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Author
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Topic: Developing volume pedal technique
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Kiyoshi Osawa
Member From: Mexico City, Mexico
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posted 02 May 2005 05:46 PM
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I have been starting to incorporate a more conscious and deliberate use of the volume pedal in my daily practices. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be, what with all the pedals and levers changing my balance!Also, when I do a scale run, I try to lower the attack of each note picked, and squeeze in a little more volume out of the longer lasting notes, but when I try it double time, it's just impossible! Adding knees and pedals just ties my legs up in knots...  Does anyone have any particular tips and tricks to develop good VP technique? What's a good place to start, and where should I go from there? I realize that each player has their particular preference. Some guys pump it to sound like a compressor. Others just sort of limit the output and squeeze in more sustain... |
Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 02 May 2005 05:50 PM
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Pumping it is usually considered bad technique. Lightly squeezing a little sustain out of notes or chords is more what most would call proper technique, so as you say that's how you use it when doing your scales, if you're playing them quite slow that's fine, but when speeding them up, I would believe that no use of the volume pedal is necessary. You don't want to develop the bad habit of using it in place of blocking, or chopping off the attack of every note or chord and them squeezing them out.I'm sure you'll get much more intensive responses, I just thought I'd start this off.  [This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 02 May 2005 at 05:54 PM.]
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Kiyoshi Osawa
Member From: Mexico City, Mexico
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posted 02 May 2005 06:02 PM
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hey Jim!I think I meant pumping in the way a compressor pumps in and out. The sound I'm trying to describe is like a Sforzando Piano of classical notation. Like AaaAAAAAAaa... I hope that looks like I pictured it! I hear that technique quite often on steel radio and such. Where the player accentuates the attack of the note, then lowers the volume for a fraction of a second, then slowly brings it up as the note decays. Pumping in the sense of removing the attack of your notes is only good for certain situations, as part of a repertoire of techniques... |
Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 02 May 2005 06:49 PM
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Oohhhhh........that sounds like a technique Curly Chalker was well-known for, some call it "Gutting", if it's the same thing you're talking about. That would take some practice. Curls would strike the chord and then almost immediately drop the volume, then bring it back in. If you don't mean it to be that fast, then you're talking something else. Pretty hard to describe a sound with words, isn't it? |
Ray Minich
Member From: Limestone, New York, USA
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posted 02 May 2005 08:40 PM
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Me, the volume pedal, and right knee right, just don't agree on anything yet. It's a challenge. |
Mike Wheeler
Member From: Columbus, Ohio, USA
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posted 03 May 2005 05:59 AM
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Just a thought, but look at the angle of your right foot position in relation to the guitar. The angle should allow your ankle to pivot left and right while not causing your foot to push the vol. pedal. If you are trying to keep your foot straight on the vol. pedal, it may be in an awkward position. Basically, your foot should be pointing the same direction as your leg.My foot position actually crosses the pedal at about a 30 degree angle to allow free knee movement. Hope this made sense...?!?!?! |
Rick Garrett
Member From: Tyler, Texas
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posted 03 May 2005 06:16 AM
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Volume pedal gives me fits. I'm hoping it'll come in time kinda like pick blocking has. Rick |
Fred Shannon
Member From: Rocking "S" Ranch, Comancheria, Texas
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posted 03 May 2005 06:17 AM
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What Mike W. says....I played for 30 years without a volume pedal and I had a hell of a time coordinating it with my right knees. An old timer told me to get a Dunlop type WahWah pedal and practice using it until I could make a smooth transition from full up to full down while simultaneously using RKL and RKR without any interruption in the Wah tone. Worked for me. V Pedal movements are in most cases most effective when used smoothly and with no jerking of the sound. Just my take.
Phred------------------
"From Truth, Justice is Born"--Quanah Parker-1904 |
Kiyoshi Osawa
Member From: Mexico City, Mexico
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posted 03 May 2005 08:21 AM
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I did some searching after posting my question yesterday. It seems like I should have done that before posting. Here are some good reference threads about VP technique:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/003965.html http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/004262.html This next one is a particularly interesting one started by Reece Anderson, about using and "expression pedal". Also has a very cool story by Jody Carver.
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/004378.html I have no objection to having this thread closed... thanks for all the answers! |
Donny Hinson
Member From: Balto., Md. U.S.A.
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posted 03 May 2005 08:41 AM
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Use the volume pedal as little as possible. For changes to the volume of individual notes in a fast scale, it's easier to increase and decrease the volume with your picking technique. Many beginning players play with only one attack, and use the volume pedal for all expression changes. An easier method is to vary your attack (picking force) to change the volume level, and then just use the volume pedal for sustain of long-duration chords or notes. |
Jim Phelps
Member From: just out of Mexico City
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posted 03 May 2005 12:12 PM
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What Donny says. FYI Kiyoshi, I always use a volume pedal when playing live, but all the steel clips at my website were recorded with NO volume pedal, except one. Bet you can't tell which one! On second thought, you probably can because you have a good ear, but the average person couldn't.[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 03 May 2005 at 12:14 PM.] |
Terje Larson
Member From: Rinkeby, Spånga, Sweden
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posted 11 May 2005 12:18 AM
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Jim, I have only had time to hear three of the pedal steel clips on your site but damn they sounded good!------------------
If you can't hear the others you're too loud, if you can't hear yourself you've gone deaf |
Johan Jansen
Member From: Europe
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posted 20 May 2005 06:33 AM
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study Curly Chalker!!------------------
 Click on the pic!
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Mark van Allen
Member From: loganville, Ga. USA
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posted 20 May 2005 09:32 AM
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I think a really helpful take on this is to always look at it as (as Reece says) an expression pedal. Thinking about using volume changes to add expression and emotion to your playing, like a vocalist or violinist... watching the greats using vibrato, where they will add just a touch here or there, or hold a note out for a good while before adding vibrato, you'll also see/hear them using volume pedalling in the same creative ways. Another in the life-long pursuits of personal style.------------------
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Howard Tate
Member From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA
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posted 20 May 2005 09:36 AM
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I believe David Wright uses the gutting technique very well. I use it as an expression pedal, mostly for sustain.------------------
Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com
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Ray Minich
Member From: Limestone, New York, USA
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posted 20 May 2005 03:04 PM
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Neat button Johan! Hilarious. |
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