The Steel Guitar Forum

Last week, I was adding some steel overdubs to an uptempo, Dylanesque tune for one of my bands. Because the song was just three chords and I wasn't on the clock with anyone, I tried to land some of my toughest licks. I kept taking passes and planned on editing together the best pieces.

Last night, I went back to listen to the explosion of steel that I had recorded. It was horrible. Listening with fresh ears, it was obvious that I tried to turn our folk tune into my instrumental showcase.

I sat back down and took the opposite approach. I did one pass on the tune as if playing it live, and a second pass on just the solo to make sure it was tight.

After 23 years of playing music (5 on steel), I still sometimes need to be reminded that less is more when you're serving the song. Furthermore, the steel is a beautiful instrument and sounds great even on the most simple of parts.

Good lesson, Russell - thanks for sharing.

Yeah. I was just listening to a recent rehearsal recording of a duo of myself and a singer/songwriter. I felt in the zone when playing it (and she's thrilled to have a steel on her music so she liked it) but it was just absurd. All about me. Sobering.
Funny thing is that Cindy Cashdollar played on this song on the CD. Beautiful and haunting. Instead of listening to how tastefully she did it, I guess I felt like I had to 'step up'. All I did was step in it. Fortunately it was only a rehearsal.

I also have a tendency, when tracking at home, to become attached to a clever idea. I can spend all day bending it this way and that way, trying to fit it into the song because IT'S SUCH A CLEVER IDEA!! I always end up ditching it and playing real music once I regain my senses. What was I thinking?

Adding tracks by way of Dropbox or whatever has a tendency to make me do that same thing. Fortunately, the guy I've collaborated with most frequently isn't shy to say that I'm over doing it.

Less really is more in most cases.

Dave

I usually ask the Producer to play Air-Steel at the spots he wants Steel. And that's where I play.

How ludicrously simple

I like drummer Kenny Malone’s concept of playing--“think about what you want to play on the song, and then think about playing half of that. Then leave half of that out...”.

My mantra for avoiding pitfalls like that is...
Approach it like you're the producer...not the player.

When I was doing it, the engineer/producer usually said..."play through the whole song, and we'll edit afterwards". Sometimes, it was once-and-done, sometimes not. But I never got to say what stayed in and what didn't because that wasn't my job. If I was sent something now to play on, I'd do it the same way. That way, they're choosing what stays in the finished product.

When I had my little studio in Anchorage Alaska I would usually come in the next day and listen to what I'd played the day before,Then fire myself and play it again with way less stupid stuff.

Sometimes not being able to play fast is an asset!

I play steel for what we call the hillbilly jam in our retirement community. Since it's a Christian community the majority of songs are in the gospel realm. Every week people come on stage to perform songs I've never played or heard before. You get a verse and a chores to pick up the melody before you have to do a break or a turn around. Simple is about all I have time to create but the audience seems to enjoy it.

John I have about the same situation. Open Stage/ Open Mike can turn into an OhMe, A Red Skelton Gertrude and Heathcliff scene, "Just Wing It". I play in a house band every Friday night and I have found if on some songs a few simple phrases and a turn around or ride is all you can do and feel you add to the music.
All the licks you have wood shedded all week stay in their bag.

It's a sobering lesson indeed!

When I was first playing steel in London in the '70s I got quite a few calls to 'bring the steel to the studio' as well as my guitars. 'Steel' was a relatively new concept in producers' minds then, especially in Britain.

They'd be tickled to death by the 'new' sound and would get my to play whatever came into my head through an entire track! My ego would do the rest and the resulting cacophony would require some delicate editing before it could be unleashed upon the world-at-large.

I'd like to think I learned that lesson early but I can still catch myself overdoing things from time to time. These days I can't bear to listen to recorded performances of shows that I'm playing. It seems there are no pleasant surprises any more. I think I was a better player in the 1980s-1990s than I am today because an abundance of studio work in that period (no longer the case) sharpened my critical thinking.

it happens , sometimes too often.



Are we playing our Steel on the song

or

are we playing the SONG on our Steel

Roger Rettig wrote:It's a sobering lesson indeed!

These days I can't bear to listen to recorded performances of shows that I'm playing. It seems there are no pleasant surprises any more.

Me as well, I leave the show thinking I did a good job, then I listen back and say, Good God I hope nobody heard this !

I had the good fortune to be an in-studio guest on a Sneeky Pete over-dub session being engineered by a friend in the early 70's. Pete was so nice and he gave me a tip that has stuck with me all these years and I hope I was able to be true to it's spirit. He told me to "all ways be a musician who plays steel guitar, don't be a steel guitar player". JE:-)>

I've always heard to keep it simple and minimalist. I've tried to remember those lessons, but lately I've been listening to a lot of stuff from the 60s, 70s on. Some old TV programs and old discs.

There are plenty examples of steel all over the recording and/or performance. I love it. I think it's more about what you play. A professional player can play a lot and make it fit by choosing the proper phrases, licks etc. in the right places.

Not saying my playing is that cerebral, but in the right hands it is fine.

I don't know if I'd want to do or hear that for 4 sets, but in many songs it works.