Episode 72 - Should I try to buy and learn a Pedal Steel Guitar?
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- The first one in a series about how best to approach considering buying and learning a pedal steel. Absolutely NOT one of the typical videos that are just there to show off, or make it look easy, because the thing you need to appreciate is that they are the spawn of the devil! Really hard to master, and they require at least a basic understanding of music theory. They're not just clever fretless guitars, and way different from lap steels. This is an intro - maybe it will put you off? So much time and money is wrapped up in pedal steels, so it's vital to be able to predict how you will fit the learning process.
Excellent video. As much as I love this instrument. I am too old to suffer through the beginning learning of it. Thanks for saving me all the time and money.
The two primary tunings used in America are E9 and C6. E9 is the predominant tuning used for country, pop, and rock music (also called the Nashville or "money" tuning). C6 is preferred for Western Swing and jazz. On double neck guitars, the E9 tuning is away from the player and C6 is on the near neck. Tune to E9 and the vast majority of fret positions on the videos will be correct.
I made my living playing a pedal steel guitar for 45 years and know most of the people that play them and I can tell you most don't know anything about theory and I never used it for pedal steel even though I have a college degree in music but my school instrument was the piano. They and myself mainly learn by all the tricks pedals and knee levers do. They identify chords and notes by what they hear often imitating what they have heard like you said. There is so much going on at once that if you have to think about it you're way behind in the song. The best pedal steel players are on automatic. They don't even think about the music while playing. They can carry on a conversation while playing. Paul Franklin calls it muscle memory. I call it just doing what a country boy like me does best. Lol! It's pretty much all I've ever done besides being a recording engineer. Keep pickin'!
I started playing steel guitar at age 67. I didn't play any other instrument although I've also picked up the guitar as well. Actually the high cost was a benefit as it makes me play every day so I wouldn't feel I wasted so much money. I still play every day that I'm here at the house now at age 71. Best thing I've done in retirement although I'm not very good. But improvement is steady. Buy a 10 string E9th with at least 3 pedals and two levers, but 4 levers is better. I find that youtube instructors are very good. You just have to pick out the videos that are geared to your level at the moment.
I inherited my father's 12 string wood grain Emmons.. These are not easy instruments to learn to play, but when you learn even the smallest things on them it is very rewarding.. I've never played a stringed instrument and always been a drummer (5 yrs old, am now 47).. So the change up was drastic.. As far as what to buy, I am very keen on Emmons but that is my attachment from hearing mine from the time I was in diapers until my father passed away.. Sho Bud is very good stuff too, but my Emmons 12 string/any Emmons really, are the best sounding in my opinion for anybody searching.. Neither are cheap, but.. Thanks for the video..
I always loved the pedal steel guitar but couldn’t afford one until my 65th. I could buy a second hand Stage One pedal steel with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. As guitar player I already had some experience with tha Nashville numbering systeem. So I started trying to play the pedal steel with help from RUclips teachers. Man it’s hard to get control of your left and right hand, both feet and knees. After a year my wife said it didn’t sounded like killing a cat anymore but still to my own ears it still sounded not like the teachers on you tube. I’m now 2 years further down the road and I dare to play it with my band. And as we are a C&W band the pedal steels fits in beautifull. Am I an ace now? Definitly not but I love playing it and improving every day. I’m retired so I can train untill kingdom come. Do I recommend buying and start playing the pedal steel? Only if you really really really like to and have the money to buy one and all assessories and have the time to train. If you don’t have one of the mentioned above: Forget it!!!
PSG was tricky because of the right hand, but I grew up playing a lot of open tunes lap steel for my grandpa as a kid. If you play in folk tunings, it’ll help the transition to E9
If you want to learn PSG just go ahead and get started. It's nowhere near as scary as this guy says. If you wanna learn off the internet get a 10 string E9 and there are videos galore. I am currently really loving a couple of Jeff Newman courses that has popped up on youtube lately. They are pretty great.
That's right. I made my living playing pedal steel and it's not that complicated. It does require some practice and just playing with other musicians.
Pedal steel definitely requires dedication. I've seen a few multi instrumentalists in the UK take up steel recently. Some complained it is too difficult and some others have had the bug bite them and really dedicate a lot of time. There's no substitute for time.
An ancient cable-pull Fender won't be helping you though as regards lessons. I love the sound of them but they are obsolete by modern standards. A beginner needs a post 1970s 10 String, E9, Emmons or Day setup steel with 3 pedals and 4 levers. The basic E9 Emmons setup is very transferable from steel to steel and in lessons. Day is also very similar.
Music theory is great to learn as long as people don't get into the weeds. With no previous instruments under me, I started off by playing by ear as a teen. Soon after joining my family band though I realised I needed to learn more theory as I didn't recognise more complex chords such as minors. Unfortunately for me, I read loads of things on the internet that were way too advanced for me and it just disheartened me...then I found the Nashville Number system. Learning the Nashville number system and incorporating it with steel is where it clicked. I'm by no means an expert with music theory now. I still use my ear which is important for steel with it being fretless...that being said, and as you said, I get paid. If the producer/band is happy, its a job well done.
I've heard off but never tried the Nashville numbers system - thanks for the reminder. P
As Stephen pointed out, you have a pretty ancient pedal steel there, the setup of pedals and levers don't correspond with the basic setup of modern pedal steels. Most modern pedal steels come with a set basic copedent, tutorial videos will seem fairly useless to you as the setup in the Fender you have do not correspond to these videos. Sure as you progress you can put in other personal changes on the copedent but the basic pedals/levers usually remain either in the Emmons or Day copedent.
Like you I play a lot of instruments and can knock a tune out of many different instruments. When I took up pedal steel in later life I knew before I started that this was an instrument that required a more dedicated and steep learning curve if I wanted to get decent results. Knowledge of how the pedals/levers work is important but one of the main elements is how to get a good tone from it, this only comes with a lot of practice.
So it's a extremely hard instrument to learn to begin with, but once you start to get it the satisfaction from playing is very uplifting. You are right though, it's not an instrument you can just sit down and knock out a tune, it takes years of dedicated practice and dedication.
A good start though would be to purchase a modern pedal steel if you really want to get somewhere with it. Also there are meetings of pedal steel players throughout the UK where experienced players are willing to share their knowledge and techniques with you. I started to attend my local meetings and my playing progressed exponentially.
This was the reality check I desperately needed. Incredibly informative and well spoken, thank you so much. I have a lot to learn before I even breathe near one…
this guy's playing an ancient instrument set up like cats used to play back in the 60's. There actually is a common standard these days and modern instruments are much different.
Sorry to say that this information is not up to date and a bit misleading
Yes buy a pedal steel guitar.
I finally got one Marlin S10 a starter
It can be a bit of roller coaster ride(22+ yrs in) but you only live once... I say go for it...
I teach the Pedal Steel Guitar and have been playing it for over 40 years.
This gentleman is using a very unusual Pedal Steel tuning and hence, I believe why he is having limited progress
Standard Pedal Steel is not 8 strings but 10 strings and it is tuned to E9th
With minimum of three pedals and two knee levers
There are only two basic Pedal set ups to get started on the E9th neck.
These are (Buddy) Emmons Pedal set-up, or the (Jimmy) Day Pedal set-up.
From that, you can add numerous other pedals and levers of your choice and as you progress
If this gentleman is looking at RUclips clips, then he will generally only see the E9th - not his C9th tuning
Also, his comment about finding a chord in more than one place is a bit strange as everybody who plays Guitar knows you can play the same note/chord in various places on the neck. It’s just the same with Pedal Steel
Prospected Pedal Steel players, give it a go it’s not as difficult as you may first think.
But definitely, the main drawback is the initial cost of the instrument
Well - as it isn't a 10 string pedal steel, it's using the very common tuning for the Fenders. I may have confused with the comments about finding chords all over the place. What I meant was that with 4 pedals - and two knee levers, you have more variables to keep track of, and while of course guitar players do similar things with different shapes at different fret positions, the pedal steel just has more of them to keep track of, and it's so different. As you progress on guitar your open string chords progress to barre chords and I/IV/Vs anywhere, but with the different copedents - and there seem two camps for the 400 - a 6 or 9 tuning setup - both with many fans.
@@pauljohnson4590 In this day and age (2024), when we talk about Pedal Steel Guitar, it is almost 100%, the 10 or 12 stringed instrument (3 to 7 pedals & 2 to 7 knee levers) developed, primarily by the legendary Buddy Emmons (1960’s) who added 2 extra strings at the top of the instrument so one could easily play scale passages without moving the bar.
I don’t know of any “Top” Pedal Steel Guitar players who would still be playing an 8 string instrument and of all the Steel festivals/conventions over the last 30+ years it would be difficult to find anyone playing an 8 string!
When we use the bar a different frets, it’s basically just like playing the guitar with one finger.
So by adding pedals or levers at that fret it’s like using other fingers to create chords et cetera. Best of luck with learning the PSG.
P.S. I do Pedal Steel Lessons on Zoom :)
Remember that another reason he is different is he seems to have the accent from. across the pond.
No that's not true, because I am also 'across the pond' :) @@krautyvonlederhosen
I’ve got the tingly lip syndrome meself. When I dance, people ask if I’ve lost my keys. But it was the engineering in me that brought the pedal steel and I together. Bought a Blanton here in San Antone made here by Jerry himself. I bought strings and lugged it in for a tune-up now and again. Actually, the guitar was fine and I was only pickin his brain. But mine was stolen by a motivated low life as the case was about 65lbs loaded. I’ll get another soon. Like the content along with the humor.
Cheers, I wasnt sure if my kind of light hearted stuff goes down ok? Everyone is always so serious. Thanaks
Thanks!
That's really kind - thanks very much P
"Unless you've got some sort of death wish".... 😂😂😂😂 Hilarious. This video was enough to not ever bother trying. I'm still traumatized by my attempt at bottle slide on guitar!
I think that's why I made the video - since putting it up, RUclips think I am interested in pedal steels and I've watched loads of videos. Looking back to my video, I'm left thinking I was right - these 'help' videos don't help much at all - they all seem to promote it as something easy. One shows the student with a master, and so clearly you can see the guys face - it's making no sense to him at all - but he nods and the guys does something new and even cleverer, but doesn't tell him how!