The Steel Guitar Forum

Im a total newbie with the steel and I was just going to ask what are some easy songs to play along with for someone starting out.

Carl

Depends on what you like! But if you're interested in just learning some basic chord positions, you can't go wrong with Ernest Tubb or other classic country. Most of those tunes use the 1, 4, and 5 chord (maybe a minor or a 2 thrown in).

Simple song structure doesn't translate to simple steel playing on those recordings, but just playing the triads on simple songs will definitely help.

I have a feeling you'll get more advice about starting steel on here than you could ever want.

Yea I definitely love my classic country, I’d love to learn some Waylon and Merle especially big city but I feel like it’s going to take me a while before I can play that

Pick up some Classic Country CD's. To buy cheap, look for used at the thrift stores. If you have a cassette player, you can also find them used.

Ah Waylon and Merle! So, so good. It might be worthwhile to just make a list of songs you really like and would like to play. Having that list as a goal and a guide will give you motivation and help keep you on track. A list helps me, and I bet you'll be surprised by how quickly you can play the chords of each song if you find a good learning method and keep at it.

There's a lot of information on the forum, and much discussion of classic country steel, both technique and specific songs (and passages). There's also a lot of tab, free and for sale. Searching for past discussions is almost always helpful.


I basically taught myself how to play by reading this forum, listening, and watching videos.

First off, don't expect to be zipping around on this thing overnight....or in a few weeks.......or months......or years. You will probably be disappointed.

However, learning a few basic moves will let you make some sounds that don't sound like you're using strings made of cat gut while they're still on the cat. ;>))
It's after that phase, where you will really start to see what a bear of an instrument this is.

Two books whose titles escape me that got me a long way were:
- a book by John Badasio (probably LONG out of print)
- a book by DeWitt Scott from (I think) Mel Bay.

As was said, sticking with the 1-4-5 songs is a good beginner move.
Before long you will be using the ABC pedals and E lower and E raise knee levers.

I'd recommend trying to play along with the radio, but the way that country music is these days that may not be as fruitful as it was in the past. Still, there are probably a lot of 1-4-5 songs, it's just that many of them may not have any steel in them.
Which can be of help.
IMO what you're after at this point is:
- Knowing where the chords are in a key.
- How to get to them easily.
- Forget about the flashy zippy stuff. What your primary goal is: How not to hit any wrong notes.

And since you asked for easy songs and probably wanted a specific recommendation, I'll give one. It has been covered here a lot in past years.
AND........
Can the comments about the record being out of tune and blah blah blah. This poster is looking for EASY help and doesn't need to hear that stuff.

So what song is it? (Long time members already know where this is going.)

Teach Your Children by CSNY.
A 1-4-5 song.
Very familiar tune.
Very basic.
Several how to videos on Youtube if you get stuck on a specific section, although I have a feeling you won't.

PM Sent
^_^

ajm wrote:First off, don't expect to be zipping around on this thing overnight....

...EASY....
So what song is it?

Teach Your Children by CSNY.
A 1-4-5 song.
Very familiar tune.
Very basic.
Several how to videos on Youtube if you get stuck on a specific section, although I have a feeling you won't.

The song is easy, but I found trying to copy Jerry Garcia's pedal steel part a few months into learning to play to be very difficult. Partly because it uses the B and C pedals a lot, partly because I just couldn't move and play that fast. I learned the intro from Mickey Adams's YouTube, and tabbed the rest of it out by ear, which WAS good ear training/exercise. But it wasn't "easy" at all.

--Al Evans

As in typing on keyboard, there are your home keys, A,S,D,F with the left hand and J,K,L,; on the right hand....unless you type with one finger? Home strings on the E9th strings 5,6,8. Throw some 3 chord songs on and play along using A/B pedals. Find your way around with this very basic idea and branch out from there incorporating the Eb lever. Then, add strings 3 and 4. I've taught a few beginners using this approach and it seems to get students started fairly quickly. One student was playing in a band in less than one year using this approach. We kept adding strings and knee/pedal combinations and basic fret moves and added a few licks along the way and copying moves that he was hearing on his favorite songs. But, basics first.

Fellow newbie here.

If you can, record your own backing tracks on GarageBand or other software (or just use a looping pedal), so you can control the difficulty and the tempo to match your abilities.

I recorded a simple rhythm guitar part consisting of G, A, D, and Bm that I can loop endlessly while I play along. When I screw up, I just wait for the progression to come around again and hop back on. It's a good way to build muscle memory, and if you get bored, just learn other positions to play the chords and it'll all be brand-new again!

When I first approached pedal steel about 1971. No Internet, No Electric Tuner, No Steel Guitar Forum.

A friend showed me G at 3rd fret, C 3rd fret + A&B pedals, C at 8th fret, D at 10th fret, G at 10th fret + A&B pedals. And set out on The Adventure. He did not show me how to get Em, Am, Bm, I just heard Em shoving A pedal at 3rd fret. Then figured all minors out from 6 string knowledge.

I have 1 suggestion, Obtain a Mel Bay Steel Guitar E9th Chord Chart. b0b sells them here on the forum, Under INSTRUCTIONS at top of page. It shows how to obtain Major, Minor, Diminish, Augmented, 7th chords. Which Pedals, Levers and strings to pick. Best 8.00 you can spend starting on Pedal Steel.

P.S. Teach your Children by CSNY, Or Suzy Bogguss and Kathy Matteau version on U-Tube have a MINOR chord in them.
So on a E9th tuned steel, You will have to use the A Pedal, B&C Pedal combo or D knee lever to get the minor chord to get one part of the song to sound original.

Red Sovine's "Giddyup Go" and "Teddy Bear"are good songs to play along with if you like country. They are just like backing tracks.

Carl, if you haven't already, buy the Winnie Winston book:


It's a tad dated (1975-ish), but there's plenty of beginner tunes to work with, and lots of information between the covers that's invaluable to a newbie.

There are plenty of players nowadays who started out with Winnie's book. Until something better comes down the pike, it may rightly be considered the pedal steel guitar bible.

Carl,

I agree with Jack (and all the others who have responded), the Winnie Winston book is good for beginners. I just wish I could find my copy! I still consider myself as a beginner also, and learning the basics is key to success. Don't get frustrated! Check out YouTube for tons of free lessons and songs to learn by. Also, check out Jeff Newman's courses (If you can find them!). Just his basic courses can help tremendously when trying to learn how to play with songs and rhythm tracks as he includes tablature, songs, rhythm tracks and explanations in his courses on DVD and on CD. Here are a few that come to mind...

The Right Hand Alpha course (Jeff's left hand lesson helps also on You Tube)
Up From The Top ("A&B" Pedals)
An E9th Chord Dictionary
Pedal Steel Guitar Techniques
Universal E9th/B6th Course (For U12 Steels)
Up From The Top ("D" Lever)
Up From The Top ('F" Lever)
The Chord Connection
The Minor Chord Connection
Just Play The Melody

Good luck sir!

Another vote for the Newman courses. I started with the Techniques and Alpha, then the Up From The Top courses and considered the money well spent. Best of luck on your journey Carl.