Paul Franklin's ToolBox Course

[John Spaulding]

I put together a course recently called Applications: E9 Pedal Steel Toolbox that came about in response to the many requests I get for "more licks and phrases". It's my belief that a diet of ONLY someone else's licks and phrases is the wrong way to learn pedal steel, but they do have their place as examples of what COULD be played. Too often I have heard players who have memorized a bunch of licks and have no direction on when or how to apply them, so they try to fit them in anywhere they can, and not always in the appropriate spot.

IDEAS NOT LICKS
In order to help address that, I compiled several lessons from The Paul Franklin Method to help get players started on collecting and creating their own licks. I do this by teaching them as "ideas over chord progressions". Playing music is essentially finding multiple ways to go from one chord to the next, using any combination of chords and single notes. Getting comfortable playing from a 1 to a 4, or 2m to 5 and so on is the key to good musicianship.

CLICHES AND PHRASING
Learning each genre's cliche phrasing and stylistic markers is key. From Bakersfield to Funk to Western Swing to Rock, it's note choices and phrasing that make them sound distinct from each other. Having a handle on what makes these styles unique and being able to create those sounds on pedal steel will make you a better musician and help get you work.

APPLYING THE CONCEPTS
I teach and explain licks, phrases, fills and intros in the course, and put them in a setting where you can adapt them to work in any song you are asked to play. All of the ideas I present are there just to get you started. Your job is to begin changing and adapting, adding and subtracting, mixing and matching until the idea is ingrained in your OWN style.

These are the building block pedal steel sounds that I draw on to play stylistically appropriate parts on sessions and live gigs. Because you'll study them as concepts, you are not just memorizing a lick to be inserted randomly, you will be developing a musician's knowledge that will allow you to make good decisions.

CHOOSE YOUR COURSE
Toolbox is the perfect follow up to anyone who has completed my Foundations course, and like Foundations, you can apply the enrollment fee towards the complete Method at any time. If you are looking for an injection of cool E9 pedal steel ideas to mix into your trick bag, the Applications: E9 Pedal Steel Toolbox is for you.

For those who are a little farther along in their skills, try the new E9 Pedal Steel Vocabulary course.

-Paul

[Frank Freniere]

I love the Toolbox course but I wonder if I’m even playing the same instrument sometimes.

[Tommy White]

There is no better and has been none better than Paul Franklin’s the Paul Franklin method course. I visit the site almost every day.

[John Spaulding]

If you want exclusive insight into the mind and hands of the great Tommy White, check out his collaboration with Paul Franklin on Contemporary Pedal Steel Guitar Vol. 1.

An accessible Masterclass in technique and musicianship. Enroll today, watch it forever... it never expires!

[Bruce Bouton]

It's changed my playing for the better. There is so much to learn. The tool box has so many licks and concepts that can be turned around and rearranged in so many ways. It's an amazing resource.

[Jamie Kitlarchuk]

Is the Applications Toolbox course structured in a way that you can start off with simpler concepts then progress in an incremental way to more difficult ones? Or is it just a bunch of lessons pulled from the full method and set up for the user to choose whatever they want to work on?

I ask because I'm feeling like I'm stuck at a plateau and could use some structured material to work through and get me moving ahead again. For background, I've been playing for two years and worked through the Jeff Newman Up From The Top series, as well as his bandstand backup course.

I also play in a band that's inactive due to covid, so I have more time to focus on techniques and learning material.

[Bruce Bouton]

It’s incredibly intuitive. It’s a stand alone from the method.

[Zena Kay]

I’ve been getting a lot out of the material offered. Off the bat, I’m loving all of the positions using C pedal alone that I didn’t realize was available. It came out just as my subscription was up but really glad I shelled out the extra $ to work on these every day. Even the less challenging examples are beautiful, and has already helped me expand the positions I’m using. I can’t wait to use them on gigs... whenever that happens

[James Sission]

Is the Applications Toolbox course structured in a way that you can start off with simpler concepts then progress in an incremental way to more difficult ones? Or is it just a bunch of lessons pulled from the full method and set up for the user to choose whatever they want to work on?

I ask because I'm feeling like I'm stuck at a plateau and could use some structured material to work through and get me moving ahead again. For background, I've been playing for two years and worked through the Jeff Newman Up From The Top series, as well as his bandstand backup course.

I also play in a band that's inactive due to covid, so I have more time to focus on techniques and learning material.

Just my personal take, you might be better off with the E9 Foundations course first, then the toolbox. The toolbox course refers to a lot of the concepts in Foundations.

[Gary Spaeth]

C6 toolbox please please please!

[rick andrews]

I'm with you Gary. C6th toolbox please.

[John Spaulding]

COMING SOON!

By popular request, we are currently working on a C6 Toolbox: My Approach To The C6 Neck course, a collection of both brand new and selected Paul Franklin Method lessons.

It is designed for C6 Essentials students (or players already at that skill level) and features detailed explorations of positions, pockets, pedal usage and chordal and single-note improv concepts on the C6 tuning.

The lessons are packed with real-world examples of the concepts Paul uses in his own playing, showcasing the logic and versatility of tuning and its ability to be used in any genre. This is the material you need to "expand the neck": moving confidently from chord to chord in any progression, using chord tones and extensions for single note improv, adding altered tones to create harmonic and melodic interest and much more.

As with our other $99 courses, all of the lessons will be found in The Paul Franklin Method, and you can apply the $99 enrollment in C6 Toolbox to the Method at any time.
We are planning to have it available by the end of the year or in early 2021, so stay tuned!

[Edward Efira]

I understand the Toolbox pedagogy and the need to memorize everything. Nevertheless it would be really helpful to have each lick tabbed for people like me (young at heart with not as young ability to memorize...)

[John Spaulding]

Hi Edward-

All of the Licks/Intros in the Applications: E9 Pedal Steel Toolbox course are tabbed out (and the upcoming C6 Toolbox course will be partially tabbed).

The E9 Pedal Steel Vocabulary course is not tabbed, it uses the talk-teach approach. We have included a downloadable blank TAB sheet in the Vocabulary course for students to write down whatever they need to in the Vocabulary.

Thanks!

[Gary Spaeth]

sign me up when you get it out.

[Edward Efira]

Hi Edward-

The E9 Pedal Steel Vocabulary course is not tabbed, it uses the talk-teach approach. We have included a downloadable blank TAB sheet in the Vocabulary course for students to write down whatever they need to in the Vocabulary.

Thanks!

I stand corrected John, I was thinking of the E9 Pedal Steel Vocabulary course.
I also have the Toolbox course which led to another glorious senior moment => my need for tabbed licks