The Steel Guitar Forum

It's you!! tube, to let yourself hear, have you ever had fear to speak in public, because there a people with nicer voices?
And dito to what Mike Cass said!
JJ

Hey Richard, Like you, I have listened to the recent clips that have been posted on Youtube in particular those of the very talented Dave Hartley and I too have been humbled and put in my place - but not for long. I haven't got his talent and flair and never will have but,I can produce a good tone and play a decent melody. I love my playing and I'm told so do lots of other people and that's good enough for me. I've always kept it simple ( I have to ) and just enjoy myself. I heard you at your house and thought then that you had a lovely style and tone and that has been proved with your postings.Stiff upper lip by jove! After all,you are a Brit!

You Tube Schmoo Toob.... It's not a "best" contest. If you tape something you like and you want to put it out there, that's great! If you see a great player on there, that's great too. Your talent is not diminished by another's.

Richard don't sweat the small stuff, hopefully your video's have been getting the same nice comments that mine have received , such as this one below...

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ruthgymnastwifejm (18 hours ago) please visit
teens on webcam at YOURCAMSINGLES dot COM

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You just never know who you may influence !

YouTube is a backyard playground not a resume'.....

I was thinking that if I do another video I am gonna try to get my Cat to walk across the Steel and fall off while I am playing that way I can place it in the Animal Comedy section !

Keep em' coming Richard , your clips are great...

Richard
I sometimes wonder what agenda some players have when they swamp this forum with their YouTube clips. Do they do it purely to impress or merely to share their abilities and experience with others. You have a wealth of mechanical knowledge that you have shared with many of us here, and indeed you have helped a number of people with issues concerning their guitars. Your video clips are not at all bad by any stretch of the imagination. What we don't know is how many takes the guys who put loads of clips on here took on each one. You only hear the finished product.

Great players in the UK such as Pete Heywood, Gerry Hogan, Derek Thurlby, BJ Cole, Sarah Jory and many others are content in the knowledge that they play well and don't need to go down the route that some have by bombarding the forum with their video clips. Its just an ego thing in many cases. I can understand if there is a sales connection, and enjoy Bobbe Seymour's video clips very much.

You obviously enjoy what you do and you should continue doing it. If you keep raising your own bar and work hard at technique and intonation you will see an improvement. None of us have got to the stage where we can sit back and think that there is nothing else to learn. Even the all time greats practice and listen to other music for inspiration.

One US forumite who is a great player has put instruction material out on YouTube and that is wonderful and an example of sharing. He certainly doesn't do it to impress others. You should keep up with what you are doing, post the odd clip here and there to show that you are progressing up your learning curve. Just one small thing - don't post any more banjo clips - our honourable host doesn't fully appreciate the intricate and musical capabilities of this instrument.

Richard, as Mike said..."Everyone does what he does". I'm sure you're probably intimidated by the stuff that David's posted lately, and a lot of players would be. However, if a really good player (like Tommy White) were to do some youtube stuff, then even David would feel seriously lacking. We're all both better and worse than some other player, but everyone brings something different to the table. You're playing may not be as smooth or fast as someone else's, but it has a certain energy and drive, a certain dynamic, that Dave's playing does not. (Over here, we call it "edgy".)

As long as you have an audience that wants to hear you,

KEEP PLAYING.

Richard, I look forward to your clips. You have a nice clean style and I think your intonation is quite good. Keep up the good work and don't stop posting!

Richard, as the others have said, Mike spoke volumes of wisdom. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. We are different. I feel so unworthy when I'm not the steel player on the date, and it's John, or Buddy, or Doug, or Stu, or whomever. But... when I am the steel player... "This is how the part goes, boys. If you want it like John, call him." I get calls because of what I can do, not because of what I can't.

Oh, by the way... how's Liz?

I understand what you are talking about. I used to struggle with this on a daily basis. It finally dawned on me that I need to concentrate on being me, not one of the "top guns".

I only have so many hours in a day. I have a day job (50 miles away in Austin), a family, a side job troubleshooting computers, and I gig on some weekends.

There are lots of steel players in San Antonio that run rings around me. But, it doesn't get me down anymore. Considering that I don't devote 24/7 to my steel, and that I don't take lessons; I still manage to keep filling up the gig calendar. I have been with my primary band for at least 15 years, and I freelance with two others on a regular basis.

I've come to the point where I've decided that I will continue to grow on steel guitar. But at my own pace, not someone else's.

When I saw Mickey Adams' videos on YouTube, I saw a new perspective on things that I am going to try out. 5 years ago, I would have wanted to curl up in a fetal position. But not today. I said, "Hmmmm. That's an interesting twist. I'm going to try that."

Richard, the bottom line is that most of these guys that we admire so much have had a lot of time in the pilot's chair. They have been exposed to steel for a LONG time. For a lot of them, it is all they do. I've seen your videos. I like what you do. Just enjoy your steel. There are more of us who will enjoy your steel work right there with you.

richard burton wrote: My speed is too slow, and my intonation is not precise enough.

..and just think, that makes you about 200 times better than me!...Hey, wait a minute, now I'm getting a complex

Richard, just to add another layer of encouragement: what all the above have said is right. I am a mediocre player at best, but love to play, and have been told there are those who like what I play. A very professional player, who is passed & gone now, told me one time when I was down in the "mullygrubs", to NEVER compare myself to other players, but play what I play the very best I can play for ME.

richard---i have seen your posts, and just be proud of what you can do and have accomplished!!
i bet we all at some time or other have had the same situation hit us.
i think Mike Cass gave us a great bunch of encouragement and good advice. Jeff Newman always said---"just play the melody."
i think the prettiest sound can be played on string 3 and 5 and or 5 and 8, and i give these plenty of action .
i just keep it simple so it relates with and identifies the song we are doing at the moment. if i can do this---that makes me happy!!!So---Keep on pickin'---perfect your own style---and keep it fun!!!
Jack

Hi Richard,

I very much do enjoy your video's and playing.
It's not just about perfect playing, but putting your heart and feeling in it. May times a song played by someone who's technique is less than someone else's, is still nicer to listen to.
And that ZB tone is hard to beat
Soooooooooo, keep them comin'

This post prompted me to play through all your YouTube postings. I can't see why you're worried. There are many steel guitarists out there who would be glad to play as well as you.

Of course, if you had a more unusual name it would be easier to find your postings ! That other guy seems to have had a bigger following !

Richard, just to add a couple more thoughts....

The simple fact that you recognize a shortcoming, means that you have advanced far enough to realize it. That, in itself, is farther that many musicians get. I've heard musicians that truly thought they were incredible, but actually were not. Shortcomings are nothing more than obstacles to be overcome.

Recognizing intonation inaccuracy is a great plus! It shows you have developed a good ear. Same for "slowness". You have merely identified two areas where YOU realize you need to improve. So, just get to practicing on that. This is a much misunderstood event in the life of every musician. This is YOU telling YOURSELF you're not as good as YOU know YOU want to be. No one's pointing a finger at you except you.

Let it spur you on to work harder...think of it as a hurdle. Once you overcome it, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment...and rightfully so! Then it's off to the next hurdle!

BTW...I thoroughly enjoy your playing. I think you have a very pleasing style, and have nothing to feel bad about. I can hear your love of the pedal steel in your playing. THAT counts for more than all the speed licks and perfect intonation in the world!! Please don't deprive the rest of us of the enjoyment of hearing your music.

Richard, your devotion to the instrument is more than apparent, as is your obvious talent,It probably takes about 10-15 years to even start to get the intonation thing sorted, it's taken me 50 years and I still am hunting at times. (Most times)

One thing, Recently I've posted quite a few clips on YouTube of some "Live Playing" not the cream of a days playing the same tune, or maybe even a couple of days. It takes a brave person to post clips that they KNOW are not up to scratch, BUT, it's all relative, what's mediocre to you can be perfection to a lesser mortal.

Your postings are relatively spontaneous playing and as such have "warts and All" so what ! I've seen the "Heath Robinson" contraptions that you've come up with on some of your guitars "String and sealing wax" etc. your energy in doing those things puts you in good stead with me. I think you a devoted Steel Guitarist and a very Competent Player.

And As Alan Brookes said "now get back to etc"

Richard, I think your videos were some of the first I saw when I started playing. I really enjoy listening to the tones of your different steels, and I personally think you have excellent feel, and wonderful tone.

Don't stop! There will always be somebody better, as well as somebody worse. What if I asked you for your advice on putting up a video to get an honest critique of my playing. Something tells me you would be nothing, but supportive.

Thanks for all the encouragement and wise words, guys

I've pulled myself together now, and I'll be back YouTubing soon

Richard
Where abouts in the UK do you live? Can you drop me an email please.

Hallo Richard
I've seen most of what you have done on You-Tube
(when we are able to get it !)and as the lads have said,
it takes a lot to put something on it,there's nothing
wrong with what you have done and if I did'nt live
so far away I'd come and kick your a--e! You play
with feeling not mechanical.
Keep up the good playing.
All the best Frank Bloomfield, Corfu

Frank raises an interesting point. Playing with feel and originality is far better than playing something that someone else has done parrot fashion. Much of the stuff that has demoralised you is re-cycled stuff. Far better to do your own thing.

Ken

Hi Richard.
I always look forward to your posts and your Youtube presentations, Why not take a few days off and come over to The isle of Wight and stay with us at Wroxall,
If you want music we have it or just chill out!
Regards,
Allan.[/url]

I have my recorder all cleaned up and waiting for your next u-tube, your playing is raw country music very good , not like some of this canned stuff that comes out of nashville.
jerry

You didn't know that you had so many friends did you Richard? Thats whats good about the steel guitar world, the class of people who's on here. All the support and advice from some of the best in the "World". Don't feel alone as there's 1,000's of us out here thats not as talented as others. But its the love of the "steel guitar" that keep us going. We're all waiting for your next video! Ray

Richard, it's lonely at the top!
(So they tell me)