Music knowledge and the Icons of Steel Guitar

[Stuart Legg]

Franklin has over the years given us little snip-its here and there related to Intervalic improvisation.
Buddy told us his favorite little turn was the Tad Dameron turnaround and how he sneaked it into "Nite Life"
All the Pedal Steel Icons showing a great deal of knowledge of Modal Interchange, Contrary Motion, Counter Point, Pedal Point etc..
It's not for me to say how exactly they came by all this knowledge but I can't help but believe they were all smart enough to read up on it a great deal more than they let on!

[Larry Bressington]

Lots of imagination, experimentation, hard work and dedication to the craft, read jazz books etc, maybe some musical theory along the way, musical road maps. It helps to develop at a young age when all those ingredients are there, especially passion, and almost all icons in any artistry develop very young before life sets in, the brain begins it's second stage at age 25 ish, 3rd stage at 50 ish and then out, they somehow master that 12 note rubic cube.

[Stuart Legg]

Larry very informative thanks

I realize most of the older players didn't have the internet and it was much harder to get info unless you were studying for a music degree.

Topic tips for those interested:

Intervalic improvisation: In general almost everything to do with intervals

Tad Dameron turnaround: The tritone substitution for the 1 6 2 5 turnaround

Modal Interchange: A chord borrowed from the parallel key

Contrary Motion: The movement of two melodic lines in opposite directions

Counter Point: Intertwining two or more independent melodies

Pedal Point: A tone sustained through several changes of harmony

[Ian Rae]

Larry, what you suggest about brain development is interesting - where did you get that? It certainly agrees with my experience.

I was going to say that my own musical knowledge far exceeds my formal training, which is next to zero.
If something interests me, I retain it. I think if I'd tried to study for a degree, I'd have got bored very quickly.

[Dan Kelly]

Talent plays a big role. Jacob King comes to mind as an example. How does someone achieve his high level of accomplishment at such a young age? Yes; desire and hard work play into the equation (Jacob works hard at it)... but without talent, dedication can only bring a person up to a high level of relative mediocrity.

Personally, I hope to attain a high level of mediocrity. And, I am glad to pursue that goal because the whole process is so much fun and the PSG is an amazing instrument that I love playing.

[Barry Blackwood]

... but without talent, dedication can only bring a person up to a high level of relative mediocrity.

Do you mean like this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle

[Dan Kelly]

I never thought of it in those terms, but I suppose the "Peter Principle" is a valid framework to consider. I remember reading the book when it first came out. I was in undergrad business school at the time.

The point I was making above was that given an equal amount of time, practice, instruction... all the other things the OP mentioned, what differentiates the "Pedal Steel Icons" from the best I could be, the best most of us could be, is the gift of natural talent.

I will continue to strive the be the best PSG player I can be... and love doing it. However, in all humility, I will never even hold a candle to any of the "Pedal Steel Icons" for that reason. Natural talent, IMHO, is the difference.

[Charlie McDonald]

I agree with the premise. Buddy Emmons knew a lot and said less about it because he was busy using it. Buddy even knew historic tuning temperaments. It can't be underestimated.

[Larry Bressington]

Hello Ian, that information about the brain development came from a friend of mine who is a psychology instructor, we have very long engaged Conversations about those sorts of things over coffee and a cigar puff, it’s predominantly over my head but I get the basics.

Apparently the brain has three stages in life, in 25 year intervals, it’s not really an on off button at those times but a process over our average human lifespan of 75 years. I think it’s pretty universal knowledge that the first phase is where we do the most learning adaptability and skill set development in our life, and the brain starts it's decline at approx age 25.

It is pretty much evident to be true I believe, if you look at all superstars of all artistries whether it’s boxing golf or anything whatsoever in life, they all started very young and developed a high proficiency level at a very young age, I don’t want to start a debate because we all know somebody who started late and became a phenomenal, But that’s not the typical.

I’ve made lots of wild claims about these things and other obscure topics over the years on the SGF, and I’ve been burnt up and flamed for it...There is proof and evidence and reasoning behind OUR eccentricities.👍🏻

[Ron Funk]

I think most of our PSG Icons had a true Passion for PSG that few of us will ever realize. They probably practiced and played all the time / as much as they could / and played with other instrumentalists 'better' than they were at the same point in time. Our Icons searched out different / better musicians, exposed themselves to various styles of music, and then Applied themselves to learn and recreate it.

That combination opened up other musical doors to our Icons that we mere mortals can only dream about.

Remember how BE spoke in total awe about getting to play with (and getting introduced by) Ray Charles??

How many of us have wanted to play in a band with some others that are better than yourself? Just to gain a piece of their knowledge for our own tool box.

Wasn't it Yogi that said, "You can learn a lot by just watching" ??


Our Icons took their very basic knowledge, watched, listened, learned, and applied.

Thank Heaven we have them all to look up to.