>Harold Budd is a composer and not a steel >player. I think he wrote a piece for Harp and Pedalsteel played by BJ Cole a while back.

yes Charlie, I think Bob are right.
Btw, Harold Budd is a great great great ambient artist, but as I know he do not played pedal-steel (maybe I'm wrong?)

>One guess for the steel player on the Eno >stuff would be Daniel Lanois. I'm not >positive about that though.

you are correct Daniel collaborated with Eno and it was his studio engineer.

I'm not a big fan of Eno and viceversa I think that most of "beatiful" sounf of Eno music come from Daniel Lanois genious

Indeed, I re-listened "Apollo" album where there are come pieces of Daniel on pedal-stel but to be honest there are paradoxically not-ambient (this is my opinion of course) in the sense of "ambient" as we intend nowaday .. let lay what do people like Chas Smith!!!
Instead Daniel played something very "easy / light " with standard pedal-steel sound (that is good!! of course) but ... maybe not innovative sound

I know that Lanois are doing now something special on pedal-steel and overdubbing on new solo CD but infortunately I have no idea of the sound he make now.

Maybe someone may report here ?

my favourite pedal-steel guitar artist is Susan Alcorn www.susanalcorn.com

here you are:
http://www.wps1.org/include/shows/Sonorama.html#alcorn
http://www.susanalcorn.com/Song.html
http://www.susanalcorn.com/MP3s.html

I become beloved of her (in my opinion)
magnificient power.

As I know the only solo Cd available is "UMA" that you can buy here from Bob!

Infortunately she explained me that atthe moment she have some delays with record label for delivery the incoming solo CD "CURANDERA";

What we pheraps propse to Mr. Bobby Lee is to please intermediate with Susan (and Chas Smith too !!!) to resell here *ALL* the works of these big artists.

Btw, the same for other not-so-known steel guitar artists.

Some crazy Texan girls: CHARALAMBIDES http://www.kranky.net/artists/charalambides.html http://www.brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discog/krank061.html

because Texans and Florida people especially love Solyaris music ... (I dont know why ?!) I can't omit a strange tie between Solyarsi and music from artists coming from artists from that states ...

btw, one of the music I love mostly is from Austin guys "Stars Of The Lid" (STOL) .. they do not use steel guitars indeed but create sounds of infinite beauty treating guitars and bowed instruments: http://www.kranky.net/artists/starsofthelid.html http://www.brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discog/krank050.html http://www.brainwashed.com/common/htdocs/discog/krank059.html

please people, post here MP3 links to alterative pedal and not only pedal steel artists here!

I really don't know about Pavillon of Dreams
http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=hb-tpod

??

But in serpent I think it is Chas Smith on pedal-steel: http://www.progreviews.com/reviews/display.php?rev=hb-ts

But thanks to your thread on the forum, I have been checking out ambient artists of the steel. Long a fan of Brian Eno, I'm retuning my mind, musically.

Ambient means, to me, 'spatial' music--that is, music that forms a space. As an architect in a former life (well earlier in this one), space is the thing, and I don't mean Sun Ra. Perhaps my interpretation of the word will be useful to you.

>Ambient means, to me, 'spatial' music--that >is, music that forms a space. As an >architect in a former life (well earlier in >this one),

I agree, in fact I call my music "deep listening ambient music " that is a semplification/ name convention ...

For complete your statement ... what is interesting for me is the 'dreaming status' space & time rapresentation ... where space blend in time and viceversa ?!!!

What I writing here ? People will believe that we are crazy!

A part jokes, the fact I became felt in love with (PEDAL)-steel guitar is the ability of this instrument of mix fixed tones chords with (SLOW)-MOTION detunes coming in and out from tonal harmonies ...

I'm please inviting all people to share MORE names & MP3 of alternative pedal steelers artists here!

As to steels--I tried it once, and quickly became frustrated. As a result, I can only point to one steel to avoid: the MSA Red Baron. We would do well to heed the advice of these seasoned players and save our coins for a quality instrument.

Since then, I have read more here, listened more, and know more. I'm sure I'll buy another one--I sold the Red Baron as soon as I got it--and I'll know more about what I want to do with it, as what we get out of it is a personal thing.

About the pedal steel instrument to buy ... I have a similar problem ... for me is worst because in Italy the pedal steel is a completely unknow instrument! see also thsi thread: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/010120.html

about Solyaris music: thank you! At the moment I'm working on a new CD with a big improvement on sound "compositions" let me se with a bit more composition approach and blends / crossfade of complex textures ... of electric guitars arpegios + lap steel laments and choral melodies + DX7II drones (?!) to complete some harmonizations

but what I'm studyng now is indeed a economic solution for a fair process ... I'm looking for a system the allow the indipendent musician to "build" CDR and get some money back ... at the moment I'm part of the big big group of people that play for the glory In indeed *want* to find a system of music distribution where every partecipant get some gain ... mainly the artist!
Please note, it's a "philosophical" point, not a money point!

quote:

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>Ambient means, to me, 'spatial' music--that >is, music that forms a space.

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I played on 'The Room of Ancillary Dreams' and 'Afar' from The Serpent In Quicksilver. There isn't any steel on The Pavilion of Dreams. It was Hal's compositions from 1972-75, and they are especially beautiful.

It' a big big honour to chat with you too !!!

> ambient music performs an architectural function,

for me "ambient music" stand for some essential being status achievement. I mean "move the consciousness in some status that is related with something dreamed in a dream" ?! trying to reach some utopian beatitude. But please do not misanderstand me: I really don't like any scientific cunning hypnotic technique for reach the nirvana! These are nazi-techno-addicted-illusions ... What I mean is become free (through the music) to discover&recognize ourself consiousness !?

I think you are one of the succesful Artist in this direction!

>at that time, beauty was very avante-guard in the avante-guarde music scene

ah ah! Funny! Cynically I think "beauty" are still very avant-gard in all kind of music nowaday in 2005!

I just ordered your "An Hour Out Of Desert Center" and we are waiting your next CD! http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/smith.chas.html
Btw, maybe could you sell *all* your discography by Mr. Bobby Lee at http://pedalsteelmusic.com/music.html this would be useful for cause europeans people (like me) prefer Paypal payment instead of use credit card (sorry for this digression)

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trying to reach some utopian beatitude.......I really don't like any scientific cunning hypnotic technique for reach the nirvana! These are nazi-techno-addicted-illusions ... What I mean is become free (through the music) to discover&recognize ourself consiousness

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One of the things that makes music so magical for me is that you can't see it, you can't own it, it's in the air and then it's gone. When it's happening, we connect to it and give it meaning and in that regard it becomes a catalyst for our internal machinations.

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When it's happening, we connect to it and give it meaning and in that regard it becomes a catalyst for our internal machinations. Ultimately, music is just sound, composition is organized sounds, art is just objects. Anything after that is how we respond to them.

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Yes. I agree, it's an instant when consciousness recognising themself as symbolized by poet Andrei Tarkovskyj in the moovie "Solyaris" (name that I used as alias as tribute).

No; but I would like to see 'The Last Supper' with a steel player added on to the side of the table....

I realize that 'Talking about music is like dancing about architecture.' (John Cage? anyone...? anyone...?) But if music, architecture, and dancing aren't acoustic events, what is/are? Unification of the arts may be a Renaissance thing, just as unification of forces is a quantum physics thing, but some of us keep trying.

I love philosophy.

Giorgio, do you have an email for Chas Smith? Now I'm going to be trying to find out what that solo pedal steel piece from the late eighties was. I'm sure I'll enjoy 'Pavillion of Dreams' nonetheless.

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I listen to Bruce Kaphen's "Steeler" a lot.

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I just bhought "Steeler" CD! Btw, I like the way Mr. Bruce Kaphan are selling his CD ... I mean directly "from musician to listener" via PayPal. At the moment I didn't found nothing better for an indipendent musician for get a minimum of money from his music! I know this is an individualistic approach and a kind of "ivory tower" but I think that viceversa distribution chain is incredibly unjust! Record labels give NOTHING to (unknow) musicians and for example I recently discovered that Itunes do not accept music directly from indipendent musicians ?!!! Why ? Ah... because they deal only with big intermediate corporate label company ... one of these is cdbaby ... for conclude and giving you the idea: when a listener-buyer purchase a single song on Itunes for 99cents (who do that ?) anyway ... the musician via CDBABY get something like the 60% of 99cent ... (and remind that for subscribe to CDBABY you have to pay an initial fee to them!) This gain of all intermediates except author is absolutely injust in my modest opinion.
Sorry for this polemic digression...

So, Well done Bruce Kaphan! I so think I'll do what he are doing (with maybe worst results in my case no problem .. is not a question of money but a question of a kind of "justice for musicians"

[QUOTE]I also like King Sunny Ade[QUOTE]
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002I6T/002-8871198-5724841?v=glance

infortunately here is difficult to listen their music (I fear you have to subscribe a pay-service etc. btw, I do not understand why amny musicians do not supply simply free MP3 sample ?!

I invite all people to possibly post links of listenable for *free* music sample/pieces (MP3, etc.) where referring to artists so we can quick made an idea of music style!

please continue to suggest more alternative music style artists!

They have a reverb-drenched retro sound, steel guitar would fit right in.

Amazon ususally has some short clips:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000035H5/ref=m_art_li_1/103-6253139-5395014?v=glance&s=music

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Click on the pic!

MArtin

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martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
s-10 sierra crown gearless 3 x4 | GiMa squareneck

I think I do have my ambient moments here and there. My take on it is that I don't want to try to build a career out of ambience or minimalism. Why fence yourself in? I also don't believe in obligatory 32nd notes. That's just another fence to build around your self. I believe in trying to learn as much as you can and then the fun is in trying to pull out the right stuff at the right time that will be uniquely your own style. In a strange way, I think that bizarre solo I played with John Magnie a few years back was the right thing for that moment. I know we did it together with joy in our hearts.

I must say also, I appreciate the compliment David Mason gave me. I know I wouldn't want to be on the bad side of a fellow with such a wicked sense of humor. (I've never heard Cal's music but my heart went out to him when I read Mason's description.) Knowing that creativity can't be objectively measured I of course, realize that there could be many people who don't agree with Mason at all. It's just good to know that you've conneted with someone.

On the subject of ambience and minimalism: how 'bout that Bill Stafford on the soundtrack to "My Own Private Idaho". What beautiful music that is!!!

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Bob
intonation help

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>Ambient means, to me, 'spatial' music--that >is, music that forms a space.

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Forgive me, but this comes from someone with a degree in architecture.
With a personal specialization in philosophy, because it's so easy and so much fun.

"Walls form a space; doors and windows make it useful."-- Lao Tzu

If the room becomes too full, it loses its use. Thus there must be a little 'ambience' in all music, or you wouldn't be able to hear the steel.

Your point is well taken, with a grain of salt.
Charlie

Robert Powell's CD can be purchesed from Blue Yonder Productions, PO Box 150723, San Rafael, CA, 94915.

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2 CDs of ambient steel guitar music I'd like to recommend for ambient music are "DESER BEACH" by Robert Powell and "ERRENDS IN PARADISE" by ned Self. Both are excellent.

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I listened the only one MP3 piece extracted form Desert Beach of Robert Powell at http://robertpowell.watercoursemedia.com/music.html

This piece do not seem really "ambient" in my definition ... (btw, all respect for any music, when is an artistic emanation!)
Isn't a question of "label" definition.

What I look for are artists that transigurate the instrument (pedal - non pedal - eletric - non electric - electronic -acoustic .. it doesn't matter) in a completely personal way ... I mean ... not with a "soft suggestion" of a different taste/reality ... but with a deep responsible autenyique exploration of "a singular direction (= counsciousness)" ... in this sense, I have a personal inner threshold that separete (sorry is orrible but that'is if I have to be sincere) between musicians that are "consciouness deep explorers" ... and ... others ... maybe superb virtuosos and superb instrumentists and excelent whatever ...
Do you know what I mean ?

A doubt tale possession of me ... maybe I mistaked the listened piece ?

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and "ERRENDS IN PARADISE" by ned Self.

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Didn't find ... maybe would very usefule if, when mentioning a CD / artist we could give WEB SITE ADRESSES where listen MP3 / get music

Btw, anybody may give me a link where to purchase CD "Cetus." of Cal Erath ? Or anybody have news about this artist ? I'm available possibly for an exchange of CDs.