Manual of Style

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 25 Sep 2003 3:19 am

Hi there guys and gals!
I've been doing some work on stuff, and pulled out the "Manual of Style" book I did with Crawford, Bethel, Hughey, and Myrick back in the early 80's.
I forgot how much great stuff there is in it, and how many questions are answered there in reference to tunings, picks, bars, learning techniques, and playing techniques.
There a whole thing about, "If I had one knee lever to add..." And it polls all four players about what changes they would add, in what order, and why.
There are some wonderful exercises in both E9 and C6 tunings, and a great arrangement of Aura Lee (E9) and a Blues (C6) where each of the four players takes a 16 bar piece.
I was looking at a piece by Terry Bethel, and after hearing it on the record, I tried figuring it out-- and got some-- then compared it with the tab and found little subtle differences between where I got stuff and where he got the same notes. It was a great learning experience. And that's almost 20 years after I did the book!
There are wonderful photos of each player through the years, and a good explanation of "The Crawford Cluster".
It goes on and on.
I think it is a book that few knew about or understood what was actually in it.
Thought I should give it a mention.
I think Jimmie Crawford still has some in stock.

Winnie

Ricky Littleton · Post by **Ricky Littleton** » 25 Sep 2003 4:37 am

Winnie:

Where or how can I make contact with Jimmie or anyone with a copy to sell?

Ricky

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Emmons LeGrande - 8x4
Session 400 Ltd
Dan-Echo, E-Bow, Ibanez Distortion, Boss Comp./Sustain, Ibanez Auto-Wah

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 25 Sep 2003 5:21 am

I think Scotty carries it. www.scottysmusic.com

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 25 Sep 2003 5:55 am

Lest we forget, many or most of us owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Winnie for the information he has organized and disseminated through the years.

Most are aware of the seminal book published by Oak, 'Pedal Steel Guitar'. It was the only thing many of us had to help us figure out how this contraption was used by others to make magical music. It included elements of tuning, technique, changes, applications/songs, mechanics, and many other aspects of the pedal steel. It was worth many times its price and contained info unavailable elsewhere.

Some are also aware of the project that is the title of this thread: A Manual of Style. Four of the most influential players of the time (or ANY time) shared how they approach the instrument. The 'what if you only had one lever . . . then two . . . then three, etc' was very educational for the reader since several of the players had 8-10 levers and they explained in order which were ones they MUST have and why. In addition the MuSymTab system is, in my opinion, the best notation system thus devised for the instrument.

Those of us who read the PSGA Newsletter in the 70's and 80's realize that Winnie was an ace reporter who gave detailed analyses of new developments in pedal steel mechanics and design from Scotty's Convention. Many of us have also enjoyed Winnie's playing through his albums.

We often cite Jeff Newman and Joe Wright as the 'Master Teachers' of our instrument. Don't forget that even though Winnie has published relatively few instructional or educational works, the ones he has given us are of the HIGHEST QUALITY.

I'd also personally like to thank Winnie for making me aware that the C6/B6 changes could be applied to a 12- or 14-string version of E9 to extend the tuning in new ways. Between Winnie and Maurice's approaches to a single neck tuning, I was able to figure out where I wanted to go with this incredibly complex instrument.

THANK YOU, PROFESSOR WINSTON!

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Jay Ganz · Post by **Jay Ganz** » 25 Sep 2003 6:15 am

I bought each book when they originally came
out & still got 'em today. A TON of info
in both books!

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 25 Sep 2003 8:04 am

Another valuable asset of the book for me was the speed picking demo. Over the winter of '85 I learned to pickblock with it.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 25 Sep 2003 8:34 am

Also, credit is due to my good buddy Fred Amendola for his work in the book as well.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 25 Sep 2003 7:47 pm

Winnie has been a powerhouse of knowledge over the years and he has done it the "Old Fashioned Way" He Earned it.

PROFESSOR WINSTON!

You Bet

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 25 Sep 2003 9:23 pm

Don't see it on Scotty's web site. Sounds very interesting and we all know I could use more help.

Jackie Anderson · Post by **Jackie Anderson** » 26 Sep 2003 4:59 am

Although I sure could have used his first book when I was an impoverished student wanting to build a PSG, Winnie was an inspiration to me even before the book was published, via mutual luthier friends who told me about this fantastic b@njo-playing professor they knew who had built his own axe. Of course, he knew a lot more about it than I had been able to learn by crawling around a music store looking under Sho-Buds that I couldn't afford to buy! Fortunately, the book was published just as I finished making the parts and had to decide on a copedant, not to mention learning to play the darn thing. What with all the information so amazingly available on this Forum, the Carter web site, etc., "newbies" now have it easy, compared to the impenetrable mystery surrounding pedal steels back then. I am sure that getting hold of Winnie's book was a big turning point in the lives of a lot of people, helping them make their dreams into realities. Thanks, Winnie!

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 26 Sep 2003 5:32 am

I too learned to play from Winnie's book. There is a lot of great instructional material available today. But Winnie's book is one of the very best.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 26 Sep 2003 7:11 am

Winnie, i too, like many others,started out w: your first book
i'd never heard of your "Manual of Style" before
so now that you've mentioned it, can you help us find a copy of it ?
Thanx

Winnie Winston · Post by **Winnie Winston** » 26 Sep 2003 8:12 pm

Thev only souirce I would know for "The Manual of Style" is Jimmie Crawford.
He published them, and probably has some.

JW

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 27 Sep 2003 5:24 am

from Scotty's site
from Al Brisco (for the Canucks)
from Frenchy for our desert friends who have to look out for rattlers in their cases
from Tom Bradshaw for the west coast kinda guys and gals
a German source for our Euro friends

Hope this helps

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<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 27 Sep 2003 4:46 pm

Yes, Jimmie still has copies of the 'Manual of Style'. You can contact him directly at jchsteel@juno.com or call (615)824-8938
The cost is around $20

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 28 Sep 2003 12:07 am

Thanx Guys

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 2 Oct 2003 2:39 pm

Today 10-02-2003 I just received in the mail my very own copy of Winnie's "Manual of Style" (bought it from Scotty) and it's everything this thread said it would be. The history lessons are worth the price of the book alone. The mini 33-1/3rd records are neat too.

That twelve pedal steel guitar must have been a monster.

Now if I can just get a few days to spend on the lessons....

Jackie Anderson · Post by **Jackie Anderson** » 2 Oct 2003 3:47 pm

I just bought a copy from Scotty, as well (about time I tried to graduate from your first primer, Winnie), and then realized that maybe I shouldn't have given my only turntables to one of my kids -- I can't play the records! If I provide proof of purchase (I don't want to promote rip-off "ripping") and pay for a blank CD and postage, would anyone be willing to transcribe the records for me?