The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been playing 2 years now and though I've learned a few solos and licks note for note I haven't learned a single steel guitar instrumental all the way through. Since I'm a guitarist I've gotten a decent handle on the mid-tempo country picking but I feel that my ballad moves are greatly lacking. The original sounds that drew me to the PSG were those lines that smoothly flow into each other, and I know very few of them. I was wondering if y'all could recommend some good tunes full of such flowing melodic moves? Preferably with free tabs available here or elsewhere (I have the Dewitt Scott Anthology of PSG available with me now).

Suggestions I have for myself thus far are:

Lloyd Green- Bars of Steel
Paul Franklin- Song For Sarah
Danny Boy- Buddy Emmons

In the Anthology, Old Black Joe is excellent. Blue Jade is another one.

Elsewhere, Farewell Party (old Gene Watson standard), look in the Tablature section if its' not there, you could post a request for it. Someone will have it I feel certain. There is a Youtube of Lloyd Green doing Farewell Party and a Youtube of Ricky Davis as well. I would bet Ricky has a tab of it.

Good Luck

If you don't mind learning from youtube videos, go to Mickey's channel at www.youtube.com/singlpilot and check them out. OODLES of ballads, and I like I Never Go Around Mirrors.

Travis,
Send my your e-mail address and I will send you some lists of my tabs. I have a bunch of ballad songs, country, old standards, Hawaiian and gospel.

Check out David Hartleys videos too. He has a ton of stuff there.

Hi, Travis, I would really suggest you get a copy of Winnie Winston's "Pedal Steel Guitar" book- it's loaded with instrumental versions of melodies you'll recognize, and unlike some other older steel courses, they're very nicely phrased with great licks you'll use over and over again.

I have a course available teaching Buddy Emmon's live version of "Broken Down In Tiny Pieces" here: http://www.markvanallen.com/store_books.html It's fairly easy to play, but loaded with the subtleties of expression and phrasing that elevate a simple song to an aural treat. Again, stuff you can use on may other songs, and explained from both theory and position perspectives to make it easier to integrate into your other tunes.

Best wishes on the quest!

Travis,
Send my your postal mailing address and I will put Danny Boy in the mail for you.
My tab is called "He Looked Beyond My Faults" but it has the Danny Boy melody and I borrowed quite a bit from Buddy Emmons when I did my tab.

Quentin, does David have instructional materials somewhere? That would be excellent.
Mark, after starting on my project of recording for youtube the tabs in the Winston/Keith book, I'd some of the prettier phrasing options aren't totally obvious and intuitive. But I emphatically endorse that book.

Travis, I'm a new player too and I learned I Love You Because by watching Gary Carter on You Tube. As you progress you may want to jazz it up a bit, but Gary plays a nice smooth flowing rendition of it.

Travis, do ask Erv to send his lists as his tabs are excellent and crystal clear ; Strongly recommended ! JAMES TAYLOR