The Steel Guitar Forum

Howard,

Thanks for coming aboard and sharing your extended musical endeavors. Isn't it difficult to choose at times between the various stringed instruments, when you feel like a couple hours of practice. Even two instruments can offer thoughts of choosing between the two, a consideration worthy of note.

Hay Bill,

You're Welcome!, (Sorry For The Double Post).
I Have Found That To Be True Over The Years, As I Have Played Different Instruments In Different Bands Over The Years!.
I Loved Playing Lead, Bass & (Still Learning Steel, After All These Years, ), But I Always Go Back To My Banjo as My "When I'm Blue" Toy, Or My 6-string Martin, To Lift My Spirts.
But I Found That Being A Lead Player First Has Help Me With My Pedal Steel Guitar Playing Quite A Bit!
But It Dosen't Matter What You Play, Just as Long as You Enjoy It & It's "Country", ...
Take Care, Blessings, "Keep On Picking", From The Land Of OZ- ♫Howie-"The Wizard"♫

Can't seem to set the guitar down long enough to be a decent steel player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqeJ9dzK2Fc

Jack,

It could be time to shift priorities.

Both my parents were utility players and I followed right along. Playing Bass, 5 string banjo, rythmn guitar. Then I got serious around age fifteen and started playing lead guitar, fiddle, mandolin, Dobro and I stayed very busy for forty plus years. five years ago I bought a E9th sinlge neck and I love playing it and still play lead guitar. Music has been and still is today a complete passion.

Larry,

Thanks for sharing some of your musical interests. For my part, I've settled on the joys of playing pedal steel guitar, and a centuries old tradition of playing Spanish guitars. Leo Fender, Bigsby, and Gibson opened up the solid body creations to the delight of thousands of jazz, blues, and country musicians. I believe that most senior steel players are well versed in how to hold a Strat, or Tele, FENDER guitar.

For my part, I've settled on the joys of playing pedal steel guitar, and a centuries old tradition of playing Spanish guitars.

Bill, you must be older than I thought.

Barry,

Neither of us can be accredited with introducing the "slide" guitar or its culmination into something special. We are just two participants in the same musical endeavors. Nothing more, nothing less.

I had one of those Fender Tele guitars one time,But don't think I was holding it right. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Hey Charlie, how is it going with you, where you playing now, I'm playing at the ELKS club on Friday night waiting for the Catala vfw to get a pouring permit, then we play there on Saturday,Shorty

I did and still Do.

I started box guitar when I was 14. My father played 3 chords on a banjo but my musical interest was kindled by my mother on piano.

Then I got my first electric guitar and the bug was permanently in my blood. I switched to lead soon after that.
Mandolin followed after I read about Bill Monroe and bluegrass.
I changed to sax after Boots Randolph and John Coltrane, and learnt to read notes, but headaches toned that down.

Then the lapsteel followed and then strange names followed my brain: cheesecutter, table with wires, infernal contraption, etc.
The Pedal steel entered the African sky, and Buddy E with others played a big part.

I was finally hooked to an instrument that tickles me, challenges me and satisfies me.
As somebody here mentioned, this is a tool to express inner feelings. The inner poet struggling to come out?

Practice and deliver you poems.

The technical development that went into this instrument never seizes to amaze me.
How did they work it all out?
I must admit the sax is also 'n very technical piece of rolled metal, but the PSG is an instrument that will never bore me.

Thanx for a nice post.

Jan,

Thanks for the interesting post. It's quite amazing how different influences play an important part in how a musician reaches the highest level of enthusiasm; one that builds continuously throughout a career in the art of playing pedal steel guitars. To reach levels of performances that command the utmost respect, will require dedication that is perceived by onlookers as a lifestyle unchanged. Those who were unaware in the beginning of the great pleasures found after progressive practicing on the pedal steel guitar, in most selectivities, were trained previously on the 6 stringed guitar. Notes are notes, the source matters not. All of the notes that are playable on the Spanish guitar, are found between the two bridges of the steel guitar.

Bill Hankey wrote:Jan,


Notes are notes, the source matters not. All of the notes that are playable on the Spanish guitar, are found between the two bridges of the steel guitar.