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Author Topic:  Volume pedal foot placement
Allan Haley

 

From:
British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 16 Nov 2017 5:36 pm    
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Hello fellow steelers. Where do you place your foot on the VP?. Evenly placed on the pedal, top to bottom? Slightly lower, closer to the bottom of the pedal? Heel on the ground?
I'm trying to get used to having a starting position about 25% of max volume. But oh boy, do the calf muscles get tired quickly.
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James Jacoby

 

From:
Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 17 Nov 2017 6:13 am     Re: Volume pedal foot placement
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Allan Haley wrote:
Hello fellow steelers. Where do you place your foot on the VP?. Evenly placed on the pedal, top to bottom? Slightly lower, closer to the bottom of the pedal? Heel on the ground?
I'm trying to get used to having a starting position about 25% of max volume. But oh boy, do the calf muscles get tired quickly.
I use Goodrich passive pedals, and I place my foot evenly on the pedal, top to bottom. My calf never gets tired, and I sometimes practice for several hours. I have one standard height, and one low profile, and neither bothers my calf muscles. Perhaps your VP is too sensitive or has a very quick response, causing you to tense up the calf muscles. IMHO, you should barely be aware of your VP while playing, kind of like driving a car, and the accelerator. If you're very tall, and/or use a high profile VP, possibly that could cause your calf to cramp up. Just a few thoughts. I hope i've helped you a little! Good luck! -Jake-
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Larry Bressington


From:
Nebraska
Post  Posted 17 Nov 2017 7:07 am    
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Couple of things;

1) Are you playing a single neck? the distance is a tighter angle for the 'off' on the VP

2) You can chock the rear of the pedal up by adding shims so the angle for the OFF is not so sharp, a common mod.

3) Calf muscle stretching help hugely, not something i had to do until i was about 45 but our muscles shrink back with age.
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Bobby D. Jones

 

From:
West Virginia, USA
Post  Posted 18 Nov 2017 11:05 pm     Volume pedal foot placement
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You did not say what pedal you was using. If it is a String and pulley set up like a Goodrich. Check the diameter of the Pulley the string runs on. I have a Goodrich someone had put a larger pulley for smoother slower volume change.
I replaced it with a original style sleeve and set screw. The string actually runs on the bare pot shaft and adjusted the stop for less movement. Less travel will allow for a lower angle on the pedal at low volume position. Just something to check.
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Matthew Walton


From:
Fort Worth, Texas
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2017 6:41 pm    
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Are you wearing shoes? If so, what kind? As much as I like going barefoot, I find it really uncomfortable to try to rock my ankle back that far. Might be worth trying some boots out to see if that helps.
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 23 Nov 2017 7:18 pm    
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Sounds like you're pumping it like mad.

Practice playing without it for a while - then try it again, but use it sparingly and lightly. It doesn't need to go up and down every note - many just use it to help sustain longer notes.
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