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Topic: The finish Product Of Steel Playing |
Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 13 Feb 2010 11:29 am |
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Not trying to start a new prolong argument concerning tone.
I think Playing really starts in the head, Knowing your material, Getting the mecanics down, hand and feet doing their thing. Once a song is learned the most important part of the finished product I think is from the heart, feeling the song is a major part of tone quality. I think you must feel and want to play your best. Sometimes I find myself atacking instead of just letting go and trying to do my best.
ernie |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 15 Feb 2010 9:13 am RIght on!
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RIGHT ON, Ernie!
IMHO, so many of the new players have actually started out right in the middle of the learning process for pedal steel guitar. Not the beginning, but the middle and many seem to be mired down or dowright lost.
They seem to be missing the boat entirely......
By their own words, they seem to be concentrating on metronomes, "Hot lick" books, tab, what color of picks, etc., etc. Some don't know if you can play a song in more than one key.
As you say, they should first learn the SONG, then apply an appropriate tuning in which to play it, understand how to keep tempo, and not be concentrating so much on the MECHANICAL ASPECTs of playing. They must learn to recognize that INNER SOUND, such as Bud Issacs stated he'd experienced.
The mind, and the heart are BASICs. Without that, what is there? |
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Ray Harrison
From:
Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)
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Posted 15 Feb 2010 10:23 am
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Ernie, this is indeed a great statement. It applies not only to steel, but each and every instrument on the atage.
From a singer's point of view, the delivery is as important as voice range and control, as heard between Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins. Each had such a great understanding of the message of the song and knew how to tell the story.
True music is feeling, not technical BS.
_________________
Ray Harrison
Bass/sing/Love PSG
77 Stingray/Kiesel 5 string bass
Telonics , Fender Rumble500, Polytone Amps
D-16 Martin, 1970 Ovation guitars |
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Ernest Cawby
From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 15 Feb 2010 1:05 pm back
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I play with a singer he practices every day, BUT he does the same mistakes every day, this is no wat to learn. A big eye opener for me was , the other day I was trying to practice to get better, play the right string and in tune. It came on me all of a sudden I was atacking the guitar, not playing smooth. I listened to some old recording I played better years ago than I do now. I 1947 I was a lot cleaner. Could it be author and old age???????????
I know after 30 min. now I am tired.
ernie |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 15 Feb 2010 1:15 pm
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Mr. Earnie,You are a lot wiser than you were in 47,your post proves it. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
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Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 17 Feb 2010 4:11 am
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This post hits home Ray and Ernie.
I have had students who at their 1st lesson want to learn songs.
Yes, Ray it is so true if you teach it to them in one key that is the ONLY key they can play it in.
They don't care about learning a little theory and where you can find the same chord in other places. They are only interested like you say to play "Hot Licks" and songs.
It sure takes patience being a teacher for the steel guitar.
Maybe why there is so few of us around.
Don |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 17 Feb 2010 7:53 am
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as testimony to this thread, i think one of the main setbacks for people who really want to play the pedal steel is the amount of mental work that has to go into it. your main goal is to learn tunes and play, but i find the nuts and bolts of how to get to that stage is the key. you are right - 90% of the beginning players start off in the MIDDLE of the game/skill - thus the foundation is weak.
i think the most logical path (the one traveled by most of the instruments best players) would be to start out on 6 string lap > 8 string straight steel > 10 string 3pedals/1kn > modern copedants. the problem is that (me included) you get a steel with 3+ pedals and 5 knees and you start goofing around never understanding WHY all these changes were developed over the years - you are bombarded with too many variables - thus the player falls back on licks and tab and position boxes.
i've made an effort to actually learn standard music notation and to play from sheet music to rid myself of these traps - NO tab - its my mind and ears figuring stuff out.
i've been VERY lucky to have some 'old school' players in my area show me great tips to understand the steel - if you cant play a simple melody to a 3 chord song, why in the world do you want to learn speed picking and chromatic hot licks you put in everything you play. pick some known tune like Buffalo Gals, or some folk tune and you'd be surprised at the 'hot' steelers that couldnt even play the melody - they dont know where the notes are. this is a basic foundation that should be taught right off the bat.
i find myself practicing mentally as much as actual playing time - i had this debate with a fellow forumite when i said i could not practice for more than 45 mins at a session (he said he goes 3-4 hrs straight) - i have to get up - my head / eyes are blurred after that intense concentration. i had a pretty 'good' music theory background and when i started, i could only go 20 mins at a time, it was just too much input for me (i'm not referring to basic technique, but mental knowledge of the instrument.
_________________
'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 17 Feb 2010 10:17 am
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| Quote: |
| play a simple melody |
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Jimmie Martin
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2010 2:48 am Ernie
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Ernie we have to look up to you and Mr. Sulewsky. You guys are some of the only ones we have ledt. The rest are gone. So you guys had better lead us right. Jimmie I gotta Pro-3 you should see.  |
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Don Sulesky
From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
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Posted 20 Feb 2010 12:10 pm
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Jimmie
I find it very exciting and a pleasure when I find a student such as I have now who not only wants to learn all he can from the start and goes over every lesson when he practices every day.
For this reason and others I don't teach young kids because they are in a hurry.
Too much TV and video games on their mind and they want it now.
I'm sorry you can't learn the steel that way it takes years of hard work and practice, practice practice to be good at it.
Don |
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