The Steel Guitar Forum

I know this is a loaded question, as there is no wrong or right answer. But, if you were to sit down to play a song you had not practiced, and someone said "It's in the key of __, with I, IV, V7 changes", what would be some of your "go to " licks?

It really depends on the song. Is it a ballad, up tempo, rock, etc...

I think we guitar players tend to fall back on the things we learned first. However we learned them.

Some of my go to licks for almost any song would be something like just playing strings 5+8 and playing pads or scales for a ballad.

Or if it's licks your looking for the Jeff Newman Up From the Top series had some good ideas. Not just of isolated licks and phrases but WHERE they fit into the song.

When I get stuck in a rut I'll pull out the Up From The Top tab book and revisit some of those licks I forgot.

I learned to play from the first A+B pedal video and I've used variations of those licks many many times. I rarely play them anymore exactly as tabbed but they gave me a starting point to develop my own licks and style.

Most importantly If I get in to a situation where I'm lost I remember what grandma said. If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all.

Scott,
Your question brings me back to the reasoning that I went through in deciding to start William Litaker's weekly Saturday lesson. He is really good at explaining licks and the theory on how to use them in certain songs. Each week we work on fills, a project song, sometimes a request of an intro to a song that another student may be working on, and some exercises. He emails the tab and a rendering of the song each Friday before the lesson on Saturday. It has really helped me. You should check it out.

Regards,
George

Scott, If you learn scales in different positions, you will find where to use the basic "go to licks" which I think are rocking on and off the A and B pedals, and sliding up or down into the proper note center for where you need to be in the passage you are trying to play. By doing that you will hear parts of "licks" and be able put the whole Lick phrase in the passage and make it sound good. My 1.5$

Everything here: Oops!

See link below!

Dick, the dropbox is empty.

Your absolutely correct Steve. That link did not work. Try this:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/106 ... n%20JN.mp3

Dick, do you know if that is different steel players, and if so who they are. Very good playing there.

Don't know. Maybe someone else does!

The players are in order: Tom Brumley, Paul Franklin, Lloyd Green, Jeff Newman, and Tom comes back to finish the song up. Just goes to show how four brilliant minds interpret the same melody. As good as it gets.

Here's everything you need to ever know on Pedal Steel; and then some....>
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=253641