playing LAP STEEL in a working band

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 28 Jan 2004 9:52 am

Do you feel competant with a lap steel of six or seven strings? Do you prefer to stand or sit? What do YOU bring to the group with the little guitar that others can't do on a pedal steel?

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 28 Jan 2004 10:29 am

I use'ta play with a workin' band ...

Do you feel competant with a lap steel of six or seven strings?

6 is all I can handle ...

Do you prefer to stand or sit?

Sit with the steel on a stand ...

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
What do YOU bring to the group with the little guitar that others can't do on a pedal steel?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

A 0.017 gauge E string ...

------------------

www.horseshoemagnets.com

Jackie Anderson · Post by **Jackie Anderson** » 28 Jan 2004 11:14 am

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 28 Jan 2004 11:21 am

Ray I play fixed strg steel in a haw band, ctry band, and a WS band. Never stand when you can sit. I quit pedals wnen people kept telling me I sounded like everyone else.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 28 Jan 2004 12:36 pm

I'm with CC on that one except I have NEVER played pedals....love them, but have no desire to switch at this late stage of the game. I play Hawaiian ONLY. Many years ago, I was into w/s but that eventulaly went out of popularity. I always sit. Matter of fact, I set my Fender Custom triple guitar legs fairly high and sit on a folding high stool. Standing on one leg with a volume pedal just ain't for me anymore.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 28 Jan 2004 2:11 pm

I play lap steel in an all instrumental, all original band called Go Van Gogh. I prefer to sit. I don't know what I bring to the group that others couldn't do better on a pedal steel. When I get confident enough in my pedal steel ability, perhaps we'll see and hear the difference.
Right now the lap steel fits our music better.

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 28 Jan 2004 2:14 pm

Right now, I'm using a sturdy keyboard stand that has C6/A7 and Leon's E13, I stand. I'm a guitar player first, and alto sax/Hawaiian steel/bass next. I don't have a band because no one wants to come out to this neck of the woods to jam. I like jump Blues/Rockabilly/Western Swing/Country and half white Hawaiian music on the 6 string steel. I'm also into Bebop, but it makes me crazy. I'm hoping to one day play Hawaiian steel as good as guitar. I love the sound, no other instrument comes close to that feeling. [This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 28 January 2004 at 02:17 PM.]

Harry Williams · Post by **Harry Williams** » 28 Jan 2004 2:28 pm

- A 0.017 gauge E string ... -

Rick: I got ya beat - I use a 0.018 E string!!!

------------------

Kevin Macneil Brown · Post by **Kevin Macneil Brown** » 28 Jan 2004 2:39 pm

I play 6 string lap steel in a band that covers a wide variety of ground, from alt-country to honky tonk, some country rock and blues, and I'm slowly slipping more western swing into the mix. I'm torn between sitting and standing: I definitely play steel better sitting, but I do some vocal leads, and that's better standing. I play a Tele, too, and I've done some gigs with the steel on a keyboard stand and the Tele strapped on. It's great for switching off fills and all, but I think the steel playing suffers, so next gig I'll likely just keep sitting and standing as I need to.
I guess the only thing I bring that a pedal player couldn't is myself. And maybe a little bit of flexibility.

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 28 Jan 2004 4:16 pm

I play D8 Rick in C6th and E13 for the Rockabilly/Western Swing group Cari Lee and the Saddle-ites and for the Cajun stuff I use G major (root on top) What do I bring to it that PSGers can't? Shorter set up time. On Sunday I'll be at Razgulay in Brisbane Ca. (formerly DeMarco's of Brisbane Bop fame) with Cajun super star Andrew Carrier with the Super Bowl opening for us. BW

Gordon Black · Post by **Gordon Black** » 28 Jan 2004 4:19 pm

I play in a 5 piece Country/Gospel band. I play both pedal (sitting) and 6 string lap (standing). Before Ted Smith closed down, I had him build me an electric 6 string based on a Melobro body, so that I could play it standing up. Our guitar player, lead singer and I all have wireless rigs, and we wade out into the crowd on high energy songs. I tune to open E and trade solos and licks with the guitar player.
I've tried to play lap steel sitting down, but it's tough with the distortion on and the Twin cranked!

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 28 Jan 2004 5:31 pm

I have to have 8 strings - there's just nowhere to go w/6 not for me anyhow.I have to have some chord extensions.
I like to stand - that's part of the fun. I tend to park the volume pedal and just play - touching it up here and there so I'm not standing on one leg all night.
What I bring to the non-pedal guitar is a lack of mindless noodling.You really have to think about what you're playing.Maybe when I have a little more experience w/no pedals I can work my way back up to mindless noodling... But after 30 years on pedals,I find it a real challenge to think and play within the limitations of a fixed tuning and come out sounding as though there is absolutely nothing musically lacking. Joaquin proved it could be done. No small feat for me.
-MJ-

STAN REMICK · Post by **STAN REMICK** » 31 Jan 2004 6:22 am

Well, my good friend Ray Montee is going to be surprised to see a post from me on the forum.

I play pedal steel in a country gospel band but several of the songs we do really need a different (better?) sound so I pull out my 1928 National Tricone. I currently place it on a custom stand made up of two mic stands with oak holders to fit the guitar.

I use an open E tuning but, thanks to Ray, I am coming along with a C6 tuning on my pre-war 7 string Rickenbacher bakelite and will be using it in our performances.

Stan Remick

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 31 Jan 2004 1:10 pm

Stan! Great news! We're proud of you!
Glad to have you posting here on the Forum.

Rich Young · Post by **Rich Young** » 1 Feb 2004 8:21 am

I recently started playing pedal so now I play guitar, non-pedal and pedal all in the same band.

I play non-pedal standing up. I often switch between the guitar and non-pedal on the same song. I'll play the guitar with the steel picks on, or pull them off and play with my fingers on the guitar. Some stuff just sounds better on non-pedal.

We are possibly getting a guitar player in the next week or so, cause doing all 3 will drive you crazy! Plus, it's a lot of gear to haul/setup/teardown - 2 amps, 2 steels and a guitar. Plus, that's a lot of strings to tune.

The only problem is, I'm definetly a better guitar player than steel player, so I have my work cut out for me.

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 1 Feb 2004 12:32 pm

Ray wrote:

Do you feel competant with a lap steel of six or seven strings? Do you prefer to stand or sit? What do YOU bring to the group with the little guitar that others can't do on a pedal steel?

I'm ok on steel. Getting better every day. I play a d-8 Stringmaster in a Hawaiian band. I stand - it's more fun and I think it adds to the showmanship. A voice teacher told me once you always have more 'power' with the audience when you stand. So if I can - I do (pedal steel excepted!).

Sometimes in the c&w band I just use the Stringmaster too - it's fun to leave the pedal steel home sometimes. And since I just got a Bakelite Ricky - I may have to sit in the Hawaiian band once in a while

chris

------------------
Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon" www.book-em-danno.com

[This message was edited by seldomfed on 01 February 2004 at 12:33 PM.]