What's your position on this issue?

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

ON more than one occasion during my music history, I've encountered situations where I didn't have a place to play or, I merely chose not to even go near the g'tar.

The ten year shut-down during the Elvis craze.......was the longerst 'time out'. I've not ever fully recovered from that lay-off.......however following other shorter term 'lay-offs'........I've felt rejuvinated when I did come back and start playing again.

WHAT has been YOUR epxerience in this regard?

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

No time outs. Time out = no $ when you do it for a living.

Jonathan Cullifer · From: Gallatin, TN

Every few months, I find it important to take a break, at least from pushing myself physically. Hands, like any other part of the body, don't respond well to overuse, and when I give myself a few days off, I feel much more rejuvenated.

In the past, I've gone as long as three months without playing, and while I did learn new stuff when I got back to it, in hindsight, it was usually not the smartest decision.

Ryan Barwin · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

For nearly a year (until about a month ago), I took a break from 6-string guitar, and played steel almost exclusively.
I actually think this was a good thing to do, both because my steel playing improved significantly, and because I came back to the guitar without a lot of the bad habits I'd developed before. I stopped playing primarily with my hands and started playing with my ears a lot more.
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Charles Davidson · From: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Don't take off an instrument TOO long. For over thirty five years I played sixstring,was NEVER great but fair enough to work steady all those years.About 18 years ago started playing steel. Quit playing guitar cold turkey,Put ALL my time on steel. Picked a guitar up awhile back and could'nt play as well as a six month student.It would take months of wood shedding to play even a fourth of what I used to do. I made a HUGH mistake by not keeping my chops up on guitar. Have had to turn down MANY gigs on guitar[from guys that remembered how I used to play] because I knew I could'nt handle the job. YOU BETCHA, DYK?BC.
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Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

Quit for 15 years one time..........speed has not recovered in 9 years and it wasn't that good to start with.

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

I sometimes have to take a break for health reasons. I am just returning from a couple month break. Just like you I seem to loose something every time I stop.

Sometimes I regain what I lost, sometimes I dont.

It is amazing how fast you can loose things that took so long to learn. It is not like "riding a bicycle".

Billy Carr · From: Seminary, Mississippi, USA (deceased)

Got burned out in 99' after 9 years at same club, 5 and 6 nights plus working full time day job. Didn't do any serious playing for three years. Just minor stuff. My speed never fully recovered after that. I can play fast now but before was faster. I guess studying the ballad styles and Hughey's slow stuff sort of got me focused on the pretty smooth playing style. That's what I prefer now. At a steel show, I've seen players play really, really fast tunes and not get a crowd response. However, playing a simple slow pretty ballad seems to be accepted better by the folks that pay to attend these shows. My .02 here.

Justin Griffith · From: Taylor, Texas, USA

Billy, I think you hit the nail on the head pal. A few notes played with feeling in the right spot beats a ton of garbled notes in most cases. I do enjoy seeing a fast player playing a uptempo song now and then, but the notes you can feel are where it is for me.
I love to hear players that FEEL what they are playing, not just trying to see how many notes can be played.

Sorry for the topic drift.

Bobby Burns · From: Tennessee, USA

I started playing steel when I was young and thought a career playing country music in bars would be a fun stepping stone to the big time of country music. After I figured out I didn't like playing in bars, there may not be "the big time" in my future, and even if it did happen, I wouldn't like the music I had to play to be there, I lost interest in the steel, as it was a part of that abandoned goal for me. After a few life changing years, and 13 years without a steel, I got another one. Now I play it for my own entertainment, and I'm way more obsessed with it than I ever was before. Instead of just learning the songs I need to know, I work on things I remember as what made me want to play the steel in the first place. I play other instruments in my regular band, and I play steel in side projects as my time allows, but mostly, I play it for my own relaxation. I enjoy it more, and I play better than I did the first time around. As a kid, I was more interested in learning the notes and speed. Now, I already know the notes, and I can concentrate on how they sound. I think I'd play better if I hadn't quit for 13 years, but I didn't quit music, I still played other instruments, so I didn't lose everything. I do think the break helped me lose some bad habits I had the first time. If I'd been a great player the first time around, I guess my experience would be different.

When I learned steel the first time, steel was expected on top 40 country music. It made my band seem way more country than other bands with no steel. Now it makes bands seem like some kind of retro act. I guess that I'd really enjoy the retro act better than the bib time country shows of today. Instead of the country music of the 70's and 80's (or heaven forbid I get in a top 40 country band of today), I'm really more into the country of the 50's and 60's. Stuff that I heard as a kid, but never really got the chance to play before. I have no expectations about the steel, other than it's fun, and I'm enjoying it more than I ever thought I could.

David Griffin · From: Jimmy Creek,Arkansas via Cowtown, USA

If I've been playing a lot a week off helps to keep me fresh.But if I'm off for more than 2 weeks I can really feel it. Surprised

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Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

Days, weeks, maybe a month off now and then, didn't seem to do anything but good. Much more than that and there's a price to pay.
Now I'm picking myself up after years away from the steel - and music altogether, and I find it pretty hard to get back.

The only thing that seems to have gained from the time off is my ear, as what I might have found acceptable years ago - sound-wise and not always playing in perfect tune etc. - doesn't get a pass today.
So the bar is higher today because I know what I want my steel to sound like now, and at times it is a bit depressing not being able to get it right - except on very rare occasions when everything just clicks in place for whatever reason. Wish I could capture those rare moments and re-use them at will...

Jerry Hayes · From: Virginia Beach, Va.

I joined a band in June of 2000 called "The Legends Band". Since they already had a steel guitarist (Larry Sutphin) I came in as the lead guitarist. I was with the band for about 4 years and during that time I rarely if ever even took my steel out of the case. One year I attended the Saluda Convention and was asked to play a morning set in place of someone who didn't show. I agreed and it was one of the most embarassing times in my musical career. I couldn't hit my @$$ with both bands. Nothing worked and it sounded very amateurish to say the least. I still have a cassette tape of that show which I play on occasion just to remind me of what can happen to you if you don't keep at it, especially if you're an older person! I'm still not at the point I was 25 years ago but I'm getting close as I'm playing steel two nights a week now and that's helping me to get comfortable on the instrument again. I try to play a little bit every day now whether I'm gigging or not............JH in Va.
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Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

I too have taken an unanticipated break from music in the late 80's until the mid 90's because of my FT job. I was "on call" two pagers 24/7 working the drug task force along with being a member of our SWAT team. Between job, family & young kids, there was a time I didn't play for 6-7 years, maybe longer.

I sure could play alot better back then and feel I have lost some "playability" or licks that just don't seem to make their way back Sad

On a brighter note I have been back into music since 1997 or so. I started playing at church and different venues here & there and often wondered how I could have "just walked away" from it. I played the Patsy Cline musical "Always..." last year at a local entertainment/arts center and had a blast!

Heck, I even played my accordion for some Christmas music at the www.dakotacity.org last week Rolling Eyes

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I'm on a two year break right now. I think that taking a break is very important. You come back with a much better perspective.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I'm on a two year break right now. I think that taking a break is very important. You come back with a much better perspective.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

This is indeed an interesting thread.
For me, this steel playing has been an on again, off again affair, mostly off.

I started in 1972 and didn't hardly progress till 1980, when I started playing in a band. This lasted about 3 1/2 years. Then I put it all on the shelf due to work and family commitments. There was no playing at all from 1984 til 2006, when I built my first steel.

So really, my career ended about 1984 after only 3 or 4 yrs playing. Not nearly enough to even get mediocre.

Thank God for Jeff Newman, who taught me everything I know, between 1976 and 1978. Seminars and time at the college are my only steel education.

In my retirement years , I latched on to playing again and, most of all, building. I love every minute of it.

My years away from the steel were of course detrimental. I will never be a picker of any kind. But my love for steel is here to stay.
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Jim Lindsey (Louisiana) · From: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)

I agree with Bent that this is a very interesting thread. I, too, fall into the number of steel players that have taken a long break from it and found that coming back is easier said than done.

From 1976, when I started playing steel, until late 1998, I lived, talked, breathed and slept nothing but music and steel guitar. It was my entire world. Long practice sessions? Not an issue ... the happiest I always was, whether practicing, band rehearsing, gigging or recording, was when I was seated at my steel and playing. It seemed everything was right with the world. That is, until the following year when I started burning out and I'll relate my own experience here (in case anyone might be interested).

Going into 1999, something happened after my last boss (Ty Herndon) got a new producer. His personality changed in many ways and a lot of it was directed toward the band. Before his new producer came along, it was always Ty and the band and he was proud of us and treated us well, sharing the stage with us and realizing that it is as much a good band behind him as it was his voice that contributed to his success. After the new producer came along his demeanor changed, nearly overnight, and it was suddenly all about Ty and him alone with the band being treated in a crappy manner that began to deteriorate the morale of the group.

Each band member had their own horror stories to tell, but mine began when we were in Calistoga CA at the Napa Valley Fair with a record breaking crowd (about 80,000 in attendance). Two of our songs were very steel dominant and it just happened that when I played my ride on both of them that night, I got a standing ovation. Strangely, I wasn't even aware of it because I was so focused on what I was playing. I heard the applause, but never saw them standing ... but Ty certainly saw it and, for reasons unknown, he was furious over it.

The following night, those two songs were not in the set list, nor were they in the set list thereafter. After about of month of these two songs not being played, I happened to ask Ty why we'd dropped them. He and I, as well as the bass player and keyboard player, were eating lunch right after sound check and Ty said, "I'm going to tell you guys something. The people come here to hear me sing, not to see you guys play. This is my show and my stage and you need to realize that if you want to keep your jobs." Then he got up and left, leaving us sitting there in shocked silence not believing what we'd just heard.

We were thunderstruck ... suddenly, thereafter, all the songs that had any dominant steel leads and/or fills were dropped and I was reduced to being nothing but a musical hole filler playing simple padding chords. I struggled through this throughout the whole of 1999, but I was never getting any musical satisfaction at all (the same sort of scenario was happening to our lead players and keyboardist as well). I began to start burning out. In fact, I think we all did.

On top of all of this, my marriage was in trouble (because of the music) and finally, in February of 2000, I left the group and "retired" from playing music in order to try to save my marriage.

This stretched into a long nine years of not playing. During that time, I suffered an accident which badly damaged the ulnar nerve in both arms, but especially in the right arm. I'm still dealing with that.

In the late part of this summer, I fell in love with steel again. A couple of old steel guitar player friends contacted me, got me to dig out my old music videos and watch them with them, had me upload a bunch to YouTube and got me to get back involved with the Forum here.

While I was watching those old videos, something in me awakened and did so with a vengeance. If I'd loved steel before, it was nothing compared to what I feel for steel guitar now. My heart literally burns with love and appreciation for this miraculous instrument and my respect and appreciation for all my fellow steel players out there is on the moon.

But these long nine years and the ulnar nerve damage has all but robbed me completely of my ability to play. I'm determined to regain, in time, what I've lost, but it is a slow and literally painful process.

And, I'll be candidly honest. In my YouTube videos, I'm being very careful to keep my face out of the camera view because I don't want anyone to see the tears that often flow from the pain I experience in my right arm and hand when I'm trying to play. It is sometimes excruciating to the point that it makes me dizzy. Not only is my picking affected, but my bar control as well ... it becomes erratic because of the pain in my right arm that I'm trying to mentally overcome.

Strangely enough, despite the pain I often feel while trying to play, there's a strange tranquility and sense of well being that comes over me as I'm attempting to play. It's a contentment and happiness that I cannot describe and it overshadows the obstacles that plague me getting back into it again.

My hand has its good days in which, on something slow, I can almost begin to sound like I once did. But it has its bad days (most of the time) in which I have little or no control in my technique and playing.

Will I ever regain the level of playing that I once had? That's uncertain at this time. Will I ever attain the speed in playing that I once knew? At this point it's doubtful.

Will I ever give up in defeat? Absolutely never. I'm determined to overcome these difficulties and become a steel player once again, even if I must end up being a player of ballads only.

Please forgive me for my story being a bit long, but this is how it is for me after my long layoff from steel guitar. And, I must say that my full encouragement and heartfelt support goes out to everyone who's had a long layoff and now getting back into it (especially those who, like me, may be fighting more obstacles than just time off from it).

As I read each of your stories, your experiences help to lend inspiration to me to really work harder to get back into it. Smile

_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks)

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Having read over the comments herein.....

I've come to the conclusion, right or wrong, that we actually didn't lose anything nor did we experience an actual 'burn-out' but, IMHO, I see it much like a cup of coffee that is filled to the brim.

It will fill and fill with no problem but once there is too much 'volume' or 'quantity' in the cup it rushes over the sides and spills.

Working as we have to learn the basics, to create newe and exciting things, to pratice and retain ever changing arrangements, etc., I honestly believe that our mental system simply reaches its MAXIMUM for absorbtion in that period of time.

The break can be theraputic and not a loss!T

The renewed vigor that some of you have experienced has to be a clear indication that your desire has not faded. Desire, is where your passion is born.

Thanks for sharing your views.......... I hope more are still forthcoming.

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Hi Ray,

I really enjoy reading your post. I wish I had more time to participate. Anyone that is a Jerry Byrd fan is OTAY in my book. A little unknown steel guitar trivia... I was named after Jerry Byrd. Jerry replaced my dad Wayne Fleming on steel with Ernest Tubb in ~46. I proably have every record Jerry ever recorded... they were my dad's. I think I could play the Bell's of St. Mary in my sleep we played it so many times Smile

Dad passed away 12/19/2007 and I miss him. He had "the touch" and could play some amazing stuff.. Hey... he was my dad... he could also jump tall buildings... Smile

Back to the topic:

I have quit playing a hundred times over my 38 years of trying to learn to play. The longest break was almost 10 years. My son had some serious health problems and I felt guilty going off to play when he was sick. I spent a lot of good quality time with him that I treasure. I even sold all my gear. I haven't played on a regular basis for about 8 years. I play mostly at church now and do a little recording. Now days I get the most enjoyment doing the creative stuff in my mickey mouse studio. I attend as many steel shows and jam sessions as I can.

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2010,

Jerry

Don Barnhardt · From: North Carolina, USA

I quit in 1954, spent 21 years in the Navy. Started playing again in 1994 and have been having a ball but my fancy playing days are over.

Gary Preston · From: Columbus, Ohio, USA

I had my steel in the case for around 6 years and never touched it . When i started playing it again i found a new love for the instrument . There isn't any other instrument that gets my attention like the pedal steel guitar . In my opinion any country group that doesn't have a steel doesn't sound country to me . If i see a group on T.V. that doesn't have a steel i generally click to another channel . Yes hard head would be me on this . Rolling Eyes

Jerry Fleming · From: Roanoke, Virginia, USA

Many good points made here, even the best of intentions can backfire. I have a good friend that has been playing for many years that has intonation problems and I do not want to hurt his feelings. He technicaly plays the right notes but being way off pitch drives me crazy.

Not to get off topic, can a player improve his ability to hear pitch correctly. Someone posted a topic about ear traing a while back. Does any one have the link?

All the best,

Jerry

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Jerry, I believe pitch can be trained up to a point.
What we think of as a "natural pitch" I think, is a God-given talent, or something inborn. One Norwegian steel player told me quite matter-of-factly that he has a natural pitch. I believe him, having followed his career quite closely and he wouldn't have any reason to lie to me. I believe a lot of the Masters have a prefect and natural pitch as well, for example Lloyd Green.

Your good friend's problem could simply be hearing loss...you told us he has been playing for many years.

Why do I say this? Because I have hearing loss myself and know for a fact that my pitch is off because of it.

Training helps, no doubt about it. But the ear of the trainee should be close to 100% in hearing ability.
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Allen Peterson · From: Katy, Texas

I started playing the steel in 1982. By the end of the 80s I was working evenings in a small recording studio doing mainly jingles and demos. It became frustrating trying make every phrase and lick perfect for the producer, which they had to be when it was going on tape for posterity. I had a problem playing in tune and sometimes it would take several takes to get a lick in tune. After a few years I got burned out to the point that I could no longer play a live gig because I couldn't make it perfect. So I quit.

I started playing my six string again in a classic rock band. I did this for ten years and didn't take the steel out of its case. When I finally did, I was amazed at how much I had lost. It was like starting over. I had to get all my old Jeff Newman courses out of storage. But I did noticed that my intonation was better than at the time I quit. I started playing in tune all the time. I think the ten years off the steel playing the six string helped me train my ears to play in tune better. I think I could have done the same thing without quitting the steel, but I was too frustrated at that point. I had to give it a rest.

Allen Peterson
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