I would appreciate any help.

Many Steels have the following ..

1st string / whole tone raise

2nd string, 1/2 tone raise, 1/2 tone lower, full tone lower

The 3 note changes ( 4 with the natural) on the 2nd string make for a ton of flexibility..

[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 23 September 2005 at 04:26 AM.]

1
2
3
4                          7   8
5                  8   10  
6          8   9
7      8 
8  8
   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C
This is a C Major scale

1
2                          8
3
4                              8
5                  8   8A  
6          8   8B
7      8 
8  8
   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C

The first string can also be used if you extend up one octave -- it's an octave higher than the 7th and can be used to get the D note in the scale.

1                                  8
2                          8
3                                      8   8B
4                              8
5                  8   8A  
6          8   8B
7      8 
8  8
   C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F

There are other uses for the 1st and 2nd strings when used in combination with the A+B pedals (e.g., 8th fret starting on the 6th string with the B pedal -- key of F) or the A pedal and E to F lever (e.g., on the 8th fret again, both the 1st and 2nd fit the scale for the A Major chord you get with those changes).

Hope this helps some.

Unless I'm not reading correctly that you're a beginner, my advice would be to learn the uses of the 1st and 2nd strings without raising or lowering with levers. Once you understand what they do, you can learn how you can raise or lower those notes and use what you get. For example, if you're in the A+B position at the 8th fret -- key of F -- you'd want to lower the 2nd string to fit the scale.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 09 September 2002 at 09:48 AM.]

I'm no big shot on steel or anything, but I can give you a simple run that employs the 2nd string. On any fret, play strings 3, 4, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6A, 5, 6...in the exact order. It sounds best when the notes are blocked. I start with my second finger and alternate between that and my thumb for the run.

Also, if you are in the AB pedals down position in, say, C (third fret, strings 3, 4,5), drop your 2nd string and hit strings 1,2,3....there's your F, or four chord. From here slide up two more and there's your G. One, four and five right there.

The other day a friend had a question along this same line - I e-wrote him the following, and he indicated that it helped him 'see the light' -

quote:

---

Try this out -
do a comparison of sound :
1st hit - strings 3 & 4 at the 8th fret, no pedal
then hit strings 4 & 5 , pedals down at the tenth fret
then hit strings 4 5 & 6 at the 8th, no pedals
and listen to that 'sound sequence'.

Now hit - strings 3 & 4 ( and maybe 5, too ) at the 8th , no pedals
then hit strings 1 & 2 at the 8th ( same) fret (no pedals)
then hit strings 4, 5 & 6 at the eighth fret, no pedals
and hear the sameness to the first sequence.

Next hit strings 3&4 ( and perhaps 5, too) , no pedals, 8th fret
then hit strings 1 & 2 and the 6th string and 'squeeze in' (mash) the B pedal
then hit strings 4, 5 and 6 and then release the B pedal

Stuff like this made me realize how the sound of the first two strings fit in with the 'main strings' - when ya hit strings 1, 2, and 5, that gives ya a 'five-chord' of whatever 'no-pedals' chord you're at ( say if your at 'no-pedals' C , at the eighth fret, then hitting strings 1 and 2 and 5 give ya a G-chord )
( and when ya add the B pedal on string 6 (or 3), then ya get a 'Seventh-chord' sound ) -

---

~Russ

[This message was edited by Russ Wever on 22 September 2005 at 07:36 PM.]

Is there an explanation behind the redundancy between the string-2 D# and the same exact D# available by lowering string-4 ?

(Emmonms copedent)

Maybe to split-up the additional changes to F and F# (on 4) and to D and C# (on 2), which would be difficult to get all on a single string which would need to get to 5 different notes C#,D,D#,E, and F.

[This message was edited by John Lockney on 24 September 2005 at 07:50 PM.]

quote:

---

Not sure which runs/songs you played on the "Anthology" instructional CD, but I wanted to say that I learned a lot of licks from that book/CD. Anyone getting pedal steel advice/lessons from you is very lucky.

---

Chris,

Offhand, I'm not sure myself which songs, after all this time, but I do recall what a large task the book was for Scotty to oversee. I'm very fortunate that Scotty had me be a part of creating this book.

Regarding teaching, not that this is necessarily the case here, but the 'picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words' adage comes into play, and an aural 'picture' transcends volumes of verbage.

Thanks for your kind words.
~Russ

[This message was edited by Russ Wever on 25 September 2005 at 11:00 AM.]

[This message was edited by John Lockney on 27 September 2005 at 04:05 PM.]