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Post by chessparov on Oct 22, 2023 16:18:54 GMT -6
For many years, have always had a listening soft spot for things like B3 Hammond/Slide Guitar/Afro-Cuban Percussion etc. Am realizing that I love the tone particularly of Country/Country Rock Pedal Steel. Thought this might be a good time for Grasshopper to learn more about it.  Chris |
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Oct 22, 2023 19:18:38 GMT -6
Ragan just took delivery of I think a custom made pedal steel: looked pretty sweet !
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Post by Johnkenn on Oct 22, 2023 20:19:10 GMT -6
For many years, have always had a listening soft spot for things like B3 Hammond/Slide Guitar/Afro-Cuban Percussion etc. Am realizing that I love the tone particularly of Country/Country Rock Pedal Steel. Thought this might be a good time for Grasshopper to learn more about it. Chris Run. That shit is difficult |
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Post by spindrift on Oct 22, 2023 20:23:03 GMT -6
For many years, have always had a listening soft spot for things like B3 Hammond/Slide Guitar/Afro-Cuban Percussion etc. Am realizing that I love the tone particularly of Country/Country Rock Pedal Steel. Thought this might be a good time for Grasshopper to learn more about it. Chris Run. That shit is difficult A math problem on legs… |
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Post by Johnkenn on Oct 22, 2023 20:26:55 GMT -6
Run. That shit is difficult A math problem on legs… Honestly, maybe I should get one (again) and really start trying to learn. Kind of sounds interesting to me. It might be something I could get decent at - if nothing else, I have a good ear…seems like it might be a little less about dexterity…idk |
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Post by reddirt on Oct 22, 2023 20:45:40 GMT -6
You don't have to be flash with a million notes IMO ; the colour is what sells it for mine.
Of course the truly great players like Cayton (sp?) Roberts have , or in his case had, notes in spades.
Cheers, Ross
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Post by chessparov on Oct 22, 2023 20:47:31 GMT -6
Run. That shit is difficult A math problem on legs… Isn't that just a... Roamin' numeral? (Cues "Take V"/Brubeck) Chris |
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Post by jeremygillespie on Oct 22, 2023 20:54:14 GMT -6
An hour a day for 10 years and you’ll be passable.
It’s an ornery bastard of an instrument with inherent tuning instabilities that must be compensated for and constantly adjusted by mechanics and by ear. Those are its good traits.
Probably one of the most beautiful sounding instruments in capable hands. I’m fond of E9 tunings but with more atmospheric things happening - think of Daniel Lanois’ playing.
C6 tuning for western jump etc is also cool, just not really my bag.
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Post by ragan on Oct 22, 2023 21:31:07 GMT -6
I’m an extreme novice. And I don’t have tons of time to throw at it. But…I’m not trying to be fancy about it. A simple 6th or 3rd harmonic pair doing the right thing at the right moment in a song can be utter magic. Right now I’m aiming to get some standard grips down and to be able to grab the chords/intervals I need in a natural way. It’ll be a slow process, but one I’m committed to.
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Post by drumsound on Oct 22, 2023 23:11:27 GMT -6
You need to have a really deep knowledge of theory and chord building to really make a steel sound effortless. I'm very lucky that I have a friend who is a wonderful player and every time I get to record him (on any type of guitar really) it's just a joy.
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Post by anders on Oct 22, 2023 23:30:54 GMT -6
I spent a few years trying to get the hang of it, but eventually gave up. The maths involved, plus the coordination of intonation, picking and muting, knees, pedals and volume got me in the end. If I'd been a better fingerpicker, and not a strummer, it might have been different, because my right hand would've been more automated. But I learned a lot of things I brought back to the guitar. A good companion on the way was this podcast, I learned a lot from veterans sharing their way of thinking: pedalsteelpodcast.wordpress.com/ |
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Post by ironinthepath on Oct 22, 2023 23:43:08 GMT -6
Pedal steel just talks to me! Totally love it for some reason (but aside from lap-steel dobro I won't be trying it myself). What's interesting is that time and time again this same guy is in the credits when I check: Paul Franklin - maybe he's a master of masters.
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Post by anders on Oct 23, 2023 0:06:25 GMT -6
[…] What's interesting is that time and time again this same guy is in the credits when I check: Paul Franklin - maybe he's a master of masters. Among contemporary players, he just might be. He's a guest in episodes 13 and 14 in the podcast I'm mentioning above. He's also the man behind the Paul Franklin method: www.paulfranklinmethod.com/ |
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Post by ragan on Oct 23, 2023 0:22:32 GMT -6
The guy who built my pedal steel recommended I skip the purpose built volume pedal he sells and instead spend that money on the Paul Franklin course.
I was all set to do that but it looks like you only get access for like the month you pay for. Subscription (and a lot, like $150/mo or something). Non starter. I don’t have the time to like really hunker down for a month and get my money’s worth. It’s gonna be 30-60 min at a time in perpetuity.
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Post by thehightenor on Oct 23, 2023 0:26:22 GMT -6
I adore the sound of pedal steel - it’s so emotional.
Sting has used it to great effect on many of his solo albums.
It works in so many settings, not just Blue Grass and Country.
Dave Gilmour plays well and uses it on some Floyd tracks.
A wonderful instrument imho.
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Post by christophert on Oct 23, 2023 0:30:57 GMT -6
I got one - still have it. Was shit at using it. My advice would be record one string at a time |
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Post by chessparov on Oct 23, 2023 1:51:55 GMT -6
Yes it's only realistic at this stage of my life (64). *
(Not a guitar player to boot)
To listen/appreciate/understand better.
I may monkey around with Samples eventually, for some (low level) keyboard fun.
I find the tones inspirational.
And am inclined to think they can help for songwriting ideas.
Thanks again guys, Chris
*Maybe VERY basic Blues slide guitar, down the road.
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Post by christophert on Oct 23, 2023 3:13:27 GMT -6
This is what you want.
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Post by anders on Oct 23, 2023 4:24:41 GMT -6
I got one - still have it. Was shit at using it. My advice would be record one string at a time In a pinch, I've done just that with fair results. I recommend recording two strings at the time where you can (so the vibrato and slides are more coherent), and DI it. Plan your voicings ahead, and keep them simple. Reamp and add volume swells when your individual strings are done. The DI+reamp will reduce noise level (fewer amp takes recorded) and will give you a bit more glue through intermodulation & stuff in your amp chain. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2023 6:26:25 GMT -6
You wouldn't think a classical guy like me would have any knowledge or interest in pedal steel, but you'd be wrong. Several decades back, I knew a producer who'd worked with some big names in country/folk. He slipped me a cassette that he'd recorded at a convention of some sort, featuring Buddy Emmons (he also gave me Buddy's tunings). For once, steel was in the foreground. Man, that guy could play some serious jazz--both single line and chord lead. He didn't just parachute in--he knew just what he was doing. The late Lenny Breau played guitar on some of the tunes, and he had all he could do just keeping up.
At any rate, I thought for a long time about how I might integrate a pedal steel into a chamber music/orchestral environment, but concluded that I wasn't the composer to do it.
There is a funny side to this. When I lived in Massachusetts, Ray Magliozzi (yep, one of the Car Talk brothers) was a good neighbor. Ray's a pretty decent bluegrass player in his own right and he asked me if I'd like a pedal steel. Of course I answered yes. He brought over a box of stuff which at some point had been a kit or a personal project by somebody. Single neck, 10-string, but definitely not a Sho Bud. It took me quite a few weeks to get it sorted out and put together, but it was junk all the way through. No amount of tweaking could get it to remotely hold tune, or even stand there without swaying back and forth. It eventually went back in the box and wandered off somewhere. Ray was quite amused by the whole thing.
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Post by chessparov on Oct 23, 2023 8:21:58 GMT -6
That must have been before AutoTwang.
Chris
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Post by notneeson on Oct 23, 2023 8:49:20 GMT -6
I know a couple players: they are obsessed. They will talk ZB Customs until the cows come home.
The good ones always have gigs though. Plenty of good guitar players, daw fewer on steel.
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Post by ninworks on Oct 23, 2023 9:33:57 GMT -6
I had a pedal steel player once tell me it's not that difficult once you learn where the block triads are. Then I had another one tell me it's like flying a plane with all the levers and pedals. So who do you believe?
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Post by smashlord on Oct 23, 2023 9:41:46 GMT -6
There is no more beautiful sound than a pedal steel, through a blonde Bassman, into a plate.
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Post by drumsound on Oct 23, 2023 10:29:40 GMT -6
Yes it's only realistic at this stage of my life (64). * (Not a guitar player to boot) To listen/appreciate/understand better. I may monkey around with Samples eventually, for some (low level) keyboard fun. I find the tones inspirational. And am inclined to think they can help for songwriting ideas. Thanks again guys, Chris *Maybe VERY basic Blues slide guitar, down the road. Some say you're better off NOT knowing guitar if you want to learn steel, because they are so different. I the Jerry Garcia commented that it's more like a harp than a guitar. You wouldn't think a classical guy like me would have any knowledge or interest in pedal steel, but you'd be wrong. Several decades back, I knew a producer who'd worked with some big names in country/folk. He slipped me a cassette that he'd recorded at a convention of some sort, featuring Buddy Emmons (he also gave me Buddy's tunings). For once, steel was in the foreground. Man, that guy could play some serious jazz--both single line and chord lead. He didn't just parachute in--he knew just what he was doing. The late Lenny Breau played guitar on some of the tunes, and he had all he could do just keeping up. At any rate, I thought for a long time about how I might integrate a pedal steel into a chamber music/orchestral environment, but concluded that I wasn't the composer to do it. There is a funny side to this. When I lived in Massachusetts, Ray Magliozzi (yep, one of the Car Talk brothers) was a good neighbor. Ray's a pretty decent bluegrass player in his own right and he asked me if I'd like a pedal steel. Of course I answered yes. He brought over a box of stuff which at some point had been a kit or a personal project by somebody. Single neck, 10-string, but definitely not a Sho Bud. It took me quite a few weeks to get it sorted out and put together, but it was junk all the way through. No amount of tweaking could get it to remotely hold tune, or even stand there without swaying back and forth. It eventually went back in the box and wandered off somewhere. Ray was quite amused by the whole thing. "Don't Pick like my brother" |
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