The Steel Guitar Forum

GORDON!!
I dont need a dictionary i have most of jeffs courses NUF SAID!!
Jim i just try and say it like a feel it thanks for your support.
steve thanks for posting i also would like to say jeff is my friend as well and has taught me loads not only though his courses but in person as well. im not brainwashed into a newman clone how bout you guys? if i were going to copy someone note for note it would be buddy charlton anyway
well there is my thoughts on the subject if you guys wanna call the man names call him directly im sure he would love to here from ya . hell knowing jeff he would probably sell ya something before ya hung up.
BOO

Finest courses, most professional seminars, most business like approaches, most knowledgeable instructor. Don't agree? Thats your problem. Sit on the stage next to him at the next St. Louis convention, play a little, and let the audience judge. I will be right there watching in the front rows (non-smoking section). I am not sure I would be playing on shows today if it was not for him...

Yea! "Off Topic" <font=-1>(well sort of)</font> is back! <font=-1>(but without a spell checker?)</font>

Sam - get a live teacher and practice. The end. Slamming Jeff doesn't get you closer to being a better player.

Best, -Dave

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Mullen (See! No "S") D-10 <font size=-1>
<a href=http://www.davidhorch.com/music>Photo page</a> </font>


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Horch on 17 July 2002 at 09:55 PM.]</p></FONT>

Im surprised no one's mentioned yet what could be the root of Sam's frustration. Sam said he new nothing about music before taking up steel 5 years ago. Many I'm sure already played another instrument and had a good grounding in basic music theory when they took up steel, which pretty much streamlines the mystery solving and learning process. Things just fall into place. My impression is many of these courses presume some prior music knowledge. I guess this ties in to "find a good teacher". I dont have that course by Jeff, but I do have a couple others by him. Terrific learning materials. Hang with it Sam. Get some music theory learnin. youll never regret it. God Bless.

Sam - you might find Maurice Anderson's Missing Link course helpful if 'theory' is a stumbling block since it is more visual than plain old tab. Check it out on his site http://www.flash.net/~picker1/reece/index.html

Steve Welborn, Very Well Said. That's the first thing I thought when I read Sam's post. Sam, most everyone who takes up steel has prior musical experience. Your working with a huge handicap if you don't know at least basic theory! Do yourself a favor and get a good teacher, the video is probably too advanced for your musical background.

I'll take the Jeff Newman clone comment as a compliment. Thank you, Gordon!

sgm

I read it too, Gordon.

"Music theory" is term used to describe how notes, chords and rhythms are combined to form music. It is a very useful body of knowledge, for any musician who cares to explore it. An understanding of music theory allows you to improvise with confidence, and to compose.

I have yet to see a steel guitar method that teaches music theory in any real depth. I haven't seen everything, though.

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

everyone!!
i agree with the studie of theory as well. my concern was this guy bashing jeff in the ground for making a living cause he had a bad experence with him. sam needs alittle help and who better to help him than jeff.after all he was teaching steel before alot of us were born. well charlton is a pretty fine teacher as well and only like 4 hrs away from sam .call him up sam if jeff dosent click your buzzer.

sam these guys are right in telling you theory is the key.learn some basic music theory and dont try to do it overnight .it wont happen. practice ,practice ,practice and alot of luck.
BOO

Sam,
I do not know just how much "music theroy" you do know already, so excuse me if I start at square one here.

#1 - Here is a "chromatic" octive.
(C-C#/Db-D-D#/Eb-E-F-F#/Gb-G-G#/Ab-A/Bb-B-C)
This is playing the note at each fret or every 1/2 step starting on C and ending on C one octive higher, then it repeats again if you go by 1/2 steps or each fret.
You can play this by starting on the 5th stg at the 1st fret and move up 1 fret each time for the next note. You will end up at the 13th fret on the note C, one octive higher that the C note you started on.

#2 - "ALL" major scales follow a set"pattern" of Steps/Notes.
(1-1-1/2-1-1-1-1/2) = "Steps
1 Step = 2 frets & 1/2 Step = 1 fret
Do-Ra-Mi-Fa-So-La-Te-Do
There is only 1/2 step between B-C & E-F.
Thats why the black keys on the piano are arranged the way they are. The notes B & C are both white keys and next to each other.
Same thing with E-F.

#3 - If you apply the "Pattern" of steps to the "Chromatic" octive, you can create "Any" major scale you want.
Example: C Major played on 5th stg.
Notes = C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
Steps = 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2
Frets = 1 3 5 6 8 10 12 13
Example: G Major played on 4th stg.
Notes = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
Steps = 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2
Frets = 3 5 7 8 10 12 14 15.
Just follow the "Pattern of steps" and start on the note that the scale you want to make is named for.

#4 - Once you have your Major scale, you can find out the 6 most commonly used chords for that "Key" by using this rule.
Pattern: (Major-Minor-Minor-Major-Major-Minor
Chord # 1 2 3 4 5 6

Example: G scale.
Notes: = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
Chords = G - Am -Bm -C - D - Em
(there is a chord for the 7th tone, but I'm trying to keep this simple for now.
When a chord is written as "G", that is a major chord.
When a chord is written as "Am", with the lower case "m" that means it's a Minor chord

To quote Glen Fry on an Eagles song,
"Are you with me so far?"

I could go on to explain how the notes in each chord are found, but my new Fessenden arrived a few days ago and the clock on the wall here at my office says its time to go home and play my new baby some more.
I hope this helps you to understand some basic stuff about scales & chords for them.
I'll check with you tommorrow to see if I can be of more help.
JE:-)>

Sam, If its theory you want find a piano teacher, they are usually close by, and learn all the theory you want.If its steel you want to learn learn the "positions" and play the steel.You can use all you learn from piano teacher on the steel. Incidently, somewhere earlier in this thread someone mentioned that "Jeff is teaching how and not why." Thats what we want to learn isn't it? How?? Learn how and take that to a piano teacher and let them enlighten you as to "Why". I'm not going to go into a lengthy debate about Jeff's because Jeff Newman stands very tall on his own! He does not need me or anyone else to defend his integrity, honesty, charactor,( even though he is one). I've known Jeff for 35 years I've always found him to be "up front" and also a heck of a sense of humor. If you can't understand his tapes and they are just no good to you I'd bet if you would send them back to him he would refund your money.

Sam....what a can of worms you opened...this thread is great for the rest of us frustrated steel learners! I have been ruminating on "disCustered" though and have decided that was the state of the world after Little Big Horn. Cheers, W.

P.S. I've read his statement that if your dog chews up a tape he'll replace it free. He replaced one for me because I somehow broke the case on it. You might want to check things out and see if you may just be too damn old to learn! I'm as old as you are and you can bet your bippee I'm not going to waste any time on theory if I can fake it !
You know, how many more gigs are we gonna play? regards, fred

If Jeff is receiving a lot of praise, it's because he's earned it with his deeds and his gentlemanly manner. All I've heard from you is talk, and we all know what that's worth. What have you done lately, besides be very negative and bitter? You get out of the world what you put into it. Have a nice day, sport.

<SMALL>IN THE PAST FEW DAYS MANY OF YOU HAVE GIVEN JEFF NEWMAN A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF POSITIVE ADVERTISEMENT AND DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT.</SMALL>

Now, now....Don't be modest. I'm sure you deserve at least some of the credit!

Gorey Robberson, This is all just a big puton isn't it? You've got to be a kid. You need to get a job at McDonald's while you're out of school for the summer to earn money to buy some of Jeff Newman's instructional material. I think Jeff's material is topnotch stuff. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ken Mullett on 19 July 2002 at 07:36 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ken Mullett on 19 July 2002 at 09:16 AM.]</p></FONT>

Boo Miller you are not only a great person but a great musician and a great Steel player. Thanks for takin a stand beside the man who has helped so many. I too have purchased much of Jeff's material. Without it I would not be where I am. It's true that buddies sometimes share tapes and CD's and even perhaps a little of Jeff's tapes. We have all done that. But to offer it up under the quise of helping any person when the real intent to to attempt to deprive the man who actually owns the rights to said program and just because you feel he "snubbed" you is so far off base and outta line that it is pathetic. Jeff, I am quit certain, has invested a considerable amount of time and monies in his business just as I have my business which has nothing to do with steel guitars and music other than the fact that I would not appreciate someone coming behind me giving their skills away which they learned from me just becaused I pissed em off. Guess that's what makes the world turn though. Gordon you sound like a bitter old man. You called yourself an A--Hole. I am not at all sure you typed those letters quite big enough. Boo...thanks for the post and we both know that Jeff doesn't need you or I or anyone else to defend his good name but I also know that not only does Jeff appreciate you but we all do. And by the way I am looking forward to meeting Mark in MTN City.....can he keep up with us during and after the music?????(hehe)

Ray Walker

Well said, Ray!

I can't believe I'm gonna chime in here..
All of the teaching aids for Pedal Steel guitar in my opinion teach you how to aquaint yourself with playing music on the Pedal Steel, They do not teach you how to play good music. Try picking up one of those learn piano at home books. After all ,it's just a bunch of black and white keys, how hard could it be? All race cars go a couple of hundred miles an hour. Some drivers could win a race in any car, some drivers may not be able to win a race ever regardless of the car they drive. I attended a Jeff Newman seminar back in the 70's, it set me straight with applying what I already knew on guitar to the Steel. Unfortunately for our Instrument there are way to many required playing elements which must be conquered before you can play any music at all. I do think that one of the biggest mistakes many of the entry level players make is that they acquire too much learning material and jump around from one to the other without actually completing one. We buy tab of a song we heard and like and have a high expectation that we can actually play it and sound good. Well, maybe, maybe not. Remember what the old man in NYC said to the young kid when he asked " How do you get to Carnigie Hall"..
Practice..Practice..Practice ! My limited advise to those that are having difficulty with any element of Steel or any other Instrument is, don't move on to the next step until you have conquered the step you are at right now. Jeff Newman , at least in my experience, has been extremely generous in conversation and assistance, and he plays great too! I doubt that he wants a society of Jeff Newman clones. This is such a great Instrument it's clear why the desire to sound like Buddy or Jeff, etc.. is so strong.IF one is having trouble, a good place to go is back to the beginning and work hard the area's where the issues are.
just my thoughts
tp