Timbre, tone and execution

Hi guys and gals,

After seeing many posts on the forum from people that have ONLY been playing for less than a quarter of a century, it is obvious that there’s a big misunderstanding between the timber of your guitar and the ability to get the timber out of the guitar which we will refer to as execution. Execution being the act of creating the note. A note can be created by picking the string anywhere between the bar and the bridge, but the closer to the center of the string, the sweeter the sound. Remember, a piano hammer hits the string at the same place every time and a four year old child can get the same note out of the piano that the world’s finest pianist can. A piano is technically a type of machine. With instruments like steel guitars and violins, you actually have a hold of the note and the way you execute or create the note on the string determines the quality of the note. A four year old child cannot execute a note on a steel guitar or violin and have it sound like a grand master could. Steel guitar and violins are not machines but are a true extension of the human soul.

Do not confuse execution and the tone of the steel guitar as being the same thing. However, we do know that Buddy Emmons is a great technician and has the ability to sound good on anything he plays, but don’t make the mistake of thinking he’s going to sound as good on a mediocre guitar as he’s going to sound on a great guitar.

Many people make the mistake of thinking all the tone is in the player’s hands. This is an incorrect assumption, but as I said in the first paragraph, the player’s hands, by executing the note correctly, can bring out the finest qualities that the instrument has to offer.

What’s important to get good tone? The finest sounding instrument that you can obtain and then learning how to get the tone out of the instrument.

I have heard some players that can play extremely well, extremely fast, but can’t seem to get good tone out of anything … and then I have seen some players that really don’t play very much musically but get incredible tone.

One way to get better tone and execution is to pay careful attention to my Video Tab series which is driven by your questions and requests. Volume 3 and Volume 4 are both ready to ship and you can order them from my secret members page http://www.steelguitar.net/sale.html or you can click on the following links to go straight to the shopping cart.

Many of you have emailed me that the links don’t work so let me explain that these links only work if your internet browser security settings allow it and these settings are on your computer, not mine. If your settings don’t work, then type this in your address bar … http://www.steelguitar.net/sale.html … and it will take you to a hidden page on the website which I set up just for this purpose. You’ll be able to order at the discounted price of $29.99 because you’re a member of my mailing list. If you order from the website, the regular price is $39.99 so be sure to order from the hidden sale page which is for mailing list members only.

Your buddy,

Bobbe

P.S. The address for the Steel Guitar Showcase July 27th:
Eagles Lodge 1906
306 W. Van Buren Street
Columbia City, Indiana   46725

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