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Topic: 15 Steel Guitar "Truths" |
Joe Goldmark
From: San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 11:00 am
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In no particular order:
1. We can't play steel in cold weather; outside gigs suck.
2. We always get a little nervous at the beginning of a gig.
3. We have to play almost daily just to keep our technique up.
4. Our equipment weighs too much, and it's a schlep from home to car to gig to set-up to tear down to car to home.
5. On the rare occasion that we get "good tone" we rule the world.
6. When playing a casual, there's always one kid who plops himself down in front of the band and stares wide eyed (while his friends chase each other around the room)...we were that kid.
7. We can't understand why everyone doesn't want to play steel. It's obviously the most pleasing sound in the world.
8. The volume pedal will always be a mystery (well, compared to how Buddy Charleton used it for expression).
9. We should sometimes play way up high like John Hughey did, but we never do.
10. On concert gigs, monitors are the worst, unless we have our own monitor mix.
11. Despite what all our friends and fans tell us, we rarely feel we played great last night.
12. It's impossible to play country steel in a loud band.
13. Our secret: it isn't hard to find things to play on pedal steel, our pedals guarantee that. What's hard is the technique.
14. On the gig, harmonics are sometimes easy and gorgeous, and sometimes about impossible to get - it's a mystery.
15. Buddy Emmons was the best.
Last edited by Joe Goldmark on 22 Feb 2018 4:27 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Larry Behm
From: Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 11:58 am
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Well this is a great start, was thinking about half of them just this last weekend. Joe are you going to the Dallas show? _________________ '70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533 |
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Steve French
From: Roseville CA
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:34 pm
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Harmonics come and go for you, too? I thought it was just me! |
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Bob Carlucci
From: Candor, New York, USA
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:47 pm
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yep.. most everything on Joe's list is "dead nuts" on the money... bob _________________ I'm over the hill and hittin'rocks on the way down!
no gear list for me.. you don't have the time...... |
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Joe Goldmark
From: San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:48 pm
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Hi Larry,
Not going to Dallas. I did make it to the Phoenix show a year ago. And yes, the above list is a "start".
Joe |
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Joachim Kettner
From: Germany
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:54 pm
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I agree 100 percently! _________________ Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube. |
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Paul Sutherland
From: Placerville, California
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:08 pm
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Nobody expects us to dance around and put on a show. That's a plus for me. _________________ It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing. |
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Larry Behm
From: Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:28 pm
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When pickers complain about things like the ones posted about I just say "it is the music business" the good, the bad and the ugly. Yet we still pack out crap to the event plug in and go through it, because we all LOVE THE SOUND OF THE STEEL. Sicko's me thinks. _________________ '70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Flamma Reverb, Planet Wave cables, Quilter 202 Toneblock, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533 |
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Bill C. Buntin
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:29 pm
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Joe, this is well stated. I was one of those kids myself. The list makes sense to me.
NO telling how many times I stared at Reece and he didn't know it.
~Bill |
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Paddy Long
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:06 pm
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And you always get that one person ....who asks "What sort of keyboard is that thing"
_________________ 14'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
08'Zumsteel Hybrid D10 9+9
94' Franklin Stereo D10 9+8
Telonics, Peterson, Steelers Choice, Benado, Lexicon, Red Dirt Cases. |
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Jack Hanson
From: San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:49 pm
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16. Need to have the latest and most expensive equipment they can afford and use it to duplicate stuff recorded a half-century ago. |
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Joe Goldmark
From: San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:51 pm
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Yeah, Paddy. That's certainly another truth!
BTW, My partner at work is named Tony Green and he's from Christchurch. He left about 25 years ago with his wife Sonya. |
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forrest klott
From: Grand Rapids Mi USA
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:58 pm
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Agree with all the above, but especially #16! |
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Randy Beavers
From: Lebanon,TN 37090
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 9:30 pm
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A rule for me is “When changing strings there will always be blood.†|
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Joe Goldmark
From: San Francisco, CA 94131
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Posted 22 Feb 2018 9:55 pm
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LOL, and always the tips of the fingers... |
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Tony Prior
From: Charlotte NC
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 1:48 am
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17 - When we execute an emotional phrase which took us a long time to master we don't understand why everyone else in he band doesn't "get it "... _________________ Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Hook Moore
From: South Charleston,West Virginia
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Ben Lawson
From: Brooksville Florida
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 4:27 am
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Very few soundmen understand steel guitars. |
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Bobby Hearn
From: Henrietta, Tx
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 6:06 am
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And the controlling band leader that always insists you set up next to the guitar player! |
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Nicholas Scott
From: Norfolk, VA USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 7:12 am
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This is a great list. |
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Skip Edwards
From: LA,CA
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 8:49 am
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And the the thing that will impress audiences the most is a fuzz solo played with a beer bottle... |
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Jim Cohen
From: Philadelphia, PA
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 9:09 am
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A very comprehensive list, Joe. I have lived nearly every item on there and then some. |
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John Macy
From: Rockport TX/Denver CO
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 12:22 pm
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Hey Joe, how about gig "truths", too??
1. The booking is definite.
2. Your check is in the mail.
3. We can fix it in the mix.
4. The show starts at eight.
5. My agent will take care of it.
6. I’m sure it will work out.
7. Your tickets are at the door
8. It sounds in tune to me.
9. Sure, it sounds fine at the back of the hall.
10. I know your mic is on.
11. I checked it myself.
12. The roadie took care of it.
13. Yes, the spotlights will be on you during your solos.
14. The stage mix sounds just like the program mix.
15. The club will provide the PA and the lights. 

16. I really love the band.
17. We’ll have it ready before tonight.
18. If it breaks, we’ll fix it free.
19. We’ll let you know.
20. The place was packed.
21. Someone will be there early to let you in.
22. I’ve only been playing for a year.
23. I’ve been playing for twenty years.
24. We’ll have the flyers printed tomorrow.
25. The band drinks free.
26. He’ll work the door for us tonight.
27. There’ll be lots roadies when you get there.
28. know we’ll get some applause after the next tune.
29. We’ll have plenty of time for a sound check.
30. We’ll definitely come see you play tonight.
31. You can depend on me.
32. You won’t have to play any requests.
33. We have this great gig in Vegas next month.
34. The other band will be glad to let you use their PA.
35. Sounds good to me.
36. You won’t have any trouble finding the place.
37. I’ve played there before.
38. We can turn down the volume if it’s too loud. _________________ John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar
Last edited by John Macy on 23 Feb 2018 12:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bill C. Buntin
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Posted 23 Feb 2018 12:23 pm confess
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Skip Edwards wrote: |
And the the thing that will impress audiences the most is a fuzz solo played with a beer bottle... |
Skip thats funny right there!! Alright men fess up. How many of you guys have done this? I've done it. Its true, the casual observer thinks its cool. LOL!!
~Bill |
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