what did you learn from convention?

Jim Peters · Post by **Jim Peters** » 6 Sep 2006 4:17 am

Spent most of the weekend in St. Louis(and the all of my life), and picked up a nice idea from watching Buddy Emmons(and others). I do this on guitar subconsciously, but hadn't applied it to steel yet.
Vary the vibrato, start it off imperceptively, then slow, then end it faster. Sometimes it's the simple things.
Anybody else pick up some good ideas? JP

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 6 Sep 2006 5:32 am

Maybe not what you are looking for, BUT, being there at the convention drove home the point that this is such a HUGE brotherhood of steel players/musicians. Amazing the comraderie.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Sep 2006 6:27 am

You'd never know it after reading the HOF rant here on the Forum .....

Gary Steele · Post by **Gary Steele** » 6 Sep 2006 6:53 am

I payed lots of attn to what steel i want to get for a keeper, I may suprise everyone and keep one for a year or two>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 6 Sep 2006 7:43 am

Also from Buddy Emmons. On his sets he pretty much stuck to playing his own compositions. He even brought in a new Bossa just for the convention. This inspired me to continue in that direction.

Also, it seems like every "rule" of playing the steel guitar was both followed and broken:

Lift the bar, Don't lift the bar
Right foot always on the volume pedal
Both feet on the pedals
Ankles always down, ankles sometimes up
three picks, four picks
etc etc It's all good!![This message was edited by Billy Wilson on 06 September 2006 at 10:27 AM.][This message was edited by Billy Wilson on 06 September 2006 at 10:27 AM.]

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 6 Sep 2006 11:21 am

I learned that I had a lot more friends than I realised.

------------------
Warning: I have a Telecaster and I'm not afraid to use it.
-----------
My web site

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Sep 2006 11:32 am

Billy, whassa Bossa?

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 6 Sep 2006 11:46 am

Barry isa Bossa Nova, a laid back jazzy Brazilian type of thing ala Girl from Ipanema.

Ron Randall · Post by **Ron Randall** » 6 Sep 2006 7:40 pm

I learned that a good sound man is so important.
Too bad one was not present at ISGC.

Makes me appreciate the sound at Texas Jamboree.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Sep 2006 3:10 am

That snide remark is so rude, I can't imagine what kind of person you are.

Joe Casey · Post by **Joe Casey** » 7 Sep 2006 3:14 am

Ron, I guess everyone hears things differently. With a spread out room the size of the Millinium ballroom doing sound with those high ceilings is a monsterous task at best.I think the sound crew did an excellent job. There was always things going on throughout the shows around the hall to interfere with sound,But this truly was a convention with convention athmosphere and noises,Mike Browns crew worked hard throughout and I believe they have to be applauded for the work they did.[This message was edited by Joe Casey on 07 September 2006 at 04:24 AM.]

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 7 Sep 2006 6:20 am

Billy, that was my guess, but I missed the Nova.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 7 Sep 2006 7:36 am

Wow! What a great show and I could here everything on stage just fine. I learned I need some new(at least to me) pulls .And I have to aquire a bunch of practice tracks and then wood shed a bunch. Reece won me over with his 12 string non pedal tuning.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 7 Sep 2006 10:14 am

Ron,
Do you think that you could've ran the audio better? I know I wouldn't want that job. Maybe,we can talk Scotty into letting you run the sound next year. There's an old saying that says something to the effect of,"Don't judge a man 'til you walk a mile in his shoes",or something like that. You should keep that in mind before the next time you decide to post something here.

------------------
<pre> ~ ~
©¿© It don't mean a thang,
mm if it ain't got that twang.</pre>

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 7 Sep 2006 12:38 pm

I think the sound was pretty good this year...

Quite frankly thats a tuff room to fill as it is very wide....wider than deeper..

I think Bill and crew did a good job this year..

no complaints from me..

I have recordings from the back of the room by the door, they ain't too bad...

play nice guys..

------------------
------------------
TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite

Mike Pace · Post by **Mike Pace** » 7 Sep 2006 1:54 pm

>>>>I have recordings from the back of the room by the door, they ain't too bad..<<<<

Tony, I wasn't there & would sure love to hear 'em..... But I think that lesson was "learned" last year!!!!... lol

Tim Harr · Post by **Tim Harr** » 7 Sep 2006 2:40 pm

Ron Randall...

Albeit your opinion.. that comment was uncalled for. I am with our friend Jim Cohen on this one.

It is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about.

An old addage comes to mind:
"Being silent and letting the world assume you to be a fool, is better than opening your mouth and removing all doubt"

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 7 Sep 2006 4:13 pm

"It is obvious you have no idea what you are talking about."

I thought it was only obvious he didn't think the sound was particularly good. I can't see where he either does or doesn't know what he's talking about, so THAT comment seems kind of out of line.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 7 Sep 2006 4:55 pm

I was in that room all weekend and the sound wasn't too bad, but it wasn't spectacular either. The performers were constantly asking for more monitors, so I know that some of the players weren't thrilled. The rhythm section was buried at times in the mains, but I think that's the nature of a steel guitar show mix and conducive to most types of music performed on the stage throughout the weekend.

But to be fair, it is hard to keep track of so many different performers and their particular settings. Overall they did a good job with the task at hand. The technicians really rose to the challenge when Joe and Sarah pushed the levels and rocked out hard. The techs reeled it in very well, and the mix was punchy but not harsh.

I think it's okay for Ron to express his opinion. He paid his $65 for the weekend and has a right to feel the way he feels about what his ears told him.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 7 Sep 2006 5:07 pm

I think it's okay for Ron to express his opinion.

I think so too. I only take issue with his inhumane comment about people who are doing their level best to provide a service to our little community. I would think they would deserve better treatment than that from a steel brother.

Mark Krutke · Post by **Mark Krutke** » 7 Sep 2006 5:22 pm

Gleaning seems to be never-ending at the ISGC's. Different phrasing coming from players is always a treat to hear. Jim Cohen played some very tasteful things. And just when you think E's trademark song (Gonna Build a Mountain) would be the first one you'd hear him play on Friday night, he slings a different one in there.

I also learned that Iowa steel players are the greatest. They're the people you'd want rooting for you when you're on the big stage..

..

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 7 Sep 2006 9:14 pm

I was there when Scotty announced that comments about the mix were welcome at the console. He said that they would much rather hear them right away than a week later on the Forum!

I noticed that there was a problem with low notes from the electric piano. I told someone in the booth about it and it was corrected. These guys are top notch engineers, but they can't be all over the hall at once. The toughest room is a room full of musicians - everyone thinks he's an expert!

I'm receiving complaints about the back-biting and snide comments in this topic, so I'm closing it right now. Let's keep our remarks civil in the future, folks. Thanks.

------------------
<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog<div style="display:none">[This message was edited by b0b on 07 September 2006 at 10:15 PM.]