The Ultimate Teaching Course

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

I read with amusement the "teaching materials" rant/thread. Not to re-open a can of worms, but as a beginning pedal steel player I thought I'd list what's working for me:

1. Technique. First there is the physical aspect of playing: blocking, picking, grips, etc. For this aspect of playing I've found the Joe Wright My Approach to be invaluable.

2. Theory. For me, a big part of playing is theory. To a certain extent, it makes all other courses irrelevant. I'm using the Jazz Theory book. It's great. I suplement my understanding using the James Aebersold book.

3. Playing and Getting around. Between learning how to pick and block, and learning where the Doran scale is, I actually want to do something that sounds like music. I have found the Up From the Top series excellent for that. Right away, you are actually playing to a back up track that sounds something like music. Go for keeping the moral up.

4. Learning practical licks: Slow Gold works here. Right now, I've reduced Herbie Wallace's solo on My Window Faces The South to a crawl so I can pick apart what he's playing, where he's playing it, and most importantly, why he's playing (what scale over what chord). this helps bring all the theory, playing, and technique together. Plus its' fun.

5. Learning the keyboard, pedals, and knee levers. for this I'm looking for a program that will allow me to visualize all of this in a spreadsheet. I just downloaded a program that should work.

other than that, I'm not sure I need anything else. Other than practice, practice, and practice.

Chris Forbes · From: Beltsville, MD, USA

Wow!!!!! If I was as organized as you when I started, I'd be a much better player today!!!

J Hill · From: Colorado, USA

Great topic!

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

As I mentioned in another post, Guitar Map is a great program for visualization of the keyboard. I was able to input my copedant and also add new scales (it didn't include Dorian for instance) and it worked like a charm. I was able to come up with some very cool grip/pedal combinations (which with a universal can get complicated) and had a gass last night. It was almost like playing a piano. I moved the product to my laptop so I can study the fretboard on my commute in to work.

[This message was edited by Bill McCloskey on 22 November 2005 at 03:52 AM.]

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Instruction courses are great, but playing in a band is better. I suggest you join a band and start gigging ASAP.

I learned something every single time I walked out on to a stage.

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

There is so much more material available today than when I started (i.e. 1963). It's amazing.
Gigging with friends (and even those less than friendly) is a real education.

John Ummel · From: Arlington, WA.

Hi Bill, kudos on your highly organized approach. I like Doug Jernigan's "100 Hot Licks, Nashville Style" for working on single note picking/blocking and at the same time learning new positions for things on the fretboard. I also echo what Mike P. said about getting out and playing with a group. Your thinking goes into a different mode. Your brain has a chance to take all these things you've been inputting and spit em back out as something uniquely yours.
Reading your post inspired me to break out an old Jazz Modes Theory book that I started on years ago. Thanks!
Johnny

[This message was edited by John Ummel on 22 November 2005 at 06:29 AM.]

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the suggestion. I agree whole heartedly that playing out regularly would be of great benefit. Unfortunately my current job responsibilities preclude it for the moment at least. But I agree its a great way to learn.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Bill, you seem to have devloped the ability to "pick apart" a HW solo and easily relate it to the theory studies you've made. As Mike says, a good next step is applying that knowledge to live playing with a band, which I hope you can find time for.

Many people seem to have a great deal of trouble relating theoretical concepts to the guitar in front of them. The book I'm working on will address just that- how to integrate a theoretical understanding of music and chord/song relationships to the ammunition in the E9th tuning. The real challenge is in making it both interesting and relevant to beginners and more advanced players.

The longer I teach the more aware I become of just how differently we all learn and process information. It can be difficult to teach or learn when people are mentally on different planets. I'm trying to figure out how to "universalize" things a bit...

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Carter York · From: Austin, TX [Windsor Park]

I've finally realized I just needed to make my own learning materials. I have a notebook with graph paper for Steel Guitar, with patterns, terminology, diagrams, etc, all done by me to my liking and my understanding. These have been culled from the ridiculous amount of printed material/online documentation I have. I have a notebook for Spanish Guitar as well, though it takes longer to make since I have to translate...

I use the notebooks to work things out (recently I was trying to play along to a Sadies song, got the key figured out(Bbm) and had to use the notebook to work out what all the 'possible' basic chords in that key are) I also use them to re-work info or graphics/patterns from other sources into ways that I like to see them. (I start out all of my 'working something out' pages by writing the chromatic scale along the top...and going from there.)

I liken all this to "showing my work", which is why I've abandoned all software programs that generate chords/scales/progressions, etc. They're like calculators, and the operator simply turns into a button presser. I don't want that anymore.

I think it's also really hard to start learning this instrument (or any) as an adult, when we can already hear and see the "big picture" that we want to sound like.

[This message was edited by Carter York on 22 November 2005 at 12:22 PM.]

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

"Bill, you seem to have devloped the ability to "pick apart" a HW solo and easily relate it to the theory studies you've made."

Who said it was easy?

Actually, studing theory was absolutely the best thing I could have done. It just opens up sooooo many possibilities that have nothing to do with the instrument you're playing. Just picking apart a bar of Herbie Wallace is like post graduate work. By understanding the chord substitutions at work over the opening C chord of his solo: I can now apply that same knowledge to any c chord for any other type of song or any other genre.

For this kind of knowledge I think it helps if you just keep reading about it, even if you don't immediately grasp what's going on. Eventually the lights go on. And when they do, you'd never think of buying Tab again. Why copy someone's else's solo when you can make up a better one yourself based not on what was played by Player X but based on a theoretical grokking of Player Y in a similar context.

Darryl Hattenhauer · From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA

When and how to learn theory is probably the biggest problem. I think the old teaching materials hit it too hard and too soon. Mark, I look forward to your book. Carter, how did you learn all the stuff you're putting in your notebooks?

There's also the factor of how you want to play. I'm not into blocking that much. To me it doesn't need to be done as much as people do it. That's one reason why I like Bobbe's tapes. He de-emphasizes blocking. Also, he teaches you some basics of theory by stressing things that are transferable to other situations. As a result, I can what my goal is--what I want to be doing in six weeks, six months, six years. And one of the goals is to wean my elf away from tab (which I probably will never be able to do, but that's my direction.) Carter, why do you think it's harder if you have the big picture?

Another thing I think that's important is something I got from Herby. He says to practice minimizing bar movement by learning pedal and knee moves.

Another way to learn pedals and knees is on the site of a guy named Mayville. http://www.steelguitarlasvegas.com/
He says practice without the bar.

Bill, what program is that you downloaded for learning board, pedals, and keys?

Ray, I agree that gigging with friends would be great, but if I tried I wouldn't have any fiends.

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"Elmore James kept playing the same licks over and over, but I get the feeling he meant it." Frank Zappa

Charles Curtis · Posted 22 Nov 2005 4:15 pm

I would love to have Carl Dixon's views on this subject.

Rodney Garrison · From: Montague County , Texas (deceased)

Check out Maurice Anderson's "SECRETS AND SHORTCUTS TO PLAYING PEDAL STEEL GUITAR. IMHO this is what it is ALL about.
Have Fun ! ! !
RG

Mark Fasbender · Posted 23 Nov 2005 12:06 am

"And one of the goals is to wean my elf away from tab"

Pesky elves.

I find tab useful but only if I make an effort to understand whats going on harmony/melody wise. This is an interesting instrument to find your own voice on. There is a ton of material out there and Ive also found it helpful to distill it down for myself. Great thread

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Got Twang ?

Mark

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I'll be embarking on a new venture shortly, when I receive my new PSG. There is no printed material that I know of for the C-Diatonic 10-string tuning with pedal~changes like I am getting. So, I'll be starting out nearly blind, except for the fact that I've been involved with learning the C-Diatonic tuning for a few interesting years! I guess I should take advantage of the possibility of being the first to produce such info. for this tuning, however; I doubt that the interest in this tuning would be there to make it worth the effort! So far the only advice I've been able to conjure up is to point out how to l©©k at the tuning to make it a little more understandable. If you're familiar with the C6-tuning it's a big help getting started by realizing this aspect of it: G–A–C–E–[F]–G–A–[B]–C–E If you think C6 and remember there are (2) extra strings thrown into it! That way you can learn to play around the extra~strings and use them when needed. It always helps to draw out a diagram of the Fretboard and study where the combinations of notes are on any tuning, including possible slants and reverse~slants! Any pedal changes and pedal~combinations is going to take a lot more paper! The task could be endless!

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“Big John” Bechtel
Soon to be: New Burgundy D–10 Derby (w/6 & Cool

’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence
web site

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

John, (and others who've asked).

Someone pointed out this program to me in another thread: http://home.comcast.net/~k.abolins/guitarmap.html

Guitar Map is an amazing program and will save on paper John. All you do is enter your Copedant and the program does all the rest: it will figure out every possible pedal knee combination for any chord you want. It has already proved very helpful to me. And it seems to be free in that I've not been able to find any place where the author of the program asks for money. Besides my E9/b6 copedant, I've also entered my 12 string lap steel tuning into as well. It is also great for testing out various peoples' copedant before actually making changes. Just plug their copedant in and poke around to see what where the chords and scales line up. Fantastic.

Karlis Abolins · From: (near) Seattle, WA, USA

Bill, The Guitarmap program is indeed free with no strings attached. However, you get what you pay for in that there is no support or tutorials available. I am glad that you are finding it useful.

Karlis

Bill McCloskey · From: Nanuet, NY

Someone emailed me to find out the name of the Jazz Theory book I mentioned in the orginal post. I can't find the email so I'll answer it here: The Jazz Theory Book by Levine.

Yesterday I picked up another book which I'm very excited about as far as a good theory book is concerned. I was up half the night working out some of the examples on the keyboard. While it sounds a bit specific, it is actually a wonderful general theory book, especially if you are familiar with the music of Miles Davis, which I am :It is called "The Music of Miles Davis" and it contains transcriptions and a complete analysis of the tunes. Part one is a very concise but clear jazz theory tutorial. In one day, it opened my eyes to quite a few things.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I have worn out my copy of this:
http://www.pedalsteel.com/joe/pro/sheet.html

Its made a world of difference in my learning the steel.

One thing about theory is that it is not a secret weapon and will not replace the hours of daily practice that are needed to be able to play. I regularly get students that think if I show them theory it will be some sort of short cut to being able to play. (Oddly enough the guys looking for shortcuts all have worked on Wall st. ) I am way into theory and have a degree in music composition and all that but I feel that studying a great book like Levin's ( which I have) is a big waste of time for guys that can't play in tune or keep up with a basic blues on the bandstand yet.

Bob

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

Man..... Learning and Instruction have come a long way. When I started steel in 1975 my nightly study routine was a pack of smokes, a six pack of Coors and a stack of Buck Owens records. But, "Man did I have fun."!!!

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Rick
Kline E9th/S-12, Session 500, Goodrich L-10k

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