The Song Fight Bulletin Board

I recently bought a pedal steel guitar! Help, how do I play this thing?! It's crazy.

Go on Google Plus, search for "pedal steel" and see who there can help. It's up close and personal. You might even get someone in a Hangout and give you lessons

Ha! I bought a student model one a couple of years back. 10 strings, 3 pedals and a knee lever. And THAT"S terrifying! It has seen very little play time, I'm afraid. I pulled it out a few weeks ago and got scared. It's still sitting there, beckoning. Very challenging indeed, I think it's something you have to spend an enormous amount of time with. Want to push each other a bit, and challenge ourselves to a friendly fight, as motivation?

Mine's got 10 strings, 3 pedals, and 5(!) knee levers. This E9 tuning is totally weird. That is a great idea about a friendly fight to get us motivated! Want to lay out some parameters?

Having no experience in this at all, what comes to mind is playing over ambient tracks (Eno, trance, etc.) and just doing the sonic groove thing. That way the mechanics of doing some things gets more comfortable before you worry about actual harmonic changes and all that other stuff.

That reminds me of a Daniel Lanois record I have that is really great and I think, full of pedal steel. It might be Rockets, or Shine.

Lunkhead wrote:Mine's got 10 strings, 3 pedals, and 5(!) knee levers. This E9 tuning is totally weird. That is a great idea about a friendly fight to get us motivated! Want to lay out some parameters?

Sounds like the sitar my wife bought me in India.
Has about 100 strings and tuning pegs and crap.

Caravan Ray wrote:

Lunkhead wrote:Mine's got 10 strings, 3 pedals, and 5(!) knee levers. This E9 tuning is totally weird. That is a great idea about a friendly fight to get us motivated! Want to lay out some parameters?

Sounds like the sitar my wife bought me in India.
Has about 100 strings and tuning pegs and crap.

You sure that's not a sex toy?

I've known quite a few steel players, and have played enough to make pretty noises. Would love to own one.

First thing I'll say is less is more. You're a great guitarist, and it's gonna be frustrating that you can't wiggle around and be flashy on the steel. Unless you're playing with Brent Mason or Brad Paisley, you're gonna be playing suspended chords, slowly resolving with a nice swell. Beautiful.

Oh, you need a volume pedal. All the steel players I know use the Ernie Ball one. You're gonna want a pretty clean tone. Big and round, with not a lot else on it.

Listen to George Strait and Dwight Yoakam for atmosphere, Hank Williams Sr for the melody and chord lines that everyone else has been playing for 60 years. Hank's player will show you how not to be afraid of messy chords, provided your mix has enough space to handle it.

If you're wanting to be all indy hip and cool and run it through a million processors, I cannot help you. If you want to play the best instrument on earth the way white Jesus intended it to be played, I will have some projects for you.

Less is more.

Have fun!

Certainly good advice that, Sober.

Lunk: I heard the steel in your JB cover and it sounds good. I will make an effort to incorporate mine into the next fight. I have no ideas on parameters for a friendly fight, but maybe an all instrumental and like, a month to do it? Title sggestions cornily reated to the idea?

Title: Real Steel or Pedal to the Metal!