The Steel Guitar Forum

Have you noticed how often some one asks [who's playing steel on so and so's song] I can remember back [when the dodo bird was among us] All the steel players had their OWN style, As soon as a record started you KNEW it was Don Helms,Billy Robinson,Jerry Byrd,Roy Wiggens,Mooney,Leon,Murphy,etc,no more. Most of the up tempo E9th solos you hear today sound like what the Big E was doing 30 years ago. Just my opinion. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Of the 30 steel players that have submitted so far to the Members Showcase CD, I can honestly say that no two sound alike. If you can't tell the steel players apart, you're just not listening. Everybody has their own style, today more than ever.

I agree with Bama on this one..Today I feel like alot of steel players have become so reliable upon effects and gizmos that they often do not concentrate on the developement of their own style.Like 6 string guitar players tend to want to imitate Chet,Brent etc.by using heavy effects for duplicating steel players are caught up in trying to sound like Paul,Buddy Jimmy etc, Thus making them sound very much a like.

Of the 30 steel players that have submitted so far to the Members Showcase CD, I can honestly say that no two sound alike.

I'm sure that's true, because they're doing their own thing, but commercial session steel players today are at the mercy of the producers, and they're usually not allowed to play what they're capable of, and I don't think Buddy, Jimmy, Lloyd, Hal, Weldon, etc. had to deal with those restrictions back in the day when they were playing all that distinctive, memorable stuff that we all find so inspiring and love and try to emulate, even after all these years.

You guys have left out Paul and Mike Johnson. Here are two current players that have distinctive styles and are a total pleasure to listen to.

As far as sounding all alike; I suggest you go back and search the posts about both these great players and look at the comments about the great licks and how did they do this or that etc.

Creativity may be hidden in Nashville but it is not dead. Guys like these two keep it alive and amaze my eardrums when I hear them play.

Happy Holidays.

I tend to agree with Bama. Most country music today is like the 60's and 70's rock and even tho the band has a steel guitar, you don't hear it for the lead guitar however in some of the slow songs, the steel do have an original sound but in most cases the slow songs are moving to horns and fiddles. The five piece country band, fiddle,guitar,steel,bass and drums still provide all the element of a smooth sounding county band for any county singer. Just my opinion, Shorty

Well said, Cal.

Barry Blackwood wrote:Well said, Cal.

YEP

As Cal said, the similarities in sounds on C&W records is created by the producer rather than the musicians. They expect the steel to just fill in a few notes between the singing: they very rarely allow the steel guitarist much of a spotlight unless he's well known. Listening to live music you see much more variety.

What Cal said!

I agree with Cal that production values limit session players, but I don't agree with the basic premise of this thread - that these days, steel players basically all sound the same.

If you insist on restricting, at any given moment, to the handful of songs on Top-Whatever-Number modern country radio, you'll hear a handful of approaches to the music, and most instruments typecast pretty narrowly - and it ain't just steel. Same goes for a lot of other styles of Top-Whatever-Number - same typecast, formulaic production.

But that music is aimed at very specific demographics - probably a minority of the population. So why restrict ones thinking to this? I think there is more diversity in steel playing than 40 years ago. Much more. Same goes for guitar and pretty much any other instrument. But don't expect to hear it on commercial radio. I don't expect to hear anything on commercial radio - except commercials, and lots of 'em.

My take.

Fortunately there is enough variety in the sources I listen to that this is not a problem. A steady diet of "Top 40" (i.e. CMT) country might have you thinking otherwise though.

Well, I do have to agree that the E9 country stuff all sounds pretty much alike to me. But all the pedal players I'm actually acquainted with in person play different universal copedants and play a variety of musical styles. In addition, when one considers E9, one must consider Basil Henriques who plays Hawaiian style and specifically avoids anything that even hints of country cliche. I think that at least it's not as simple as the original post asserts. And I see alot of variety in the various C6 players I've heard.

I think its more about personal taste than anything. All classical music sounds the same to people that don't like it.

I agree with Dave. If you listen to top 40 anything your going to hear the same formula repeated over and over again. So where do you go to hear music you like, the choices are endless. Any radio station you like anywhere in the country you can listen to on the internet, KGSR in Austin, KFAT in Freedom ca., KVMR in Nevada City CA, Rebel Radio in Fredricksburg, TX, on & on & on. My Dish network has great stations on it. You can go to pandora radio and others like it and create your own stations. If you do you will soon find out everybody does not sound alike.

Can you play like the artists recordings? In Nashville that request has always been the employers concern when hiring musicians for their touring band, with few exceptions......

Paul

Bob Hoffnar wrote:I think its more about personal taste than anything. All classical music sounds the same to people that don't like it.

That's true, but it goes even further. I know people who can't tell the difference between Mendelssohn and Muzak. To them, all violins are "elevator music".

The differences between E9th players in "radio music" are pretty subtle unless you know what to listen for. Like Paul says, everyone in Nashville is expected to play like him. The technical things that distinguish one player from another have to be subtle enough that only another steel player would hear them.

Paul: We're asked in the C leagues to comp you note for note if possible. Do you find with the predominance of Pete and now you in Nashville recordings for so many years, that you are asked to be a stereotype of your previous work or are you challenged to constantly reach for new heights?

Franklin wrote:Can you play like my recordings? In Nashville that request has always been the bulk of the employers concern, with few exceptions......

Paul

Paul when you say “My” recordings I assume you mean your personal work?
If so how do you feel about that?
Your contributions have set the bar so to speak for so many.
Please elaborate.

Maybe I'm wrong here, but I think Paul was not speaking of his personal tunes.., but of any artist or manager asking a prospective pedal steel playing,potential employee if he could play what was on the record..
The seems to be exactly what most artists want.. to sound exactly like the recorded version.

I wasn’t sure either Bo that’s why I asked.
It was intended to be a respectful inquiry.

First, and foremost!

Paul is NOT Egotistical. Not now, nor has he ever been. Paul is a great player, inventer and a total musician in every respect of the word.

What Paul meant, was simply that the employer usually is concerned whether or not, you can play it like the recording. Some can, but many can't. I'm certain Paul is one who definitely can.

But Paul, would NEVER say anything the would lead anyone to think he was so filled with himself, for the folks to ask if they could play it like him. That is, unless it was Paul who had done the recording for them. Then you might get asked if you could play it like Paul did. And, if the answer is no, you might not get the job.

Paul will correct me if I'm wrong...............

I edited the original post to say what I meant.....sorry for the confusion.

I better expand......Sorry for any confusion......In nashville, the employer is the artist, or its their band leader, who hires musicians. Most, if not all, will ask them to play it close or sometimes exactly like their recordings......It was that way when I moved to town...... I see no difference between the past and present generations of working players having to copy the styles of the recordings if they want to work the road professionally.......My friend Jack Mollette had to learn every ET kick off verbatim as it was recorded....The word was Ernest would forget the words if the band changed the fills, kick offs, and turn arounds......I suspect that is true with a lot of singers.......Every generation is asked to sound like their generations popular hits.........Paul

Thanks for your time Paul that was a nice reference to some artist and singers.
I can imagine how demanding it can be for anyone to execute every intro and turn around note for note.
Now that’s earning your keep!
Thanks again