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Category Archives: Fresh baked thoughts
Pedal Steel Sounds and Non-pedal Steel Guitar
I’ve always had a strong pull to the sound of the pedal steel guitar–in fact, it was sometime in the early 2000s that I purchased my first: a Carter Starter. But it didn’t take me long to realize that it … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts
Tagged jerry byrd, lloyd green, non-pedal steel, pedal steel, ralph mooney
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One year and counting….
I didn’t realize it until yesterday, but last Thursday (9/15/11) marked the one year anniversary of this blog. Not a big deal, but it has been a very interesting year for me. In one year’s time, there have been over … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, News
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Conversation with Henry Bogdan, Part 1
Henry Bogdan is one of the few players of the modern era who has embraced the National Tricone resonator as his main instrument. His playing with The Moonlighters was particularly influential (especially to myself) in the resurgence of traditional string … Continue reading
Posted in Conversation with...., Fresh baked thoughts
Tagged hazmat modine, helmet, henry bogdan, jerry byrd, moonlighters, sol hoopii
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New book in the works and other news….
I’ve begun working on a new book called Concepts For Improvisation that I am really excited about. It is geared toward the steel guitarist, although it will be broad in scope and not focused on any specific tuning. It will … Continue reading
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Some exciting new things for Lap Steelin’
I’m really stoked to announce that I have some really great things brewing for the Lap Steelin’ blog beginning in a few short weeks. I will begin a series of interviews with some of the top players in the world! … Continue reading
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The shape of lap steel guitar music to come
The lap steel guitar has always been an instrument with a strong connection to the past; in fact, because of its perceived limitations, it was rendered obsolete by technological developments in pedal/changer mechanisms, just as the music of its heyday … Continue reading
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More on the subtle nuances of style
There are so many little details about steel guitar playing and the production of great, expressive tone, that it can be overwhelming to players who are learning the instrument. But this is where we begin to use our ears–those great … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, Lessons and Tips
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The subtle nuances of style
I’ve spent a lot of time working my way up to snuff on the steel guitar by going back to the beginning and working my way up through the styles of the times. Taking what I like from the players … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, Lessons and Tips
Tagged c6 tuning, Curly Chalker, jerry byrd, joaquin murphey, sol hoopii
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C6 tuning is perfect for “breadboarding”
C6 is the perfect tuning for breadboarding, no doubt about it. For those of you who don’t know the term “breadboarding,” it has to do with electronic circuits and how experimenters will use a breadboard as a construction base to … Continue reading
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Things happen for a reason….
This has been an intense week for me. It started off with a nasty computer virus which not took out my main boot drive, but also took 3 or 4 of the transcriptions I’d been working on with it. I … Continue reading
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A Way To Survive: Learn how to play chord changes on your steel guitar
A Way To Survive: No, I’m not talking about the classic Country song. I’m talking about surviving as a steel guitar player in a steel guitar hating world! A lot of people have asked me to post something about playing … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, Lessons and Tips
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Sunshine and Rain
It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything here, but I’ve had so many things on my mind about the steel guitar that I just couldn’t get my thoughts focused enough to really find a way to say it. Sometimes … Continue reading
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I almost quit the steel guitar –a confession
Playing the steel guitar has never come easy to me, and I’m sure that’s also been the experience of many players who have picked it up later in life. When you’re young and starting to play an instrument, time is … Continue reading
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Block chord solo: “All The Things You Are”
I’m going to share with you part of my arrangement of my favorite standard, the wonderful “All The Things You Are”–a tune that one never stops learning. This arrangement follows along the block chord type playing that I have been … Continue reading
Why should pedal steel players have all the fun (and get the gigs, too)?
It’s no secret that the non-pedal steel guitar has fallen out of favor in many music circles that it once inhabited after being nudged aside not so gently by the pedal steel guitar. The non-pedal steel is of course prominent … Continue reading
Playing backup steel (or life in the real world), pt. 2
One of the things that makes my situation here in NYC unique is that have free rein over what I play. I don’t have to learn intros and breaks, and I pretty much spend all of my time improvising my … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, Lessons and Tips
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Speedy West’s “Skiddle-Dee-Boo”
I don’t know about you, but any time the name Speedy West comes up I am all ears. What I wouldn’t give years ago to play this music….at that time when I first got a lap steel, I was also … Continue reading
Can’t we all just get along?
You’ve read enough about my story here to know that I just basically got sucked into the music vortex at an early age. I was open to listening to most anything; this doesn’t mean I liked it all, though. I … Continue reading
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Playing backup steel (or life in the real world), pt. 1
Yes, the real world–the world that wants to hear the steel guitar as sweetening, or an ambience enhancer, or a color (at least until the solo comes). This is the world I inhabit and embrace with every fiber of my … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, Lessons and Tips
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Lesson/transcription suggestions welcome….
As you may know, I’m building a library of transcriptions of great steel guitar performances and tunes as part of my Steelin’ From The Masters series. I would like to hear from you as far as what you might like … Continue reading
Posted in Fresh baked thoughts, News
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