The Steel Guitar Forum

I am doing some work with a local singer that likes this song so I have been practicing it knowing that he will likely ask for it.

Wow! I sure have a hard time keeping my fingers up to speed along with the rythum of the ting-a-linging. It just don't sound right without the rythum.

Who other plays this song? Any suggestions?

Leroy

Leroy, nice song and great steel parts too. Little Roy Wiggins was and still is one of the best and one of my favorite players. I play it in one of the local bands I'm in and play it on the E9 using no pedals-bar slants!! Duane Becker

Daune, the bar-slant scares me when I'm playing a song I really don't feel comfortable with--I use pedals. I have this on-going nightmare that I am going to lose control of the bar and throw it across the stage (I've been known to do that ).

It really is just practice but it seems like I am not making a lot of progess.

Leroy:
The "ting-a-ling" sound that was made famous -- if not originated -- by Roy Wiggins (sometimes called a "Trill") is still a great sound for ballads. Don't be afraid of the slant bar. You don't even have to change your grip on the bar, so you shouldn't have any trouble controlling it. I assume the slant you are talking about is using two adjacent strings. You can learn to simply twist your wrist to get the slant without ever changing or losing the "hold" you have on the bar.

One of the "secrets" of being a good steel man is to develop an attitude of aggressiveness. Practice the trick or lick, and GO FOR IT. You will do fine; just learn not to be timid about your playing. There are billions of people on earth and only thousands play steel. That means that the odds are about 3,000,000 to 1 that you are better on steel than most people on this planet.

Good luck

Roy

Roy, I agree. And I REALLY like those odds!

3,000,000 to 1...Hummmmm....DAMN I AM GOOD!!!