Steel Pedal Question

[Godfrey Arthur]

Being a rank novice on psg I've been wanting to approach this instrument with some forethought and much research way before sitting at the guitar and making a better monkey out of myself.

I took one initial lesson as my "the graduate moment" to this illustrious quest thinking better to learn proper technique rather than re-invent the wheel with some hard-to-break bad habits.

Before I even laid hands on a steel guitar and way before purchasing one, I went to a teacher, drove far far away from home not knowing anyone in the community then by my house, to his store in Riverside.

The teacher, meeting me for the first time decided to start me on a universal 12, although I had planned to learn E9 as a mainstay.

He asked me before the lesson;

teacher: "where's your guitar?"...

me: "I don't have one."

I followed his lead but not before asking permission to video the lesson, and nerding up a camera complete with tripod.

That was some years ago and the videotape among the dozens sitting somewhere.

Flash to the present, I just got up a few minutes ago but before I got out of bed, this thought for an intro lick popped into my head, as I have been of late, doing some nose-to-the-wheel in between studio breaks on the psg to try and figure put why the pedals, the knees and the uncanny notes and chords these things can produce and with only a straight single-digit steel bar.

It's hardly original and don't know (yet) where the lick came from and is most likely subliminal plagiarism, (Ralph is that you?) I flashed back to my teacher's first and only lesson to me while i was in conus.

He said: start with both A-B pedals DOWN.

So in an Archimedes moment, jumped out of bed, dragged a comb across my pate, I went straight to my trusty Sho Bud, clothed of course, and tried to work out the lick, and figure out what my teacher showed me, pre bath-time as the water heater did its job.

And Eureka, starting bar down on the 5th fret, playing 3rd-5th harmony notes for the most likely plagiarized lick, it worked
to where as I heard it in my head, ended with the releasing of both pedals to land on the 5th fret resolving the lick in the key of A.

And as I had envisioned, the notes to the lick were right there within each fret just needing to move the bar back and forth!


So my question is this. Is this something many do, starting with A-B down or is this just a worm hole into another universe of psg discovered by the more adept 3-fingered aliens living on this planet aka psg players?

And more importantly did I just try and re-invent a bad habit thinking me wise in my own mind?

Before I tried the lick I thought it might be something one does on a 12 string but having proved my theory on the E9 I see that it isn't.

As it was once said to have been said:

"give me a place to stand and I will move the Earth."

[Richard Sinkler]

I'll address the most important question first. NEVER play a psg nekked.

We basically have three 'home' positions for majority of our playing. No pedals, A&B pedals and A&F. We tend to use all of these. I probably use A&B and no pedals the most often. These are using strings 3,4,5,6,8,10 of course. There are a few other positins that can be used.

[Glenn Suchan]

I'll address the most important question first. NEVER play a psg nekked.

'Been there; done that; ... twice... in public! Also had a pair of necked ladies snuggle next to me while I picked the PSG ... in public! Try it, ya' might like it!

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

[Mike Perlowin]

Godfrey, my advise is that you get one of the many instruction books and/or courses available and work your way through the exercises.

Personally, I recommend Winnie Winston's book. https://www.amazon.com/Pedal-Steel-Guit ... 082560169X

Many of us here, including me, learned from this book. There are however many other good i\ones, especially Jeff Newman's courses.

And, join a band as soon as possible. That is the best way to learn.

[Erv Niehaus]

I learned a lot from Scotty's "Anthology of pedal steel".

[Mike Perlowin]

And please. don't EVER call it a"steel pedal"! It's a PEDAL STEEL, or a STEEL GUITAR, or a PEDAL STEEL GUITAR.

If you do it again, we're all going to come over to your house and make you play the b---o.

[Richard Sinkler]

I'll address the most important question first. NEVER play a psg nekked.

'Been there; done that; ... twice... in public! Also had a pair of necked ladies snuggle next to me while I picked the PSG ... in public! Try it, ya' might like it!

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Closest I came was when I was actually able to wear tight jeans. The club I was playing in was very dark. I had to put one of those lights you clip onto your headboard for reading. Well, I just so happened to be wearing black pants and white underwear. My jeans split right down the center, from waist line to waist line. My wife's (at the time) mother was there and ran, well, drove bach to our house to get me another pair. But we were well into our third set by the time she returned. They split before the first set, so there was quite a show since we sit with our legs wide open. Lots of comments anout that, mostly funny.

[Charley Bond]

I like Frenchy Messier frenchy@frenchyspedalsteel.com

[kbdrost]

And please. don't EVER call it a"steel pedal"! It's a PEDAL STEEL, or a STEEL GUITAR, or a PEDAL STEEL GUITAR.

I always tell people that a "steel pedal" is what makes your car go fast. A "pedal steel" is what I play.

[Peter Harris]

I'll address the most important question first. NEVER play a psg nekked.

'Been there; done that; ... twice... in public! Also had a pair of necked ladies snuggle next to me while I picked the PSG ... in public! Try it, ya' might like it!

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

...and how many knee levers did you have on that thing ??

[Richard Sinkler]

Was playing a Kline with 7 knee levers. But I have 9 on my Carter.