The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm curious about what you other steel players consider to be the main musical style in which you play.

Good poll, David. This should be interesting. I had to go with Western Swing because I think that's what I PRIMARILY bring to a song arrangement. Blues and straight country are also way up there for me.

I voted Country, but quite honestly I can't play any type very well! Someday.........

All of the above, except Indian...not yet, anyway.

i checked western swing because for me, it includes some jazz and country

I had to choose Country, I guess. I also play W.Swing, Cajun and Hawaiian, and I'm equally poor at all of 'em!

I checked Jazz but I don't necessarily like to be defined by a genre.

Cause once you master your instrument that level of freedom of expression is Jazz.

"Don't call it Jazz. Call it Social Music" - Miles Davis

I checked Blues 'cause I hang with the blues cats, but I adore Western Swing.

I try to play the blues.

Mike Neer wrote:All of the above, except Indian...not yet, anyway.

I couldn't get the poll to register multiples...or did I?

It's my first poll. thanks for answering.

And go for Indian - with your chops, you'll do well. You just need to listen to a lot of it.

Stefan Robertson wrote:I checked Jazz but I don't necessarily like to be defined by a genre.

Cause once you master your instrument that level of freedom of expression is Jazz.

"Don't call it Jazz. Call it Social Music" - Miles Davis

3 good points there!

We need more social music in our world anyway.

A fusion of bum notes!!!

seriously Hula Blues, country & blues & contemporary songs all have an interest where I am concerned.

Lee

I voted country, but Hawaiian is what I'm working on these days.

Though my main playing is backing up a singer songwriter. Lap steel is great for this. It really does help create the mood of the song.

If there were an option for "roots music" I would voted in that category

Hawaiian by a small margin. Jazz and old standards are next.

Rob Anderlik wrote:If there were an option for "roots music" I would voted in that category

Sorry, I overlooked that...oops.

I voted country, but frankly, that doesn't quite cover it - we play 40-50s music, anything from Western swing to honkytonk country to early rockabilly; songs by Bob Wills, Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, or Wayne Hancock, to mention a contemporary example, as well as our own originals written in those styles.
I also used to play in an alt.country/Americana band for a couple of years, but that fell apart - still play that style occasionally with a bunch of friends...

I'm kind of in the same boat as Roman. I'm blessed to play 8 string dobro in a band with otherwise traditional bluegrass instrumentation (guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and upright bass) But the group does Irving Berlin, Bob Wills, Hawaiian, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc. along with traditional and contemporary bluegrass. We call it brewgrass.

I'm sure most of us cross-over.

I guess I should have tried to set the poll up for multiple voting.

For instance I play, in order:

Hawaiian
Jazz
Western Swing
Indian
Rock

but my main interest is Hawaiian.

Why did you exclude bluegrass? Many, if not most, reso players are into bluegrass.

Robert Allen wrote:Why did you exclude bluegrass? Many, if not most, reso players are into bluegrass.

Another oversight....and I am not a BG player so I forgot. My bad.

And I had a section for "Roots" music but somehow it did not make the poll.

I am afraid I don't have a style.
Mine can be classified most accurately as "What the Hell is that noise?"

I don't stick to or search out any style or genre.
I find a song I like and I then go to work on it.
For some reason lately a lot of them are intended for the resonator.
Oh well.

American Primitive here. You might call it Americana/Folk/Roots.

I checked Blues on the Poll.

I guess I play Country and Western..