Modern CCM for steel

[Cody Coombs]

Hi all,

I’ve had the opportunity to play my steel on sundays for a little while now, it’s certainly a whole new ball game compared to the country style playing. I’ve been keeping an open mind with how I approach my phrases and passages, although I would like to have a wider repertoire.. especially over the minor chords. I’ve sort of stuck with the Ben Keith and “Americana” approach with some single note runs or lots of pads and swells. Using the B and C pedal a lot, and lowering the E’s to get those minor chords sure seems to hit the sweet spot on the minor chords.

One example, say the 6 minor; I hit the BC pedal and slide down two frets with the E lower lever and hit the A pedal on and off.

For any of you all that are playing this style, what do you think when you’re playing? How do you go about your phrasing? I could sure use some tips, advice and ideas on this style of playing.

Thanks and happy holidays to you all!
Cody

[Ben Thomas]

Hi Cody,
I’m glad to see that you posted this because I think you’re asking about and involved with such an important area where PSG can be extremely beneficial, which is in church in a modern worship music/CCM context. Just a couple of scattered thoughts:

Travis Toy’s excellent Travis Toy Tutorials has an inspiring, long video on playing with CCM where he talks about and plays multiple rounds with Kari Jobe’s “Revelation Song”. If you’re not a member I think it’s worth signing up for a couple of months just for that, but I think you’d find many other useful resources for some other non-country concepts.

If you don’t have a lead guitarist you may find that a lot of the atmospheric, single sustained note “texture” sounds would be very easy to replicate on PSG with some washy reverb or Andy Timmons-like delay. Those would fit almost anywhere and you’re not stepping on anyone else.

Hopefully something there helps.

[Cody Coombs]

It’s certainly been a cool experience training and understanding the more ambient side of the steel! Knowing the intervals Is something I found is real helpful, especially on the single note passages. I’ve noticed with the modern church music, they sure seem to like a lot of reverb, and with that Quad Cortex I found a good way to get the reverbs very similar to the “Strymon BigSky” reverb to open it right up. Plus running stereo with an Evans amp and a Little Walter amps in the QC (Which I got from Joe Rogers)… inside those In-ears makes it sounds magical!

[Don Mogle]

Here's a recent service I played in Georgetown, TX. You can hear my approach to CCM. We do the first song then there is some delay before we sing again. Feel free to fast forward or listen to it all if you want.

Let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/live/JOgLp6tfBO ... s5Kc6lO2xT

[Ben Thomas]

Don,
I really enjoyed that and appreciate you posting it! Your playing was tasteful and appropriate for the song/moment and you really added so much. That’s a great example of how PSG can really work well in CCM.

Cody,
I’ve heard great things about the QC, especially with Joe’s amps. I just got a Tonex pedal and will be reaching out to Joe as well.

Related to this topic, it seems like there are a couple of major schools of thought when it comes to how to use the PSG in CCM. One is to avoid bending the 3rd to keep it more “contemporary” and the other is to lean into that. I think it makes sense to do both, to ride the wave of a song’s dynamics.

Also, while this isn’t CCM but rather a classic gospel song, Tommy Detamore’s playing on “How Great Thou Art” is inspiring to me. This version is more contemporary with the tempo and feel, and Tommy’s playing soars in such a wonderful way. So many things to study in his playing. In case you haven’t heard it:

https://youtu.be/cnUxiznL2ts?si=q89eXARPbtm6yfgV

And a second version:
https://youtu.be/lhl_zGoOJqQ?si=Ppnx7ZC5WAJvDL7s

[Don Mogle]

Thanks Ben!

[Charlie Thompson]

Nice set up Ben. What pedalboard and case are you using?

[Ben Thomas]

Nice set up Ben. What pedalboard and case are you using?

Hi Charlie,
I think you meant that for Cody or Don.

[Charlie Thompson]

ah sorry ..meant for Cody

[Bobby D. Jones]

With the type/style of music you are discussing.
A Delay pedal, Would help with sustain.
Another thing that will help with sustain is the volume pedal being used.
A pot pedal with string activation, Check the rotation on the pot. Some volume pedals construction only turn the pot 180 degrees. You Need 260/270 degree rotation to control volume.
Many players with a lot of sustain, Use a modified volume pedal, And up volume on amp., To add those long sustain notes.
Good Luck finding the feeling, Happy Steelin.

[John Larson]

For a long ethereal pad type sound I use a JHS Tape Delay and JHS Octave Reverb. Makes walls of sound. Your milage will vary assuming there's a keyboard/synthesizer taking up some of that space.