Instructional Material now vs 1955

[Charlie Vaughn]

I started learning to play steel in the late 50's. I lived in a small southern town in Georgia. There were no tuning charts, instructional books, videos, steel forum etc, for the novice to refer to. The nearest music store was in Atlanta 65 miles away and not many of them sold steel guitars. In those days, all you had was a recording and your ears. I am sure a lot of the older players can relate. With all the materials available today, why are there not more young guys trying to learn Pedal Steel Guitar?

It is a lot easier now days to get a good pedal steel and a wealth of instructional material. Wish that had been the case in 1955. I learned and have been fairly successful, in fact I made a living at it for a long time. I am now 65 and still learn something new every time I sit down to play.

[Eric West]

You know,I wasn't going to answer this post because most of the answers are indeed obvious, but I've made an observation or two myself. In the "learning" dept, you can hear, download, and get free tab for darn near anything that;s new, old, or hip, at the touch of a keyboard. Personally, I reccommend the PF "Speed Picking Series, for "new ideas". There are others too.

Very often I'll go set up my stuff during the day at a local truck stop. Keep in mind, that I'm certainly not "gods gift" to music, or PSG. I'll take some time to "tune up" and run through whatever latest thing I've been working on.

There'll invariably be a dozen or so truck drivers, their sleeper freight, co drivers, kids etc. They're usually sitting towards the back, and have their eyes glazedly fixed on the Cable TV News on the sets near the ceiling.

I'll play some riff, or put on some effect that's really neat, and one that I'd certainly come up and check out. I haven't had more than a half dozen people "come up" out of curiosity in 20 years. I remember all I had to do was walk in the music store in Oxon Hill MD and hear Bud C playing in one of the back rooms in 77 and I was hooked for life.

Anyhow, I don't think people are at a point where they pay attention to anything but TVs, and then, only if something's been blown up, or there's a half naked woman, or a kid jumping off a building landing short of a pool. ( I liked that one the best myself).

It's the same on "gig night" We can play the hippest version of one of the latest songs, and fifty people can sit there looking like last year's birds' nests. Often, the only applause is for themselves as "dancers". Sometimes the only way to elicit applause is saying: "Let's hear a big round of applause for the "dancers", and they'll break out in clapping. I think a lot of that started back in the 80s when " Cotton Eyed Joe", and " Paul Jones'" started spotlighting the "crowd" as "celebrities". Line Dancing finished off the process.... Add Cable TV, and you have the rest of the story.

Me? I'd go out more, but I usually sit home watching news, MTV, Reality TV, or Howard Stern...

Sad but true.

EJL<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Eric West on 23 June 2003 at 10:30 AM.]</p></FONT>

[Kenny Dail]

Todays youger generation that might be attracted to the instrument don't have any "in your face" music featuring the Steel Guitar regardless of pedals or no pedals. You cannot see one on TV in the musical genres that attract the musically talented young boys or girls. Drums, Bass, and twangy guitars are the instruments of choice by todays youth. You cant even see a steel on country oriented TV shows such as the CMT GOO, and most of the videos don't show them only for a mili-second when they pan anything else other than belly buttons and unshaven slobs.

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kd...and the beat goes on...

[Charlie Vaughn]

I agree with you Kenny, steel not getting much exposure these days. The instructional materials are great and hats off to the guys who learned by hard work and hours of practice and made it available for the new players. Wish there were more young guys taking advantage of it.

[chris ivey]

i've got lots of conway twitty albums with worn out grooves at the steel solo.