The Steel Guitar Forum

I played pedal steel in public for the first time last night. It was at a monthly mostly-acoustic jam that I frequent. I've been playing lap steel there for the last couple of years and it's really helped my playing. Everyone there was VERY pleased and supportive of my efforts, even though I basically sucked (at least compared to my decent chops on lap steel). And a pretty girl kissed me on the cheek after a solo.

Does anyone else play pedal steel in unplugged or acoustic contexts?

Not acoustic but have played recently with a "blues" band a couple of times.

Chug a little Mallox and carry on I say...

The main band I play PSG with is all acoustic (except for the bass) - www.gamblingthemuse.com

They're also the first band I played steel with. One of the band members plays dobro and mandolin, but there's still space for the steel, considering the style of music. They seem to really like it when I kick in the delay pedal. Hopefully they'll record again soon so I can get some PSG studio time under my belt.

Congrats on the first gig!

And a pretty girl kissed me on the cheek after a solo.

triple thumbs up!

This could probably run a whole thread on first night jitters and with any luck, it just might.

I was scared absolutely chitless when I took my first gig. I knew only basic chords and as Jeff Newman would say, the best I could do was pad behind the singer and "noodle". As it turned out, the only one that knew I was horrible was me. Because I paid attention to the less is more concept, everyone thought I played the "sweetest steel".

The only part that gave me a problem was when some fool requested Rock Around The Clock (of all things). I had never played that song before or since. When it came time for the break, the singer hollered "take it away RC". That was an experience I'll never forget. but I by gawd somehow manaaged to muddle my way through it.

rc

Heh. Luckily, this wasn't a "gig", just a jam! Still had one of those moments, though... one of the regulars has been asking me to play on an album of his originals, something I'm looking forward to doing. But when we played one of his songs, and he said "Take it away, Dave!"... well, the song has a LOT of changes, at a breakneck tempo, and I'd been floundering to comp along, much less solo! On a regular guitar, or lap steel, I'd have been fine, probably done something really nice with the moving bassline in the C-Em-Am-G-F sequences, but on PSG? Nope, I'm lost.

Dave,
Welcome to the club! I got my first PSG a few years back. After a couple of weeks, a very dear friend/bandmate told me:

"okay wus, you aint gonna learn that thing till you get it outta the basement and on the bandstand"

I carried it out that next Friday, sucked of course, but have never looked back. Best learning experience that I've had in years!

Two of my current bands are an acoustic duo and sometimes a trio. I play half the night with Dobro and the other half with PSG. I freelance and also have two other PSG only bands I play with.

Even though I've been playing out for thirty five years I still get the jitters once in a while. By the way, that's a damn good ration 1 gig/1 kiss. Normally we steel players miss most of the filandering. I have a theory - we appear boring sitting down at our instruments. (I've got more kisses standing with the Dobro)

I sometimes play pedal steel and Dobro in acoustic jams. This can actually be more difficult than the paid gigs I have with a band. The bands rehearse, and I have a chance to learn the chord progressions, and maybe even work up some solo leads and fills. So when we play before an audience, I more or less know what I'm doing. But in the jams the other players call out one unfamiliar song after another, frequently in genres that don't normally have a steel. And they slide their capo up to F# or Ab. It can be very tough going, and very embarassing when they toss you a solo.

I play pedal steel on acoustic duo/trio gigs fairly often, as well as bluegrass jams sometimes. When they get the breakdowns up to speed, the bluegrassers often kick my a$$. But it's good to have it handed to me sometimes.

These guys just love the steel, so I just keep doing them - no whining about the electricity. But I keep it real controlled in the volume department. Of course, I bring my b@njo and guitar too. But honestly, there are usually a bunch of b@njo and guitar players, so I mostly play steel.

You know, just because the b@njos are 16th and 32nd noting everything doesn't mean the steel should necessarily do that.

Dave, congratulations! The first one is always the most difficult. And I too have been playing professionally for 35 years (hi Jim!) and still can get a little anxious especially when the band goes into an fast two beat kinda thing. And I do still remember that first gig really well. The third night playing was backing Joe and Rose Lee Maphis...talk about feeling way off the pace! Joe probably could have played it better than I did but he was so kind. Said if I were ever out his way to come over for a pot of beans and some coffee.

I do play with a couple of singer songwriters in acoustic envionments, in fact sometimes it's just a duo (ala Red Rhodes and Michael Nesmith). I really enjoy adding subtle pads and playing quietly as a change of pace to the other gigs I do.

Now what you need to do is get out there and play with others as often as you can. Make the mistakes, find your way around the neck, and enjoy playing.

I have played Bluegrass Dobro for about 35 years. Haven't played electric music I was 16 Years old.
Played a lot of bluegrass on stage. Quit playing in public for the last 10 years or so. And just didn't have time to play much. I retired and move here last year. Got my Gibson lap steel out that I had bought about 15 years ago and never played it. Put new strings on it ,tuned to open G and headed for the blues jam at a local club. They have a sign up board and I got to play with one of the best in the area. I told him when we got on stage that I had just moved here from Ohio and that he might have to carry me. Oh my!! Did I scare him. and myself. "Stormy Monday"!!!! Oh my. I had not played that in 40 years. Then "Boom, Boom, Boom". Heard it but never played it.. I don't know what the third song was, but somehow I pulled it off. By the end of the set I was drinched in sweat. and thought I would not be able to get up I was shaking so bad. Rick, the guitar player come over to me and said, " Man, what do you mean carry you? I had trouble keepin up, What's your name?"" I had made a friend. But boy was I shaking.
Dave<<<
Keep on Jammin

Well, Dave...The main thing is you got thru it !! LOL
I think we should remind ourselves that WE are our worse critic !!!The audience is no where near as hard to please as we are....We are harder on ourself that most musicians who are playing with us...
I read one that Buddy Emmons once said...."If you hit a BIG CLUNKER"...raise your volume and hit it again...everyone will think it is jazz !! LOL
Moon

David Doggett wrote:I sometimes play pedal steel and Dobro in acoustic jams. This can actually be more difficult than the paid gigs I have with a band. The bands rehearse, and I have a chance to learn the chord progressions, and maybe even work up some solo leads and fills. So when we play before an audience, I more or less know what I'm doing. But in the jams the other players call out one unfamiliar song after another, frequently in genres that don't normally have a steel. And they slide their capo up to F# or Ab. It can be very tough going, and very embarassing when they toss you a solo.

Yeah, that's why jams are my favorite "classroom". I have NO IDEA what's going to be thrown at me next! And the jam I frequent usually has bass, sometimes drummers... heck, we had a trumpet player on sunday (a really good one!). It was interesting, playing harmony chords for a trumpet. Worked better than you'd think.

I only play steel when I'm supporting an acoustic player. At best we have a drummer, otherwise nothing else. And never managed the pretty girl kissing bit.

My first night jitters came a while back, sitting down mid song to play half of "Tulsa Time" on pedals...I look back now and, no matter what clunkers I hit these days, KNOW that it's better than then.

And OOOooo, I've been trying to get a trumpet player to come play harmonies with me for months now.

Congratulations on everything!!

A

It was at a monthly mostly-acoustic jam that I frequent. I've been playing lap steel there for the last couple of years and it's really helped my playing. Everyone there was VERY pleased and supportive of my efforts, even though I basically sucked (at least compared to my decent chops on lap steel). And a pretty girl kissed me on the cheek after a solo.

All very well and nice, but what about the girl!