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Topic: Pedal Steel and Piano |
Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 2:47 am |
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I have only played with one piano player that the key in which we played made no difference to him. In my experiences, the vast majority of piano players will only play in a few certain keys, but this guy was never phased or put off no matter what key and would always fall right in never missing a beat. He was a fantastic, self-taught guitar and piano virtuoso. He is older now, in poor health and I miss his musical talents. I never failed to learn something from him.
Just some thoughts of mine in these times we are in.
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You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 3:22 am
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While I certainly agree that there are some exceptional keys players, but it's because they are good musicians, its not really about the piano. My experiences are not quite as good as yours, several that I have worked with are very heavy handed , not just right handed but left hand as well which pretty much blows the Bass players off the bandstands ! Its not the Instrument , the instrument is just the symptom of a deeper issue.
Those players that I am referring to have no earthly concept that they are banging away covering up every other musical note which may be taking place on the bandstand. And worse, most are going thru the MAINS which is now in competition with vocals.
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jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 3:31 am
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Like Tony says, whatever instrument you play you should be fluent in all keys.
My bugbear is guitarists who don't know what key they're in, especially the singer/songwriter type who use a capo for everything. So they play a bit so you can work it out.
Then next week they have the capo on a different fret.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Bill Duncan
From:
Lenoir, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 3:36 am
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I agree that Tony. I have always been in Gospel music and many piano pickers seem to believe they are the ones who run the show and few know how to play backup. Especially women piano players. (I am not being chauvinistic here) I have asked them to play rhythm and fills and leave the melody alone. That never goes over well.
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You can observe a lot just by looking |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 4:56 am
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I had a gig with Mario Carboni at the Camas WA Moose Lodge, recently.
Many of us saw him play a set with Norm Hamlet at the Jan 2020 Pheonix Steel Convention.
He is a great piano player and entertainer.
It was Mario on Piano (he plays all the Bass parts with his left hand) and Trumpet, and Dave the drummer played his full kit, and me on Steel.
We had a great full-band sound!
I did not perceive any tuning/intonation issues beteeen the Steel and piano. I tune pretty close the Jeff Newmans 442 based tuning chart (Open E's tuned to 442 on a Boss TU-12).
I can't wait to play with Mario and Dave again!
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 9:58 am
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Sounds great!
I did a gig like that except the pianist was a classical type who instead of laying down a rhythm played all the bass notes very lightly and slightly ahead of the beat.
A long time ago now, fortunately 
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Richard Stoops
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Mar 2020 10:29 am psg and piano
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When I was playing regular 6 string guitar I would learn a song in all the keys, no kapo. Only way to go if you play with a lot of different singers. Not everyone sings a song in the same key.
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Emmons and Rittenberry Steel guitars plus assorted 6 string guitars |
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George Biner
From:
Los Angeles, CA
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Posted 27 Mar 2020 5:32 pm
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I've often thought that it's possible for a capo for the pedal steel to be devised! Let's face it, you could get some great hammer-ons in certain keys if you could capo the dang thing! Just a thought.
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Guacamole Mafia - acoustic harmony duo
Electrical engineer / amp tech in West Los Angeles -- I fix Peaveys
"Now there is a snappy sounding instrument. That f****r really sings." - Jerry Garcia |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Dave Zirbel
From:
Sebastopol, CA USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2020 6:06 pm
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I hear you Bill. That reminds me of a few situations I’ve been in.
I called Steelin the Blues on the bandstand in the original key of C# and the piano player almost refused. 😳 He gave in when I explained it had to be played in that key because of the bar hammers in the first fret, but refused to take a solo.
On the other hand I had the privilege of playing with Jason Crosby, who was Robert Randalph’s keyboardist for a decade. Hands down the most amazing player. While on a session the song we were tracking on was in F# and I said to him “ this must be a pain for youâ€. His reply was that he actually liked it because it was something different for a change, and that he could play in any key no problem. Didn’t even phase him the slightest bit. He was classically trained from a very young age on piano and violin and just a master on both. He gets calls for gigs from guys like Roger Daultry and Hall & Oates, etc.....the Daultry gig was for 5 string violin😳.....He’s way out of my league....I am not worthy!😂
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Dave Zirbel-
Sierra S-10 (Built by Ross Shafer),ZB, Fender 400 guitars, various tube and SS amps |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2020 7:53 pm
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We steel players have it easy. To play in a different key, we just move our part to a different fret. When I took up marimba, I had to learn to play 12 different scale patterns. After 15 years, I'm still only proficient in half of the keys. And transposing a song I learned in one key to another is hard.
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2020 8:07 pm Re: Pedal Steel and Piano
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| Bill Duncan wrote: |
I have only played with one piano player that the key in which we played made no difference to him. In my experiences, the vast majority of piano players will only play in a few certain keys, but this guy was never phased or put off no matter what key and would always fall right in never missing a beat. He was a fantastic, self-taught guitar and piano virtuoso. He is older now, in poor health and I miss his musical talents. I never failed to learn something from him.
Just some thoughts of mine in these times we are in. |
sir you have been playing with some sorry piano players. i know of NO pro piano players here in the atlanta area who cannot play in any key. i can get you all you want to do your gig if you ever come here to play. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2020 9:20 pm
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On a full actual piano they must be played in chord. An electronic keyboard piano has a button that they can change the chord electronically. I played in a band 2004/2005 that had a keyboard and Eddy would change the key he played in, (Eddy liked playing country music in C chord position). Once in a while the band leader would change the chord on stage and things went down hill, You would hear the piano off till we stopped and Eddy got the keyboard in chord.
Some enjoyable steel and piano in any song Jessie Colter and Waylon Jennings band play, Even on live you tube songs with Jessie playing piano are good. |
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