The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi, When playing single notes with either A or B pedals, is it worth pressing just the needed pedal, or is it OK to press both? Example, playing an ascending C major scale on 8th fret, starting on 8th string: the E, F, G, A sequence could be played using B pedal only for F, A pedal only for A. Or, if I mute well, using both pedals for each of them. It seems easier to use both...
thanks! Chris

Quite simply, "no", it's a bad habit. Learn to press just the pedals you need. Why press pedals when you're not playing the strings they activate? (The "easy" way is not always the best way.)

You should teach your foot muscles to make the following moves:

0 to A+B
0 to A
0 to B
A to A+B
B to A+B
A+B to A
A+B to B

Until you muscles can do all of the motions automatically, your mind won't be free to play the music.

oops - see next

b0b, you forgot:

A to B
B to A

And then, of course, there is a C pedal.

I think somewhere in between the extremes of what Georg and Donny say would be okay.

David Doggett wrote:b0b, you forgot:

A to B
B to A

Technically you're right, but in practice I've never found those moves to be very useful musically. YMMV, of course.

this is a huge problem for me as well. i find my whole leg moves instead of just my ankle. its frustrating because sometimes when i am pressing pedal B in preparation for rolling into A my knee engages my E-lever. I find it extremely frustrating

This may be a bit off topic, but when you tune a pull for the A pedal or the B pedal, do you tune the pull with both pedals down, or just the pedal for the pull that you're tuning? If you're tuning out cabinet drop with both pedals down, then would that relate to pressing both pedals or just one? I don't mean this as a way to skirt the ability to rock and roll your ankle, but more as a tuning concern. It doesn't seem to make a difference on my guitar, but perhaps on some guitars?

Karen, I've noticed that where I place my left heel makes a big difference in what happens with my knee & leg. Depending on where I put the heel, my leg can be either completely relaxed without touching either lever, or really tensed up to avoid one lever or the other. I should note that my levers are currently set up almost 2" wider than my knee, so, with heel placed for relaxed leg when ready to press A & B, there's some room for my leg to move when rolling onto one or the other. BTW, I'm one of those who has trouble pressing B but not A; the other way around is much easier for my leg... Mind you, I'm a beginner, so any/all of this may change...! HTH!

For me, the general idea is not to sway the whole leg, but to tilt your ankle (foot) in the direction of the pedal you need to engage. The rest of the leg remains stationary....only to tilt towards the appropriate knee lever you need to use. Years ago I had my knee levers also set-up to allow for space around my knee..... that has all changed....I now have my levers quite flush against my knees.....I guess it boils down to eventually getting the foot movements just right.
I also find that thin soled sneakers do the trick....I 'feel' the pedals better that way. Occasionally I may wear ordinary sneakers, but find that when I'm on, say, the 'B' pedal the thicker sole makes part contact with the 'A' pedal, pushing that note slightly out of tune. Those thicker soles also feels awkward when shifting from AB to BC...feels like I have to lift my foot much higher to make the shift.

I find that the more to the right I sit, the greater the angle of my foot across the A and B pedals, enabling a much easier rocking between the pedals and a much less floppy knee. Once your knee isn't moving much, you can adjust your levers much tighter to your knee which helps faster lever action.

Now if I could just move to the BC pedals smoothly I'd be getting somewhere.

Is it OK for your heel to come off the floor slightly when rocking the B with the C pedal down and LKR thrown?

Thanks for all this great advice -- it's a big help!

Chris

I tune A & B with both pedals pressed. The same with other combinations like the E to Eb lower and the 6th string G# to F#, A & F, B & C, etc.

2" play in the knee levers? I can't imagine having to move my knee that far just to start the move. That would make it difficult to activate those levers quickly. Like Nic, I have my levers to where they just barely touch my left knee. I can hit 4 pedals without my knee swinging or moving and activating either lever. You need to spend time working on keeping your left knee from moving.

ive only been playing three years. I say this so you know who is talking to you and to take my advice/comments for what it is...that of a relative newb. The guys posting above know far more than I ever will.

I took a seminar with Jaydee Maness, my favorite player, and he talked about "loading your pedals".
I think what he meant by this was you might start a lick with your B pedal already depressed even tho you wont be hitting that string for a bit.

as the others have said...You'll definetly wanna be able to hit one or the other alone tho and that takes repition to get your muscles to remember a move they arent used to making.

Ben,....I'm with you on your suggestion of 'Loading' the pedals......Pretty soon you will know instinctively when to do it....

Sorry Georg I missed that part of your post.

heres a question for you guys...you know all those bouncing Mooney type licks? It seems like he may be stomping A+B together when all he needs is A...but maybe I have that wrong? sometimes I do think it is quicker and more effecient to just stomp em both even if both arent needed...or maybe that is just my newbish mistake/bad habit.

Georg,
I'm in total agreement with you. I realize I do have the habit of trying to say what I have to say, in the shortest possible concise manner. Your original answer is spot on!
Regards,

Ben,

Stomping implies a motion that comes from the hip, not from the ankle. Is that what you're doing? I don't think that I ever actually stomp on the pedals.

Ben, interesting poser!
Whenever I do any of those 'Mooney' type licks I move my foot further to the left, and position my foot in a way that my big toe is sort of over Pedal 'A'.... after playing the lick I'll drag my foot back to the normal playing position. Being out here in Africa, we are not close to repair shops for steel guitar, so it may be a psychological effort in trying not to put unnecessary wear and tear on the pedal system... (Sound kind of silly, doesn't it!)

Hook raises some very good points in his way of thinking. Getting too reliant on one specific type of foot movement may become your, dare I say 'Achilles Heel' in slowing down your progress on the steel.
All round feet dexterity will play an essential role in one's overall development towards playing 'better'.