Do you wonder why you do this?

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 23 Feb 2008 12:48 pm

You have a free weekend off and you think,what the heck,I think I'll go out and see a friend play tonight.

After a couple of sets you're ask to sit in and after a few minutes of telling yourself no,you head for the stage drawn by some unseen force.

It's like a scene from Twilight Zone where you can never die but keep reliving the same scene over and over. You sit down and fiddle with the pedals and levers to see what you're up against and as usual it's all backwards.

Suddenly you're jolted back to the present and the Band leaders telling you to kick off Green snakes on the ceiling and you wonder how you wound up on stage.

You wind up playing nowhere near your potential and frankly you sound like hammered crap and everyone pats you on the back saying what a great job you did and you walk away asking yourself if you know what you've just done.

In the last two months I've done it twice.

Please tell me I'm not alone.....Please

Jack Dougherty · Post by **Jack Dougherty** » 23 Feb 2008 1:01 pm

Dick.....

WOW!!!
Went into a cold sweat reading this.
Yes I have......Try to avoid it.
To not do this, get a gig so you don't suffer wearing someone else's shoes or pedals in the case.
Having somebody tell you what a great job you did is also another reason for not doing it.

JD

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 23 Feb 2008 1:17 pm

It's kinda like trying to ride something that ain't meant to be rode---like bulls for instance.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 23 Feb 2008 1:22 pm

Yeah but even Bull riders keep gettin back on James.

Roger Shackelton · Post by **Roger Shackelton** » 23 Feb 2008 1:28 pm

Dick, before leaving your house take a rubber mallet & whack the thumb on your right hand. Then wrap the thumb with about 20 wraps of gauze. This way you won't be tempted to play your friends guitar.

Roger

Bernie Gonyea · Post by **Bernie Gonyea** » 23 Feb 2008 1:34 pm

Dick; Don't feel alone; I'll bet nearly every steel player on the forum has had this happen at least once. I always felt very out of place, sitting behind someone else's Guitar; usually not tuned exactly as mine; sometimes the pedals are in reverse of my tuning; I never could use someone's picks; I have fat fingers; and to be truthful, I really didn't want another player messing up things on my guitar; especially in the middle of a set. Dick, I'm an old fuddy duddy, but love playing my own instrument. Most other steel pickers always respected me for that. and vice-versa. Best bet is to refuse to get up or stay home ..Bernie

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 23 Feb 2008 1:37 pm

Dick Wood wrote:Yeah but even Bull riders keep gettin back on James.

They ALSO wake up impersonating a yard dart, to!! HA!!

A bullrider is only a horse shoer that's been kicked in the head to many times.

I borrowed a steel from a buddy for a gig, since My steel was still in the building stages. Worked out great. Was a challenge since his was Day setup, and I play Emmons setup. I guess that's kinda like your scenario, Dick. I made it through that night, but I sure played my share of minors!!

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 23 Feb 2008 1:42 pm

Bernie,

Here's the really scarey part,when I sat down at his steel I had picks in my pocket.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 23 Feb 2008 1:45 pm

James,

My story is weird but yours is just insane...pull yourself together man!

John Drury · Post by **John Drury** » 23 Feb 2008 2:28 pm

To me that would make the 1,000 lbs. of p!$$ed off beef look like a kids ride!

Dale Hansen · Post by **Dale Hansen** » 23 Feb 2008 3:43 pm

When I first came to town, if invited, I would sit in on another fella's guitar. They always felt foreign, and never comfortable at all. I never felt like I played well either, but invariably, somebody that happened to be there would jot my number down, and actually did get a few calls that way.
I always envied, and marveled at the guys who could sit in with ease, on a strange guitar.
These days, I would fake an injury, or if neccesary, go out into the parking lot and produce a real one to avoid sitting in.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Feb 2008 5:38 pm

To me the worst nightmare is asking if you can play with the band, the pedal steel player asks you to come and do a number, and sits you down at his steel. At that stage you realise that his tuning is like nothing you've ever come across before, and his pedals and knee levers are set up to his own personal copedant which follows nothing you've ever encountered in the past. You end up keeping your feet off the pedals and playing on one or two strings, hoping no-one will notice, while the regular steel guitarist sits there in a state of amusement, knowing his job is secure.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 23 Feb 2008 5:41 pm

I should have read Bernie's reply before I wrote mine.

I guess great minds think alike.

Bill Mayville · Post by **Bill Mayville** » 24 Feb 2008 3:07 pm

I taught a fellow in Vegas for 5 months.Standard emmons tuning.He bought a new Mullen.Ran into him and he asked me to sit in. I always carry picks.I sat in and to my surprise.The pedals were different,X lever moved,F RKR , D lever RKL.
I played it but I was like 3 seconds behind.Those were Thinking seconds ,where I was and what to do.
Nothing was automatic.
Will just listen from now on.I always hear something new.
Bill

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 24 Feb 2008 3:40 pm

Bill,

Sounds like you got the Tee-Shirt just like me.

I'm not one who can walk in sit down play anothers guitar comfortably like my own but I don't suppose many players could walk in and play mine either.

I thought I'd throw a post out there and see how many have been there and done that swearing they would never do it again but know it's gonna happen again somewhere down the road.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 24 Feb 2008 4:56 pm

any of my friends will tell you my pedal/lever set-up is inside out, backwards and upside down. because of this, i avoid playing other steels at any cost. i'll let people sit in on my steel but i usually warn them what they're up against....unless they need a wake up call!
to their credit, players who have surprised me on my zum have been tommy hannum and peter grant.

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 24 Feb 2008 5:18 pm

Awww, rise to the challenge and the compliment, guys! For all the commentary about how being on the bandstand improves anyone's playing, this is only an improvement on the concept!

True, the player's invitation is either a testimonial to your ability (after all, it's his guitar and he's as sensitive about it as you are of yours), or it's a setup, hoping you'll hoist yourself with your own petard, but so what! How often do you get the chance? Besides, you can always blame his guitar, and what can he say?

So, get up there, get in sync with the rig (they can't all be completely different), and either revert back to PSG 101 licks or play like you owned the place!

PS: Bring your own bar and picks, of course. If you know the player on the stage, how'd you get here, fall off a truck outside the place?

Paul Wade · Post by **Paul Wade** » 24 Feb 2008 6:25 pm

dick,
did the same thing last week. got up on stage with my
friend's shobud pro11 and it set up day setup

well, happens to me alot $:\$

p.w

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 24 Feb 2008 6:32 pm

James Cann wrote:Awww, rise to the challenge and the compliment, guys! For all the commentary about how being on the bandstand improves anyone's playing, this is only an improvement on the concept!

True, the player's invitation is either a testimonial to your ability (after all, it's his guitar and he's as sensitive about it as you are of yours), or it's a setup, hoping you'll hoist yourself with your own petard, but so what! How often do you get the chance? Besides, you can always blame his guitar, and what can he say?

So, get up there, get in sync with the rig (they can't all be completely different), and either revert back to PSG 101 licks or play like you owned the place!

PS: Bring your own bar and picks, of course. If you know the player on the stage, how'd you get here, fall off a truck outside the place?

Bravo James Bravo!! Chaaaaarge!!

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 25 Feb 2008 9:18 am

We nonpedal players don't have this problem.

Mark Treepaz · Post by **Mark Treepaz** » 25 Feb 2008 10:26 am

I get the same when I go out to hear bands - asked to sit in or at the very least come up and sing a couple of tunes. There are times that I just plain don't feel up to it and would rather just relax. I try to refuse as diplomatically as possible without offending someone. It usually doesn't work too well. Now I tend to stay home a little more or go to hear bands whose members are unfamiliar with me.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 25 Feb 2008 11:14 am

You know Edward,I never thought about taking the pedals off.

Next time,I'm taking a small tool kit with me if I sit in!

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 25 Feb 2008 12:50 pm

Dick,
I've been there and done that, what a train wreck I can create!

The last few years I haven't had to worry about that, there's only a few steel players in this area and I think I know them all and their steel set ups.

One I can never catch up with to listen to him, and the other ones steel sits so low down I can't even begin to get under it!

Now my steel,,,,,they are welcome to sit in and play it any time they want!

Larry

Lem Smith · Post by **Lem Smith** » 25 Feb 2008 1:53 pm

I did such a sorry job of playing this past Saturday night, on the steel that I regularly play, that I probably wouldn't have done any worse on one that I had never seen before, and was setup different than what I'm used to. In fact, I might have done better in that situation!

P Gleespen · Post by **P Gleespen** » 25 Feb 2008 2:34 pm

Chick Donner, (a real good guy that I wish I'd had a chance to know better) had a hilarious story about sitting in on Sonny Curtis' steel.

Apparently one time long ago, Chick was invited to come up and "play a few".

No one told him that Sonny's set up is the complete opposite of "normal E9" (ie pedals down for Sonny is pedals UP for most of the rest of us)!

That must have been like going to another planet!

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