Synth guitar? on Orpy sounds like steel

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Oct 2000 8:08 pm

Did anyone notice the guitar player with Trisha on the Opry tonight? (Saturday 10/14). He was playing what appeared to be a synth guitar... like the Roland. He took a solo and did fills on a slow Tammy Wynette song and Wow... it was the closest "fake" steel sound I've ever heard. Complete with "bar" tremolo and a tone to die for. Played on a guitar!

We'll call that program the "Byrd" patch

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www.dougbsteel.com

Jim Mathis · Post by **Jim Mathis** » 15 Oct 2000 6:44 am

Yes, I did. I was amazed. At first I thought the cameraman was showing the guitar during a steel ride, then I realized it WAS the guitar.

Andy Alford · Post by **Andy Alford** » 15 Oct 2000 7:30 am

It sure sounded like a steel.

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 15 Oct 2000 9:56 am

Sure, right. Now they can get rid of the steel player. Bad news....al

bob drawbaugh · Post by **bob drawbaugh** » 15 Oct 2000 10:01 am

It did sound like a steel, but a very bad player playing it. I though his sound was very choppy between cords. At times I hear the distortion he was using to get the sound. I though his steel sound was right up there with Yearwoods singing, not that good.[This message was edited by bob drawbaugh on 15 October 2000 at 11:02 AM.]

Earl Erb · Post by **Earl Erb** » 15 Oct 2000 10:31 am

I just think he had some string benders and his tremelo bar to do the effect.He really didn't play long enough for me to be sure.I thought the tone was pretty good.
I always thought it was too much effort to try and sound like a steel.I'll leave that up to the steel players.
Never had string benders and probably never will.

[This message was edited by Earl Erb on 15 October 2000 at 12:39 PM.]

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 15 Oct 2000 10:46 am

How long before some New York Smuck producer picks up on it?//Could save a lot of space on a stage.Hmm.Welcome to modern Country. b0b may need to change to the synth Forum.

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CJC

[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 15 October 2000 at 11:47 AM.]

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 15 Oct 2000 11:32 am

..that's "schmuck".

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 15 Oct 2000 11:42 am

Either way a smuck is a schmuck.

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CJC

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Oct 2000 1:02 pm

Hi Joe,

I guess it was not a Synth, but a real human being using effects and whammy bar and his hands and heart to create the sound that he was looking for. I'm glad that they have still not found a way to synthesize the steel guitar sound!

Hey Joe.... speaking of whammy bars, remember Joe Coker at the Office Lounge??

Remember Rocky Stone? He got a great pedal steel sound on guitar.

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www.dougbsteel.com

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 15 Oct 2000 1:46 pm

Yeah Doug,Joe Coker did have that volume pedal steel lick,Rocky Stone boy you are digging in the past,I know he worked with Gilley for years then someone told me he passed away.Doc Peters had the ultimate sound when we didn't have a steel. But there is nothing like the real thing.

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CJC

erik · Post by **erik** » 15 Oct 2000 5:23 pm

Joe Casey,
There were keyboardists doing steel sounds on DX7s back in the 80s. Synth steel is not new.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 15 Oct 2000 6:47 pm

Those so called "steel" patches on keyboards sound pretty cheesy. What I heard on the Opry last night was VERY convincing. But again, it wasn't a synth... it was a guy playing the hell out of guitar.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 16 Oct 2000 3:39 am

Keyboard or Guitar,can you Imagine what will happen if some guy perfects an effect that does come close to sounding like a Steel? Can there be a time when electronics totally replace Musicians? They have electronic drummers,Vocal harmony machines,Right now they can make someone who can't sing a lick a star.Welcome to the modern ages.

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CJC

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 16 Oct 2000 4:58 am

Joe, they can take a pretty boy model from Madison Avenue, dress him up in a cowboy hat and call him the Marlboro Man, but you and I and everybody else knows the difference between him and the real deal...there's a mystique about the real deal that can't be replicated....same with the pedal steel guitar and the pedal steel player..they're the real deal, and the mystique around them is real, can't be replicated..IMHO of course.

Boomer · Post by **Boomer** » 16 Oct 2000 8:17 am

What Pat said. If you're confident in your talent, no one will replace what you do with what you do. They might replace the instrument, but it won't be the same. Best, Boomer

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 16 Oct 2000 9:38 am

I didn't see or hear the show but here is my take on the replacement factor.
Real Country Music will never replace a steel guitar with any similation of it.
For one; if the singer/entertainer is doing real country music than they know there is no substitution for a real steel guitar. Now if they replace a real steel guitar with any similation of; than they are not playing real country music and so I don't see real country music threatened by it.
When folks like Trisha or whoever/record company> has a guy in there covering the similation of several instruments to save space/money/convenience or simply because he can do it; Than that's just another way of taking theirselves right out of the Real Country category/and when they call it Country music>now they are liers and have to live with that and suffer the consequences>and they know it.
Ricky

Ron Shepard · Post by **Ron Shepard** » 16 Oct 2000 11:55 am

Doug, While we are on the topic, i ve heard Jim Armanti do some great steel licks on his tele.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 16 Oct 2000 1:31 pm

What Boomer said.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 16 Oct 2000 2:24 pm

Ricky,
Liar never comes into the job, does it? Musicians are hired to play for there talent first, if they can cut the job? I say more power to them for being able to play what is needed. That's being a musician! Theresa[This message was edited by Theresa Galbraith on 16 October 2000 at 03:31 PM.]

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 16 Oct 2000 4:42 pm

Theresa in my opinion; it is not the job of a guitar player to play the steel guitar on his standard guitar. My point is if he is hired to do that becasue he has the talent to do so; than the folks that hire him are the liars. This is part of the conspiracy to kill real music. There is no authenticity to the instrumentation and no boundries; and therefore you obstruct the natural flow of continuing real music>so now when they categorize something; I have the question of its authenticity because of it's non defining instrumentation.
Ricky

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 16 Oct 2000 5:21 pm

Ron Jim Armanti is one fine player,I remember him doing the steel licks but not when Dougie played with him at the Ranch. He is a very tasteful Guitar player.YRB was also a pretty good Band I thought had the new and old sound.I still play their tape to people all over.

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CJC