The Steel Guitar Forum

After a solo I took on a recording session, the producer hit the talk-back button and told me "that was a great freakin' solo. Totally great, man. Let's cut it just once more, this time with just a wee bit more attention paid to note choice, intonation, timing, picking technique, and ... oh yeah... soul."

Jeff Newman told me once not to move to Nashville. He said family was more important and it was hard out here. He was right. Its not easy and my marriage didnt last but boy i've done and seen stuff i'd never got to experience if i hadnt have come out here. It came with a price. But thats another story LOL

Best advice i ever got was from a great non pedal steel player Chuck Caldwell who was very advanced.He played with a straight pick and his finger nails.
I was getting away from fiddle and learning steel.Chuck showed me how to do some great stuff and told me to learn the neck so i would know what a string (note)was going to sound like before i picked it.That helped me more than anything.Tracy

"Did you ever think about collecting stamps"?

Joe Alterio wrote:Best advice I have gotten was from Terry Wendt.

1) Sit straight up when you play. It will change your entire approach to your playing, and add confidence to your playing.

2) Feel the note when adding vibrato.....place the bar right over the center of the note and feel it.

He had me palm blocking like a pro in about an hour, too. He used to teach at Jeff's college....really knows his stuff.

Joe,

You were lucky to have met up with Terry, that is the best example I have read here.

Over the years I have made a study of the way players address the steel. With some players you can tell something really special is about to happen by the way they approach the instrument.

Excellent tone bar advice also, thanks for sharing.

One advice i got when i began wich is absolutelly right is "when you think youre good enough,.. then you should quit"
and thats a fact

I was told to learn the phrase "would you like fries with your order......"

"Now that you have learned how to play, learn when not to play"


Jeff Newman circa 1975 or so

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Gary Carpenter - Learn to play scales first. I've shown you this 100 times, Why can't you get it....


Corky Owens - Practice, Practice, Practice buy a TASCAM guitar trainer and slow it down.

The first band I ever played with (including each member) after many gigs and about a month and a half of playing in their band - You finally get to plug your steel into your amp....another month passes then we will plug it in....

my uncle an ol be bop tenor fwapper once told me :
- it's not what you play, it's what you don't play
- if you can't say it w: 4 notes, you won't say it with 40 either

he was known to have a whistle & blow it & he'd call out " Music Police !"
Richard Grando , God rest his soul

Play EVER note as if it was the LAST note you were ever going to play.

A PP will change the way you play and think.

Less is more.

Larry Behm

Chester F. Carlson once told me...

You'll never accomplish anything if all you do is copy what someone else has done.

The best advice I was ever given and it still holds true for me..........

"GET and KEEP your day job".............

Bobbe Seymour told me to "Get out there and make some money"

Putting the generic, straight info given by Jeff Newman at his seminars aside, I've never been told anything by my hero's, to this date. I really feel left out! I feel like an orphan! All you guys, at least, have something to say or add. Geez, I must have been invisible or asleep.

Late in his career, Bob Hope was asked what the most important lesson learned in all those years of Show Biz. He replied, "Never leave your wallet backstage."

From Jerry Brightman: "Don't turn your back on my dog."

Best Advice?

Take two weeks off....Then QUIT!

R2