Hawaiian style on PSG

Rich Arnold · Post by **Rich Arnold** » 3 Sep 2023 9:51 pm

Hi gang,
Since I took up the pedal steel a few months ago I haven't had much to post, at least not on here. When I was playing lap steel I had some interesting things going on, but when I went to pedals, I dropped back to being quite below mediocre. Compared to all the great pedal pushers in the world that is.

This might be of interest though. For quite some time I've been wanting to hear Hawaiian tunes on PSG but it seems it's a rare thing save for Billy Hew Len who has a few odds and ends on Youtube. I guess if I want to hear this, it going to have to be a DYI thing. Probably a lot of guys doing it. At home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k7Zwadk37E

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 4 Sep 2023 7:10 am

I play a lot of Hawaiian songs on the pedal steel.
I have 30 Hawaiian songs tabbed out in E9th for the pedal steel
Erv

Levi Gemmell · Post by **Levi Gemmell** » 4 Sep 2023 4:27 pm

Hi Rich,

Thanks for posting - I always keep one eye on your non-pedal stuff over in the other section!

I love hearing Hawaiian played on the pedal steel and aspire to do so myself. Bill Stafford is another artist who inspires me in that direction.

L

Tim Toberer · Post by **Tim Toberer** » 5 Sep 2023 5:18 am

The Hawaiian connection seems to to be fading, sadly. I am just getting into it. Seems to be several people carrying the torch over on the non pedal side, but I don't see any members regularly posting from Hawaii. I have gotten a ton of useful information from Basil Henriques website and YouTube channel. I believe he is a member here, but doesn't post frequently. One of the greats if you look at his recording career. I am not sure what his tuning is on his 10 string guitar, but he explains his 8 string 9 pedal A7 copedant in one of his videos. Absolutely genius. Check out East of the Sun! Not Hawaiian, but stunning!! http://www.waikiki-islanders.com
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ceno6hM1IA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3BWvy5UHG0

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 5 Sep 2023 1:53 pm

Played on my D-10, pedals are used to change the tunings but no for pedal steel sounds:

Sand on E9th:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/Sand.mp3

Song of the Islands on C6:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/Son ... slands.mp3

Beyond the Reef on C6:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/Bey ... 20Reef.mp3

Rhythm tracks here:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Tab19.html

Rich Arnold · Post by **Rich Arnold** » 5 Sep 2023 5:46 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:I play a lot of Hawaiian songs on the pedal steel.
I have 30 Hawaiian songs tabbed out in E9th for the pedal steel
Erv

I'd love to hear it!

Rich Arnold · Post by **Rich Arnold** » 5 Sep 2023 5:55 pm

Greg Cutshaw wrote:pedals are used to change the tunings but no for pedal steel sounds:

When I do that I get accused of playing non-pedal

Excellent tracks BTW!!! Keep it up!

Rich Arnold · Post by **Rich Arnold** » 5 Sep 2023 6:03 pm

Here's the recording that really got me thinking about this whole topic. I was blown away by this and showed it to a friend who told me he thought it sounded like non-pedal steel. I was like dang, it either has to be pedal steel or else super advanced bleep beyond my non-pedal comprehension. It wasn't until I got my C6 PSG and was able to play it note for gorgeous note.
https://youtu.be/6QaFVr7QMh8?si=9TJv6K55mFJpZnIK

Tim Toberer · Post by **Tim Toberer** » 6 Sep 2023 5:15 am

Greg Cutshaw wrote:Played on my D-10, pedals are used to change the tunings but no for pedal steel sounds:

Sand on E9th:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/Samples/Sand.mp3

Lovely playing! Especially nice to hear Hawaiian on E9. A truly versatile tuning in capable hands. Good point about not using the pedals in that way. You can tell you have lots of fun playing, it sounds effortless. Love your website also very useful for people trying to learn about all the different styles of steel guitar. Thanks!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 18 Sep 2023 3:06 pm

Herb Remington played Hawaiian music and style on pedal steel using the A6 tuning......he also would engage pedals to change tunings as opposed to bending notes......his style of playing pedal steel was a hybrid......

Rich Arnold · Post by **Rich Arnold** » 1 Oct 2023 6:56 pm

HowardR wrote:Herb Remington played Hawaiian music and style on pedal steel using the A6 tuning......he also would engage pedals to change tunings as opposed to bending notes......his style of playing pedal steel was a hybrid......

"Hybrid" is a pretty good way of describing what I seem to be ending up with after switching to PSG from non-pedal.
I probably won't be posting much of what I've been doing on this forum because I doubt pedal players would have much interest in it.
I'm not really just using the pedals to select tunings. I am using the pedals for bending notes as I go through a song, but I sound completely unlike Buddy Emmons. I love hearing his music but his M.O. it just so dang weird and awkward for me that it's just a no starter. It's like he and those who use his style as a basis for their own are in a different world or something.
I've been...not so much hampered, but slowed down a lot because I broke my left wrist a few weeks ago. But this mishap has a silver lining because it has forced me to slow down and this has given me time to carefully examine what I'm doing. A blessing in disguise perhaps.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Oct 2023 7:29 am

Rich,
I guess I'm kind of a "hybrid" player also.
I played a lot of non-pedal steel.
Started out on lap guitar and worked up to a 3 neck Stringmaster.
The only reason I went to pedal steel was the ability to get the full 3 note chords up and down the neck.
I'm not a "lick" player, I am strictly a full chordal, melody player.
Erv