The Steel Guitar Forum

That is the guitar he has in the for sale section, I believe. I hope it wasn't his only guitar and he is not going to continue to learn.

I'm a fairly new pedal steel player myself, and very often find myself just as frustrated. Something I've recently started doing is when I get to the point where I'm ready to convert the instrument into a coffee table, is simply taking a break. Whether it be ten minutes, an hour, or even a day or longer, I come back when I'm no longer frustrated, and progress seems to come easier. I'm not sure if this is a even good idea, but it sure seems to help me, so maybe it can help someone else as well!

Like watering a plant - let it soak in before you give it any more...

John Prather wrote:
Pedal Steel was developed around a sound music theory approach and without it, the instrument can be rather daunting.

Here's HELP. University of Edinburgh in Scotland offers a 6 week music theory course FREE ON LINE with Coursera. It starts on MONDAY August 3. I RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY. Helps if you have a keyboard available but it's not required. Takes about 1 to 3 hours a week. The course and quizzes aren't hard, the FINAL is EXCRUCIATING. But then you're not doing it for credit.

DO IT NOW.. They only offer this course 2 or 3 times a year. As a plus, you'll also learn the difference between a Quaver and a Crotchet. Those hemi, semi, demi quavers are a hoot.

https://www.coursera.org/course/musictheory

John - thanks for the heads up on this course. I'm hitting that 2 year wall like Chris and have felt from the beginning that a having a better understanding of some basic music theory would be a huge benefit to my development on the PSG. Though I've stumbled around looking at all that the 'net has to offer; having a bit more structure to my instruction helps my brain.

I heard Paul Franklin Jr say today that probably nobody truly knows the steel fully and he is a great player. He was playing for Vince Gill on Larry Country Diner. Keep on playing and enjoy the madness. Bob Moore

One of my big turning points was when I finally got my guitar tuned properly. Played knowingly out of tune for the first ten years.You couldn't pry my Peterson Stroboplus hd out of my cold dead hands. All those charts and trying to convert cents to where the needle was....ARRRGH! Just get one and learn it. Best money you will ever spend.

All the good stuff has been said and I'd be hard pressed to add anything more. I want to say that your guitar is one beautiful guitar, I have looked at your for sale pictures a dozen times a day, no kidding. Secondly, I hope you decide not to sell it and just keep at it. Like you said, just having it in the room to look at is inspiring. I am 74 now and enjoying my pedal steel....NOW!!!. I first started in 1978 on a Bob DeVous S-10 3 x 4 built in Billings Montana. I brought that baby home, and knew absolutely nothing about it except that I could do rolls real well, so I'd do rolls and raise and lower the A&B pedals. First thing out of the box I messed with the tuning and thoroughly had it all fowled up. Took me two weeks to figure it out. Then I bought Winnie Winston's book which helped me get it back in tune. I also bought Scotty Dewitts E9th anthology book and taught myself. Out here in the wilds of Montana I could never find anyone who had the time or patience to lend me a hand. Hardly anybody ever seen one of these weird looking guitars. Well I floundered around, eventually found Tom Bradshaw and also we talked Scotty into a 2 day seminar years ago in Great falls Montana. 600 mile round trip for me but worth it. Finally in about 89 to 92 somewhere in there I bravely played in church, absolutely scared nervous. Then frustrated, I didn't play for ages again. 3 years ago, I made a deal with myself to play everyday period, no more excuses. I played my lap steel, and almost gave up entirely on pedal steel. I took lap steel lessons in 1946-8 from an Oahu teacher so I moved back into it and after a few months I was having fun with it. The internet meantime opened up a whole world of steel guitar for me. Last year I traded off my old S-10 to Loren Bayles and then the same week he passed away I bought his Fessenden SD-10 and promised him I would carry on. I tried for a bit and was so frustrated and disappointed, it seemed I couldn't even get back to where I was 10 or 12 years ago. So there it sat staring(glaring) at me for months. Three months ago I made a simple change. I put my fender T-8 console in front of the piano bench and moved the Fessy in front of my steel seat. And suddenly, I could play. And now, Lord willing, I am playing for church next Sunday after a long frustrating 12 year absence. Why could I suddenly play?? I'm not sure. I got off of the piano bench and used proper seating. I have played every single day for 3 years now, I found Erv Niehaus's E9th music tabs to be perfect for me. I am forever thankful for the SGF site. And Doug Beaumeier's books are wonderful and gave me the big push, enjoyment and satifaction I needed to continue. I mention these two only because that is what I bought. There are so many good teachers and books available today. Something else that has helped me, is to find a couple songs I really like that aren't so darn difficult to master, and really learn them. When I have a bad "bald"day, I can play those songs and be okay. Also I have some songs I have dedicated to loved ones and friends that I play. This makes me play. I am really enjoying playing now. Just to get the monster weekend coming up under my belt will do a lot of good. And there isn't another soul in church that knows how to play this wonderful instrument so, hey I can and will!!! And through all this I have had my life extended 12 years so far after surviving a huge hit from cancer. Whatever time I have left also, I just hope God will be pleased with my efforts to bring praise to him in music and guide me along in my playing. To him I owe everything.
Keep at it Chris. Like some of our other friends on here have said, if I can do this, then you can too, no problem.
Dick

I hope this isn't considered gauche commercialization of this thread, but in response to the many pleas for help on this thread, here goes:

I'm John McClung (aka Professor Twang) in Olympia, WA, and I teach E9 private lessons in order to help newer players like many of you active in this thread to shortcut the process of getting somewhere, and do it faster, more logically, and with better understanding of the E9 neck and all aspects of making music on it.

I've carefully thought through the E9 learning process, and written a curriculum I guarantee will help you become a better player.

My stated goal is "to take you from where you are, to where you want or need to be." That often includes some customization of my planned curriculum to suit your personal goals and needs.

I can observe and, when necessary, straighten out your technique problems and questions, which no book or YouTube video can possibly help you with.

I've been teaching for over 21 years (playing over 40 years), with hundreds of satisfied students, many who are now playing professionally and doing well. I give you a strong foundation so that in the near future you can teach yourself most things you want to play, and no longer rely on me or laborious tablature-reading.

I teach mainly via Skype, which is very effective and so much easier than live in-studio lessons. I have students around the globe and U.S.

I hope you'll contact me for a series of lessons to get you up and running. Please write and include your normal email address so I can send you a big PDF all about my curriculum. It also includes how to get set up for Skype video learning, and a full page of recent student testimonials.

My credits include playing and thriving in Los Angeles for 25 years; gigs with Freddy Fender, Connie Stevens, and others; working on the soundtrack of the 2012 film "Man of Steel" under the direction of Hans Zimmer; and I was Art Director for Tom Bradshaw's "Steel Guitarist Magazine" in the early 1980's.

Wishing you all a happy and productive music career!

John McClung
Pedal Steel Lessons, Casuals, Sessions
Olympia, WA 98512
Email & PayPal fees – steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
Website – http://steelguitarlessons.com
Skype name: professortwang
Cell & text: 310-480-0717

I've known John for a lot of years. I can recommend him.

i understand the joking nature of this thread, but remember this is all supposed to be fun. if you aint enjoyin the ride, rethink the adventure.

I've been playing for years and never caught this until Lane wrote it here so thanks, Lane:

To make F#dim, take F major, raise the root. Like most versions of Caravan feature the rhythm section going between A7 and A#dim7 How simple is that?

One, hopefully, is always learning and as Jason just said, it's the joy of the trip that should matter.

Mr. McClung can help you save time and definitely make that journey more enjoyable, Chris. stevet

There's an old phrase and a joke that more or less says, "relax, we don't have a chance." Translated, "we're all bozos on this bus."
You have passion. Enjoy your life with the steel guitar and you will succeed.
- Kevin Gallagher

William Gallagher wrote: "we're all bozos on this bus."

I love it.

Jerry Garcia said something about 'enjoying the ride.'

Chris Linck wrote:The thing that keeps me sitting down at the guitar is the hope that sometime, someday a light will come on and I will "get it".

For some of us, the learning process might be compared to making popcorn. You start out, keep plugging away, practicing, and it seems like nothing happens for a long time. Then one day there is one brief "pop!" where some note or lick falls into place, and you say "Hey - what was that I just heard?"

After a while there is another pop, and if you keep working hard enough and long enough, those "pops" start coming faster and closer together. There can never be enough of them, fast enough, close enough together, to satisfy you, but as the aroma of popcorn or the sound of the steel starts to come forth, it reinforces your determination to wait it out and enjoy the rewards.

Sorry if that sounds.......dare I say...corny?

Now that's corny Don!!! And I like it.

That's a short and sw...salty comparison. And it is true. lol:

Lane Gray wrote:To make F#dim, take F major, raise the root.
Like most versions of Caravan feature the rhythm section going between A7 and A#dim7

Or to get F#dim you can take F#minor and lower the 5th

I started with Hawaiian (steel) guitar in 1946. The guitar was Rickenbacker with its tiny 4-watt amplifier. My mother bought the guitar from a man who was about to drafted into the US Army as a favor for him and a request for me. I certainly didn't know anything about what was coming but I was fascinated with the steel guitar sound. Fortunately, I had some musical instruction and I could read music. The guitar came with a pile of Rudy Smeck sheet music. I tried to make some sense of the music and accompanying chord chart system but it evaded me. My mother stated later that she was preparing to resell the instrument if she didn't hear something that resembled a song. Eventually I put the musical knowledge and the physical coordination together sufficiently to play a tune. All of this previous unnecessary story is to demonstrate that if you can't play a tune without the PEDALS, it will be a very long time until you learn to play with them.

Sit at the guitar and forge the pedals!!!!! Then, learn to play a chorded scale in the key C. I know that there will any number of deprecating replies to my post so use my advice with extreme caution.

After a successful chorded C scale, try a pedal with each of the C scale positions to understand how any one pedal affects a fret position.

All the best regards and I hope you don't concede defeat.