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Topic: Newest player on the forum |
Joe Huggins
From:
Bear River City,Utah, USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2014 8:42 pm |
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Unless someone else plucked their first string in the last 6 hours. FEDEX dropped off my new Stage One today. Wow. Its going to take some time. It looks hard and its harder than it looks.
But now I can answer Dave Hartleys' question with 1/1460 of a year. |
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John Booth
From:
Columbus Ohio, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 5:41 am
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Welcome to wacky-world Brother.
_________________
Jb in Ohio
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GFI S10 Ultra, Telecaster, a Hound Dog, and an Annoyed Wife
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Don R Brown
From:
Rochester, New York, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 7:29 am
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Joe, I remember well when MY Stage One arrived. It's a grand moment and you must always remember - from the moment you pluck that first string, you are a little bit more experienced than you were before. Don't expect miracles, it takes a LOT of work and you will never be satisfied. I have heard 35-year players tell of seeing someone better and feeling like they should put their steel out to the curb.
For me, Rule Number One was - and still is - "have fun". Good luck and stay with it. |
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John Booth
From:
Columbus Ohio, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 10:50 am
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I've gotten frustrated and sold my steels at least 6 times.
Every time I come back for more.
Don't do that Buddy !
_________________
Jb in Ohio
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GFI S10 Ultra, Telecaster, a Hound Dog, and an Annoyed Wife
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 11:10 am
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Welcome to the group/club/insane asylum.
I started just a few months ago.
The trepidation hasn't subsided quite yet.......... 
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 6:01 pm
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| It must be good to experience one's playing improving by the hour. I remember that along with the months long plateaus. Keep at it. |
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Joe Huggins
From:
Bear River City,Utah, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 7:45 pm
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| I can't come up with the right grip for my right hand. I looked at some videos and I might have to reshape my picks to see if that helps. |
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 8:10 pm
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....i recall my first experience when i was looking for a beginner steel to begin my adventure in this instrument. I met with a local player who had been at it for some time...was selling a beginner steel and was playing a gorgeous d10 zum. He indicated he had travelled across the continent for instruction and proceeded to show me how to bend picks and curl his hand in some ungodly contortion and discussed how he learned those advanced techniques from the pros...then proceeded to prove how all that bs couldnt help him pick one clean note in a simple musical phrase. I saw the deep frustration countered by an undying enthusiasm to try to push his hand into shapes nature obviously never intended for the common man.
ymmv...but that was the most profound lesson in playing i ever had...
The second most important lesson was one i attended with joe wright...who made the natural hand position one would expect be 'normal'.
Last edited by Tom Gorr on 20 Dec 2014 10:07 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Don R Brown
From:
Rochester, New York, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2014 8:49 pm
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Joe, after almost 3 years I just modified my right hand position a bit. I was not palm blocking correctly but I think with some pointers I got and an adjustment it will be better. My point is that while you DO want to start out right, as you get experience you will make subtle ( and not-so-subtle) changes to improve. It's ongoing.
The Jeff Newman courses are good, the Winnie Winston book is good, and sitting down with more experienced players is very helpful. This forum is a wealth of knowledge and good people.
Set modest goals and as you may know, the progress will not be a straight line - it will be more like a flight of stairs. Jim Pitman mentions plateaus - you will feel at times as if you have gone days or weeks without improving. That is normal, don't get discouraged. Some day something will fall into place and you'll climb UP a step on that staircase analogy. And then you may be on another plateau.
DO look back - record some of your efforts right now. In 2 weeks or 2 months when you feel frustrated, play back what your best is right now and you will be surprised to find you really HAVE made more progress than you think. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 21 Dec 2014 5:27 am
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| John Booth wrote: |
| I've gotten frustrated and sold my steels at least 6 times. |
Me too. Keep the Stage One for a long, long time.
And yes, have fun.
Welcome, Joe. |
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Gary L Reed
From:
Castle Rock, CO
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Posted 21 Dec 2014 6:01 pm
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| Hey Joe, don't give up. I'm 72 yrs old, picked up an ole shobud about a year and 1/2 ago. Can't even play it bad enuf to sound bad yet but haven't given up. Had a lot of help from some great friends and more than you can imagine from this forum. Ask my wife today if she thought I'd ever make the SGHOF. Wont tell you what she said but don't give up. Great fun and great friends---That's what it's all about.. |
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Michael Haselman
From:
St. Paul
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Posted 22 Dec 2014 5:49 pm
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Joe, when I first started, Clem Schmitz at the famous Steel Guitar Emporium in Minneapolis gave me this little right hand lesson. Put your right hand across the strings at a 90 degree angle like you're giving them a karate chop. Now keep the bottom of your palm still (pinky, mainly) and bend your hand over to the left. This is a very good starting position for your right hand. If you watch many old pros you'll see that right hand pinky straight out. You don't have to exactly do that, but that's a good starting position.
_________________
Mullen RP D10, Peavey NV112, Hilton volume. Hound Dog reso. Piles of other stuff.
Last edited by Michael Haselman on 23 Dec 2014 4:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2014 11:06 am
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You are hooked forever, welcome to steel guitar world.
_________________
Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Jim Means
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2014 3:58 pm
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What Henry said!
Jim in Missouri |
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Joe Huggins
From:
Bear River City,Utah, USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2014 5:18 pm
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Thanks for all your encouragement. I was hesitant about this whole deal because I didn't know any steel players or any where to get any instruction but I feel a lot better about it knowing all you guys are there willing to help. I really appreciate the support.
Joe. |
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Michael Haselman
From:
St. Paul
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Posted 23 Dec 2014 5:55 pm
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Let me just say one more thing about the right hand. For many, I daresay most, of us it was the most difficult, daunting part of being a beginner. For me, I struggled with blocking and everything else right hand, and then...voila. I just knew how to do it. I know a lot of others out there have had the same "voila" moment. One second you don't know what you're doing, the next second you do. Takes lots of practice and frustration and time. Then it happens, like any other instrument that you take seriously.
_________________
Mullen RP D10, Peavey NV112, Hilton volume. Hound Dog reso. Piles of other stuff. |
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Don R Brown
From:
Rochester, New York, USA
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Posted 23 Dec 2014 7:03 pm
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| Michael Haselman wrote: |
| One second you don't know what you're doing, the next second you do. |
Yup! And then the next day I sit down and say "Now how the &*#@ did I do that yesterday?"  |
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Peter Huggins
From:
Van Nuys, California, USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2014 1:43 pm
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Hi Joe, welcome to the tribe. You will find most people here are very helpful. It makes SGF one of my favorite hangouts.
Where did you get that name ?
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A big THANKS to all my friends, here and everywhere ! |
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