How many of all y'all sing too?

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 17 Aug 2005 3:40 pm

The other day I responded to the post about the 3 things you hate about PSG. I answered The Singer, The Drummer, and the Six-String Player. The funny thing is, they are all me. I got to wondering how many other guys do it all? How many of you sing (either backup or lead) and play PSG at the same time?

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Joe Drivdahl - GFI SD10 "Ultra"
Peavey Nashville 400
Peavey Nashville 1000

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 17 Aug 2005 3:49 pm

I would think it hard to sing and play steel, and probably pretty uncommon, but I'd hate to play in a band and not sing.
It's heavenly, doing backups.

JW Day · Post by **JW Day** » 17 Aug 2005 4:53 pm

Charlie: I have been doing part of the singing in the bands that I have worked with over the last 25 years.I always tried to work with A 4pc. band and this give us a little different sound. Plus the $'s were always better with only 4 of us.

rpetersen · Post by **rpetersen** » 17 Aug 2005 5:04 pm

Do it all the time - You get used to it - One eye looks at the crowd and the other down at your steel and when you are done for the night you get them both looking the same way again so you can drive home!!!!

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Ron Petersen &
The Keep'n Tyme Band
Mullen Universal 12 - 1975 Session 400 - Nashville 1000 - Vegas 400 - ETC.

Nick Reed · Post by **Nick Reed** » 17 Aug 2005 5:15 pm

I do it but not very well!

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 17 Aug 2005 5:25 pm

Mostly backup vocals - but I use a headset mike and that makes a huge difference !

Brett Day · Post by **Brett Day** » 17 Aug 2005 5:52 pm

I sing a lot. I was a singer before I started playing steel and I don't sing and play at the same time. When I played a show this past weekend, I sang a George Jones tune called "Bartender's Blues". I sang the verses and chorus, but after the second verse and chorus, I played the steel solo. I started harmonizing when I was about a year old or two years old, I guess. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 17 Aug 2005 5:58 pm

I do backup harmony and play fills. It's a blast once you get the hang of it. It's easier for me than playing bass and singing.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 17 Aug 2005 6:11 pm

I can sing Giddyup Go.

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 17 Aug 2005 6:23 pm

I do some but leavemost of to the lead singers. You have fans in the crowd that want you to work also.

ernie

Steve Hackney · Post by **Steve Hackney** » 17 Aug 2005 6:32 pm

When I was playing regularly I sang lead but not while playing steel. Play a little lead guitar too.
Don't play with a group much anymore. All my pickin friends live about two hours away.

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 17 Aug 2005 6:44 pm

Here in Portland, both Larry Behm and Harley James sing and play pedal steel. Quite well, I might add. I sing and play drums, but that's another story! But as a singing drummer, I can appreciate what they do...it ain't easy having your brain go in so many different directions..

Nathan Delacretaz · Post by **Nathan Delacretaz** » 17 Aug 2005 7:03 pm

I sing, but only backups so far as far as while playing steel... Hands+feet+knees+voice takes getting used to!

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 17 Aug 2005 7:16 pm

I've fronted bands on guitar, but do sing some while playing steel. In my current roots/Americana band, though, everybody sings, so I generally prefer to "leave the singing to them".

Hands down my favorite songs to sing: Six Days on the Road and other trucking favorites like Tombstone Every Mile, Nitro Express, and so on.

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 17 Aug 2005 8:05 pm

Nick,
I like the pic. Thats a beautiful Emmons by the way.

Paddy,
The headset is a great idea. It would allow me to move my head more, which is what I need to be able to do to fret correctly.

James,
I think its easier than singing and playing Bass too. I never could get the hang of that except on very simple tunes.

I would generally like to leave the singing to "them" too Dave, but I ain't got no "them."

Thanks everyone else who responded to this post. Great answers?!

Joe

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 17 Aug 2005 8:44 pm

I sing every once in a while, but hardly while playing steel at the same time. Two fretless lead instruments are more difficult to play at once in tune than just one. Like those other guys said, that'd mean I'd have both hands, feet, knees, eyes, and ears doing different things at once. And my brain would blow up.

I find it's pretty easy for me to sing and play bass at the same time. The frequencies are far enough apart to separate for me. Just let your fingers do the bass part and concentrate on singing. Besides, from past band experience, we all know that it only takes about 5% of your total brain function to play bass, especially in country/bluegrass. Or at least that's all I've ever seen any bass player use.

-MG

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Aug 2005 12:58 am

The good thing about singing as well is that it forces you to STOP playing..

If you ( we) are playing in a full band there is really no need to be playing 100% of the time anyway...not just the Steel..the other guys too...

Even if you're not singing, every now and then put the bar down and listen...at least for a few bars here and there...

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 18 Aug 2005 2:48 am

Besides, from past band experience, we all know that it only takes about 5% of your total brain function to play bass

I guess that explains why I've never been more at home or happier than while singing and playing bass. So little brain, so few notes....

Thanks guys for hipping me to the fact that steel players sing; I just never heard it before.

Some day there's going to be a famous front man playing steel.
Michael, it could be you!
"Make it so." -- Jean Luc Picard

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 18 Aug 2005 4:36 am

I sing.. you have to keep at it however.. back in the 80's I was able to sing entire songs while doing all the steel parts,chords,single note stuff..NO problem..
Now a days, I always have to stop playing, miss notes ,go off key, forget words etc. If you can sing and play steel, you should really keep at it.
If you let it go for too long,it can be tough "getting it back"

Ernie Pollock · Post by **Ernie Pollock** » 18 Aug 2005 4:40 am

Joe, I have just this past year gotten into singing with the tracks that I make with the Bass & Rhythm guitar & drums on mini-discs & CD's. I have discovered that if I use one of the headphone microphones it is much easier for me to do. I will admit that being an 'ace steelplayer' & singer at the same time is kind of tough, but I use a S-12 Universal
pic of steel
which gives me lots of ways to play rhythm along with the licks in between phrases. I also use a GFI S-10 with my 'more bass' tuning which greatly helps me with playing & singing at the same time. I am having a ball doing this, but I still enjoy just being the 'steel player' or lead guitar player in groups.

Ernie Pollock

http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

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Webb Kline · Post by **Webb Kline** » 18 Aug 2005 4:49 am

I don't sing, but I use a headset to talk to the audience. But, my duo partner has a great voice and he uses a Helicon VoiceLive harmonizer which has some of the most natural settings I've ever heard. It's funny because, even though it wasn't planned that way, people are always coming up and complimenting me on my harmonies.

They can't believe it when I tell them it's a machine.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 18 Aug 2005 7:17 am

I've tried to, and the results are not pretty. I've even tried to do a lead in, sing, do the steel break, then sing, then do a fill at the end. It sounds a lot like a car wreck.[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 18 August 2005 at 08:17 AM.]

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 18 Aug 2005 7:51 am

Everyone in our band sings. We work a lot on intricate harmonies kind of in the Richochet mold. It is difficult sometimes to grab the licks when you are singing the high harmony.

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 18 Aug 2005 9:10 am

We have multiple singers in our band, but have an unwritten law that no one will use a headset mic. I don't like them as far as looks go, but more importantly, in my opinion they take away vocal dynamics, because you can't move away from the mic, it's always right in front.

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 18 Aug 2005 10:07 am

Charlie,
I think someone's already doing it.

Joe [This message was edited by Joe Drivdahl on 18 August 2005 at 11:09 AM.][This message was edited by Joe Drivdahl on 18 August 2005 at 11:10 AM.]