What should I work on next?

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

I am by all mean, a beginning steel player. I am just fairly comfortable with playing major chords, minor chords, maj7 chords, and 7th chords. Granted I do not know all of the positions for these chords. I know the open and ab positions for major , I know the bc, a pedal, AND LKR positions for minors, The AB ( grip 4,6,7,8 ) for Major 7, and the B pedal with LKR for 7 chords.
How can I use the B and C pedals more, and what on earth do I play with the RKL and RKR Levers? Heres my copedent.
Thanks for the Help. I need it.

[Steve Collins]

I am about where you are, a year in. I got a lot from the recent post on harmonized scales. It will give you a good chance to work the BC pedals. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW5ShfVvRbk

[Bud Angelotti]

My suggestion is to work on your hands. Left AND right. Keep playing those scales you are making progress with till you can play 'em in your sleep while striving for good tone from the hands. Pick it like you mean it with your right hand and get your left to get solid connection to the steel. Work on technique as you practice those scales. Make a physical connection to your guitar and don't look to the amp to get your tone, at least at this point.

[Dick Sexton]

http://www.sierrasteels.com/lessons/e9th-lessons.html

The answer was no! Guess what I'm working on...

[Jack Stoner]

Bud is right. Focus on proper bar handling and your right hand technique. If you get off on the wrong foot it will be that much harder to get back on track.

It doesn't matter how well you know the fretboard, if the bar handling (including getting it straight across the fretboard) and right hand picking is not there you will never really progress.

Knowing a zillion chords is nice, but for the most part learing the major,minor and 7th chord positions is the most important. A well respected local Steeler (old time Pedal steeler) and I were talking recently about the pedals and knee levers and we both agreed that 90 to 95% of what we do is the A&B pedals and the knee lever that lowers the E strings.

[Jim Pitman]

How about a familiar song?
There's nothing like applying what you've learned to structure a familiar melody that will help you progress.
I've been playing quite a while now and felt like I had learned all the chord/passing chord possibilities until I worked out the Beatles' "Yesterday". (one example) I uncovered a couple of new changes/technique by doing so.
Try to cop the dynamics of the tune as well.
Watching Loyd Green in one of the Saint Louis convention side rooms do this about 15 years ago made me realize PSG is so well suited for playing melodies with stacked harmonies, etc., even a concurrent bass line if your ambitious.

[Bill Moore (RIP)]

You should try to find some other musicians to play with. Find some informal jams, join a band of some kind, maybe a singer/guitarist, anything will help. Don't be picky, just play with anyone that will allow you to sit in. You will learn a lot about music and about how to apply your instrument to a band. After you learn the basics, this is the next logical step.

[Michael Robertson]

Going by what you understand at present I would start to understand chord structure.
The ONE note the TWO note the THREE note and so on.
For example C Major 135 CEG
Understanding the relationship of these notes will make it a bit easier to move up the neck and understand chord structure and the usefulness of your RK Levers.
Moving up the neck one fret at a time and understanding the notes in your triads will help.
Here is video by Micky Adams using the BC pedals.
In other videos of his he will refer to the notes by name and number.
He is a great source of info.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjTVXW6FuTk

But most important of all………Have fun with it.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

Thank you for the input.
As far as learning chord formulas, I have been playing guitar for over ten years and know all about theory and such. I am going to pick up some courses this week. I just don't want to learn certain things out of order so to speak.

[Joseph Barcus]

Jeff
think of what your BC is all about its not that scary lol the only thing that makes it different and Im sure you know this is that it pulls the 4th string to the F#, like the first string. think of it like this to. you know at the 8th fret strings 4&5 with your E's lowered is a G, if the bands in G. release the E push your A pedal thats a Am, then move up two frets will make that a Bm, now my point here is the exact same thing can be found at the 3rd fret strings 3&4 open first then push BC pedals then move up two frets again this is the same 1,2m,3m. your right knee left is good for a lot of waylon jennings, merle haggard stuff for it makes a 7th chord in the closed positions.

[Richard Sinkler]

The AB ( grip 4,6,7,8 ) for Major 7

What kind of Major 7 is that? On every guitar I have ever played, that is a 6th chord. Open would be an A6 minus the 3rd tone and having two 5th tones.

[Jason Lynch]

I'm about three years in! and in the UK! Gulp!
ok, as I understand things, your RKL raising string one a half step, will give you a dom7th in any AB position, by substituting string 4 for string 1.
As for your RKR, lower it all the way, and press the A pedal,Pick, then release them both.then slide back a fret whilst they're ringing and lower string 2 a half step- classic Lloyd green move! (So my "mentor", David Hartley tells me!)

If you can, Add string 7 to your RKL change as well as string 1. I have that, gives you the same seventh on, say, strings 5, 6 &7 AB down, as opposed to 5,6, &8.
Hope this helps- and makes sense!
regards
Jason

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

567and 9 for the major 7 chord. I was counting originally from the fattest strings to the skinnier. Its on the twelve string. strings D, F#,G#, and B with the A and B pedal engaged.

[Steve Collins]

Also go over to the tablature forum and look at the lessons posted by Dick Sexton, the learning is endless. Thanks Dick.

[Dick Sexton]

Steve, I am humbled by your post, thank you very much.

By the way, I have a daughter stationed at Eielson in the Air Force, a moose counter I think. That's what I tell her anyway. Loves the beauty of it all.

[Donny Hinson]

Find another player who can give you some lessons, and critique what you're doing. This will be a little more difficult because you play a 12-string guitar, but there are a good number of 12 string players out there, nevertheless. I learned more from what Stu Basore showed me in a half hour than I had learned from any book or tape that was available when I was starting. Nothing beats one-on-one lessons, and nothing beats learning from many players instead of just one or two. Go out and see different players...even if you don't like their music, because you can learn something from anybody. Even after I had been playing for 20 years, I still learned things from players who had only been playing for a year!

Many beginning players want to just stay in the house and O/D on courses and YouTube stuff, but that's only a tiny fraction of what is being played and what's going on, often on just the other side of town.

[Richard Sinkler]

567and 9 for the major 7 chord.

Gorgeous chord. I like just play 9, 7 and pedal into string 5 with the A pedal. Gives me Goosebumps.

[Jeff Metz Jr.]

Sorry for the confusion Richard. Like I said I'm a beginner so....glad that you understand what I was trying to convey lol.
I well have to try that pedal on stuff. Thanks

[Don Drummer]

Bud Angelotti' advice fits you to a tee. Knpwing the chord theory will be there when your right and left hand improve. He is spot on and so is Joe Barcus.

[Michael Robertson]

Jeff, rather than tell you how to grip a chord, find a chord such as a Suspended or Diminished chord.
On your own figure out what notes make these chords and what pedals or knee levers will help you grip the chord.
I think you will find a great deal of satisfaction in your research and use of any chord you discover.
I know I did……..
Michael