Does anyone pratice this way?

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 13 Feb 2009 7:44 pm

Simply put on a recording that has no steel and add to it?

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 13 Feb 2009 7:51 pm

I do that a lot, for example, my friend Katie Cook does a 1980s song called "Time After Time" for a movie soundtrack and the song has no steel, so I add the steel.

Brett

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 13 Feb 2009 8:06 pm

Kinda how I make my living...

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 13 Feb 2009 10:35 pm

Better for the ego than puttin' on a Ray Price tune from 1961 and tryin' to keep up with Big E

Actually, there are to my mind many tunes out there that don't have steel but could or should.

"There won't be anymore" by Charlie Rich is one of 'em.

They are fun melodies to follow.

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 14 Feb 2009 9:48 pm

Odd you should ask this, but I have tried this several times, and one of the best songs to do it with is Sammi Smith's "Help Me Make It Through The Night", a beautiful ballad totally devoid of any pedal-steel. Just add your own backup!

This is also an excellent tune for playing some laid-back Dobro as well.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 14 Feb 2009 10:25 pm

Hey NED!
Watcha drivin'? Looks like possibly a PIPER Chiefton or maybe even bigger and more luxurious?

Curious mind wants to know..........

Ned McIntosh · Post by **Ned McIntosh** » 15 Feb 2009 2:37 am

Hi Ray,

I'm in the left seat of a United DC10-10 at Denver in 1999. The F/E was kind enough to shoot the piccie whilst I was transitting Denver for Winnnipeg. Nice, roomy flight-deck with superb view, especially straight down from the shoulder with those big side-windows. Handy for taxying! I have always loved the Diesel Ten; an airframe chiselled out of solid granite and the most tractable of the big high-bypass turbofans (the mighty GE CF6). The chance to get a flight-deck shot was too good to miss.

I have 2 aircraft at my home airport, but I don't fly the heavy metal. I use the pic because at the moment it's the only one I have for an avatar, until someone takes a few of me behind the steel, that is.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 15 Feb 2009 2:40 am

Kinda how I make my living...
_________________
Mikey D... H.S.P.

dito

JJ

Ray McCarthy · Post by **Ray McCarthy** » 15 Feb 2009 4:34 am

I practise by adding steel to steel-less songs--several numbers by Don Williams, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings to name a few. I record the songs on two tracks of a four track recorder (Tascam DP004), then put my part on track 3, then do it a little different on track four, etc.
Also, I try to duplicate steel backups and breaks by the big guys--Huhey, Emmons, Franklin, Finney and so on. Sometimes I get frustrated and throw my hands up, $:\$ sometimes I get happy and feel like I can actually play the thing!

Derby SD-10, NV-112, TruTone

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 15 Feb 2009 5:32 am

I practice to my Band in a Box songs and so far I am the best steel player on them Ha!
I have lots of songs if you guys want some I can send em on a email.. But don't tell anyone.
They'll be like tater chips... everybody will want them.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 15 Feb 2009 10:41 am

Anybody remember the old "Music Minus One" recordings?" I don't think there were any 'country' versions, however. I know, I'm showing my age ....

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 15 Feb 2009 10:50 am

Glen,When I first started playing steel 1971?I bought a few Waylon Jennings records that didn't have any steel on them,they were promoted as "Folk/Country? and that's what I played along with when not trying to ape famous records.

John Groover McDuffie · Post by **John Groover McDuffie** » 16 Feb 2009 7:57 am

what's practice?

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 16 Feb 2009 4:00 pm

Actually, there are to my mind many tunes out there that don't have steel but could or should.

. . . and this is not only a great opportunity to "find out," but also to practice playing-to-add rather than stand out.

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 16 Feb 2009 7:44 pm

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. Ken, I'll email you.

Rick Myrland · Post by **Rick Myrland** » 17 Feb 2009 6:46 am

How are you certain you're playing in the correct key as the song? I like the theory of doing this but the few times I've done it became frustrated that I might not be in the right key.

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 17 Feb 2009 8:18 pm

Rick Myrland wrote:How are you certain you're playing in the correct key as the song? I like the theory of doing this but the few times I've done it became frustrated that I might not be in the right key.

Well, after 30 years of playing guitar, I should know that.

Tom Buur · Post by **Tom Buur** » 18 Feb 2009 10:21 am

It's almost the only way I practise. I don't even care if the record already has a steel guitar, I just play along in my own way.

Having played 6-string for 47 years I know what music is about. Going back to simple exercises now learning PSG would be far too boring for me, so I put on some of my favorite records and have fun trying to play along.

Tommy Shown · Post by **Tommy Shown** » 20 Feb 2009 1:28 am

That's basically how I learned how to play all my instruments.
Tommy

Ben Strano · Post by **Ben Strano** » 20 Feb 2009 9:57 am

I used to play along to movie soundtracks learning most instruments. Unfortunately my steel is at the studio. I do put iTunes on random and try and play along. The only problem is every time I do that I know I should be working.

Might need to bring the steel home for a couple of weeks.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone pratice this way?

Does anyone pratice this way?

Watcha driving?