This video shares 10 easy tips that will help you become a better pedal steel guitar player. It is useful to beginners looking for advice on how to improve their playing.
Thank for some great tips. I’m 84 years old, but sitting down with my lap steel does me more good than any kind of medicine. I love the Hawaiian sound. Also Hank Williams music. I’d like to have one of the new single neck Sierra pedal steel, but they are too expensive for me.
Thank you so much for taking the time to break down these songs and translate them into understandable movements for us to learn how it’s done. I have had a love of pedal steel for as long as I remember. I’m soon gonna be 65 years old and its sweet sounds speaks to my soul and brings me to tears when I hear it and I can learn to play it. I begin back in the early 80s trying to learn to play, but working a job to provide for my children, I put my steel in the closet where it stayed for many years. I guess you’re never too old because five years ago I took it out of the closet and began to practice by myself. Then I discovered folks like you and others on you tube who give their time and talents to help teach us out here to keep this instrument alive. I’ve been playing guitar since age 7 but no instrument ever got into my soul like the sounds of a pedal steel. Thanks again for all you do to keep this instrument and music alive.
You're absolutely right on tip #10, just enjoy what you do. As long as you're always learning & improving you're succeeding with an instrument. You don't have to be world famous or even making a living at it to enjoy music and be successful with it. Thanks for the honest tips too!
Thank everyone for your kind comments. The pedal steel is a difficult instrument, made more so by the lack of qualified local instructors in most parts of the world. I went to Jefran a few times in the 70's, as even then that was about all we had. Hope you stay with the instrument. You will find playing more enjoyable if you continually challenge yourself and find a group to play with, even if it's just for fun!
Thank you for the useful tips. I found the last one most helpful. A lot of times people are discouraged and quit because they aren't somebody. I do this for myself now, and maybe others as I improve.
Nice Video. Good tips here. I truly concur with your last statement: playing with your buddies at the local VFW, etc.. is a lot of times a lot more fun and stress-free than being in front of 2,000 - 10,000 etc. people and all the pressure that entails.
I just turned 62 ; and anticipate buying an Eastwood Airline lap steel to begin with . Looking forward to it , and at the same time a bit anxious , as at some point would like to get good enough to perform to an audience some day . You have given us some great advice in just a few minutes . We are most grateful sir .
Your presentation with great humility and common sense is a sure winner.... many thanks for the tips, all worthwhile! I'm subscribing immediately.... dig your sound and tone too, Bro.
Thanks Gilroy, great advice, it reminds me of the many times I spent with Bobby Seymour in Hendersonville, Tn. at his store, before he passed. We had some great conversations and he was a wonderful person that gave me some great advice also. Thanks again.....Steel On :-)
Your 10 tips could be seen as a helpful list for life in general. As a former long time working musician (30+ years) I particularly appreciate #10. Really enjoyed your presentation. Thanks.
Greetings from England Total newbie - so really helpful advice, It's like talking to a mate in the bar, Thanks. I guess I've got to choose a tuning and go for it.
I wasn't sure about you since I've not ever heard of you... Until you unplug the volume petal then I said this guy is okay. Even if you can't play that was a really cool move and excellent advice.. Everybody on the internet wants to be a teacher even though they're not really qualified.. You are qualified just on that alone..
"Just have fun with it", The best advice saved for last. I'm a bass player, but I have a 6 and 12 string acoustic, as well as a mandolin. Why? They're fun to play. I have fun with my buddies (we were all friends before the band), and only play small gigs right now.
I've been playing for many years and I can say you got it to the point. Even the settings and amount of effect is not too much. I suggest a video about steelamps for your next video if you like.
Now that I have all the acoustic and electric guitars I need, and a big old modular synthesizer, etc, it's time for a pedal steel at the age of 54. I am in the process of deciding what I'm saving for. I am figuring $3000 should get me a good pedal steel guitar for learning. It's a shame there isn't a pedal steel rental service so I could try one for a few months, but I've been in love with the sound since I was a kid. I had a brain injury five years ago and learning certain abstract concepts can be very difficult, especially if they are totally new to my brain. I was leaning toward a U12 , but I'm worried that there will be no foothold for me in the universal tuning. A D-10, at least has signposts from a familiar world. Or maybe I'm wrong. The bulk of my work on guitar is in exploring new tunings, so maybe a universal tuning would be easier than I think. My issue is that it seems to not be fully settled and still in the process of being codified and evolving into its final form. If you were starting now, would you stick with E9/C6 or would you go for a 12 string built for universal tuning? Thanks for the video.
It can depend on what type of music you want to play. For most Country songs I'd get an E9 single neck. If you like the fat, jazzy sound then the C6. If you like both sounds and have a lot of time to practice then get a Double neck.
6.46 "just put the dead string on the ground becasue you don't care" nice. You have evidently changed a whole lot of strings. this was released on my birthday and today I for the first time ever bought a pedal steel guitar. Looking forward to having a LOT of fun with this wonderful instrument. Thanks for the tips. Hope you are well x
I've wanted to play the steel guitar ever since I heard Pete Drake play on Lay Lady, Lay for Dylan. Now I'm retired and my Martin is in for repair for a month or two. I may just look for a used instrument to start on, so thanks for the tips.
Excellent instructive video. Very worthwhile. And by the way, when you recorded yourself for critically listening to yourself, you sounded great. I hope you do some sequel videos. I'm trying to convince my teenaged daughter to take up the steel guitar. It can be played to great effect in many genres.
That was great. Always loved steel and wanted to play. Now in retirement, maybe I can start. Videos like this will be an enormous help, since I don't even know where to begin.
Thanks for the tips. I'm putting a Grover nut extension on an old Samick SG and turning it into a lap steel. I'll see how I get along with playing before I invest in a nice lap steel.
I very much enjoyed your video.I appreciate your approach.Im 3 yrs in and have kinda hit the “Wall”,& want to learn more.Just getting motivated is the hardest thing for me. This video helped me get started back. Thank you again very much for sharing.
This is probably as good of tips as i have seen. I got an '08 Carter, (4 pedals, 4 levers) and I only started last year....Thank you for your time to do this video. :) Love the way you play as well....
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Good, all-round sound advice for newbies and even those of us who've been hacking away on it (cough cough... ahem) for a while! Practical advise we can all benefit from hearing and just good reminders. Playing without a volume pedal is a good one. I had a volume pedal quit on me one night, and had to play the gig without it (I was on straight or "stand-up" steel (Stringmaster). Turns out, it was fine, and I was probably the only guy who noticed - not even my band mates knew!
As someone who aspires to play pedal steel what’s a good beginner guitar? A video on that would be welcomed with some guide as to minimum features to look for.
Any quality pedal steel, E9 tuning, with 3 floor pedals and 2 to 4 knee levers. Don't buy one off Craig's List or a place like that unless you are experienced. Take the time and expense to go to a place like Steel Guitars of Nashville or Billy Coopers and have them help you. Probably get a used guitar to start. Be advised.... good tone comes from years of playing not so much the guitar.
On Tip #7 regarding Recording Yourself, what equipment were you using ? Both for playing of the basic track (without steel), and then you quickly played back Your steel with the track. Plus, all Good Tips on this video
Love your advice! I’m wanting to learn and looking for my first guitar! I’ve had the privilege of singing for Steve Palousek in session and live and he’s a monster! Lol I’ll be watching your videos!
Gilroy, This video answered questions I didn't know I had! Liked and subbed because I want to know what else you have to say about the steel guitar. I don't play any instrument, but I have become fascinated by the steel guitar and with advice from people like you, it seems doable.
Playing within my means. Amputated left foot & a removed left wrist joint. Interesting. But playing regular guitar is absolutely out! I'll invent my own style. So far, so good. I can do augmented & diminished with no left foot! (GSI E9, 10 string, 3 pedal, 4 lever) Favorite pedal steel tune ... Pure Prairie League's 7 minute Country Song (1st album). Heard that one on LSD in early 1970s. Even saw God! I would NEVER ; ) do that now ... I'm 69.
One thing about putting strings on no one talks about. Make sure it is as straight as possible between nut and peg. Holds tuning better than if slanted.
What do you need to do when you’re playing a song with the tuning that you’re using that would help beginners a whole lot we need to know what tuning you’re using for different songs or what do you mean you’re using anyway
👍Thanks for your video it's quite usefull , where Can i found this tuner strob Peterssen ? Yes i hold my Steel guitar under hand despite the Pandémie not gone , for that moment , player on my guitar stayed the good Time every weeks for me// thanks To be there
Nice lesson Good tips esp that record yourself..... also that tip about being on the road is not all it’s cracked up to be Your words inspire confidence
Yip definitely some great wee tips there 😉👌were pretty okay in Scotland and the rest of the UK as cities and towns are fairly close here he or so drives not like you guys in the states and we have a great bunch of senior players at gartcosh PSG club meeting s.in Scotland 🏴 it's a pretty hard and complicated instrument even the set up and build of levers and pedals to raise and lower string pitch is just incredibl e even where you inlay /lock your strings at the bridge end where they break and bend on the finger roller that part they call the sliding./finger is just some piece of engineering itself 👍🕵️ but when something gives or goes even a music Luther don't really have a clue .i took mines to a great lad from milngavie🏴 called Bob Adams he practically strips and rebulds these instruments and gets a few sent to him from other parts of the UK to fix /mend he also helps run and promote the club I'm 55 and ghave only been playing for 5yrs another tip is to spend at least an HR or so per day if you can to improve muscle memory as is easy to forget more than you learn especially if you pay several different instruments ..but great video .👍🏴
Good video. Just a few questions. Why would you want to put anything sticky on the bar hand/bar that could be transferred to the strings via the bar? Can you better explain why a beginner would want to their close eyes and practice playing in the wrong positions?
Thanks Gilroy, Great tips. It's was good to see your Bow wax tip, I have had this in my hunting gear for years, and it didn't dawn on me to use it, to help my picks stay in place MUCH BETTER !
