The Steel Guitar Forum

I think this photo says it best!

JE:-)>

To those who wish to ride side-by-side with the big handsome cowboy (Fred Shannon), give him my best regards. Tell him that not everyone can be a rock-solid perfectionist such as he. I recall a flea market sharpshooter whose short stature attracted little attention to a sly nature. As I moved closer to the 6x6 circle that he was working out of, the sly little salesman lost no time poking out what he thought were little tidbits of things to come. His brother-in-law was seated just beyond his little circle. HE knew that I knew him as a much younger active musician when he said: "Wait a little while", meaning of course, the day will come when the rooster crows as loud as ever, but the barnyard will be off limits to an aging musician. Fred's dismal review conjures up similarities to the blunt master salesperson of mediocre items and antiques. Just for the record, I hope I'm reading Fred wrong.

If you think that a forum is a place where one goes to share ideas and debate topics of interest, then you have misjudged the modern use of a forum and you should be seeking a community group.

I disagree strenuously. This is a community - a community of steel guitar players - although lately I have had some doubts. Discussion and even debate should not be discouraged, although we should try to keep the flames and ad hominem BS to a minimum. But I think it's pointless to try to insist that we should be all be reduced to, "Hey, didja hear the latest from blah blah?" and "Hey, don't we all love blah blah?" or other pithy one-liners. There are a lot of us with very different perspectives about steel guitars and music, and as long as we stick to that and stay reasonably cordial with each other, what's the beef?

My point, over and over, has been that we should share ideas and debate topics of interest about steel guitar, its players, its music, and other music that relates in some generalized sense. Right on, Phred - this belongs in Forum Feedback, the original topic really has nothing to do with steel guitar players - it's about how the forum operates.

Bill H. - I think Bill M. is right. IMO, if you focus on writing clearly and stick to steel guitar, its players, and its music, you'll find lots more people have something useful to say.

All my opinions, naturally.

Dave,

You know very well that distractions can all but destroy any semblance of worthwhile studies. Getting bounced from pillar to post by disgruntled cowboys and city folks alike, stikes discord and ill will into the fabric of concentration. I was testing others who may spend hours working on difficult steel guitar arrangements. I was targetable immediately for not furthering the purpose of the thread. People have been heard making remarks about the simplicity of country music. After 5 days of practicing one tune, I'm ready to respond to their nonsense. It's getting late, as I caught a couple of messy misspells before signing off for today. Thanks to all for your responses.

The point of language is to communicate. Language that does not communicate is a waste of time and energy.

What was the question?

Sorry BIll
(As usual) I'm with Fred on this. What do these posts have to do with PSG? When I saw the thread I thought" This could be good!" Guess not...
I suppose the only thing left to ask is WWBD
(What would Buddy Do?) hmmmmmmmmm

Think it's time to play the ballard of Mr. Bill one more time. [ COME LISTEN TO A STORY BOUT A MAN NAMED BILL.=HE TRIES TO COMMUNICATE BUT HAS'NT THE SKILL. =IN HIS ARCHAIST FEEBLE WORLD OF APPREHENSION AND TOTAL DISMAY = HE WILL WRITE A THOUSAND WORD MONOLOGUE [BUT WHAT THE HELL DID HE SAY ]= OUT OF HIS COMPUTER COMES AN INCOHERENT CRUDE. = INCOMPREHENSIBLE,BABBLING,NASTY AND RUDE. =MR. BILL THINKS HE SO COOL,THERE IS NO DOUBT. THAT'S THE BALLARD OF MR. BILL,WHAT HE'S ALL ABOUT. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

I love Bill's topics.
I just color in my Bill Hankey coloring book while waiting for the main event of this fight.
I actually got a good ways on this one before I just had to join in.
I have extra copies of these uncolored pics if your interested. It really helps to break the monotony.

not finished but I'm still working on it. I am staying within the lines pretty good ain't I.

My thanks are going out to Scott, Stuart, Barry, Charles, and others, for airing and relaying those comedic and sensitive viewpoints that lend to the brighter side of issues, albeit unsettled. I'll never get a chance to wander through their personal interests relating to the steel guitars, and the music played, that we as readers hear so very little about through accounts given by various players. I may possibly measure up in a way to not be shown the door, in so many words. If the pedals on my steel could speak, they would vouch for getting stepped on an unknown number of times. Digitizing would be expressed in a zeroth series, quite impressive. I spend time trying to imagine how others go about practicing their music; particularly those who have made impressive gains in fewer years of practice. Breaking this down to purely logical explanations, has been shifted accordingly in the justifiable shuffling of agendums.

I am Dutch.
Many Dutch people understand some English.
I am a school teacher and I think I enjoyed a couple of more years of English language study than the average Dutchman (who doesn't even exist according to our crownprince's wife Maxima (Argentina born and now some 10 years with the Royal Dutch family).
From the top of this topic till now I do not have a clue as to what is the meaning here although it seems to have something to do with comunication...
I do not believe there is a relationship with pedalsteel or steel guitar or even guitar is there?
What, mr. Bill, is your intention?
As you know there are many foreigners member of this great forum and I doubt if there are those who completely understand your topic...

Regards

Peer

Peer,

I don't recall conferring with you in the past. A word of caution is in order, if this is the beginning of something new. First of all, I think the Dutch are wonderful people. I can see an obvious weakness, in spite of your claim to be positioned as a teacher. More directly, I'm alluding to your mastery of the English language. I'm aware that nothing is etched in stone this early in our exchanges. If you continue to remain out of the shadows, (much appreciated) our subject matter can shift in an instant. If you play well, or otherwise a beginner, and despise dust on your fretboard, we have much to discuss. Hopefully, others may wish to add useful information while agreeing or disagreeing with our decisions.

Peer,Don't worry about it,If you ever understood ONE word of a Hankly post,THEN WORRY BIG TIME. Mr. Bill is just a fraud,Of all the many nonsense,gooble gook,posts he has made,There was ONE he made on another thread that was well written,coherent,courteous,and most of all made sense.This proves he intentionally posts these buffoonish ,lacking intelligence or reason,senseless,crass, threads to get attention .Seems to work,I for one enjoy him,like watching a Three Stooges Marathon [comic relief]. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Charlie,

I can only conclude that your childhood and youthful years did not escape exposure to some individuals who thrived on shallow humor. To be sure, it must have been endless!

Bill,

Your reply is as confusing as the beginstatement of your launched topic.
In short: I simply do not understand it!
It seems to me that you like to debate eloquently and there's nothing wrong with that when people can converse in the same grade of understanding, but this just is not the case!
Since English is not the Dutch first language you could imagine my confusion when I would answer you in one of the other languages that are being taught in the Netherlands e.g in French or German.
I know that English however is the main language in this forum and should you wish this language to be understood by every forumite, you might consider the use of Sesamestreet english. We in the Netherlands use this term all the time when politicians preach their politcal ununderstandable lingo. Please use Jip and Janneke english (Sesamestreetenglish) when you want to be understood is commomly heared then.
So Bill, I wish you the best and hope that my answer made some sense.

Peer

And Charles,
Thanks for your word of understanding.

Mr. Hankey;
One simple question. If you have been practicing a "country catchy" tune for 5 days as you have stated in your posts, why not post a video or sound recording of the results in order to expand on your credentials?

Peer,

I wish the forum featured a translator. I like your concepts, and for taking the time to get a message out to the readership. Your ability to confer in English is not a problem. We can build around your concepts very easily. If you examine the runaway number of responses in the Italian/Emmons thread, that deals with uncertainties, you'll see what I mean. The language barrier was simplified by a very agreeable clientele.

Indubitably

Mark,

Do you have any posted videos? If you don't, perhaps you could give me a few tips on how to produce a creditable showcase example of an entirely new style of playing the pedal steel guitar.

Mr. Bill, It don't have to be a vidio,Just send a cassette or CD of your new style of steel playing to Mr. Tilly ,won't cost you a cent. It's simple [put up or shut up] YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Charlie,

There is a definite need to learn more about your likes and dislikes. I wish that some of that crude dude stuff would rub off on me. Through the years, I've stumbled onto a few others with a belly full of feathers, but I'm confident that you could hang with them, even on your slow with rejoinder days. Here's a reasonable request that will determine if we are speaking to one another with the same level of musical knowledge on the pedal steel. Q. How do you attain a minor 7th on the 9th tuning? Q. Where on the steel would you find Fm6th? If you can't help me in locating these chord changes, what earthly good is found in slamming one's credos all over the forum?

I am very certain that many of your fellow PSG players would be anxious to hear/see "an entirely new style of playing the pedal steel guitar" in any format-audio or video. Please post the results of your labor. It doesn't need to be a "showcase"-a "new style" will speak for itself no matter how primitive the format.

Mr. Bill,You just proved my point again,You will always skirt the issue and NEVER give an ans. to ANYTHING. Like I said lets hear that NEW steel playing.Once again [ Put up or shut up].Don't play dodge ball like you ALLWAYS do.This about YOU not me,Mark,or anyone else. YOU ask silly questions of me about music,I'm not a great player but have the guts to put my picking out there on Mr. Tillys site. DO YOU or will you just keep spredding manure as always. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Scott,

Sorry for the delay in responding. Fred's mad!! I think the hay bails, and shovel replacements have taken their toll, not to mention pulling the bailing twine out of spreaders. I don't know! It's obvious that he is liked by numerous fellows, who share the same musical interests, mainly the the steel guitar. But that short circuit that sparked an end to our exchanges, is not to my liking. Here's the pitch; I can tune and play the pedal steel at a level that has been achieved by "paying my dues". I'm not as concerned as one might be just starting out. My forte' is real country, not purported country music that is commonly recognized by that "Rock beat" heard in songs such as "Proud Mary" or "Walk, Don't Run". There must be a few thousand of those four or five chord rock beat songs played on a regular scheduling of programming. It's a critical point in time for important changes that may find the once popular music in the 50's, 60's and 70's fading out in a short period of time. I've always felt that an extra push to put the finishing touches to the hit country plays, would create a new surge of interest in the right direction.

I'm with you on this one BC. Mr. H is good at selectively missing the point when it suits him. I am astonished at the conceit displayed in asking another to 'sit a test' so as to qualify to post in a thread!
But, at the same time, the tester needs to prove his ability and status as a judge. Come on Bill, let us all see/hear this 'new style' of playing. Put yer money where yer mouth is. (instead of yer foot!)