Like Shootin' Fish in a Haystack

Birney Bull · Post by **Birney Bull** » 9 Apr 2002 9:31 am

I've been banging my head against my steel axe a little over a year now, and whenever I begin telling someone what it's like, I struggle to condense it into a few sentences. But even *that* is hard!

So as a fitting observation of my first year of steelin', I thought ask you pro's to share your thoughts on describing the pedal steel guitar, and its difficulty, to people unfamiliar with it. Natch, I'll go first!

I gave up on this obvious first idea long ago:

“It's like patting your head while rubbing your stomach, ... while walking and chewing gum, ... while twirling hula hoops around your knees ... in opposite directions and at different speeds.”
True enough, but that's already too
long, and you haven't even mentioned
fingerpicks yet!

Others I've sorted through include:

"Easy as pie R squared."
But square pies really aren't harder to
eat than round ones! It sounds good,
though!

"Like taking candy from a cobra."
Or "from a Mafia hit man," etc.

"It's a piece of cake, really, ... pound cake, anyway. Well, actually, it's more like pounding your head against a wall."
Nuff said!

"Well, imagine how hard the piano would be if instead of lowest to highest, the keys were laid out in some secret order that no one would tell you. It's sort of like that, only the order changes every time you push something."
Too long again.

But my favorite, and consequent nominee, is:

"Shucks, it's like shootin' fish in a haystack."
"Shootin' fish in a swamp" might be more
accurate, but the mixed metaphor
referencing the "needle in the haystack"
is just too good!

Other nominees?

Birney

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 9 Apr 2002 11:20 am

I'm no pro, but I do stay away from gum-chewing when trying to play...

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 9 Apr 2002 11:30 am

Gosh, sounds like you must really be struggling, Birney. I had more trouble learning the piano - so much that after a year or so, I gave up. The steel for me came A LOT easier.
But if you´re looking for metaphors - how about: "Crossing the street with a candy in your mouth"?

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 9 Apr 2002 12:24 pm

it does seem like a moving target sometimes...

an old phrase about a "rolling donut" comes to mind...

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 9 Apr 2002 12:53 pm

Earl Foote · Post by **Earl Foote** » 9 Apr 2002 1:05 pm

I tried bangin' my head on my steel as well. It really made for some long gigs. Then someone explained the use of a bar and picks and my playing has since greatly improved.

I think fiddle is a really tough instrument to learn. I tried long ago but gave up. I've thought about taking it up again but I'm not gonna put my wife through that!

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 9 Apr 2002 4:40 pm

All you have to do is think of four different things at once - at least at first. Tell 'em to try that for awhile... Jimmie

Birney Bull · Post by **Birney Bull** » 11 Apr 2002 12:43 pm

All you have to do is think of four different things at once

More like six, don't you think? I'm just starting to learn to use the third and fourth knee levers, which means learning not to foul up the volume pedal, so I think each hand, each foot, and each knee require independent control. (Assuming your amp and effects are not causing problems.) (And also assuming ... [on and on]

)

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Apr 2002 1:13 pm

It all comes together with the following three things:
practice
practice
& practice
Nobody said it was going to be easy!
Uff-Da!

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 11 Apr 2002 3:44 pm

Playing steel is like
Trying to make love
blind-folded, standing up
on a hammock.

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 11 Apr 2002 3:57 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Playing steel is like
Trying to make love
blind-folded, standing up
on a hammock.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I don't understand - what's your point!?!

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 11 Apr 2002 4:19 pm

Playing steel is easy...trying to stay away from it is the hard part!

Jimmie Misenheimer · Post by **Jimmie Misenheimer** » 11 Apr 2002 5:21 pm

You may be right B.B., but I can't count to six - I've got all of this other stuff to think about!!! Jimmie

LARRY COLE · Post by **LARRY COLE** » 11 Apr 2002 7:39 pm

Is Andy trying to say playing steel is kinky?

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LC. WILLIAMS U12, SHO-BUD PRO1,CARVIN TL60

frank rogers · Post by **frank rogers** » 12 Apr 2002 11:25 am

Let's mix some more metaphors, this is more fun than you can shake a barrel of monkeys at.

jerry wallace · Post by **jerry wallace** » 12 Apr 2002 11:35 am

Well after 30+ years of playing PSG, evertime I think I have just about mastered the both hands, both feet and both heads, a sweet little thing in a pair of tight jeans dances by and everthing seems to get harder and more difficult...

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Jerry Wallace-2001 Zum: D-10,8+6, "98 Zum: D-10,8+8,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Session 400 head only amp,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico
http://communities.msn.com/jerrywallacemusic http://www.jerrywallacemusic.com

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 12 Apr 2002 9:04 pm

I thought trying to play the cello was difficult so...since I already played guitar, I decided to tune it to 4ths instead of 5ths, forget the bow and play it like a miniature stand up bass, which was much easier and more fun untill the neck snapped intwo from the increased tension. Fortunately the music store from which it was rented took it back with no complaints(they assumed the structural failure was due to it's cheap plywood construction

). I cant think of any classical instrument as complicated and challenging to one's mental/physical coordination as PSG. At least in the beginning stages that is. Sure's aint no "turkey shoot"...and I've played plenty a turkeys too. [This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 12 April 2002 at 10:10 PM.][This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 12 April 2002 at 10:13 PM.]

Post by **Joey Ace** » 13 Apr 2002 7:22 am

Erv's right. "Practice, Practice, Practice."
Wake Up & Smell the Roses!

sure we all have excuses, but
Six of one is worth a dime a dozen.

Ya gotta Burn the midnight oil at both ends.

The Steel may be a Pandora's box of worms or a Minefield waiting to happen but it's not Brain Science or Rocket Surgery.

We're all marching to the beat of a dead horse and we'll burn that bridge when we come to it!

Time to grab the bull by the horns and run with it.

I admit sometimes I feel I'm running around like a chicken with it's legs cut off,

but I've buttered my bread, so I now have to lie in it.

 think I'll go practice...

I'm still "a bit green behind the ears"...


-j0ey-[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 14 April 2002 at 03:28 PM.]