Help! I need some inspiration!

Jim Fogarty · From: Phila, Pa, USA

So.....I picked up my Stage One last spring and was hot and heavy with it for a while. I even did a few gigs......some more successful than others. But, since the winter hit, my motivation has dwindled. I still love it, and visit this site every day, but instead of sitting down behind the steel 2-3 times a day, it's become 2-3 times a week.

Part of the issue is, I'm a 25+ year professional working guitarist for my living (such as it is), and it's hard to dedicate time to an instrument that won't necessarily help my career. Also, if I'm not gigging it (or recording or rehearsing, etc), I'm not as motivated. I need a steel project! But, it feels a bit like even the great players amongst y'all can't get work anymore.

Still, I realize that this beast takes some SERIOUS time to get proficient, and I don't want to just let it lapse. I also play bass, mandolin, slide and a little piano and banjo.......and PSG is easily the most difficult of them. Far and away. But the little progress I made was also extremely satisfying, at the time.

Anyone want to help kick me in the ass???

Thanks! - Jim

PS......this is about where I got, in a couple months of work, before slacking off. I'm better and smoother now, but not nearly as much as I should be. ::sigh::

https://youtu.be/AQYyOEDN2PQ

https://youtu.be/Gk4B8L-7z10

Bud Angelotti · From: Larryville, NJ, USA

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

You're doing okay for the time you've invested so far, but you need to get around other steelers. Nothing motivates you like competition - tryin' to keep up with the other guy. Cool

Joseph Napolitano · From: New Jersey, USA

I'm sure the folks you gig with would love to hear pedal steel on at least a few songs a night. The Stage One is light enough to bring to gigs without much extra effort. Most of us in the Northeast aren't gonna get too many straight steel gigs, regardless of how good we get. I almost always double on guitar/steel, about 50/50, but at first it was only a few songs a night on steel. I suggest you bring it to your gigs whenever you can . I guess I'm lucky . I wake up every day and can't wait to get my hands on my steel guitar.

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

Well, I'm far from the "greatest player" here, but I still play every weekend. I think the problem is your geographical location; there just ain't any call for our kind of music in the northeast. Reason I moved from NYC to Florida; really wanted to go to Texas at the time, but now glad I didn't...WAY too much competition there. I am one of the very few steelers working the Tampa bay area; you might say I'm a whale in a bathtub. In Texas, I'd be a minnow in the Pacific.
If you're serious, maybe consider relocating down south...much better weather, and steel music is alive below the Mason-Dixon line.
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

Joseph Napolitano · From: New Jersey, USA

Rich , There are a decent amount of opportunities up hear for people that double on steel/ guitar , especially here at The Jersey Shore . I get way more gigs than my (lack of) talent justifies. Now not too many people around here want to hear classic country, but as we know steel works well on a lot of other songs.

Jim Fogarty · From: Phila, Pa, USA

One of the issues, for me, is........more and more of my electric gigs recently have been Guit/Bass/Drums trios.......because of budget, space and volume limitations. Not really suitable for a steel player......at least, of my level.

I really think it's going to take finding a project specifically for steel. But at this point in my career, I don't want to play with hacks, and I doubt too many pro-level bands are willing to suffer a 1/2 assed steel player, as he learns.

Frustrating!

Dean Rimmer · From: texas

for me it is n was stage time.....paid or not

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

I've spent some time playing along to the Gary Carter CD, which a Forum member kindly sent to me. It was much fun. With your knowledge on harmonies you may as well figure out a few licks.
_________________
Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

Teach your self some scales and locate chord positions. Then put on some records of music you like and play along on the steel. It is like working with a band. The more you do it, the smoother you will get, and the more licks, fills and leads you will be able to add. You can also steal licks off the records.
And Mickey Adams has a ton of instructional material on the internet for FREE! Find something you'd like to learn and get started on it.
Good luck, hope you stay with it and enjoy...

Jim Fogarty · From: Phila, Pa, USA

Charley Hill · From: The Dirty South

I set aside time each day and give myself an hour on the timer, at least. Saddle time seems to help me progress! I enjoy the challenge the instrument gives me. I know that I am not going to replace Lloyd Green but at least I get some personal satisfaction from it.....thats really the most important part for me.

Dean Rimmer · From: texas

right 'dere with 'ya jim

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Far be it from me to give advice, but I would spend all my shed time playing steel if I really wanted to get good at it. Unless you are learning tunes for gigs on guitar, the practice time is better spent focused on one instrument. It will probably even improve your guitar playing in ways you never thought of.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Jack Stanton · From: Somewhere in the swamps of Jersey

Two words- Ralph Mooney..

Also what Mike Neer said

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Let people know you own a pedalsteel and you will find more opportunities to play than you can possibly imagine. Don't wait till you're good enough. Get in there and stink up the place !

Play with anybody you can. If you ACTUALLY SHOW UP with a pedalsteel doors will open.
_________________
Bob

Rick Barnhart · From: Arizona, USA

Joe Krumel · From: Hermitage, Tn.

Don't wait till you're good enough. Get in there and stink up the place !

Very well said!

Mark Carlisle · From: Springville CA

Good timing on this post. I consider myself a professional guitarist also, although it is not my only source of income. All my gigs are a jazz duo with a excellent horn player. My working guitar is a Benedetto Cremona built by Bob-I studied with Jimmy Bruno back in the 90's.
It's crazy but I've been a steel player since my teens, when I used to cut school and go down to Hawaiian Gardens and visit Blackie Taylor's shop. It was there I was fortunate to hear Buddy Emmons and Maurice Anderson play. Was hooked. For graduation my folks bought me a Sho-Bud Pro III and I was on the road. Went back to 6 string, moved to Coastal North Carolina, bought a Emmons D-10 P/P from Jack Strayhorn at the factory in Burlington, and got back into it for 10 years in a house band. So-off and on for (gulp) 45 years.
I had sold my last steel, a MCI D-10 (awesome guitar) back to original owner and forum member Larry Petree (awesome player and true gentleman) to finance my Benedetto, so no steel for several years.
I live near Bakersfield, and had to drive down there. Somehow grabbed the Vince Gill/Paul Franklin Bakersfield CD. Was driving through the rolling hills (now green due to a rainy winter here) listening to Paul and his mastery. When I got near a computer, I found a used Stage One and bought it.
So a long drive with the right CD can be an inspiration.

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Well, every once in a while I throw these up. And they are/can be musical - many people greater than I impress the idea that even EXERCISES should be MUSIC - if not, you have the wrong exercises (for now). Coltrane read piano books and "suddenly" all that crazy octave-jumping stuff popped out on a saxophone. Obviously this - cut n' paste at will... There's no reason NOT to give a bit of these a noodle while the strings are warming and you're untangling your picking fingers. And, obviously(?) on a steel, these should be played at a single fret (as close as possible); up and down a single string, played ONLY on string 2 and 4 etc. No pedals, all pedals. Feast....

1-2-3, 2-3-4, 3-4-5, 4-5-6, 5-6-7, 6-7-8 ->
ascending triplets going up

6-7-8, 5-6-7, 4-5-6, 3-4-5, 2-3-4, 1-2-3 ->
ascending triplets going down

3-2-1, 4-3-2, 5-4-3, 6-5-4, 7-6-5, 8-7-6 ->
descending triplets going up

8-7-6, 7-6-5, 6-5-4, 5-4-3, 4-3-2, 3-2-1 - >
descending triplets going down

1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, 3-4-5-6, 4-5-6-7, 5-6-7-8, 6-7-8-9 ->
ascending 4's going up

6-7-8-9, 5-6-7-8, 4-5-6-7, 3-4-5-6, 2-3-4-5, 1-2-3-4 ->
ascending 4's going down

4-3-2-1, 5-4-3-2, 6-5-4-3, 7-6-5-4, 8-7-6-5, 9-8-7-6 ->
descending 4's going up

9-8-7-6, 8-7-6-5, 7-6-5-4, 6-5-4-3, 5-4-3-2, 4-3-2-1 ->
descending 4's going down

1-3-5, 2-4-6, 3-5-7, 4-6-8, 5-7-9, 6-8-10->
ascending chord triplets going up

5-3-1, 6-4-2, 7-5-3, 8-6-4, 9-7-3, 10-6-8->
descending chord triplets going up

1-3-5-7, 2-4-6-8, 3-5-7-9, 4-6-8-10, 5-7-9-11 ->
ascending chord 4's going up

11-9-7-5, 10-8-6-4, 9-7-5-3, 8-6-4-2, 7-5-3-1 ->
descending chord 4's going down

Ascending intervals going UP ~~~ Descending intervals going UP

Ascending intervals going DOWN ~~ Descending intervals going DOWN

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The number of re-combinations of scale fragments is infinite. ANY... 1-2-5, 2-3-6...
there's no END. Each note can be harmonized in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths and 6ths; and 2nds & 7ths too, but not too often! Leaving out harmonizing underneath the lead voice for now:

to harmonize in 3rds you play the scale tone, and the second scale note above it - not right next door, but up another one. Like C and an E, D and an F, in the system above it would go like 1+3, 2+4, 3+5, 4+6 etc.
Pedals, slant, and yes - a single string.
to harmonize in 4ths, you skip up two scale tones, to 1+4, 2+5, 3+6, 4+7 etc.

In 5ths, 1+5, 2+6, 3+7, 4+8....

1n 6ths, 1+6, 2+7, 3+8, 4+9 (9=2 up an octave)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If it was me, I'd cut 'n' paste it into a Word program (all the good stuff BIG-lettered onto two pages) print up a bunch and stick 'em all over the place. But I don't have to cause I already did! Seriously; taped to every music stand, I have one in the car so I can gargle them! It's at least several lifetimes of work, start small.

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