E9th to C6th at the push of a button?
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Tony Glassman
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Charlie McDonald
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Ben Jones
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"Pedal steel is by nature a mechanical device. I think trying to wed mechanics w/electronics, in this case, would probably cause more problems than it would solve."
-No doubt you are correct Tony or else we'd already have twin robot fiddlers and those mechanical Bears in Disneylands Country Bear Jamboree would sound like the Buckaroos instead of a broken down plaer piano.
I guess if you you had a computer glich during the third set, youd have to reboot and call in a couple IT guys
Maybe call India for customer support
-No doubt you are correct Tony or else we'd already have twin robot fiddlers and those mechanical Bears in Disneylands Country Bear Jamboree would sound like the Buckaroos instead of a broken down plaer piano.
I guess if you you had a computer glich during the third set, youd have to reboot and call in a couple IT guys
Maybe call India for customer support
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Larry Bell
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I have no doubt that an electromechanical or, for that matter, a totally electronic pedal steel is possible. I've been saying that for about thirty years.
The fact of the matter is IT HASN'T.
Like a hybrid auto or new software rev, any new design that revolutionary will take a BUNCH of startup capital. The first instruments will be FIENDISHLY EXPENSIVE and WON'T WORK AS WELL AS THE OLD STYLE GUITARS. People won't want to buy an unproven concept. I know it CAN work. The potential is incredible. As others have mentioned -- changing tunings and copedents at the flip of a switch -- a totally new setup as simple as programming your VCR (ok -- I realize some folks can't do that very well, but you get what I mean). The pedal and lever pressure could be fine tuned to WHATEVER YOU WANT -- from ZERO pressure to as much as you wish. The throw could be instantaneous or take several inches of travel. It would be easy to CONCEIVE. What is difficult is the DESIGN and the IMPLEMENTATION. It will require YEARS (maybe DECADES) of trial and error development time and A LOT OF MONEY that won't be paid back quickly.
Bottom line: Folks were talking about an electronic pedal steel when I first started playing in 1974. The technology has been in place for some time -- either servo motor based or totally pitch controller based. It hasn't happened for one reason: Nobody has invested the time and bucks into it. Why? Maybe because steel players p!$$ and moan about how mechanically inferior their guitars are, but they play wonderful music on them, are used to them, some make their living on them, and would hesitate to replace them with something that isn't as good.
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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 April 2006 at 08:33 AM.]</p></FONT>
The fact of the matter is IT HASN'T.
Like a hybrid auto or new software rev, any new design that revolutionary will take a BUNCH of startup capital. The first instruments will be FIENDISHLY EXPENSIVE and WON'T WORK AS WELL AS THE OLD STYLE GUITARS. People won't want to buy an unproven concept. I know it CAN work. The potential is incredible. As others have mentioned -- changing tunings and copedents at the flip of a switch -- a totally new setup as simple as programming your VCR (ok -- I realize some folks can't do that very well, but you get what I mean). The pedal and lever pressure could be fine tuned to WHATEVER YOU WANT -- from ZERO pressure to as much as you wish. The throw could be instantaneous or take several inches of travel. It would be easy to CONCEIVE. What is difficult is the DESIGN and the IMPLEMENTATION. It will require YEARS (maybe DECADES) of trial and error development time and A LOT OF MONEY that won't be paid back quickly.
Bottom line: Folks were talking about an electronic pedal steel when I first started playing in 1974. The technology has been in place for some time -- either servo motor based or totally pitch controller based. It hasn't happened for one reason: Nobody has invested the time and bucks into it. Why? Maybe because steel players p!$$ and moan about how mechanically inferior their guitars are, but they play wonderful music on them, are used to them, some make their living on them, and would hesitate to replace them with something that isn't as good.
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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 23 April 2006 at 08:33 AM.]</p></FONT>