My final post. Was the Alkire lessons thread.

[David Knutson]

Bill, I know that I'm not going to be an E-Harp guy - got enough on the go - but I want to applaud your generosity, sharing this resource in our community. You might not get a lot of takers, but then again, your passion might be more contagious than I realize. Cheers

[Fred Treece]

It really is an admirable endeavor. Who knows, Bill, what you have started with this drop box contribution might turn into a considerable Alkire/Eharp legacy type website, such as was created to preserve and promote the teachings of Ted Greene.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Bill McCloskey]

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[Walter Webb]

I'm glad Mr. McCloskey is the keeper of the Alkire archives, and is building a go-to resource of all things Alkire. It's a bit like Mike Ihde keeping the Bill Leavitt archives, although I wish Mike would release more tabs.

[Joel Meginsky]

In the end, tunings are not super important. The individual creator who has a vision, will
gravitate (or stumble upon) whatever means necessary to say what he/she needs to say.
This is not inherent in the tuning, but in the ideas of the player/composer. Certain tunings may inspire certain melodic/harmonic sounds, but the limitations of the physical instrument are a given which must be worked with. Freedom is found within a confined space. Making a personal statement which resonates with others has everything to do with the “person.” Context is also a factor.

If a certain group of string pitch relationships inspires exploration and innovation, that’s fine. Music is about playing with sound, and there are an infinite amount of ways to get to a sense of freedom and possibility. I don’t expect anyone to follow me down my path. Those among us who are understandably looking for direction must eventually take the risk of walking upon the road less traveled. Life is short, so diligence is crucial.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Fred Treece]

In the end, tunings are not super important. The individual creator who has a vision, will
gravitate (or stumble upon) whatever means necessary to say what he/she needs to say.
This is not inherent in the tuning, but in the ideas of the player/composer. Certain tunings may inspire certain melodic/harmonic sounds, but the limitations of the physical instrument are a given which must be worked with. Freedom is found within a confined space. Making a personal statement which resonates with others has everything to do with the “person.” Context is also a factor.

If a certain group of string pitch relationships inspires exploration and innovation, that’s fine. Music is about playing with sound, and there are an infinite amount of ways to get to a sense of freedom and possibility. I don’t expect anyone to follow me down my path. Those among us who are understandably looking for direction must eventually take the risk of walking upon the road less traveled. Life is short, so diligence is crucial.

A very thoughtful post, but I agree with Bill M. The reason there are so many different tunings for steel is not just because some players try a new one for a week and move on, but because of the theoretical and technical limitations each one presents. If you are able to express yourself fully within the limitations of one or another, that’s great.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Brian Saulsman]

I would just like to add that I am thankful that Bill has taken this on. Even though I am really a banjo player, looking through this material has made me realize how much thought and energy Mr. Alkire devoted to his method.

I also realize how much work Bill has invested in retaining and promoting this work. Scanning and organizing this stuff is a big job. Clearly he has felt the true power of the Alkire Method.

I am grateful to have the chance to read through it. I have already had the opportunity to read some of his interesting observations about music and steel guitar.

Thanks Bill.

Brian Saulsman

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Bill McCloskey]

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[Joel Meginsky]

I’m not trying to say that tunings are not important. I’m just trying to focus on the importance of the musician and the music. If you like the way someone plays, and you feel it has something to do with the tuning, and you want to sound more like them, be my guest and use that tuning! You still have to have something to say! Or you might be happy to reproduce what someone else has said (especially if you can sell it.)

To believe that any particular tuning will insure success in making expressive music is delusional in my opinion, and attempts to convince people to adopt a certain configuration offer false promises. If a tuning offers an easier way around chromatic music, like jazz, then a more diatonic approach might suffer. And sorry to say, a steel guitar is not a saxophone, no matter how many chord alterations it can produce. Another more diatonic tuning might make chromaticism challenging, but the effort to overcome this obstacle might yield good results. I try to stay in the middle. It just might mean more bar movement, or leaving out parts of a chord. That is not a bad thing, per se. There’s no way to tell without getting down to specifics and hearing the result. What kind of music are you trying to play, and in what context? At some point you have to work with what you’ve got, or adopt something you can live with.

Our ability to make the finite seem infinite is one of the joys of art.

All tunings, and instruments in general, have limitations as well as unique tonal characteristics. That also goes for musical styles.

Whatever tuning(s) you work with will have positives and negatives. I support any attempt to organize and disseminate different approaches to the steel guitar, but in the end, what is the musical result of this effort?

If I thought I had the answers, I guess I would say so. Then again, I don’t know if it would be worth it. People should take responsibility for their decisions, along with the risk of failure. It’s a very personal journey. Good luck, everyone!

“If I knew the way, I would take you home.”
- Robert Hunter

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Joel Meginsky]

Bill, I agree with you in principle, but I honestly haven’t heard anything from a player that is really convincing. Therefore, putting the time into this tuning is not worth it to me. I can live with the “limitations” of my tuning.

I don’t want the steel to do what the Akire tuning is making easier to accomplish, nor do I want it to sound more “harp like.” It’s a personal choice. I think other instruments are more successful at doing things that the steel is weaker in, like playing a chromatic scale.

For me, it’s primarily strength, especially in an ensemble, is as a substitute for the voice. For me, chord melody solos on the steel are not a path I wish to travel. I’d rather do that on piano or guitar.

I realize that you are an advocate. Keep it up.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Joel Meginsky]

I am truly sorry that you are offended by my posts. I would never say that ( f off) to anyone on this Forum.

[Doug Taylor]

Bill, iTuned my lap steel up and worked on the first page today. Did not do so well with the 3rd pick but I am sure it will come. I want to thank you for freely sharing all of this.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[David Knutson]

Mr.McCloskey, Up until your "@ off" comment to Mr. Meginsky, I was reading a thoughtful, and yes, opinionated discussion of the steel guitar and its many approaches and tunings. But there is no place on this forum for anyone to say that to anyone!
I believe you owe Mr. Meginsky, and perhaps all of us, an apology. That's just my humble opinion.

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Nic Neufeld]

It's the middle child in me, that sees a bit of both sides here. I totally dig, and understand, the impulse that drives Bill...museum curator, librarian, the keeper of the flame. I have that impulse real hard, in a number of areas (doffs cap to my Ustad-ji, Imrat Khan, to whom I am the least dependable disciple to carry on his musical tradition).

But we end up in these threads not because we are specifically adherents of the Alkire method, but because we are interested in all aspects of the the nonpedal steel guitar. So don't take people who don't subscribe to the Alkire style as necessarily that critical. If anything Joel was encouraging in his way...he isn't interested in having the (impressive) ability to play general, non-lap-steel-specific sheet music on a steel guitar, as that isn't in his musical goals (although he did encourage you to keep on). That doesn't imply he doesn't want "harmonic possibilities", it's slightly presumptious to assume that anything outside the Alkire stuff includes that. Alkire tuning has lots of interesting options there, but you have to be careful how you present it, if you present it as some superior tuning over all the tunings, then people will naturally say, OK, let's compare it, and it will invite criticism and comparison, which you seem hostile to. But we should be happy letting it be what it is, an interesting and powerful tuning and method for non-pedal steel guitar. And that is certainly something for which advocacy is understandable...

So yes, the middle child syndrome says, can't we all get along...

[Bill McCloskey]

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[Bill McCloskey]

In the no good deed goes unpunished category, I will no longer be posting on the Steel Guitar forum except to sell a few items. Just not worth it for me. For those that currently have access to the Alkire dropbox, you will continue to have access and I will continue to scan lessons until I've scanned everything I have. I will not be accepting any more people. I've been here 15 years and I've already gotten rid of all of my other social media accounts, so this is my final one. I was hoping to create a nice resource but am tired of the bs. Have a good one all. It has been fun. And thank you b0b for creating a great resource.

[Brad Bechtel]

I'm sorry to hear about this, Bill. I wish you good luck going forward.

I've locked this discussion.