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Topic: Vol Pedal...left or right foot? |
Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 9:37 am |
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| I'm right handed, and have always used my volume pedal with my right foot. I saw a video recently of a player using his left foot, but I don't think he's left handed since he's playing steel in the "conventional" way (not like a person would play a left-handed guitar). I'm curious if players have a preference in using a certain foot for the volume pedal, and does it perhaps correlate with being right or left handed? |
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 9:42 am
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Oh, and one last question with volume pedals -
Do you prefer the pedal to control the sound all the way "off" to "on", or do you set the pedal for the lowest volume you want a note picked at, to only control swells and things (and to prevent what some call "pumping it too much")? |
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Jim Jasutis
From:
Tampa, Florida, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 10:28 am
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I am just getting starte myslef, so have absolutely no experience, but every picture I have ever seen the guys use the right foot. I just got a copy of the rythmn practice DVD, and the guy mentions tapping the foot that corresponds to your picking hand. -- kind of hard to do if you have a volume pedal there  |
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Les Anderson
From:
The Great White North
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 10:46 am
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| You may want to do a little looking into the future with this. If there is any chance that you may move to a pedal steel in future, it may be to your advantage to not have your left foot mentally trained to do the volume work. |
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Keith Cordell
From:
San Diego
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 10:56 am
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| I'm new to it as well, but I am using the right foot for volume and the left for wah. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 11:05 am
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When I started playing non-pedal steel 17 years ago, I wanted to be smooth by using the foot volume control and be a master of touch and tone like Jerry Byrd.
I found myself becoming too dependent on it and it was interfering with developing my own touch and tone or style.
I gave it up and tried to develop my touch without the mechanical aids, especially because I was playing Hawaiian music. On playing some songs, like Paradise Isle, where volume control is desired to cut in and out, I used it. However I can create the desired effect now without a foot volume control.
If one desires to play Hawaiian style steel guitar, it is desirable to not use the foot volume control, because it sounds more country western.
If one is into country western, then foot volume control would of course be desirable.
Just my $.03 worth.
Aloha,
Don |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 11:21 am
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Jeff, I always use my right foot. It just seems natural. I stand when I play, so I guess a lot of the time most of my weight is on my left leg. I'm right-handed, so there may well be a correlation there . .
I use a Hilton VP and I have it set so the volume is off when it's backed up all the way.
Here are some pics . . |
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Randy Reeves
From:
LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 1:04 pm
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I started using my right foot and only now do I use my right foot, because Im playing pedal steel.
However, when playing lap steel I put the volume pedal at the end of my pedal train. so I use my left foot then.
my pedal train is simple. starting:
lap steel>overdrive>equlizer>delay>volume>amp. |
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Ian McLatchie
From:
Sechelt, British Columbia
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 1:09 pm
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Hmm, the fascinating questions that come up on this site. I have a Fender vol/tone pedal which I rarely use, but when I do, or even if I click on a tremelo switch, it's much more likely to be with the left foot. Whether that has to do with left-handedness I don't know. I write left-handed, and have a natural left orientation for many other things (including guitar; learning to play steel right-handed was a tough chore), but also have right orientation for some tasks (throwing, for one) and no particular orientation for others (hammering, etc.).
I wonder, do people find that their choice of pedal foot is the same as what they might use, say, to kick a ball? |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 4:59 pm
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| Quote: |
| I saw a video recently of a player using his left foot, but I don't think he's left handed |
 ... He is indeed right handed.
Watch carefully and you will see why he used his left foot for the VP.
On anything but very fast marches ... he consistantly dips down (yes, his VP comes on in reverse) ... just to soften the attack ... "a hair" ... sometimes more.
When he's sittin' ...
That constant application ... if done using his right foot ... would cause the picking "area" to bounce up and down like a small boat tossed around in the Gulf Stream.
Being the left foot ... "under the neck" ... that kinda bouncing activity gets diluted somewhat.
When he's standin' ...
His weight is centered over his right foot ... so his whole right side stays "secure" ... and he can "walk away" from the vp ... when he chooses ... without re-distributing his weight.
I asked him once in a letter ... he just made a joke .... but basically elluded to these explainations.
Anyway ...
Mine are set to come on in reverse ... with the lowest volume set at the volume I want my picked note at ... using the sweep just for added sustain ...
But I don't need more sustain now-days ... so they are pretty much retired .
I got around the "SS Minnow" scenario ... way back when ... by using a frypan stand ..
------------------
Aiello's House of Gauss
My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield
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Jeff Strouse
From:
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
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Posted 7 Mar 2005 6:35 pm
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| Mahalo, Rick! |
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