The Steel Guitar Forum

Hello Forum members. I am new here.

I have a ShoBud Professional Pedal Steel. Has both the E9 and C6. (8 pedals/2 knee levers) It used to belong to my Uncle who once played.

I currently play guitar, bass (which I majored in), mandolin, violin, lap steel..... and I am excited about learning how to play the Pedal Steel. I LOVE THIS INSTRUMENT!

What I am searching for are some EXCELLENT method books. Ones which you all reccomend. That teach the THEORY behind the playing... not just songs!

Just a little bit about me: I have masters degree in music... I currenty teach orchestras and bands in the public school... what I am getting at... is that I have tons of THEORY knowledge... so, advanced books will not scare me off.

What I am looking for is:

1. Tunings
2. What strings the pedals and levers control.. and WHAT they do regarding tonality.
3. Some basic songs to begin with......

Did I leave anything out? I will take ANY suggestions on WHERE TO START.

How would you all describe the differences in the E9 and C6? Which one should I start with? Or both at the same time?

Ok... I REALLY appreciate any help. Like I said... I am really excited about learning this instrument.

Thank you everyone!

-Vince

Vince
The pedals do whatever you tell them to do. You can see lots of ideas here of b0b's site: http://b0b.com/tunings/index.html

Check out this: http://www.steelguitar.com/resource/videos/vids6string.html
It's John Fabian of Carter Steel Guitars explaining the basics of the E9th tuning. Their website is by the way very informative.
Searches on this forum (and b0b.com) is also worth while.
Good luck!
Uffe

oops! spelling... <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Ulf Edlund on 28 July 2003 at 01:37 PM.]</p></FONT>

Thanks....... I just got done watching that video... very informative..... It opened up some doors in my head.....

I REALLY have to look at this instrument using THEORY. That is how I play guitar.... some players use PATTERNS... or LICKS..... I am theory driven.

So, this video helped.

Here's my page about the theory behind the E9th.

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<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax</font>

Thank you Sir!

I checked it out! HELPED IMMENSLEY!

I copied down your page... and watched that small video by that John fella....

Just got out from my chair playing some tunes. Right now I am practicing changing CHORDS by staying in one position.... such as the third fret G... gone through all the chords (I, ii, iii, IV, V, V7, vi, VI, vii dim).... basically practicing the feet and knee.

Next I guess is MOVEMENT.

Still... if anyone knows of any books... let me know.

-Vince

Hello Vincent and welcome! I too have an M.S. - in Jazz Composition & Arranging, also I'm putting the finishing touches on my book: Sight Reading for Steel Guitarists, C6. It has many examples + CD's. I hope it to be a faster method of learning to sight read while preserving intonation. It's worked well for many of my friends. Be that as it may, I recommend that you contact my friend Albert Vescovo in Van Nuys; he's an A+ steelman. great sight reader and does it all-a fine studio musician who has done shows like Fantasy Island, Charlies' Angels, only to mention a few. My sample album can be heard at www.steelguitarbyhughjeffreys.com Best of luck to you and thanks for coming aboard. Hugh Jeffreys

The books by Dewitt Scott, "Mel Bay's Deluxe Pedal Steel Guitar Method" and "Mel Bay's Anthology Of Pedal Steel Guitar" have quite a bit of basic music theory, as it relates to the E9th. Buy them from Scotty, here: http://www.scottysmusic.com/scotymb01.htm Good luck.

Joe Wright has a very good approach to learning how to play the steel.

www.pedalsteel.com/joe/

the scale list with the Excel spreadsheet comes in very handy.

Find a teacher who can get you started out right and then practice allot.

have fun, Bob

I'll honk my own horn here!
The book I did, Pedal Steel Guitar, for Oak Publications way back in 1976 is stioll in print and will tell you LOTS about the instrument, about setting it up, about how to plasy, and abouit tuning of a good bunch of others.
It is a bit out of date as far as some of the copedants and other info goes, but it is mostly all there.
It was designed with YOU in mind-- someone coming to the instrument from scratch.
Get it.
And because of the miniscule amount I maker on royalties, I am loathe to call this a self-serving announcement!

JW

Winnie,
That book you did is fantastic.
I still use it for reference and trouble shooting. The cover is worn off because I used it so much. Maybe I should buy a new one.

Thanks for putting the effort in to put that book out. It did allot for me.

Bob

Joe Wright and Jeff Newman are probably the big dogs when it comes to PSG instruction. Wright concentrates more on the technical aspects of getting your fingers to behave properly to be capable of making music; his first video on picking patterns and his fourth one on various blocking techniques seem particularily useful to me (I have also been playing other instruments for a long time and need steel-specific guidance). There's some useful freebies on Joe's site, too. http://www.pedalsteel.com/joe/tea/teach.html
I have Jeff Newman's "C6th Workshop" videos, and they're oriented toward getting you up and going with music coming out of your amp as quickly as possible - not so much theory as "put your bar here and play these strings." He has a bunch of other courses that I haven't tried too, mostly E9th. http://www.jeffran.com/index.htm
Buddy Emmons has a C6th tab/cassette course out that is highly thought of, "Basic C6th." It seems more geared towards learning specific songs. I have it, but for time-munching reasons I haven't spent much time with it yet. He has a bunch of other stuff out, too, E9th and tab for various songs. http://www.buddyemmons.com/courses.htm
My so-far most favorite bang-for-the-buck C6th course is Herby Wallace's cassette and tab "Approach to the C6th Tuning", HWP-200. It's concise, and everything in it seems pertinent. http://www.herbywallace.com/
Most of the instruction material you will find is for E9th and I only play C6th, so these recommendations have an obvious bias. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David Mason on 29 July 2003 at 06:58 AM.]</p></FONT>

I'm not sure it's been mentioned yet, but..

I've learned more theory in the last month on this forum than I have in the last five years elswhere.

Do a search in the pedal steel or music section for a specific aspect of theory you are interested in. It's all here.

Have fun!

Welcome to the Forum, Vincent,

I grew up in Shingle Springs! Beautiful country up there. I went to Ponderosa High School and wonder if that's where you're teaching.

Anyway, as you can see, there is a wealth of information here on the Forum. You have come to the right place. With your theory background, you'll enjoy all the temperament arguments here!

Good luck with the steel,

-GV

Winnie's book is a really great place to start; it has a lot of stuff that is difficult, as well as plenty of material that is more approachable. Jeff Newman's videos are really useful, but I'm not sure if they would anwer your need for theory behind the playing... you would probably do well to find a good teacher locally. They can give you the theory answers you are looking for, and more importantly they can troubleshoot the technique issues that are inevitable. I don't go that often, but every time I go for a lesson it's a really vital experience... I come away with a lot to think about and work on. As someone said to me not too long ago "It's all about the journey."

Winnie Winston's book is very complete and a must have for any beginner
not only will it initiate you to tab,scales, + chords, it will also help you to set up, tune and troubleshoot your PSG
last but not least, an appendix of copedents and an initiation to C6 is to be found there
Winnie's book has been helped many along, including myself
Good>Luck Vincent and Welcome to this great Forum

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Steel what?

Thanks to everyone helping out. I will check out those websites... and Winnie's book. Sounds like a great source.

Oh... and GREG VINCENT..... wow... a Shingle Springser! Didn't think I would find anyone from around here on this forum! Yeah.... great place.. very beautiful country. I just moved up here from Sacramento about 2 years ago! I have horses.... so... I need a little bit of land..... this place is PERFECT! And... no, I don't teach at Ponderosa High. I hear that is a great school! I teach down in the Rancho Cordova area.... Mills Middle School.

Ok.. take care everyone!