The Steel Guitar Forum

...Jim, I'm sometimes disposed to be opposed, but not this time...the evolution of the opposable thumb is what led to speed picking's domination by primates...but it also made Bobbe Seymour the Darling of Darwinism that he is today...I give Bobbe two thumbs up...

(up what?)

I can play most waltzes in 4/4. Does this qualify me as a speed picker?

Rick

..10-4..

Don't forget Weldon!

Check out this cool intro from 1980 Weldon did on the Hemphill album entitled, "Workin'"

frankestesmba.com/Weldon1980.MP3

How do you like that?

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Frank Estes

Mike, You are soooo right. See you in Tulsa, Jody.

I think Carl Dixon nailed it.Scott Murray I must respectfully disagree.Paul Franklin sounds nothing like Buddy Emmons.I love them both.But Pauls attack, phrasing, etc, is nothing like Buddy Emmons.They both have there own styles.
Tommys playing still shows a lot of Emmons influence(Fast and slow playing)I hear a lot of Lloyd Green influnce in Tommy's slow things.However he manages to constantly pull things out of the bag that no one else plays. Tommy is one of my favorite players in world.

As for fast playing.I love it if it's done right.I don't care for fast cheap licks.But the guys that play fast with (power) and real meat to there playing still knock me out.What first attracked me to the steel guitar was Buddy Emmons playing Red Wing and Country Boy Bounce.Around 1955.These sessions where done 10 years before I was born.But the playing is still great by todays standards.To my ears speed without power is just mush. --bb <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bobby Boggs on 29 April 2002 at 11:24 PM.]</p></FONT>

And Bobby, son, you are Mr. Lightning! Tearin' it up! And Charles said to tell you hello.
I've been through this speed thing before. Any musician(as opposed to player!)should have enough technique to play the song, whether it's a dirge, or a breakdown. I'm a bluegrass guitarist, just starting on steel,so I've had my share of speedy moments. I like Mr. Seymour's comments about being able to play fast, and then not doing it!
Nobody ever told Miles Davis to play more notes, or Oscar Peterson to slow down! I think there's a lesson in there, somewhere.
Just an amateur talkin'.

I love speed, but not for just for speed's sake. Speed should allow you to express your feelings.

The best way to determine the fastest picker is to do head to head, as the results might be very surprising. I had a head to head with R. Randolph about three years ago to settle once in for all who was faster between us. Single string, mutiple string, skipping strings, two finger & three finger picking. Robert won the 2 & 3 fingerpicking hands down. I've also done head to heads with Dan Tyack & Chris Templeton. They won crossovers & skips. I check out Bobbe almost every year & I'm ready to challenge him on mutiple chord/bass/melody. I don't have a lot a confidence I'll be close, but I'm ready for a match. BTW I've been practicing & I'm ready for re-matches.

Finally I've found speed picking to be more technique & illusion. The fun of comparing is finding the secrets of the fastest pickers.

Ah Mr Campbell.Gotta love a man who likes to lock horns. Back in the old days country pickers used to do it a lot.Now days it's not politically correct.I miss the old days. --bb

And now, something completely different:

"When it's cotton pickin' time in Texas
It's booger pickin' time for Ben.
He'd raise that finger, mean and hostile
Stick it in that waitin' nostril.
Here he comes with a green 'un once again.

(chorus)
Old Ben Lucas had a lotta mucus
Comin' right outta his nose
He'd pick an' pick till it made you sick
And back again it goes."

(lyric by Kinky Friedman)



Keep on fast pickin'!
Glenn


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Glenn Suchan on 30 April 2002 at 08:36 AM.]</p></FONT>

Ok I've got mail.Let me say first of all that I love great slow playing as much as the next guy.But I don't like to go to a show and hear a guy play one slow tune after another.I like it when they mix it up.Guys like Buddy,Paul,and Tommy just to name a few.All mix it up.They also play tunes other than just country.They do this because they can.That's what makes them (Super) pickers.

To me it takes just as much heart and soul to play good fast riffs as it does slow.We keep talking about expanding the PSG to other fields of music.How ya gone play jazz with out speed.How about Classical? It takes killer speed and discipline to play a lot of the movements even in some of the slower tunes.I like what Mr. Campbell said about using speed to express yourself.I try to do this.

Finally I wish I could play fast like Buddy did with Danny Gatton.Then not do it. Yeah Right!

OK, I confess, I'm green with envy, and if I could, I would. (But I'd stop every now and then, maybe just for a sip of water...)

Back in the mid 70's I was out at Scotty's and he ran me off A copy of Doug Playing Black Moutain Rag he said that Doug had played it there in the store it is sa fast as it gets Doug sais that it was as fast as he ever played it and said he has never been able to play it that fast and clean again.. if you all want to pay postage and e-mail your Address to me I will send you all a copy. Jack

I'll have to admit to bein' pretty much of a "slug", I guess... but if I COULD do it, then BY GOD I would do it!!! 'cuse me whilst I crawls offen to the corner... Jimmie

<SMALL>How ya gone play jazz with out speed</SMALL>

You can't. At least, you can't in front of real jazz musicians (pianists, guitarists, horns). This whole thread is preposterous. what a waste of cyberspace. But that's just MHO.

I agree with Bobbe Seymour. I think a player should be equally talented in all aspects. Not just speed. Tone, touch, cleanliness, attach etc. Most of my favorite players are known for something other than speed. I mentioned Herby's speed and cleanliness because that was the topic. But I love alot of other things about him. His tastfulness would come first, and cleanliness. And absolutely his slow vibrato on e9th. I also consider him a Rolls Royce. That's what I look for in a steel player. When they have equal talent in all aspects of the steel. But speed is a great bonus.

I don't know, I think this is a relevant thread. The main point of making music is to put forth something with heart & feeling. But deep down, I think most of us weekend warrior types would like to be able to play FAST when necessary. Part of the "feeling" of a song like Donna Lee, Orange Blossom, or Cherokee is the exhilaration of speed. In some ways it seems to separate the men from the boys.

Now, of course that doesn't mean that a person should always play fast just because they can. For example, Danny Gatton played too many notes for me, and his approach to a ballad was the same as his approach to a breakneck rocker -- 64th notes all the way.

A good example of the way I like to hear speed used is Tommy White's Ed video.Not the teaching part.Even though he teaches some great licks.But the song he plays at the beginning and end.It's a slow tune.But I love the way he colors it with fast riffs.------bb

About speed and playing great ballads:
Let's not forget Billy Phelps!
JJ<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 01 May 2002 at 09:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

As Matt Dillon would say, "It is not the fastest gun that wins but the one that shoots the straightest".

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kd...and the beat goes on...

Wow Kenny, I love that! You didn't say a lot of words, but you said a lot of good meaning! (Just like a steel player should play!)

Your old friend, Bobbe

Hi Bobbe. Keep up the good work.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

<SMALL>It is not the fastest gun that wins but the one that shoots the straightest"</SMALL>

Uh, well it depends. The fastest gun may not shoot the straightest, but if he hits any part of his targat, then he most likely will win. I understand the philosophical underpinnings to this quote, but it really does't make the point if you take it literally.

Depends of your point of View...

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kd...and the beat goes on...