The Steel Guitar Forum

Yes, since what I heard sounded good (didn't make me cringe) I'd say it's just about as good as it gets.

My suggestion would be that quite possibly the studio's playback that you were hearing was at fault.

I've come to know that even digital technology, is still, prone to failure, as is anything else made.

I'd be interested in hearing a portion of what this latest you were involved with actually did sound like. I think then, we'd all be able to better help you sort out what it was you were hearing.

If you are talking about this recording, I'd simply say to keep on playing out of tune then.

I would try leaning a little sharper. Try listening to the overall tonal center of the track rather that adjusting your pitch to any particular instrument. Also I only use fresh strings for recording pedalsteel. I recently have been fighting old intonation battles again because I switched to a console steel and am playing different music than I am used to. I'm sure you can hear well enough. Its more a matter of learning what to focus on. You might try playing slowly along to drones for practice without vibrato or reverb. Your guitar sounds in tune with itself and your playing sounds great. I could just hear a little of a leaning low towards the sweet spot that might not always work depending on your place in the tonal spectrum.

I`m sorry I haven`t replied earlier, but I`ve been on the train 16 hours going to Northern Norway. Here we have down to minus 35 centigrades, so frozen water pipes and lots of snow to shovel have kept me busy.
Georg, - I used both loudspeakers and headphones, but with the same result, and I think I was rested and had not been exposed to loud music or noise before going to the studio.
Don, - I`m afraid this cd is not released yet, and I only got to hear these tracks in the studio, I don`t have them. However, I could get hold of a copy when it gets released in March and send you.
Bob, thanks for constructive comments as to "going north," - and of course changing strings. Also, what you write about concentrating on the total soundscape rather than on one instrument, is worth a try.

Overall, I thank you all for being so helpful and constructive in your remarks.
I`ll try to be more diligent in changing strings, and I`ll experiment together with a band and see how the "pitch and tuning project" goes.

We have our Norwegian Steel Convention in February up in Hattfjelldal, and then our professional players will be present. It will be very interesting to hear about their studio experiences and tricks of the trade. Should I pick up some "revolutionary" tricks, I`ll post them here.

This may relate, or it might not,,,,,,, I have worked with many singers in the studio, and I have noticed that some of them, not all certainly, but some,,, if they hear themselves too loud in their earphones, tend to sing slightly flat. I wonder,,,,,

John, interesting observation. I know this band uses in ear monitoring.
However, in this case, I compared the steel to the other instruments, - keyboard, guitar, bass - and here I was either flat or sharp.
I tend to go for the "old strings theory" more and more.

When I tune my (E) to (F) KL, I put it in tune with only my [A]-Pedal engaged. To get a good sounding chord on strings 3,4,5,6,8 & 10, because; my useage of (E) to (F) is mostly always with either [No]-pedal or [A]-pedal. If I'm using the change with [A] & pedals, I'll have to feel my way!

Same here

John and Jim.

One of the licks I attempted entailed just that: A pedal and F lever. So, with diminished cabinet drop - using only the A pedal when tuning - you can get this combination right?
Hm, another thing to try!
Thanks, guys.

Yes Steinar- once the F lever sounds in tune with the A pedal it measures on a tuner quite a bit flat so that, as others have said, when using that combination it is important to play the chord somewhat sharp of where you would play it normally.

The tuning thing confuses me. Is it to compensate for cabinet drop or something else?

I tune to a boss tuner dead center. Is that called "straight up"? is straight up the same as "440"?

Is it true that Buddy Emmons tunes "straight up"?
How bout Jaydee?

i guess I should just try it, the newman numbers or whatever it is. I was at an audtion a few months back and the singer said "ooh I like you! you are in tune!! so many steel players are not"
i still didnt get the job (which actually turned out to be a good thing)