The Steel Guitar Forum

I'm just curious about what guys like me who don,t play with a band do. I take lessons, so I play stuff my teacher tabs out for me and play along with a cd he made, or I try and play along with songs. But it gets kinda boring. What do some of you other non pro players do?

Will, I am not to be confused with a PRO even though I do gig with a band about once or twice a month. The rest of the time I try to practice regularly with to a written checklist which includes scales, licks, phrases, solo songs and playing to backing tracks that I make. I use the checklist to make sure that I have some discipline. You can't beat playing with other musicians so tracks are then next best thing. I would encourage searching out some musicians even at a club and invite yourself to a jam session, even at a gig if they will let you. it's not a money thing . I have set up at many gigs back in Ct. and played a couple of sets with bands and they were fine with it as long as they didn't have to pay me. I plan to do that here in Charlotte as well but I have been to busy right now.

Go for it..
TP


TPrior/SteelGuitarHomesite

gent some "music minus one" tracks for the steel , and get some good old records which had nice stuff on it.
Play along with them . They don't care if you screw up, and they are always in time.
IF there is a steel on the record, you might even find where some of those licks are.
When I was just starting out I had a few favorites-- Loretta Lynn, Conway Twitty, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tony Booth... those are the ones I remember off the top of my head.

Winnie

Just wondering, Winnie, what was there by Jerry Lee Lewis that had steel on it?

The printed page is a wholenother musical entity. Learn to read notation and you'll see what I mean. Hugh

I have not done many gigs since I let Toronto a few years ago. Here's some of my solutions to being isolated.

Play along with the band in your head.

Sing some songs and accompany yourself on steel - it is, after all, a guitar.

Teach one of your kids to play bass so you have someone to play with.

Works for me.

Joe, I've got Jerry Lee Lewis album with steel tittled "There must be more to love than this". Mercury records 1970

Band in a Box is a great auto accompanyment program for the computer.

Will, get together with other Musicians and Jam as often as you can.
it's essential to get out the shed or the laboratory as much as possible.
it's another realm !
Playin w: your kids is great/playin along with all kinds of records is hip too.
last but not least, learn how to read and know the "numbers" system.
Steel gonna be long...

Learn how to read music notation and study theory and chord construction. It,s hard work,but in the end, it's worth the effort.
That's only if your'e serious about it. Learn where every note is on your guitar fretboard. Good Luck.

Learn to do something easier than steel, like singing or playing bass. Then you can sit in with working bands and casually mention that you have a steel.
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C#

I'd be carefull about the bass thing. Once pegged in that position...they never let you off. Unless someone else plays it well. Thats been a problem for me in my area anyway. There's seems to be a shortage of decent bass players.

Steven is right, but it's not necessarily a bad thing to play out on another Instrument but keep in mind that once you do you will become a Bass Player , Guitar Player or Keyboard player first and Steel player second..Fortunatly I love playing on my Tele' so when the band threatens to beat the ever lovin' tar out of me to get back on the Tele' I make like it's a big deal , whine and moan and all that stuff, but secretly the Tele' is an equal love .
tp

Tony, you love some other instrument as much as steel...? Uh oh. I'm not sure you should have owned up to that on the Forum!

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<font size=-1>Bill L | My steel page | Email | My music | Steeler birthdays | Over 50?</font>

Go to Jam sessions and see who else goes to jam sessions and introduce your self to some of the other jammers and get together wih some of them at your house or theirs and you never know what may develope from there.

I have made some very good friends doing that. and have had some very good experiences.

Yeh Bill, It's a sad reality..I Love em' both...I'm sorry..I'll go to the back of the line...or stand in the corner ...maybe this is truth or dare day here on the forum? ya think ?
tp

ps, Lets not discuss my JBass either...or I may have to reveal some more truths..Two truths in a single day, I don't think I've ever done that..

TPrior/SteelGuitarHomesite

Over the years, I've collected a lot of old recordings of favorite songs, bands, musicians. Many of them feature steel guitar and now I work hard to figure out what they're doing, practicing licks and technique over and over and over. I practice mostly with those tapes, CDs, and old records.

Having played guitar, bass, and piano for many years, I knew that learning to play the steel would involve lots of repetitive practice. Like you, I took lessons for a few months, had someone who knew how show me the things I couldn't figure myself. Sometimes I feel it's not paying off, but then later realize I couldn't do "that" two weeks ago.

Like the others said, playing with other musicians is really worthwhile, and fun.
Sometimes the opportunity is there, othertimes not. But I keep practicing so that when the opportunity comes, I'll be as ready as possible.