How would you rate yourself as a Steel Player?

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 31 Dec 2009 12:46 pm

Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind,
Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

John DeBoalt · Post by **John DeBoalt** » 31 Dec 2009 1:07 pm

Better than some, not as good as many. Been at it about 10 years, and really got a late start as I was in my 50's. I know I should be more disciplined, but I have trouble merging the hard work part with the fun part, and end up opting for the fun part most of the time. John

Shorty Smith · Post by **Shorty Smith** » 31 Dec 2009 1:29 pm

Not the best, not the worst, but as long as the people I'm playing for like it, thats what counts and it makes me feel like I'm accoumplished a little of my goal as a steel picker, at 77 still picking every week and proud, Shorty

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 31 Dec 2009 1:44 pm

I don't suck near as bad as everyone says.. Now THATS progress!

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 31 Dec 2009 1:53 pm

Barely passable for local band playing dances.

Ray McCarthy · Post by **Ray McCarthy** » 31 Dec 2009 2:19 pm

OK for the freeby fundraisers we do. Sometimes I nail it and sometimes I blow it. Trouble is, I get impulsive and try to improvise something I never did before right in the middle of a break. Sometimes it works! But when it doesn't, it's BAD. But then, since there's not another steel player within a million or so miles from here, I got the job!

Jody Sanders · Post by **Jody Sanders** » 31 Dec 2009 2:49 pm

Not slow, not fast, just halffast. Jody.

James Marlowe · Post by **James Marlowe** » 31 Dec 2009 6:06 pm

I'm a hack, at best. I'll never be pro quality, but I don't care. I enjoy hacking at this thang.

Stan Paxton · Post by **Stan Paxton** » 31 Dec 2009 10:22 pm

Bill, as an ole' country boy from Missouri, I feel like I have come a long ways.

Started way too late in life to learn the steel. I think I can play enough to get by is about all, when backing a singer; never was a good instrumentalist $:\$ .

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 1 Jan 2010 1:57 am

Ask any picker that knows me they will tell you ,he can't play worth a damn. BUT the non-musicians that comes in the clubs and PAY to hear me,they think I'm great. Really that's all that matters to me. If there is a hot picker in the crowd watching me I could'nt care less. The way I look at it I'm getting PAID to be there, He's PAYING to be there. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 1 Jan 2010 2:07 am

Better to listen to than any £*&%( Banjo player!!
apart from that minus7 >>>>>>

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 1 Jan 2010 7:16 am

I'm surprised nobody has used this one yet -
The older I get, the better I was.

Hey, Rick S. - helped any little old ladies across the street lately?

Kenny Martin · Post by **Kenny Martin** » 1 Jan 2010 7:26 am

I suck for the most part!

Play to fast!
Don't play smooth on slow stuff!
Pitchy!
Left foot jumps around!
Don't block very well!
Play too loud!
Ugly!
Old!

Other than those things, i'm a pretty damn good player!

Frank Parish · Post by **Frank Parish** » 1 Jan 2010 8:52 am

I have my good and bads days and I think that's normal. I can't and never could just walk in and start out hot. I have to warm up a little to get the fingers loosened up. I try to play the melody on everything unless there's two rides and then the second one is just off the top of my head. Still learning like everybody and after 27 years I can tune the thing correctly. I wish my playing was a little cleaner on the fast stuff but my slow is adequate. At this point I want to practice a little more but have a planned rehearsal so I'm not just doodling. I'm hanging in there OK and hope I can until I'm deader than dirt!

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 1 Jan 2010 9:22 am

After 30 plus years I know I've barely scratched the surface of the knowledge on this incredible instrament. I love being under pressure to play on the spot, but in doing a recent recording session I was lucky to get a rough draft of the material so I could work out parts and ideas. This way I could find ways to use my two licks that I know in many different ways!!

Terry

Trevor Fagan · Post by **Trevor Fagan** » 1 Jan 2010 9:41 am

I'm still the best steel player in my whole house.... well... for now at least

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 1 Jan 2010 10:22 am

I've never been able to produce the sound out of the steel guitar that I'm looking for.

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 1 Jan 2010 10:47 am

While I was active I could play the damned thing.\\

phred

Jim Means · Post by **Jim Means** » 1 Jan 2010 1:02 pm

Hey Bill,
Good thread. A little self-evaluation once in a while is good....naw I still stink!

Like another thread was talking about I just spray a little Febreeze once in a while to hold down the smell.

But, hey, I enjoy it so good for me, right? And it puts me into a position to get to play bass once in a while which I am a little better at!

Jim in Missouri

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 1 Jan 2010 1:09 pm

Three years ago as a rank beginner I was a level 1.

Two years ago I was a level 2, but at least playing in front of a crowd and recording periodically.

A year ago, after taking some lessons, I think I'm about a level 3.
At this rate, I aspire to be an average level 5 by 2012.

This may be where my ability levels off, but I'll be nearly twice as good as I am now!

Seriously though,
The more I play it, the more fun it is to play!
Happy New Year to All.
Clete

Glenn Thompson · Post by **Glenn Thompson** » 1 Jan 2010 8:50 pm

Do I get credit for making dogs howl?

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 1 Jan 2010 9:36 pm

Sometimes I'm very satisfied with my playing, and level of expression- sometimes not so much. But always, I'm aware that for as long as I have in the pursuit, I'll never learn even a fraction of what lies buried in this wonderful instrument. That's very exciting to me.

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 1 Jan 2010 9:55 pm

Not sure about the rating part, but all I know is I play and love it. As steel players, we shouldn't worry about our pickin' speed or how well or not so well we play. We just need to have fun with our music, do the best we can, and not worry about our mistakes.

Brett

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 2 Jan 2010 11:08 am

I would describe myself as unfulfilled potential---good hands but not enough focus to follow through on my ideas!! One of my New Year's revolutions is to change that so check in with me in six months and see how Ima doin!

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 2 Jan 2010 11:42 am

Brett Day wrote:...As steel players, we shouldn't worry about our pickin' speed or how well or not so well we play. We just need to have fun with our music, do the best we can, and not worry about our mistakes.

Brett

Brett, I differ with you to this extent. If a player is a hobbyist, just playing for his own enjoyment or casual goofing off with a few of his buddies, then having fun is the only criteria to use.

But if a player wants to improve regularly and not by accidental epiphany, especially one who wants to get to the point where he's hireable and join the competitive ranks of professional musicians..., well, in that case, being concerned about how well he plays should be of primary interest.

Making mistakes need not be worried about, per se, but rather acknowledged and focused upon. This is because it's from our mistakes that we grow; we don't pay attention to our successes; rather, we learn from our mistakes and our failures.

When we were in school and got a "96" on a test, did we afterwards reread the 96 questions we got right and congratulate ourselves, or did we concentrate on the 4 we answered incorrectly? In the same way, a flub or clam should be recognized, remembered, and analyzed as to why it occurred, with honest self-evaluation.

I'm not suggesting that this can't be "fun." To me, achieving something I previously couldn't do, or when the light bulb finally clicks "on," is more than fun. It's pleasure.