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Author Topic:  15 Steel Guitar "Truths"
Joe Goldmark

 

From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 11:00 am    
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In no particular order:

1. We can't play steel in cold weather; outside gigs suck.
2. We always get a little nervous at the beginning of a gig.
3. We have to play almost daily just to keep our technique up.
4. Our equipment weighs too much, and it's a schlep from home to car to gig to set-up to tear down to car to home.
5. On the rare occasion that we get "good tone" we rule the world.
6. When playing a casual, there's always one kid who plops himself down in front of the band and stares wide eyed (while his friends chase each other around the room)...we were that kid.
7. We can't understand why everyone doesn't want to play steel. It's obviously the most pleasing sound in the world.
8. The volume pedal will always be a mystery (well, compared to how Buddy Charleton used it for expression).
9. We should sometimes play way up high like John Hughey did, but we never do.
10. On concert gigs, monitors are the worst, unless we have our own monitor mix.
11. Despite what all our friends and fans tell us, we rarely feel we played great last night.
12. It's impossible to play country steel in a loud band.
13. Our secret: it isn't hard to find things to play on pedal steel, our pedals guarantee that. What's hard is the technique.
14. On the gig, harmonics are sometimes easy and gorgeous, and sometimes about impossible to get - it's a mystery.
15. Buddy Emmons was the best.


Last edited by Joe Goldmark on 22 Feb 2018 4:27 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Larry Behm


From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 11:58 am    
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Well this is a great start, was thinking about half of them just this last weekend. Joe are you going to the Dallas show?
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Steve French


From:
Roseville CA
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:34 pm    
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Harmonics come and go for you, too? I thought it was just me!
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Bob Carlucci

 

From:
Candor, New York, USA
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:47 pm    
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yep.. most everything on Joe's list is "dead nuts" on the money... bob
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Joe Goldmark

 

From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:48 pm    
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Hi Larry,

Not going to Dallas. I did make it to the Phoenix show a year ago. And yes, the above list is a "start".

Joe
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Joachim Kettner


From:
Germany
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 12:54 pm    
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I agree 100 percently!
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Paul Sutherland

 

From:
Placerville, California
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:08 pm    
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Nobody expects us to dance around and put on a show. That's a plus for me.
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Larry Behm


From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:28 pm    
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When pickers complain about things like the ones posted about I just say "it is the music business" the good, the bad and the ugly. Yet we still pack out crap to the event plug in and go through it, because we all LOVE THE SOUND OF THE STEEL. Sicko's me thinks.
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Bill C. Buntin

 

Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 4:29 pm    
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Joe, this is well stated. I was one of those kids myself. The list makes sense to me.

NO telling how many times I stared at Reece and he didn't know it.

~Bill
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Paddy Long


From:
Christchurch, New Zealand
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:06 pm    
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And you always get that one person ....who asks "What sort of keyboard is that thing"

Oh Well
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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:49 pm    
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16. Need to have the latest and most expensive equipment they can afford and use it to duplicate stuff recorded a half-century ago.
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Joe Goldmark

 

From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:51 pm    
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Yeah, Paddy. That's certainly another truth!

BTW, My partner at work is named Tony Green and he's from Christchurch. He left about 25 years ago with his wife Sonya.
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forrest klott

 

From:
Grand Rapids Mi USA
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 5:58 pm    
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Agree with all the above, but especially #16! Whoa!
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Randy Beavers


From:
Lebanon,TN 37090
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 9:30 pm    
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A rule for me is “When changing strings there will always be blood.”
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Joe Goldmark

 

From:
San Francisco, CA 94131
Post  Posted 22 Feb 2018 9:55 pm    
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LOL, and always the tips of the fingers...
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Tony Prior


From:
Charlotte NC
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 1:48 am    
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17 - When we execute an emotional phrase which took us a long time to master we don't understand why everyone else in he band doesn't "get it "...
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Hook Moore


From:
South Charleston,West Virginia
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 2:31 am    
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I agree with most of those Joe and I do painfully agree with Randy !
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Ben Lawson

 

From:
Brooksville Florida
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 4:27 am    
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Very few soundmen understand steel guitars.
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Bobby Hearn

 

From:
Henrietta, Tx
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 6:06 am    
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And the controlling band leader that always insists you set up next to the guitar player!
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Nicholas Scott


From:
Norfolk, VA USA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 7:12 am    
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This is a great list.
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Skip Edwards

 

From:
LA,CA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 8:49 am    
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And the the thing that will impress audiences the most is a fuzz solo played with a beer bottle...
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Jim Cohen


From:
Philadelphia, PA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 9:02 am    
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21. At the end of the gig, everyone (except possibly the drummer) will have left with all the chicks before you're even packed.
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Barry Blackwood


Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 9:09 am    
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A very comprehensive list, Joe. I have lived nearly every item on there and then some. Winking
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John Macy

 

From:
Rockport TX/Denver CO
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 12:22 pm    
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Hey Joe, how about gig "truths", too??
1. The booking is definite.
2. Your check is in the mail.
3. We can fix it in the mix.
4. The show starts at eight.
5. My agent will take care of it.
6. I’m sure it will work out.
7. Your tickets are at the door
8. It sounds in tune to me.
9. Sure, it sounds fine at the back of the hall.
10. I know your mic is on.
11. I checked it myself.
12. The roadie took care of it.
13. Yes, the spotlights will be on you during your solos.
14. The stage mix sounds just like the program mix.
15. The club will provide the PA and the lights. 

16. I really love the band.
17. We’ll have it ready before tonight.
18. If it breaks, we’ll fix it free.
19. We’ll let you know.
20. The place was packed.
21. Someone will be there early to let you in.
22. I’ve only been playing for a year.
23. I’ve been playing for twenty years.
24. We’ll have the flyers printed tomorrow.
25. The band drinks free.
26. He’ll work the door for us tonight.
27. There’ll be lots roadies when you get there.
28. know we’ll get some applause after the next tune.
29. We’ll have plenty of time for a sound check.
30. We’ll definitely come see you play tonight.
31. You can depend on me.
32. You won’t have to play any requests.
33. We have this great gig in Vegas next month.
34. The other band will be glad to let you use their PA.
35. Sounds good to me.
36. You won’t have any trouble finding the place.
37. I’ve played there before.
38. We can turn down the volume if it’s too loud.
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Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar


Last edited by John Macy on 23 Feb 2018 12:23 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Bill C. Buntin

 

Post  Posted 23 Feb 2018 12:23 pm     confess
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Skip Edwards wrote:
And the the thing that will impress audiences the most is a fuzz solo played with a beer bottle...


Skip thats funny right there!! Alright men fess up. How many of you guys have done this? I've done it. Its true, the casual observer thinks its cool. LOL!!

~Bill
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