Steel Guitar's Fool's Errand

Ed Altrichter · Post by **Ed Altrichter** » 29 Jan 2007 4:49 pm

Ok. "One step at a time", then. Better ?

C. Christofferson · Post by **C. Christofferson** » 29 Jan 2007 5:03 pm

'Train Your Mind Change Your Brain' from Charles C's post reminded me of something a friend said to me when i told him i had taken up learning steel. 'Thats a good thing' he said 'Learning a new instrument helps to ward off alzhiemers'. Being a professor of music his whole life, i'd consider him to be a reliable source.

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Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 30 Jan 2007 2:48 am

I'm having difficulty trying to determine just how lengthy subject matter should be delved into; for the sake of responses. Responses create new ideas that may help the imagination to drift away from the usual train of thoughts. I base the theoretical statement on its connection with a detachment from standardizations. In the past week I've been able to concentrate on the 2nd string of the 9th tuning on the steel guitar. I think I've read that Buddy Emmons had much, or all to do with that standard note placement. All well, and good, but not to be trifled with while searching for those rare blends of harmonic differences. I've found that by going to that 2nd string "well", and "tapping" strands of its potentialities, a new trail of possibilities start to emerge. Now I'm off and running with something fresh and new, that is mainly attributed to a veering away from rigid standardizations.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 31 Jan 2007 7:57 am

I don't see how chasing a dream, or trying to be the best you can be, is a "fool's errand"....

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 31 Jan 2007 8:42 am

Drew H.,

As you may know, we all chase dreams, and more often than not, dreams "chase" us. Millions of dreams of the present and past times, remain as such.. just dreams. A "Fool's Errand" is the consequence of reaching for the stars.. so to speak. The steel guitar happens to be one of those twinkling attractions, that provides a "proving" ground for those most suited to its many complexities. Sort of like
Cinderella's Slipper, or Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur concept.

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 31 Jan 2007 11:23 am

I'm 54. I dabble in open E lap steel and have played Dobro, but I'm way better on guitar or mandolin. I just got back from Hawaii, saw some great steel players and was all fired up. I tuned my National to low bass A, got out an old M.M. Cole Hawaiian Guitar book from the '40's and decided to learn a few tunes. Geeze, do I suck! But at least I know what I need to work on. Give up? Ha! I'll never master this plank with strings, but if I can coax a few pleasing sounds out of it, I'll be happy. It's an on going process. There's always something you can improve upon. Enjoy it all, the frustration, the out of tune slants, the bad timing. We all go through it. I guess it's paying your dues.

And remember, at some point even the "masters" looked at their instrument and thought to themselves, "How the heck do I tune this thing?"

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 31 Jan 2007 2:54 pm

Paul H..

Thanks for warming me up by giving an account of your trip to Hawaii. We haven't had enough snow here in Western Massachusetts, to cover a crow's toe. Now that January is past, longer daylight hours have inspired me to practice more. It appears as though from what you've written, that your practice sessions are going full swing. Have you tried playing a pedal steel? If so, how do you rate them in comparison with the "straight" steel method?

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 1 Feb 2007 11:42 am

No pedal steel for me. I used to play with forum member Rich Sinkler back in the '70's. I saw all the time and energy he spent sitting with country records and learning licks. To me pedal steel is like violin. You have to totally devote yourself to it and stick with it. I think starting young would help, too, but if you can make the time for it, it's not so much an issue. There are some guys who play PSG and other instruments, but I don't think I could if I wanted to play as well as I'd want to.

I play six string lap steel, though I'm looking for a D-8. I'm sure that if I wanted to really do justice to Hawaiian music, it would be the same level of focus and determination as PSG, but I'm just trying to get good enough to add to the bands I play with and have some fun.

I think it boils down to passion. Do you love the instrument? Will you make time for it in your life. Is the reward of playing well worth the time and effort it takes to get there? I think it's the same as many things in life. If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way to do it.

BTW, I got the steel back out yesterday but not the tune book, and I sounded better and learned more then when I was trying to learn specific tunes. I think I'll work on technique for a while and then return to the book. Now how to I do slants and keep that middle string silent?

The Steel Guitar Forum

Steel Guitar's Fool's Errand

hmmmm...