The Steel Guitar Forum

listen to this all the way through.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mfQPeOu8g0

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

That doesn't sound like a real pedal steel being played at all.
Sure it's a great simulation and will fool pretty much all audience of today's listeners; as they are already be fooled currently on top 40 radio; as many have no clue that the layering of instruments; most of them are simulated.
So let'em go on with it...as only the folks with real emotional connection to music; will shy away cause it just does nothing emotional to them in what they are hearing.
Ricky

Yeah, but how much cabinet drop?

What Ricky says. There are plenty of people who are oblivious to drum machines, string synths and all the other technological "advances" (such as auto-tune which should be outlawed as torture to anyone with a musical ear - no singer, however gifted, can sing in equal temperament!) This steel synth thingy plays like the robot it is.

We live in an age where feature films have music scores constructed entirely on computers without a musician in sight, but video games with their bigger budgets are using real orchestras because they're a status symbol!

If live performance were going to die, Thomas Edison would have seen it off years ago.

Sounds super great but just a little shy of real steel with a pro at the seat.

I see it as a great studio tool for those who want the sound, but can't afford (or find) a real steel player to play on his demo, or home recorded CD. But, I would imagine that the learning curve for a keyboard player to be able to play steel guitar parts effectively, is pretty steep.

One things for sure - I'm not going to start all over with piano lessons...

I look forward to seeing this at the I.S.G.S.C. (International Steel Guitar Simulator Convention) which, I imagine, will be held somewhere in Silicon Valley.

Book your room now!

I just get this picture of Bill Murray doing his Lounge lizard act singing Release Me when I hear how cheesy that thing sounds. I love you because surprised me though.

Ricky Davis wrote:That doesn't sound like a real pedal steel being played at all.

Right; it sounds better.

Really nice.

Bill

Ricky Davis wrote:That doesn't sound like a real pedal steel being played at all.
Sure it's a great simulation and will fool pretty much all audience of today's listeners; as they are already be fooled currently on top 40 radio; as many have no clue that the layering of instruments; most of them are simulated.
So let'em go on with it...as only the folks with real emotional connection to music; will shy away cause it just does nothing emotional to them in what they are hearing.
Ricky

The thought it sounded pretty good at first, but the longer I listened, the more it sounded like a keyboard, especially at the beginning of every chord.

You could call it "Buddy In A Box"... no!

Earnest Bovine wrote:

Ricky Davis wrote:That doesn't sound like a real pedal steel being played at all.

Right; it sounds better.

In what way? The problem I see is it sounds very "generic", like an average player. And the main problem with pedal steel these is that most ecerybody sounds alike. There's no style here, no unique touches, no tonal individuality, and very little real creativity. Ever notice how most players today sound almost the same? But back in the day, we had players like Emmons, Green, Myrick, Brumley, and Mooney, all with different tones, sounds and styles.

Unless we can get out of this homogeneous "sonic rut" we're in, devices like this (and those who develop/play them) will find it easier and easier to replace us.

The moral of the story is...'ya gotta be different to get noticed, or 'ya gotta be incredibly good.

Which do you think is easier?

Does it sound like a pedal steel? Not to me. Would an average person even know what a pedal steel is much less what it actually sounds like? Nope.

For me this is exactly what is wrong with modern music in my opinion. Very few people today actually recognize real music. Worse yet most people don't care. If it sounds close enough it's good enough for them. An idiot with a tin ear can make music on a computer today.

I used to compose with virtual instruments and had several Kontakt modules. I haven't done composing except to make some tracks for myself in 10-12 years. I prefer to play a real instrument these days.

It sounds laughably fake to me, but I'm me. A pedal steel player.

When its played with a backing track, it sounds pretty darn good. When it was played in tutorial mode by itself, then you can hear the synthetic sound origination. I was impressed though. The designer did a nice job.

Donny Hinson wrote:'ya gotta be different to get noticed, or 'ya gotta be incredibly good.

I disagree - you need to be different and incredible.

Jim Cooley has spotted the giveaway - the algorithm is reasonable at sliding from one chord to another, albeit rather predictably - but it doesn't know how to slide into the beginning of a phrase. That requires imagination, and without a previous chord it's sunk.

Last year I was asked to sit for a recording session for two days to sample my steel up and down neck in every key. I'm glad I turned the gig down. It wasn't for this company but I imagined a creepy result like this software and fled.

The website offers the software package for $149. Yikes!

I would think that multiple recordings would all eventually sound alike since Im sure it is limited in functionality.

Has all the dexterity and feeling of a "Robot". Ooops, that's probably what's on the horizon.

Good On'ya Fish(Steve.....ha)....I turned down the same thing 5 years ago here in Austin..... I didn't know at the time that it could possibly be THIS....I was thinking and being fed, many of my samples could be used in recordings as normal; but I did find out it was FOR THIS....OMG.
Ricky

Fish wrote:Last year I was asked to sit for a recording session for two days to sample my steel up and down neck in every key. I'm glad I turned the gig down. It wasn't for this company but I imagined a creepy result like this software and fled.

The website offers the software package for $149. Yikes!

Nashville producer in 2019: Get me Steve Fishell!

Nashville producer in 2030: Get me a human!

Honestly I think it sounds great. We are going to have to work harder boys.

It it exact?- no, but its pretty damn close when recorded with a backing track and a good player.

If a band has a good keyboard guy thats adaptable and a quick learner,he can put together some pretty convincing steel backup and solo parts with this digital Abomination Unto the Lord.
Some of the nuance is missing of course, but it really is close enough for a band to add " pedal steel" without adding a Pedal Steel Player.
Not enough pressure on pedal steel guys these days, right?.. We needed more bob