The Steel Guitar Forum

Can anyone explain the pedal techniques used by Bucks steel player in his early recordings of 1960-61.

------------------

Ralph Mooney used a Fender pedal steel with no knee levers. Each pedal worked only one string, and Ralph played with both feet on the pedals.

Today we are used to having the E-->F# change a pedal that also does the B-->C#. By having those changes on separate pedals, Mooney was able to come up with some very unique licks.

Here is Ralph Mooney's tuning as documented in 1975 by Winnie Winston. By then he had switched to a ten string guitar with a knee lever: <font size="3" face="monospace"><pre> 1 2 3 4 5 knee
G# +A -G
E +F# +F
B +C#
G# +A
F#
E -Eb
D
C#
Bb
E </pre></font>I don't know what the low strings are about at all, but I don't think he had them on those early Buck Owens records.

------------------
Bobby Lee www.b0b.com/products
Sierra Session S-12 E9th, Speedy West D-10, Sierra S-8 Lap<p ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b">[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 12-24-99]</FONT></P>

I found I had to add a pedal to get that
Mooney sound of E to F#. It's often
sort of a quick sharp stab at the pedal
that's impossible to get with a knee lever.

I absolutely love it.

------------------
Rod Mason

If you play a double 10, putting an E to F# change on the pedal closest to the volume pedal (usually P8) helps a lot in getting those Mooney licks. It really does take both feet to get it right.

I have the change on my vertical knee lever. Close enough.