More Pedal Steel Licks on Lap Steel

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

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Nelson Checkoway
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More Pedal Steel Licks on Lap Steel

Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Inspired by Doug Beaumier’s excellent post and track showcasing PSG style playing on a lap steel, here is a brief sample—a double chorus of a country track I’ve been working up with a classic fiddle-style feel.

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/s5jCovzjgixmegbi9
John Sluszny
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Post by John Sluszny »

Awsome !!!
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks John. Playing it brought me some bounce and cheer on a cold gray winter day!
Bill Hatcher
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Post by Bill Hatcher »

Great job,
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Roy Thomson
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Post by Roy Thomson »

Well done Nelson!
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G Strout
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Post by G Strout »

Excellent. Good blocking!!
Melbert 8, Remington S8,Remington D8, Rick B6, Tremblay 6 lap steel, Marlen S-10 4&4, Old Guild M75 and Artist Award, Benedetto Bravo, Epiphone Century Electar (the real one) and a bunch of old lap steels.... mostly Ricks and Magnatones'
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks John. Playing it brought me some bounce and cheer on a cold gray winter day!
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks Bill, Roy and G. I used a combination of palm and pick blocking. Also I used my Emmons lap steel (later model with their 8-string pedal steel pickup, not the DeArmond style) for more of a PSG and less vintage lap tone.
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Mike Neer
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Post by Mike Neer »

Really nice and clean and slippery.
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks Mike! “Slippery” indeed!!
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Doug Beaumier
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Post by Doug Beaumier »

Wow, that's really cool, Nelson... very pedal steel-ish. I'm sure a lot of steel guitarists would assume you're playing a pedal steel!

I was also impressed with the C6 recording you played for me when I visited you a couple of years ago. It sounded exactly like C6 pedal steel to my ear, and I was surprised when you told me it was played on a lap steel! Well done.
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks, Doug, for your kind words! I hope that you’ve been doing well during and in spite of the times we’re in. Hopefully we’ll be turning the corner and music will get back to the clubs and streets in 2021!
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

I’m posting a link to the C6 track Doug refers to above (that I posted a few years back on the forum). Its an exercise where I attempted to reverse engineer for 8-string lap steel a pedal steel solo from Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite” played by the great Jim Cohen. (My take is running at about 75% of Jim’s tempo). Hope you enjoy!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/4GBcMAfQtkv2gBgM8
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Doug Beaumier
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Post by Doug Beaumier »

It's great to hear that again. Thanks for posting it.
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Jim Cohen
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Post by Jim Cohen »

Nelson Checkoway wrote:I’m posting a link to the C6 track Doug refers to above (that I posted a few years back on the forum). Its an exercise where I attempted to reverse engineer for 8-string lap steel a pedal steel solo from Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite” played by the great Jim Cohen. (My take is running at about 75% of Jim’s tempo). Hope you enjoy!

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/4GBcMAfQtkv2gBgM8
Hey Nelson! I missed that a few years ago when you posted it so thanks to Doug B. for drawing my attention to it now. I'm flattered that you would find my solo worthy of study and reverse-engineering. That's a tough job, especially changing from pedals to nonpedals, and ya did well with it! Bravo! :)
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks, Jim, for the thumbs-up! And thanks, Doug, for passing the word along!
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Steve Cunningham
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Post by Steve Cunningham »

This is great! Love the lick at 0:23
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Doug Beaumier
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Post by Doug Beaumier »

It reminds me of Tom Brumley (Buck Owens)... west coast style pedal steel. Snappy and clean with kind of a mid-range of tone.
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Cliff Swanson
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Post by Cliff Swanson »

Wow that's cool!
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks guys! Hey Doug you won’t believe this but I was listening to old live Buck, Don and Tom for the past hour! Together Again. My Heart Skips a Beat. And one of my favorites: Love’s Gonna Live Here Again. Such superb playing and singing and great songs!!!
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Joe Cook
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Post by Joe Cook »

Bakersfield vibe for sure! Excellent technique, Nelson.
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Thanks Joe. And yes Doug, I dig that sound. In fact I came THIS close to buying a Zane Beck built Scranton era ZB Custom D-11 fixer upper a few years ago. No knees 6 pedals 650 bucks. Whew. One that got away, but I knew I didn’t have the time or dinero to make it play. I’ll stop now before this thread gets kicked over to the PSG section. LOL!! :)
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Dave Zirbel
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Post by Dave Zirbel »

Sounds great!

I’ve been trying to get pedal steel sounds on a non pedal 6th tuning as well. Still searching for all the pockets.

I only listened once to your track. I’m guessing you were not pulling strings behind the bar, right?

Thanks for sharing! 👍
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Bill Leff
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Post by Bill Leff »

Please share your secrets!
Nelson Checkoway
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Post by Nelson Checkoway »

Hey Dave - thanks and good to hear from you. I enjoy the tracks I’ve heard you on—very tasteful stuff and I dig you on the ZB!! You’re right-no string pulls on that track. All slides for the single note bends and you the final G to C tag — GBD to GCE — is a severe slant on strings 234 from frets 7-7-7 to 7-8-9.

BTW I saw you did some work with Commander Cody Band in the Northwest a while back. I played a show with them in New England back 7-8 years ago. Good to meet you on the Forum.
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