The Steel Guitar Forum

Anybody have any tricks for sounding like a steel drum with a pedal steel? I'm looking for an "organic" way to do this, rather than electronic.

I want to do this (in case you are wondering) for a particular carribean style tune in an upcoming show.

I can sorta get close with a sitar bar, and not ever sliding or pedaling. I just though somebody had a great tip- like play with a rosewood clave, or a medicine bottle, or a hollow aluminum cigar tube, or a sausage, or whatever...

Put your picking hand palm right on top of the changer where the strings lie....and leave the palm on there while you pick the strings......
It's a cool sound and I've pulled this off many times on the very carribean coastal type songs I played for years with various artist that do it....and that's the way Lloyd Maines does it ....and he is king at it.
Ricky

I also do this thing where I rest the side of my hand 12 frets above the bar (where the octave harmonic lies) and pick. You hear the harmonic notes but they are muffled by your hand being on the strings. It sounds a bit like a marimba.

Muting with your hand can sound like a marimba. But steel drum timbre has lots of unusual overtones. You can get unusual overtones, altho probably not the same ones as in a real steel drum, by "preparing" the steel guitar. For this you can stick something in between the strings, over/under/over/under/etc down by the changer. You can use the few inches of string that you cut off when you change strings. A thick string sounds weirder than a thin one.

I saw and heard a guy get that sound by taking a straw (McDonald's type) and weaving it in and out of the strings near the roller nut then playing with the bar as usual. Pretty neat but I haven't tried it yet.

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Gaylon's Homepage
www.geocities.com/nashville/1064

Craig Collins & High Lonesome
www.craigcollins.org

I second the straw idea. I do this on an acoustic guitar by leaving a pick woven between the strings. The intonation id imperfect, but that is part of the steel drum charm.

Interesting post!

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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul

Great ideas, all! I'll try these things out tonight.

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"You call that thing a guitar?"

I sometimes play with a piece of PVC pipe to get a boinky tone, but it's still a string tone more than a percussive one. More reverb might help.

I have tried the plastic drinking straw woven
in/out of the strings close to bridge but not
real close to it, got some really good Jamaica sounds of a steel drum, you might have to pay a fortune to McDonalds to get a
plastic straw like a big gulp diet coke, ask them if their is a warranty with this straw,
you might need a replacement someday.Steveb.

Try using the handle of your string-winder as your bar. Some place between steel drum and banjo.
JE:-)>

Ever tried to simulate a psg on steel drum?

Yes, Jim. I use a majic marker or highlighter. The plastic seems to do the trick.

Tony

I set up my HandSonic drum beside my steel, and switch to it for steel drum / xylo / marimba parts. No help, I know...

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<small><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
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On my old Fender Custom I just muted the strings with my left hand and tapped the top of the pickup with my picks! (It sure did scar up the chrome) www.genejones.com

I cut about 1/4 inch off of a string wrapper(paper container) and weave it beween the strings right at the changer head. Now,mute the strings as you play,using short hard attacts. This sounds much better than the programs I have found on my "Profex II" or any other EFX unit. Be sure to have the reverb turned up a bit to get the sound and sustain of the drumns.

I've had several folks tell me "Thats the best I have ever heard. I actually thought youa'll had a dude playing one."

My only problem has been that only a few/certain songs are pleasing to the ear using this effect.

Cut a piece of plastic from the top of a tub of butter or similar container. Make it about 5 inchs long and 1 half inch wide. Weave it over under and slide it back to the bridge. To really lock it in, use an envelope follower for the "boing" and set your delay at 15ms with LOTS of regeneration. You'll get a terrible reverb sound but very metallic.

YES- Go to an antiques store that has tin boxes. I had one that was 1" by 2" by 4". It is easy and sounds excellent. Cheap too!

Lynn,
I use a thin cardboard strip about 1/2" wide cut to length. As said before, interweave the strip between the strings then slide it close to the changer. Use lots of reverb. You can move the bar to get notes but do not use any slides.

You guys are kidding... I hope.

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Rick McDuffie
Debbie Elam Band/Tarheel Jazz Q-tet
www.tarheelmusic.com

Hey Rick.....

No kidding, Try a few of these options.
you may find there is one that really meets your needs and sounds good to you.

Gaylon
That guy you are talking about also plays with a hard boiled egg with out the shell. His name is Albert Swindell from some other country I can't remember it was at the Atlanta Travaganza the Carl ran in 1997. I sat and taped every bit of that show for three days and I have all the tapes right hear in my steel room.
Sam White