Playing without the volume pedal

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 1 Jul 2001 7:38 am

I cleaned out my pac-a-seat yesterday and put the power supply to my Hilton volume pedal in the drawer with the other stuff. After changing chords and trying to figure out why I didn't have any power, I realized what I'd done. So now I had to play the gig without the pedal. It'll make you really watch your touch and be more careful than usual. It may be good to practice without the volume pedal every once in a while too. After last night, I'll carry a spare pedal in the back of the amp that doesn't need a power supply.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 1 Jul 2001 8:55 am

Altho' I use my volume pedal for the obvious advantages it provides.......I also rely on it, much like a pacifier or security blanket.

Moon in Alaska · Post by **Moon in Alaska** » 1 Jul 2001 9:32 am

You are SO right, Frank !!! I normally pratice at least once a week without using the volume pedal, as it seems to improve my technique.
Also, I like to play some simple songs without pedals or knees, just to keep the old non pedal touch. It requires really whipping the bar up and down the neck !! Good Luck !!

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Bobby Bowman · Post by **Bobby Bowman** » 1 Jul 2001 10:44 am

Once again I'll share an experience with y'all. BTW, I've done this more than a few times with different people, including myself. Of course, I knew that the cord wasn't plugged in from the pedal, but they didn't.
I simply placed the volum pedal under their foot and ran the cord direct to the amp. Man they would pump on that volume just like they always would. However, everyone of them was controlling the volume, touch and feel with their hands as good or better than they ever had.
Once I let them know that the volume pedal was not hooked up, they could not believe it.
Take the volume pedal completely away and they were too aware of it not being there and really sounded bad. Put the unhooked pedal back under their right foot and BINGO, within a few seconds they were back to playing as smooth as silk.
I dunno' why, but it sure as hell worked in every instance. Go figure.
BB

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If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 1 Jul 2001 10:54 am

Joaquin Murphey never used one.

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 1 Jul 2001 10:58 am

Moon,
Without a guitar with pedals here or a volume pedal, I'm practicing today with an old D-8 Magnatone I got from Dean Forshee at the time of the plane crash. What a sound this thing has! I don't normally play one of these non-pedal guitars so it's making for an interesting day to say the least.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 1 Jul 2001 11:34 am

when i play on C6, i often don't use the volume pedal cause i'm usin' my two feet !
it does help me w: the pickin' + mutin' for sho'!
Steel tryin' eh ?

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 1 Jul 2001 12:40 pm

I once had a student that would pump the volume pedal sooo bad that you could never hear him pick a note because the pedal was complete off when he picked. Yet right after he picked he would move the pedal to almost full wide open.

It was next to impossible to break this habit. It was not til a recording was made where he could actually listen to it, that he finally had the will to change it. In other words, he was NOT even aware he was doing it.

Another unusual occurence I saw was just the opposite. I have a video of a friend playing steel and even showed it to my wife. The volume pedal NEVER moves. Yes, you heard me right. It simply does NOT move. BUT his toes go up and down as though he was moving it from full off to full on! I would not have known this if he had not been using some tennies where one could see the toe part rising up and down. And his toes are right with the music and doing what ought to be done. Only thing is the volume pedal aint movin

So Bobby and others, you have made some very valid points. Bill Stafford has some good advice for this also and it includes playing without your amp when you are practicing at home. This means NO matter what you did with the volume pedal, it has NO affect. Be surprised what this technique will do for you. Try it!

God bless you in your quests,

carl

Bill Taft · Post by **Bill Taft** » 3 Jul 2001 6:02 pm

I started playing steel about ten years ago and found some book Jeff Newman was writing an article in, can't even remember the book, but they gave them away in music stores. I had a problem backing off the pedal so no one could hear me screw up, right you guys know. One day Newman addressed this I guess he knew this was a problem, thats why he can make a good living at teaching. His cure for the problem was to take a 9 volt batt. and put it on the back side of the pedal so you could'nt shut it all the way down. It works I played like that a while if you screw up you just screw up thats better then playing a job and not a soul can hear the steel solo.

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btaft

Frank Freniere · Post by **Frank Freniere** » 4 Jul 2001 8:23 am

Plus, you can use a wah-wah pedal.