Why young folks are not learning steel guitar

[Dave Hopping]

Takes a lotta bux,time,and dedication before you can get your steel to play what you hear in your head.IMO the results are worth the effort,but making the effort depends on an individual's "gumption quotient"!

[Clyde Mattocks]

There are WAY more steel guitar players in my area than there were when I started, a couple of really good young ones in my immediate area and more just a couple of hours away. We seem to be in a country music bubble around here.

[Jonathan Cullifer]

Young people are learning the steel guitar, at least in my world. The ones I know don't participate here, nor do they visit steel guitar shows. Many don't play traditional country music.

I have personally mentored 4 or 5 players as they got started in the last 5 years or so, all in college at the time.

[Dustin Rhodes]

The ones I know don't participate here.

This place has a wealth of knowledge but also a reputation. Even amongst my musician friends who participate on forums and play steel this forum is known for not having a super open mind for music or participants who don't fit the scene here. Even in the past 10 years you had someone like Robert Randolph who might bring young players into the fold. Then you open a thread up about him him here. I can't imagine a young player wanting to stick around with such gatekeeping over what is acceptable and appropriate for the instrument.

[Fred Treece]

This place has a wealth of knowledge but also a reputation. Even amongst my musician friends who participate on forums and play steel this forum is known for not having a super open mind for music or participants who don't fit the scene here. Even in the past 10 years you had someone like Robert Randolph who might bring young players into the fold. Then you open a thread up about him him here. I can't imagine a young player wanting to stick around with such gatekeeping over what is acceptable and appropriate for the instrument.

Seems like an odd knock to me. Admittedly, many of the older members here were influenced by the steel guitar’s prominence in Country Music (myself included), but most of the posting I see on the forum has nothing to do with musical taste. Fitting the scene here is mostly about having an interest in how the darn thing works and how best to go about learning to play it. Maybe that is what the turnoff is?

An influx of new players who are being inspired by something other than what the Old Guard did might be just what The Forum needs now. And I believe the Old Guard would approve.

[Ian Rae]

My ten-year-old grandson just came to visit. He already plays a little six-string and he asked to try my steel.

After half an hour he had the A and B pedals and the E raises and lowers sorted out and was sliding between chords despite never having listened to any steel guitar music as far as I know. Must be instinct.

He was genuinely fascinated. He said "There must be a lot of different combinations of pedals and levers". I told him he'd better believe it

So all is not lost. If he gets serious I'll be there for him.

[Fred Treece]

He was genuinely fascinated. He said "There must be a lot of different combinations of pedals and levers".

That kid just might be dangerous

[Larry Ball]

I believe that all “Forums” have the same combinations of musical taste, opinions, advice, recommendations and “On & On. So that being said what brings players to the fold is the steel guitar. Yes, I agree that young musicians starting out are influenced by today’s music and the instruments used in creating it. But the Steel Guitar is the attraction here and the “Forum” is a vehicle for new players to extract a wealth of knowledge from the great players that are members here.

Most everything being communicated on this thread has influenced the steel guitar in many ways. You can say the same for other instruments ( banjo, ukulele, fiddle, dobro etc). However I believe the Steel Guitar will survive because of its unique characteristics.

[Brooks Montgomery]

I can't imagine a young player wanting to stick around with such gatekeeping over what is acceptable and appropriate for the instrument.

I’ve never experienced any gatekeeping here. Curmudgeonry, sure. There is so much great info here, and help, and advice.

So I’m wondering where these seemingly thin-skinned younger musicians are going for their steel guitar information? It’s got to be much more of a scavenger hunt, then simply coming here for answers, advice, products, ......and once in a blue moon a few Mr. Wilson’s telling Dennis to get off his lawn.

[Paul Sutherland]

When you get to a certain age you should probably stop trying to figure out why young people are doing, or not doing whatever. In matters related to music I wouldn't listen to old men that were in their 30s when I was in my 20s, so I certainly can't expect any young people to listen to me now that I've hit 70.

[Ian Rae]

well said, Paul!
(I can say that now I'm 69)

[Brooks Montgomery]

Well......you’re right.

[Edward Efira]

Those who try receive no encouragement from the forum.

[Ian Rae]

You sure??

[Brooks Montgomery]

Those who try receive no encouragement from the forum.

A lot of the "encouragement" is like panning for gold. You'll find lots of color if you keep moving that mouse around like a gold pan. Go looking.
Recent example:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=361428

[Curt Trisko]

I’ve never experienced any gatekeeping here. Curmudgeonry, sure. There is so much great info here, and help, and advice.

So I’m wondering where these seemingly thin-skinned younger musicians are going for their steel guitar information? It’s got to be much more of a scavenger hunt, then simply coming here for answers, advice, products, ......and once in a blue moon a few Mr. Wilson’s telling Dennis to get off his lawn.

I agree about the amount of great info and helpful advice here. Regarding the gatekeeping, I think that if you haven't experienced it here, then you've probably only been on the inside of the gate. If steel players want to nerd out on anything that wasn't mainstream 50 years ago, this is not the place for them. I have habitually checked the forum for several years and it has long since stopped occurring to me that this is place to express enthusiasm about steel playing that hasn't already been expressed here hundreds of times before. And it's a bummer because that means that when someone new posts something like that here, I don't bother to click.

[Dave Mudgett]

Those who try receive no encouragement from the forum.

I really don't see that. I think most people the post here a fair amount really try to be helpful and encouraging.

Now this is not to say that there is not more than a bit of a generation gap with some younger players and others who are playing outside what most steel players in their 50s, 60s, and older typically play - which is Nashville country of various eras, Bakersfield, LA-style country-rock, old-school rock and roll, blues, heavily swing-influenced jazz, and so on.

But I think lots and lots of people here are pretty open to different music, once they hear it. I'm from Boston, came up playing classical piano, and then guitar-based blues, folk, R&B, rock and roll and surf, psychedelic and other more modern rock, funk, country-rock, and jazz, and then more traditional country and bluegrass blended in over time. I never touched a pedal steel until I was 30 years in on guitar. And I think my pattern is not at all uncommon here. Yes, some people here come from a heavily traditional country background - is that a problem? There's a lot to learn about music and especially steel guitar from them, IMO. I think it's kind of silly to just ignore the last 60 years of steel guitar playing and try to completely re-invent the wheel. But that's always an option if you wanna go it alone.

As far as gatekeeping goes - again, I don't see a very high level of that. I see no gates here that can't be easily crashed with a little bit of persistence. A lot of this has to do with where pedal steel has been, not where it's going, which IMO is everywhere.

But if you're expecting everyone to love everything - well, that's just not where the world is. Everybody likes what they like, dislikes what they dislike, and as long as we can stay civil about it, we should be able to rub shoulders and maybe learn something.

[John Butler]

I agree with Steve Hinson. I don't think very many players choose steel. I think steel chooses them. I started learning guitar when I was 13, because the guitar was turning me every way but loose. And it remained that way till I was mid 40's. At some point, that steel sound started pulling on me. By the time I was 50, it was all I could think about. I let my musician friends know I was looking for one. Offers came rolling in. Found one I could afford,.and never looked back. I still play guitar; occasionally!

[Ian Rae]

I agree - if you're the right person, the steel will find you!

[Donny Hinson]

We never know what will "turn on the light" in our brain and cause us to seek out something; something that will change the very course of our lives. In my case it was the record below, done by a west-coast cover band, and released in 1954. I remember it like it was yesterday. I know that to many, it may sound corny and trite nowadays. But this is the one that "did it" for me...this is where it all started.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqVHBlKr0Rc

[Donny Hinson]

We never know what will "turn on the light" in our brain and cause us to seek out something; something that will change the very course of our lives. In my case it was the record below, done by a west-coast cover band, and released in 1954. I remember it like it was yesterday. I know that to many, it may sound fairly corny and trite, but this is the one that "did it" for me...this is where it all started.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqVHBlKr0Rc

[Bo Legg]

This is the song that got me hooked!
click here

[Edward Efira]

I was thinking of this kid who posted recently https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=361455
153 viewers, 2 comments (including mine)

[Jonathan Lam]

Where are all the young players?

[Dirk Edwards]

Most of the young players, that I play with are playing
just like there attitudes (6 sting and other). I Play 6
string too.

Obnoxious,you tube, lick players without souls.Gimmick
players like the rest of there life's. And don't take
council

To me a pedal steel playing is almost a religious ?
All the things that you have to understand,search out,
fix,adjust,frustrate,embarrass,shame, but with rewards
unlike any other instrument?You have to have some skin in
the game!

I remember as a Kid growing up in Idaho Falls ,Idaho.
Listening to old (then new)8 tracks from my older
relations. ( you could become a cowboy, potato picker,
but not pedal picker)

Waylon live, in 75? Was such a huge influence on me!
being a dumb kid in living were i did.I thought that
Mooney's rainy day women lick was a telecaster?

Had no idea of the pedal steel,and what it was.

To me pedal steel is a dying entity. For several reasons.
First of all exposure?

When was the last time you heard a Wynn Stewart/Mooney on the radio?

People love when they hear it,and young kids do too.
But there being programmed to like the this amalgamated
junk country !@#$.And don't appreciate the lamenting style
because they still have the tit in the mouth and never had
to look at here hold card to get out of a jam.