the sound is in the right hand

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 21 Aug 2015 11:31 am

When I started taking Hawaiian guitar lessons eons ago I told my instructor that I was left handed. He said that was good because the left hand was more important than the right hand when playing steel guitar. A lot of the great guitar players are left-handed
BTW: I play the guitar right handed in the ordinary way.

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 21 Aug 2015 12:14 pm

I'm the same way Erv, lefty playing righty...

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 21 Aug 2015 12:58 pm

Tom,
Left-handed people are in their right minds.

Bud Angelotti · Post by **Bud Angelotti** » 21 Aug 2015 3:04 pm

If you have halfway decent equipment, the sound is already in there.
Your hands (& feet & ears & heart etc.) draw out the sound.
Ever see a good mechanic tune up a carburetor by ear?
Yeah I know, cars don't have carbs any more.
But you know what I mean.
I used to play a Maverick. I used to drive a maverick.
Tuned 'em both by ear till I got a timing light.

Jerry Berger · Post by **Jerry Berger** » 21 Aug 2015 3:22 pm

I am also left handed that plays right. I started playing when I was young and don't remember that it was ever a problem when I started taking lessons.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 22 Aug 2015 12:07 am

last gig I played, waitress asked me if I was playing a dulcimer, should I really worry that much about my tone? I don't think anybody in the crowd did...

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 22 Aug 2015 8:04 am

Tone schmone...just learn to play the damn thing.

I know about a hundred players who got canned because they couldn't play, but not a single one that got canned because he had a bad "tone". $:\$

The "Paul Franklin uses a Little Walter" argument seems to keep coming up pretty regularly, now. But what I want to know is...Is there anyone who can tell (by listening) which of Paul's recordings feature a Little Walter amp, and which ones don't?

DG Whitley · Post by **DG Whitley** » 22 Aug 2015 8:17 am

I agree with Donny, we seem to spend a lot of time looking to see what equipment the pro players have instead of using it to "woodshed" our technique and proficiency.

Once you learn to "play", the tone and everything else will fall into place. I've never understood people who want to sound like Buddy or Tommy or Paul. Sound like you, and be happy.

My 2 cents, YMMV.

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 22 Aug 2015 8:27 am

The few times I play out these days, I always tell the audience:

"Folks, don't go by what you're hearing. The human ear fools you. . .
I actually play much better than it sounds."

Craig

Robert Parent · Post by **Robert Parent** » 22 Aug 2015 8:28 am

Those with 'good hands' will sound great through most any chain of toys. However, those with little technique will sound bad through even the most expensive toy chain.

Robert

Michael McNeill · Post by **Michael McNeill** » 22 Aug 2015 8:49 am

I believe the majority of us are now (or at some time in the past used a PEAVEY AMP). PEAVEY went to the mat to make sure steel players had an amp that was suited to our very unique instrument. Also, PEAVEY always looked out for the working musician and what he/she could afford to pay for an amp/PA/BASS/Guitar.

It is a thrill to play thru a Little Walter, Milkman, Ken Fox, or other high end amp. This usually comes after the player puts in thousands of hours of practice developing hand technique, body coordination and builds muscle memory.

Pedal Steel is a beautiful but demanding instrument. There is no quick and easy way to get the sound you are after without putting in the time. Most people do not have the time required to put into the practice. The practice is what is missing, equipment is great fun but practice and a good teacher is what gets you there.

Good luck- keep practicing. Try to play with other people as often as possible. Record yourself and listen to your performance objectively. You will soon see where you need work.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 22 Aug 2015 10:25 am

To add to what Michael said, the increment of the "boutique" amps over a Session 400 or 500 (available for $3-400 any day of the week) is subtle, but noticeable.
And on road gigs, doesn't Paul use an LTD?
If a $300 amp is good enough for Paul, why do I lust after the Milkman?

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 22 Aug 2015 12:05 pm

As far as equipment goes, my push-pull through the first-year Session 400 I get as good a tone as I could want.

I've owned literally hundreds of guitars since 1957. I am a major amp fan, have had probably 60 or 70 vintage amps from all makers and currently have a '60 tweed Bassman, a '64 Super Reverb, a tweed Pro, and etc in the back room.

But to me, the perfect pedal steel tone is what I have described above.

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 22 Aug 2015 12:30 pm

The pedal steel takes a certain subtle coordination to play well. So actually, the "sound" is all in the right hand . . . and the left, and the right foot, right leg, left foot, left leg, and your mind. If you have these going well, the guitar, the amp, speaker, the volume pedal, cables, etc. will still be important; but the better the former are, the less devastating the latter will be (unless, like me, you're really OCD about it).

Jerry Hedge · Post by **Jerry Hedge** » 22 Aug 2015 5:13 pm

Susan Alcorn wrote:The pedal steel takes a certain subtle coordination to play well. So actually, the "sound" is all in the right hand . . . and the left, and the right foot, right leg, left foot, left leg, and your mind. If you have these going well, the guitar, the amp, speaker, the volume pedal, cables, etc. will still be important; but the better the former are, the less devastating the latter will be (unless, like me, you're really OCD about it).

AMEN!!! It isn't the tools, it's the CRAFTSPERSON!!!

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 22 Aug 2015 5:46 pm

Craftsperson??? How about musician? Sheesh...

Tony Smart · Post by **Tony Smart** » 23 Aug 2015 1:08 pm

I would say the venue you play in makes a big difference.

If you get a good sound it makes you play better.
If you get a bad sound it can result in a lack of inspiration.

Tom Quinn · Post by **Tom Quinn** » 23 Aug 2015 1:32 pm

Hoody Voody concepts cloud this one basic tenant: the sound begins with the putting the string into vibration. Whether it is a guitar, a steel, a violin, a banjo, mandolin, bass a piano, a reed in a sax, the metal in a horn, it is how the vibration is first created that matters.

For the PSG, it all begins with the right hand. There is no getting around that. My first real steel teacher had me sit at the guitar with my feet off the pedals and no bar in my hand and play through exercises until I could get a clean tone with blocking. He had various cross thumb/finger exercises across the strings to get my hands loose.

Those were the most difficult exercises I ever did and they sure helped a lot.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 23 Aug 2015 1:34 pm

Lane Gray wrote:To add to what Michael said, the increment of the "boutique" amps over a Session 400 or 500 (available for $3-400 any day of the week) is subtle, but noticeable.
And on road gigs, doesn't Paul use an LTD?
If a $300 amp is good enough for Paul, why do I lust after the Milkman?

whenever you see video of Buddy playing, you'll see 300 bucks Peavey behind his back...

Mitch Ellis · Post by **Mitch Ellis** » 23 Aug 2015 2:24 pm

Damir Besic wrote:
whenever you see video of Buddy playing, you'll see 300 bucks Peavey behind his back...

I've noticed the same thing with Lloyd Green. I read here on the forum that Paul Franklin recorded "Too cold at home" (a Mark Chestnut hit) with a Nashville 400.

Mitch

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 23 Aug 2015 2:35 pm

Damir,
You're correct of course. Who could imagine the value of having Buddy, or John, or Lloyd use your equipment. Every time they provide a $300 amp for Buddy, they get $3,000,000 worth of publicity in return.

On the other hand, these players can't be bought. None of the top players will use a piece of equipment. . . unless they like it.

You can't buy advertising that good!

Craig

Storm Rosson · Post by **Storm Rosson** » 23 Aug 2015 3:17 pm

I think tone is a combination of ALL aspects ie: amp, effects, vp,instrument,the players tone concept,and most importantly the players ears and ability...JMO...Stormy :)I think both hands contribute to the tone also. oh yeah don't leave out room/area acoustics.

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 23 Aug 2015 4:02 pm

Craig, I'm not talking about advertising, I don't know if Buddy was endorsed by Peavey or not, but that is not my point, what I'm trying to say is, Buddy had a better tone on his $300 Peavy then 99% of us here on $3000 boutique amps...

James Jacoby · Post by **James Jacoby** » 23 Aug 2015 4:48 pm

I don't know how my tone compares to the rest of you folks, but here's my story, and I'm sticken to it!---I started out with a Sierra U-12, and a NV400. After a few years, I started to experiment with equipment, not about sound, but WEIGHT! The heavy Sierra, and 400 were killing my bad back! I ended up with a Carter S-10, and after trying a Roland X80, ended up with an Evans SB200. The small Evans was great for my back, and the Roland became one of my lead guitar amps. All the while, my tone, and skill level saw constant improvement. This brings me to the present.My tone has improved over the years to the point that musician friends (including PSG players)remark about it to me. Almost all of the time, I just play through the amp, and use a little reverb--No other effects. I've always just used a passive pot-pedal, for volume. I submit that, tone wise, the right hand controls most of the tonal quality, and the other stuff( guitar, effects,the amp, and amp settings, and environment), contribute to a lesser degree. -Jake-

Craig Baker · Post by **Craig Baker** » 23 Aug 2015 5:35 pm

Damir,
I understand completely. The degree to which the best of the best influenced the rest of us was my only point.

As you indicate, as long as it were Buddy playing, you'd have to try hard to find an amp that wouldn't sound like Buddy.

Respectfully,

Craig

The Steel Guitar Forum

the sound is in the right hand

The Sound is in the Right Hand