The Steel Guitar Forum

Hey Richard, Ricky Davis gave me great advice one time. He said, "Don't worry about what you can't play, worry about what you CAN play, and perfect it, and then keep adding to it." Works for me.

Me, I'm the guy who makes EVERYONE ELSE look great at the jams!! At least I hold my position on the "foodchain of who's good" very well!! In my case, it helps to have unlimited guts and no shame!!

Like you Richard, I thought I was going no where with my lap steels:easy to build,damn hard to learn to play.Then two weeks ago at a local dance bar, I got off stage after a four song set,and a couple comes up to me and compliments me on my slide guitar playing and that they enjoyed my style.Very few of the musicians that get up and play at this "open mic/musician bar" are not way better than me.So I had to rethink what I am doing and that maybe I am not as bad as I thought.We are usually our own worse critic!!!!!!!!!

It's all about practice Richard.There is NO shortcut to becoming a good player.You can teach your hands to do anything-but it reqires repitition and patience.And never forget that no matter how good you think you are,there is always someone better.That thinking keeps one humble and striving to become better.I've heard well-seasoned players who sound pretty bad.And when you meet these individuals,they have an arrogance about them.That is one's greatest enemy.I speak from experience.I was fortunate enough early on to be rebuked about my arrogance by a pretty high profile singer.I was devastated at the the time,but after a time I was very thankful.You probably feel like shoving the steel under the bed as I did at the time.Change your attitude and go to work.I turned 68 a month ago,and that's scary.But every morning,I put in at least an hour working on stuff that I don't know.Good luck to you sir.

Richard, there are a lot of players out there who would love to be able to play as good as you, and i'm one of them .

Richard I just asumed you were among the elite. You've got the name and and a lot of good exposer.
I could play a lick that some would not think much of and you could play the same thing and they would say its great. When you get a rep you can do no wrong.
If you get the rep as an early riser you can sleep till noon. Richard you shouldn't have said anything. Now your going to have to start getting up early.

Can it be that this is more about "delivery"?

Simple example: everyone knows what chiming is, but how many of us can do it every time on time. For me, it has always been pretty much a dice roll.

Knowing how to play the guitar is one thing, but "delivering," either via Youtube, night club, or in the studio, can be quite something else.

Richard,
I feel the same way, and it's a little depressing. One of the bands I play with has just released a CD, and about half of my playing makes me cringe, the playing is generic and trite, and the intonation is bad. I did my over-dubs, and the producer and everyone thought they sounded great. Everyone seems happy, but I can hear the bad intonation and the weak ideas. I would be mortified to have this group hear it, but the people who hear it think, or at least say, that it's great. The sad part is that I know I could have done better, and that I didn't do my best, or if it truly is my best, it's far from good enough, and what ever---it is what it is. I would really like this CD to do well, as I think the band is great and the songs are very good, but I suspect that if a label were to pick it up and a producer with a professional standard were to produce it, I'm sure someone else will be hired to play the steel parts. And it ain't 'cuase I don't try. You are much better than me, BTW.

Richard, I have learned a lot from many you tube vids .....yours included, I wish I knew what you know in fact I was wondering where in the UK you live I could do with a few lessons.
Keep posting its great to see all the UK players.

I've been going through my out-takes, and found some passable tunes, (warts and all) which I have uploaded to YouTube.

My user name is "steelie1955"

I have seen your videos Richard and you play just fine!! Listen to what all the other guys are saying! Don't give up and fade away. You enjoy steel guitar as much as we all do, so get back in the saddle and keep doing what you are doing!!!

Hey Richard,

Cheer up man! I like what you play and have your CD "moments notice" too. You are doing great!
Please put some C6 on YouTube also!

Ad

If everyone quit playing because someone else was better this forum would only have one member Theres just something about your playing people like. Loads of personality.
Matt

Hi Richard,
I am a subscriber to your youtube clips.
I think you are awesome. If/when I ever get this homebuilt playable and and IF I ever get as good as you, I'll be playing on youtube also.
Good job man, and do keep it up.

best regards,
Bent

I'm terrible too; please cheer me up! For goodness sakes Richard, get back to practice so you can get where you want to be. Heck, I wish I was in St. Louis, but I'm not. Maybe I'll be there again next year. Just pickin' (no pund intended) at you).