and keeping me on steel. The Winnie Winston book is invaluable, plus, I went to Jeff Newman seminars at least once a year and bought an Emmons course with tab to all the shuffles he did with Ray Price. Basically, I learned on the bandstand - 5 weeks in , I was backing the Wilburn Brothers and shortly thereafter, Charlie Louvin. When you gotta do it, you figure a way. Get out and play with people - sitting in the house just won't do it IMHO.
2013 Brook Torridge, 2014 Martin 000-18, two homebrew Teles, Evans RE200 amp, Quilter 101R head, understanding wife of 45 years. 'Steeless' at the moment but looking......
Welcome to the forum Jason. In my rather short time being a member here, there have been numerous similar ‘beginner’ questions asked. My feelings are to go ahead and please ask. But also do yourself a favor and use the Search feature of the forum. For example, in Keyword enter ‘beginner’. Also select ‘Pedal Steel’ in the Forum selection to narrow down the results. There are a lot of similar threads and various answers from many members that may not make it to your thread question.
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Norman Evans
- Posts: 941
- Joined: 27 Dec 2005 1:01 am
- Location: Tennessee
Jason, Try to get in contact with Stoney Stonecipher, he's an excellent teacher in Knoxville. You could probably contact The Open Chord music store for Stoney's info.
https://www.openchordmusic.com
https://www.openchordmusic.com
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Bill Ferguson
- Posts: 5692
- Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
- Location: Milton, FL USA
- Contact:
I don't know or did not see what part of TN you live.
There are several good Nashville players that teach, in person and via Skype.
i.e., Buck Reid, Mike Sweeney, Wayne Dahl.
I don't know if Stoney is still teaching or not. His health got pretty bad, but here is his contact info so you can find out:
Stoney Stoneceipher
865-216-9019
stoney1@bellsouth.net
Good luck and welcome to our Whacky world of Steel Guitar.
You can also check out my YouTube site to watch up close some of the greats from the past years playing.
www.youtube.com/steelpicker
Regards,
Bill
There are several good Nashville players that teach, in person and via Skype.
i.e., Buck Reid, Mike Sweeney, Wayne Dahl.
I don't know if Stoney is still teaching or not. His health got pretty bad, but here is his contact info so you can find out:
Stoney Stoneceipher
865-216-9019
stoney1@bellsouth.net
Good luck and welcome to our Whacky world of Steel Guitar.
You can also check out my YouTube site to watch up close some of the greats from the past years playing.
www.youtube.com/steelpicker
Regards,
Bill
AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter.
I Started taking lessons from two guys in 1979 and somewhere around 5 months later, I got brave one night and found a band that let me sit in. Surprisingly they hired me and that made me have to learn new songs every month.
I'm still learning and love it as much today as I did the day I sat down behind my first steel guitar.
I'm still learning and love it as much today as I did the day I sat down behind my first steel guitar.
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night.
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Jeff Harbour
- Posts: 632
- Joined: 27 Mar 2007 8:04 am
- Location: Western Ohio, USA
The "Deluxe Pedal Steel Guitar Method" by Dewitt Scott (Scotty) got me from nothing to being very comfortable with the instrument and eager to teach myself anything, all within a couple months or less. It's available from most of the big online book sellers, and it teaches the 3 pedals and 3 levers that have become the 'minimum' standard. So, I personally feel that it is a big improvement from the Winston/Keith book, which was written earlier, and assuming the beginning player would have the "Maverick" setup (only one knee lever which lowers strings 2 & 
(...edited... make that 2 & 8... crazy technology!!!). Also, Scotty's book takes you through several Very easy tunes and builds you up slowly, where Winnie's book kind-of jumps in to more difficult things quicker. Nothing against that book, it's great... but I think Scotty's book is a better place to start. Also, Scotty has another book called "Anthology of Pedal Steel Guitar". Another great one, but I would start with the other one first.
(...edited... make that 2 & 8... crazy technology!!!). Also, Scotty's book takes you through several Very easy tunes and builds you up slowly, where Winnie's book kind-of jumps in to more difficult things quicker. Nothing against that book, it's great... but I think Scotty's book is a better place to start. Also, Scotty has another book called "Anthology of Pedal Steel Guitar". Another great one, but I would start with the other one first.
Last edited by Jeff Harbour on 12 Apr 2018 10:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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John Spaulding
- Posts: 330
- Joined: 27 Sep 2017 3:53 pm
- Location: Wisconsin, USA
Hi Jason-
Paul Franklin has a complete Method available via online streaming video.
You can sign up for the free TEST DRIVE of the Method.
You can visit our YouTube channel for some sample videos.
You can visit The Paul Franklin Method Blog to read and watch several posts on all things PSG.
Good Luck on your new journey!
Paul Franklin has a complete Method available via online streaming video.
You can sign up for the free TEST DRIVE of the Method.
You can visit our YouTube channel for some sample videos.
You can visit The Paul Franklin Method Blog to read and watch several posts on all things PSG.
Good Luck on your new journey!
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Donny Hinson
- Posts: 21192
- Joined: 16 Feb 1999 1:01 am
- Location: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
The first thing I did was to go out and see every player that was playing in my area. I watched them relentlessly and talked with them, as there were no books or tapes available for pedal steel at that time. I cannot stress how important it is to do this! Get out of the house and find someone who will spend an hour or two with you, at your place or theirs, and just absorb all they'll show you. I don't play much anymore, but I still enjoy sharing what I know with newbies, and many players will do the same if you just ask. 