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 Can you make your steel guitar "TALK"??? (Page 1)
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| Author | Topic: Can you make your steel guitar "TALK"??? |
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James Morehead Member From: Durant, Oklahoma, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 06:11 AM
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I remember as a kid, I would hear a song on the AM radio that would amaze me, because "They made the guitar say words". Can you name some of these songs?  Never knew it was steel when I was a pup, but now realize it had to have been. I ran across an old recording of Willie Nelson doing "Hello Walls". The steel player answers him with a perfect "Hello, Hello"!! There are some of the older era songs that used this, but my question is: Howd ya'll do that?  |
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Walter Stettner Member From: Vienna, Austria |
posted 21 December 2003 06:40 AM
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That was Pete Drake and his famous Talking Steel Guitar! He used that gimmick on several records like "Hello Walls", "Abilene" and on some of the instrumental albums he did ("Steel Away", a Gospel album, is one of them)... I'm not quite sure about the technical details, but for sure you will get an explanation (Smiley Roberts, where are you?!?) Regards, Walter ------------------ |
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Donny Hinson Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A. |
posted 21 December 2003 07:20 AM
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Basically, it was a "speaker in a coffee can". A plastic tube ran from the coffee can to the player's mouth, and he would "mouth" or form words using his lips and tongue, while he played. The sound from the can replaced his vocal chords, and "Presto", a talking guitar. (Pete Drake's biggest song using this device was titled "Forever".) [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 21 December 2003 at 07:23 AM.] |
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Robert Porri Member From: Windsor, Connecticut, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 07:30 AM
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Sounds just like an early version of the "talk box" that was later used on some guitar things (Peter Frampton etc.). I'll have to find some of the steel recordings with this. Bob P. |
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Lawrence Sullivan Member From: Granite City, Illinois, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 07:48 AM
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I have an old cassette tape featuring Arthur Smith, Little Roy Wiggins, and Pete Drake Pete Drake does Color Of The Blues and sings through his steel on it I have no idea when this was recorded, but seems Pete did something around 1950ish , a song he says I Want My Baby through his steel My memory may be playing tricks on me here though Larry |
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Bob Blair Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 21 December 2003 09:21 AM
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Yep. "Forever" received a lot of airplay on pop stations back in the early sixties - 63 or 64 or thereabouts. I remember listening to it through the earplug on my transistor radio when I was a kid. Unlike a lot of what I listened to at an impressionable age, I can't say that it inspired me in any particular way (on the other hand, I can't say I've ever forgotten it either!!). The "Abilene" cut is on the Stardays "Stars of the Steel Guitar" album that has been discussed recently on the Forum. And on a B movie called the "Road to Nashville" (terrible movie but lots of footage of people near and dear to our hearts) there is footage of Pete doing the talking guitar bit. Can't remember what he was doing - maybe the egregious "Abilene". Like all novelty routines, Pete's talking guitar got old real quick. I'd rather remember Pete for his more serious contributions. Smiley would be the guy to tell you how the talking guitar bit is done - his blues number - "I'm Just the Guitar - Everybody's Picking on Me" always brings the house down.
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Ray Montee Member From: Portland, OR, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 09:52 AM
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I saw Smiley do his 'thang' at the BIG Texas Show last year........my first live demo of what I'd been hearing Pete Drake do for years. A couple of months ago, I found such a device 'on the shelf' at a local music store.........I believe the price was around $250 +/-. It was neat, clean, and unobtrusive, likely a fun thing to have in one's bag o'tricks. |
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John Floyd Member From: Somewhere between Camden County , NC and Saluda S.C. |
posted 21 December 2003 10:15 AM
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The Talk Box rig that Pete also Maunfactured and sold was a horn driver with a Douche bag hose attached. The speakers wre switched off and the horn driver switched in and the hose went in Petes mouth and he mouthed the words into a microphone with the sound being provided by the horn driver thru the hose. I worked on Pete's talk box rig and he had to install some very crude filters, to kill the lows, on the output side of a Standel Solid state amp to keep from vibrating the teeth right out of his mouth, sometimes the switching would cause the standel to blow up, taking out the output transistors and speaker, It was a crude setup at best, but it worked for as long as he needed it. They guys in his band assembled those talk boxes at Petes office on 18th ave. quote: I believe the Movie was called "Nashville Rebel" Had Merle Travis, Minnie Pearl and a young Earl Richards Starring (Del Reeves Front man at the time) Also the Band with Pete was Harley Alsup (Bass), Bob Woods (Guitar) and Corky Tittle (Drums) Those guys in the band were guys I played with in various bands in Key West Florida in my earlier days. Those three guys, Eddie West and Jeff Newman all came to Nashville at about the same time and were in a sit down band together in Key West at Sloppy Joe's Bar. Ah, The Good Ole Days on a 3 X 5 Mile Island at the tail end of Nowhere ------------------ [This message was edited by John Floyd on 21 December 2003 at 10:25 AM.] [This message was edited by John Floyd on 21 December 2003 at 10:37 AM.] |
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Donna Dodd Moderator From: Kennesaw, Georgia, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 11:15 AM
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ok, the odds of anyone ever having heard this tune is pretty slim. I remember my Daddy liking a song that talked about ONE MEATBALL. Seems it had that same "talk box" sound. About 40 years ago, it seems. |
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Jim Cohen Member From: Philadelphia, PA |
posted 21 December 2003 11:35 AM
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My guitar talks all the time. It say stuff like: "Psst! Hey you! Come on ovah heah and keep little ol' me company, wouldja? Forget that wife of yours; she doesn't sing like I do, does she? You wanna neck? Which one, big guy? Aaat's right; you sit right down heah next to me and we'll just make beautiful music together aaalll night long.... " Sure. My guitar talks to me all the time... |
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John Drury Member From: Gallatin, Tn USA |
posted 21 December 2003 11:42 AM
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Seems like I read somewhere it was Alvino Rey that first did the talking steel thing. It was certainly Pete that perfected it. Smiley Roberts is great at it! John Drury |
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James Morehead Member From: Durant, Oklahoma, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 12:06 PM
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Jim, If your guitar says all that, then MY guitar just asked me if I was it's punishment, then kicked off "Why Me Lord, what did I ever do!!", all by it self, like one of them old time player pianees!!  |
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HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y. |
posted 21 December 2003 12:20 PM
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quote: I won't ask what it says to you about the input..... |
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Roy Ayres Member From: Starke, Florida, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 12:47 PM
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There is a device currently being marketed for around a hundred bucks that is actually called a "talk box" and works on the same principal that Pete's did. I had one that I recently sold on Ebay for $85.00. It has two miniature mikes attached to the plastic tube near the mouth. When you press a foot switch that is supplied wit it, the signal from your steel is routed through the tube, and the signal from the miniature microphones is rounted to your amp. They work great, but it takes some practice to make the words really intelligible. Alvino Rey was the first to do the talking guitar thing, but the device he used was a transducer that was held against the side of his throat. The vibrations from the transducer created the sound in his larinx, which was amplified in his throat and passed onto a regular microphone. Pete made one record where practically the entire song was sung through the talk box. The words were, "I'm just a guitar -- everybody picks on me." |
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Billy Wilson Member From: El Cerrito, California, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 01:06 PM
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I've got a homemade version of this gadget that somebody made out of an old ammo box. That thing will rattle the fillings out of your teeth if you're not careful. I've pulled it out at a gig a time or to just to see the reaction, Pretty funny. Doesn't strike me as something that really caught on much. Bill W |
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Russ Wever Member From: San Diego, California |
posted 21 December 2003 01:46 PM
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Here's an old 'ad copy' for the thing . . . Perhaps Buddy E can impart the 'Rest Of The Story' if he happens to come by . . .  |
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b0b Sysop From: Cloverdale, California, USA |
posted 21 December 2003 05:50 PM
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A selection of some of Pete Drake's biggest hits is available on cassette from the Forum Catalog. It includes the talking steel guitar song, "Forever". ------------------ System Administrator |
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Al Marcus Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA |
posted 21 December 2003 09:01 PM
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Roy-..Right on. I saw Alvino Rey in person a few times and yes he had the talking guitar, called it his "singing guitar". One of the King sisters used to stand backstage with the thing on her throat and he played his licks out front. It was really something back in 1940....al ------------------ |
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Russ Wever Member From: San Diego, California |
posted 22 December 2003 12:27 AM
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Alvino Ray used the 'Sonovox' method - a bit different than what Pete Drake used. Click>Sonovox 1 Click> Click> Click> There're some interesting 'before & after' steel/voice sonovox ID's that PAMS of Dallas produced at this site > Click then play jingles number 19 then 20, and then play number 28 then 29. [This message was edited by Russ Wever on 22 December 2003 at 12:28 AM.] |
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Alvin Blaine Member From: Sandy Valley, Nevada, USA |
posted 22 December 2003 01:18 AM
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Alvino Rey was doing the talking steel act 20 years before Pete Drake. Alvino used the "Sonovox" to get his steel to talk. The Sonovox was invented in the 1930's by Gilbert Wright and was used for movie sound effects and Alvino Rey started using it on his steel in the '40's. In the '50's and '60's it was used in radio promo spots and alot of those were done by Alvino Rey. Here are some sites that have audio clips of those radio promos'. http://www.560.com/html/pams_series_18.html http://www.560.com/html/body_pams_series_22.html |
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Alvin Blaine Member From: Sandy Valley, Nevada, USA |
posted 22 December 2003 01:25 AM
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I guess I type to slow. I must have been typing my post when Russ was posting the same info. My favorite PAMS is No.20"Sonoguitar Slides" |
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Buddy Emmons Member From: Hermitage, TN USA |
posted 22 December 2003 03:43 AM
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Thanks Russ, but since the “Rest Of The Story” has been such a well kept secret, we’ll just leave it there. |
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Dave Van Allen Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth |
posted 22 December 2003 09:42 AM
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"aw, Buddy now..." |
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Lee Baucum Member From: McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) - The Final Frontier |
posted 22 December 2003 11:32 AM
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I think I remember someone doing a version of "I'm Sorry" using this gadget. ------------------ |
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Donna Dodd Moderator From: Kennesaw, Georgia, USA |
posted 22 December 2003 02:48 PM
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If I'm not mistaken, it's the flip side of Pete Drake's "I'm just a guitar". We have it in our 1957 Seeburg juke box. Will have to check. |
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CrowBear Schmitt Member From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France |
posted 22 December 2003 04:12 PM
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i liked this one from Alvin's link http://www.560.com/assets/multimedia/kxok1820.mp3 |
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Ulf Edlund Member From: Umeå, Sweden |
posted 22 December 2003 07:51 PM
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I'm trying to make mine sing! Any gadgets for that? |
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Gene Jones Member From: Oklahoma City, OK USA |
posted 23 December 2003 04:28 AM
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No one has mentioned that during the late 40's & early 50's, the volume control on a steel guitar manipulated with the little finger, was often used on shows for many of those "I want my mama" sound alike talking effects. CORRECTION: I mistakenly typed "volume control" above....but I should have said that we used the "TONE" control! (Thanks, Al) [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 28 December 2003 at 01:48 PM.] |
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Terry Wood Member From: Marshfield, MO |
posted 23 December 2003 10:44 AM
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I've been accused of making mine talk, but it has been doing alot of crying lately. Of course it has probably made a few others cry when the notes came out sour too. Seriously, Pete Drake and others have made their steels and guitars talk. I think he done some pretty cool stuff with the talking sounds. On the right tunes it sounds great but all day it's like anything else it gets to sounding old hat. That's why it was, and is so cool to listen to guys like Julian THarpe, Bob White, Lloyd Green Reece Anderson, Speedy West, Buddy Emmons, and a few others who just kept or keep coming up with original and creative sounds. They never tire our ears because they are artists. May GOD richly bless you all at Christmas and during the New Year, 2004. Woody |
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James Morehead Member From: Durant, Oklahoma, USA |
posted 26 December 2003 07:24 AM
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OK, so now I have a request. At the coming show in March at Dallas, perhaps some of the players would make their guitars talk? Mr. Anderson, Mr. Emmons, Smiley Roberts, or anyone? Just for us nostalgia nuts? Please????  Gene, would you show us the volume control deal?? (just kidding--HA HA!!!) |
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Al Marcus Member From: Cedar Springs,MI USA |
posted 28 December 2003 01:16 PM
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Gene knows. We had the TONE control right near the little finger on our guitars. I used to Do Alvino Rey's"Mamma Blues", using that tone control ,to make it sound like it was talking. That and the Volume control used to be pretty handy on top of the steel. Why don't they put it up there on the new guitars today.?? Ahh Memories...Happy New Year 2004...al ------------------ |
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Gene Jones Member From: Oklahoma City, OK USA |
posted 28 December 2003 01:41 PM
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Al, thanks for the correction. I really was thinking "TONE" control when I mistakenly typed "VOLUME" control. People today would find it difficult to believe that way back around 1950, club patrons would gather around the steel player in amazement when we played "Mama Blues" with the tone control! |
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Ray Montee Member From: Portland, OR, USA |
posted 28 December 2003 02:24 PM
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Back in the 1940's....out of WLW or WJR Radio Jerry Byrd was on a program where the announcer would have conversations with the steel guitar (played by Jerry Byrd, of course)and Jerry, operating the TONE CONTROL on his Rickenbacher would make the guitar sound as tho' it was talking back, answering the questions being put to it. Not as sophisticated as those described above but likewise, not a real techy device either. It was fun to listen to and it did take some creativity on Jerry's part, right? Jerry later used the same affect on his performances on "Tag Along" w/Rex Allen, I believe it was. Just tho't you should know. |
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Dave Ristrim Member From: Whites Creek, TN |
posted 28 December 2003 03:16 PM
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I never really heard a steel guitar talk before, but I made mine throw up once. Dave |
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Dave Horch Member From: Frederick, Maryland, USA |
posted 29 December 2003 05:02 PM
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Buddy wrote: quote: If my archive search skills weren't so bad, I'd dig out the post you made years ago in which you told "the real story". I enjoyed reading it. I shall say no more. Best, -Dave ------------------ |
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Donny Hinson Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A. |
posted 30 December 2003 07:52 AM
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My guitar talks all the time, it keeps saying..."You're losin' it, pal. Quit while you're ahead!" |
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Roger Edgington Member From: San Antonio, Texas USA |
posted 30 December 2003 09:05 AM
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I've kicked my guitar,tore strings off of it,and even tried plugging it into electrical devices, but so far it hasn't talked. However,it's trying to send out code. When I plug it into my tuner it sends out letters like A,E,B,D and tries to point the needle. Should I keep trying? |
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Joe Miraglia Member From: Panama, New York USA |
posted 30 December 2003 11:03 AM
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Roger, mine sends out in code, ... --- ... ... --- ... ... --- ... .--- --- . |
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James Morehead Member From: Durant, Oklahoma, USA |
posted 30 December 2003 04:43 PM
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Rodger, You might try teaching your steel by braille, as you can teach it to talk by a good touch of the right hand fingers. It's obvious that your steel is nearly blind, as it can't spell, or even point with the help of a tuner very good!!  |
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Colm Chomicky Member From: Prairie Village, Kansas, USA |
posted 31 December 2003 04:09 PM
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Here is a National Public Radio segment on use of an ebow to mimic the human voice as used in the Sacred Steel tradition. http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/asc/20010301.campbellpt2.ram This above link is part two of a two part series on Sacred Steel. Link for part one is: |
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