Post #70446 by Tiki_Bong on Fri, Jan 16, 2004 7:42 PM

All right, I admit it... maybe I've been a miserable cuss as of late.

Well, just so you all know I'd order your double-pounder with cheese at Micky D's for you anytime, here's a little insight I've beat my brains out lately for - learning steel guitar.

I know a few of you out there are currently, or are thinking about undertaking, the momumental task of learning how to play this stupid, no-fretting, slide-ass instrument!

First off though, to want to play steel, you MUST feel some sort of urgent need to reply to an inner urge to master this equivelant of a gorgeous 18 year-old Tahitian - in 6-string lap-top form.

Now I'm not saying I'm good at it. All's I'm saying is I'm surely better than someone that started 13 months ago (as I started 14).

If you have the love for this quivering treble-ic (I just made that one up) condensation of Pineapple pie, you must have a NEED to play with it (much like new Pu$$!).

I played the stupid standard-tune 6-string for 28 freaking years. When I look back at it, I think the only reason I played it was for the "chicks".

I never had the "passion" to play 6 string standard tune. I could blaze off staccato rapid-fire stings of notes in a blind-ass fury but I never 'felt' it.

Now, to the point for what I done learnt: learn the intervalic separation of all your strings (depends on your tuning of course).

Work on 'gripping' certain combination of stings: every 2, every other one. Graps major thirds, minor thirds, 5ths, 6ths, 7th, 9ths etc.

Don't just memorize the song, but rather understand the choral progressions you're playing through.

Until next time, from the apprentice steel player... Keep Practicing! (life is short!)