"Modern Changes" What and Why

[Jim Pitman]

I'm feeling like a pedal steel guitar dinosaur lately having resisted adding the latest lever or pedal I've read about here on the forum.
Forum members help me list the pedal/lever changes that have become apparent in the last ten years. Then I'd like to get your judgement as to weather they are "lick" changes or you can commonly work them into a variable melodic passage.
These could be your own invention, someone elses, or a twist on someone eleses.
My feeling is, indeed, many of them are "lick" types and some may have even become signature for the guy/gal/famous person who came up with them. I personally am not interested in sounding like someone else or carrying around all the extra hardware (double 12 comes to mind) so I can pull off sounding just like the record on a few particular songs in a pop band.
On the other hand, am I missing something that will open up a new path to making the PSG even more unique of an instrument than it already is?
Here's an example:
E9 neck, 1st string, whole step raise F# to G#: Typically done with a lever so other/any pedals can be used in combo. I think it is both a "lick" type and usefull in many melodic passages. Though redundant, as it is the same as one of our most common licks, ie an interval 2 to 3 gliss in combo with a 1, 5 or both, one can also encorporate other top strings to afford melodic variablitly. I'll keep that one....check.

[Dan Beller-McKenna]

Jim,

this is not a real common one, but I added it recently and am finding more and more uses for it: raise string six a whole tone, G#-A#. It is sometimes thought of as an alternative to lowering the fifth string (B-A#). I have it on my "0" pedal, and use it a lot in combination with the A pedal. It gives you a major chord or a dominant seventh two frets down from open position, mimics the C6 7th pedal when used in conjunction with the A pedal and the 4th and 8th string half-step lower (E-D#), and makes a nice melodic passing tone when your open position is the IV chord (for example, if you are playing in E major, and you are at the fifth fret, this change takes the C# on string six up to D#, a note in the E major scale--it can sound very nice against the held A and/or E [strings 10, 8, 5, 4] at that position).

There are some other uses mentioned in this thread:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... ring+raise

Dan

[Lane Gray]

The first string raise usually combines with raising 2 to E. Yes, it can be used just as Tommy White and Paul use it but it has LOADS of other uses. Hell, even hardcore honky-tonk Dickey Overbey used it. Make the 2nd string split with the whole tone lower, and you can hit a unison E, and pull half of it down to D.
I have it on a "Zero pedal" instead of a knee.

[Roger Rettig]

I, too, like the 6th string whole-step raise. One application, along with the A pedal, is a nice 2/9 (F#9 at the zero fret). I emphatically prefer what I think of as 'chord pedals' to 'lick pedals' and, in this respect, agree with Jim's original comments.

Oddly enough, I've just removed it on my Emmons and assigned it (LKV) to raising the 4th string a whole-step. Talk about a 'lick -pedal'! (Wasn't that what Mooney had?) I miss my 6th string/whole-step raise already and I think I'll put it back.

I thought I'd invented this change a few years ago but I should have known better! Better PSG brains than mine had already seen its potential (Ernest Bovine comes to mind).

Yes, I'm putting it back!

[Jim Pitman]

I've had that string 6 whole step raise for a while myself, at pedal 4. For some reason though, I've never encoporated it as a "go to" change in anything, so at one point I replaced it with dropping my thirds a half step to get a minor across the board. But that change turns out to be so redundant that I went back to the 6 string raise.
I do think the 6th string raise qualifies as a valuable change for various stuff. - just gotta rehearse with it I guess.
I should have mentioned I'm a U12 player and quite easily I can use up space adding alot of pitch change input devices.
I have no pedal zero though - thankyou guys especially for that tidbit.
I have to admit Marty Broussard's post about the ideal single neck Uni tuning/guitar, and folks mentioning how it can limit the application of all the new changes was the impetus for this post.

[Roger Rettig]

Lane:
I raise 1,2 and 7 but on a LKL2. I like being able to raise all three strings (to G#, E, G# respectively) with pedals down giving me a nice dissonant (G# and A in the same register) major seven chord on strings 8-1.

If I had that on a pedal it'd be harder to get.

Jim: I play a D-10 but I'm always looking for ways to expand E9th which I think is a great tuning! I've pondered lowering the G#s a half-step but can't see enough advantage in that.

Neither do I lower the 6th as so many do - those notes are available to me with my aforementioned LKL2 lever (but on string 7).

[Dave Hepworth]

5th string B raise up 3 to D .You won't be disappointed.
Regards Dave

[Roger Rettig]

No breakage problem with that, Dave?

[Richard Sinkler]

The sixth string lower is indeed the same note. But that is not the intention of the change. There is a whole of stuff you can't play by substitung string 7. There is a bunch you can't play using the7th string raise to G #.

I had the 7th full tone raise on my Carter as well as the Williams I had, along with the 6th tone lower. I found it pretty useless. So, everyone likes differnt changes for what they typically play.

The first string raise by itself, is pretty much a lick pedal. But add the second string raise makes it a chordal change too. I have those changes on my 4th pedal, next to my A pedal. But I have found some licks using either the first string or second string changes that I think would be better suited on a lever, because it involves immediate pedal moves that a pedal makes it hard to do. I am going to put the first and second string raises on different levers. I will still keep the two changes on pedal 4 though, for quick uses. I will put the first string raise on my RKR, which lowers string 6. I will put the second string change on my LKV, along with the first string raised to G. I would put both on my RKR, but that is how I ordered my guitar, and because lever already lowers 6, and raises 2 strings on C6th, it took a tow truck to actuate that lever. I'm hoping that adding that one change won't make it too stiff.

[Richard Sinkler]

5th string B raise up 3 to D .You won't be disappointed.
Regards Dave

I have a second LKL that I am not using any more. I've been thinking of adding this change there. I used to play a solo were I had to raise string five up a step and a half using a slant, while keeping string 3 unchanged I as slide up 4 frets and slowly removing the slant. It was a slow song, but using that slant was a hit or miss move. Sometimes I got, sometimes not. Of course, the band that played that song, I quit a year ago.

[Roger Rettig]

I half-pedal that knee to get the b3rd note - handy with pedals down and I have a 1, b3 and 4 available on 8,7 and 6.

[chris ivey]

jim, i've put off adding new changes also. my rationale
is that if i decide to get serious again there is still plenty to work with in my already cluttered setup.
and the inspiration of lloyd green, for instance, to pull art out of a minimal setup shows that cool licks are only limited by your creativity.

[Tom Gorr]

Jim...you just need a different guitar to shake things up a little...I will take your Infinity in trade for this good advice.

[Craig A Davidson]

5th string B raise up 3 to D .You won't be disappointed.
Regards Dave

Dave I just put that on my guitars. You can do some neat things with it. I have it on my front LKL.

[chris ivey]

i'll be looking forward to all the inspired clips you all will post with these new modern developments.

[Richard Sinkler]

I half-pedal that knee to get the b3rd note - handy with pedals down and I have a 1, b3 and 4 available on 8,7 and 6.

I've never been any good at half pedaling knee levers. A pedal, no problem, but not levers. I admire anyone that can do it.

[Richard Sinkler]

Here is a good example of using the raise on string 1 and on string 2.

At about 2:02 Mike uses the 1st string raise (kind of a common used by many - but Mike always make things sound so awesom)

At about 2:10, he uses the 2nd string raise. He has the 2nd string raised to E and releases it as he hits the lever that lowers 2 to C#. Thanks to Mickey Adams for teaching this solo, as I would have never gotten that lick, well maybe. The lick at 2:10 using the 2nd string is the reason I want to have the 2nd string raise on a lever. It is too awkward to make the pedal moves after it.

Edited to say, I had to learn this version to back up a singer a month or so ago. Loved learning it.

[Richard Sinkler]

Sorry. I forgot to post the link. Here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBHWxXRVlwE

[Clete Ritta]

I changed my franklin 0 pedal to raise 5 to D and 1 to G instead. Its unusual.

[Richard Sinkler]

I changed my franklin 0 pedal to raise 5 to D and 1 to G instead. Its unusual.

How does the B to D on the pedal work out for you. I also have a "zero" pedal I could use it on. But it is next to my "C" pedal. I've been considering that change now for years, and have cleared a pedal lever that I could use it on.

[Craig A Davidson]

I use mine a lot in conjunction with my AB pedals so I put mine on the LKL outside lever. For me being on the fourth pedal wouldn't be an option.

[Earnest Bovine]

I use mine a lot in conjunction with my AB pedals so I put mine on the LKL outside lever. For me being on the fourth pedal wouldn't be an option.

Yes, raising string 5 B up to D works well with both A and B pedals. So a knee lever is the best location.
I usually don't have enough knee levers, so I put it on the last pedal, for the right foot.

[Craig A Davidson]

I did that with what I call my Mooney pedal raising my fourth string to g. I got the idea from seeing Johnny Cox do it.

[Clete Ritta]

...How does the B to D on the pedal work out for you…

Its no worse than the C pedal. Its experimental for sure, and I use it with the F lever as an alternate to A on occasion. I'll have to try using the right foot on AB and see how it works with all three! Its kinda fun to raise a minor third, no standard change does this, though the C6 boowah lowers a minor third. I now see Mr. Bovines rational for a lever. It would be easier to achieve a feel stop on a lever as well if inclined. I also would like to try Craigs idea of raising 4 to G.

I posted in this thread about the idea a while back.

[Craig A Davidson]

I misspoke on that raise. It only goes to F#. If you use the AF combination you can then pump that fourth string the other half step ala Mooney. Sorry for any confusion or broken strings I caused. lol