Pedal Steel Music

Vic Lawson here. We’ve got something coming up in January that you might be interested in. We’re having a meet the builder workshop at the store on January 13th and hopefully, many of you will be able to attend.

Many of you haven’t heard of the Little Walter amp, but it’s a boutique amplifier that’s very popular in the professional arena. These amps are built by hand, per order. They’re one of the best sounding amps I’ve heard.

This workshop will answer any questions you may have and we expect everyone will learn a lot about tube amps in general and Little Walter amps in particular. Some great players should be here to demonstrate.

We are very pleased to be able to present this workshop as we have worked on making it happen for many, many months and are doing our best to make this a don’t miss event. There will be refreshments. It’s a free event, just show up and bring your own folding chair unless you feel like standing for three hours.

I’ve actually played through a Little Walter three times. Twice live and once here in the store and it has sounded consistently great in each place. If any of you guys play in bands, tell your lead guitar players so they can come down and check them out as well.

Here is the announcement from Little Walter.

Phil Bradbury, builder of the Little Walter Tube Amps will be at Steel Guitar Nashville for a “Meet the Builder” event on Sunday, January 13th from 1pm to 4pm.

The little Walter Tube Amps are a departure from the usual tube amp architecture used in music today. Phil decided to go back to the method of building that was used in the original days of tube amps. Using cloth wrapped wire and no Circuit, Tag, or Turret boards these amps are true Point-to-Point construction. Phil only uses octal (8 pin) preamp tubes that ceased to be used by major amp builders in the 1950’s. The octal preamp tubes have a dynamic response that the 9 pin tubes used today lack. Players like Paul Franklin, Tommy White, Bruce Bouton, Tommy Wayne, Dan Galysh, Kyle Everson, Abe Stoklasa, and Alyn Love have discovered the tone they were looking for. Paul Franklin says it best ” this is not just an amp this is an instrument”. Vince Gill tours with Little Walter Tube Amps and he describes the amps as “truly transparent, you only hear your instrument”. Vince introduced Phil to Paul at a show one night and they instantly formed a bond. Phil listened to Paul’s requests and in a short time had created the “PF 50/50”. This is actually two separate 50 watt amps in a single cabinet. Since Paul uses a Franklin Steel with two outputs this allowed a 50 watt amp and a single 12″ speaker for each output. Phil also builds the standard 50 watt that uses a pair of 6L6 power tubes as well as the VG-50 that uses a pair of 6550 power tubes.

Phil will have a PF-50/50, the Standard 50, and a VG-50 on display at the Meet the Builder event for anyone to test drive. Phil will also make a presentation on “Understanding the Tube Amp”. This presentation will try in a non-technical way to explain the mystery of the vacuum tube and what he refers to as his Phil-osophy’s or “Rules of Tone”.

Bob Hempker taking over from here. In response to learning to play songs and licks in every key, I wanted to make a couple of points. Often I work out a lick and then I proceed to learn it in every key. I’ll go through the sharp keys first or I’ll go through the flat keys first whichever I choose to do. It really doesn’t matter.

For instance, I’ll play it first in C, then I’ll play it in G, then D, then A, and so forth. I’m traveling in perfect fifths that way. I might start in C, then go to F, then to Bb, Eb, Ab and so forth. Going down a fifth from C takes me to F, then I keep going down a fifth until I end up back in C. By then you’ve played it in every key.

I also set a metronome in order to maintain a steady pace. You’ll notice that in some positions when you learn something in all the keys, you’ll have some open strings to work with. This will add a little different flavor or color to it. This is a good technique to use to learn a song with also or to learn a solo part you’re going to play in a song.

For you guys that play double necks, figure it out in every key on both necks. It’s there. You may have to hunt for it. It may require a little work, but it’s there.

I recommend learning the chords by name, not just using the number system. It’s good to know both systems so you can be comfortable no matter what situation you find yourself in.

I learned a trick from some horn players several years ago when communicating onstage to tell people what key a song is in before you play it. It’s hard to differentiate a C from a G if it’s spoken especially in a loud club. If something is in the key of C, you just hold your fist up which means no sharps or flats.

If you’re going to play in the key of E, you hold up four fingers for four sharps. Say you’re going to play something in F. You point down with one finger. It means 1 flat. Three fingers down is Eb. Three fingers up is A.

If you’re hollering to a guy across the stage in a noisy club, you might say C and he might understand G. It’s so much easier to yell “Hey!” and then hold 1 finger up. He knows that means 1 sharp which denotes the key of G. That way there isn’t much chance for miscommunication.

I can’t stress how important it is to learn things in different keys. It helps our ear. It helps our mind. We think differently if we can play in all of the keys. It helps every aspect of our musical ability.

If you’ll notice, many of the old big band standards and songs from Broadway musicals are not written in A or G or C. Many of those songs are written in Bb and Eb. I personally always like to learn any song the way it was originally composed. Then after I’ve done that, if I want to learn a newer version, different arrangement of it or create an arrangement of my own, I can do that with a feeling that I haven’t compromised the song.

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(615) 822-5555
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Bob Hempker here with one of many responses we got back from the last newsletter.

Bob,

You have a great newsletter for beginners but in all due respect there are songs that are necessary if you live in the Southwest part of the country. I’m referring to Bob Wills music such as Faded Love, Maidens Prayer, Time Changes Everything etc plus Hank Thompson’s Wild Side of Life, Green Light, Most of All etc and of course the many songs of Johnny Bush and Ray Price. I’ve played in many places where a crowd would vacate the club if the band can’t or won’t play these tunes.

Keep up the good work and give my best to Bobbye.

Sincerely and Happy Trails,

Jimmy Tomlinson
Western Swing Guild

Jimmy brings up an excellent point and I want to thank him for making it. There are certain songs that are considered standards in different regions of the country. For instance, most all the bands on Broadway in Nashville play a Johnny Bush song called Green Snakes On The Ceiling.

Most of the Johnny Bush standards such as Undo The Right and What A Way To Live would be known by most country musicians of my generation, but I had heard Green Snakes On The Ceiling years ago but had never played it. This was a song that I had to learn. I’m sure this is probably a standard in Texas honky-tonks but I was surprised to see it being performed by almost every group on Broadway in Nashville.

If you’re playing in Louisiana for instance, you probably should know a few Cajun standards such as Diggy Liggy Lo or Big Mamou. The 4/4 shuffle thing is really big in Texas for people to Two Step to. Some of the artists there such as Darrell McCall, Johnny Bush, Justin Trevino, Amber Digby are doing lots of traditional country 4/4 shuffles. So as many of those as you can learn would be beneficial.

Crowds in certain regions like and appreciate the Bob Wills and Hank Thompson type of western swing. Songs such as Roly Poly, Time Changes Everything, Faded Love and Wild Side Of Life would be helpful for you to know.

I’m sure there are songs we haven’t thought of but we’re trying to give you a general list and direction to follow knowing that every individual player will have his own needs.

Every section of the country probably has a local hero who had a hit song or two that everybody knows and wants to hear. So use your ears when picking your repertoire. They’ll be your best guide.

I want to reply to one email in particular. Here is the question.

hi there bob… this is probably the best most practical advice i’ve seen in a long time. really useful stuff. thanks a ton.

can you play all those tunes in ANY key you choose? how about 4 or 5 flats whatever that is or do you stick to G, D, E. A. C etc? the common roots. what is the deal when you play with brass…if ever? the transposing instruments B flat and Eb flat?? does this create problems with tuning/keys what with most guitar based bands playing songs in E…. ?

I would start learning the song in the original key it was recorded in by the artist that made it famous, not some other guys album cut, because the two recordings can vary greatly. Ideally if time permits, learn every song you learn in all 12 keys. That will give you a perfect understanding of the song.

I know this is not always possible but I would learn any song in the original key and maybe two other keys a whole tone above and below the original key. The crux of the matter is that you must play the song in the key that the singer sings it in. Hopefully it will be the same but much of the time, they’re not.

One good example is if a male artist recorded the song and made it famous, but here you are backing up a female singer. I have found that much of the time, but not all the time, a female will sing a song in a key that is a perfect fourth up from the original key. In other words, if the original key for the song was C, the female singer may sing it in F.

It’s good to know how to play in every key regardless of the song. Knowing your circle of fifths can be a life-saver if you suddenly have to play a song in a key you’ve never played it in before.

Horns usually play from C down through all the flat keys. You can be really embarrassed by not being familiar with all the keys.

When I first went to work with Loretta Lynn in 1969, I was a kid and Loretta was in her thirties. Her voice was much higher than what it is now. She sang You Ain’t Woman Enough To Take My Man in the key of Ab. She sings it in G now.

She sang Don’t Come Home A-Drinkin’ in C#. She sings it in C now. I had to learn it in those original keys back then. I don’t know why but I’ve noticed many female singers for some reason love the key of B. It’s a girl thing.

Sometimes a singer will want to sing a song in a key other than the original recording key but they’ll still want the signature licks played in the song like it was on the original recording. There are certain songs that the signature licks were performed with open strings. In these cases, I come right out and tell the singer that if they want this to sound like the original recording with the original signature licks, they have to sing it in the original recorded key. They can’t have their cake and eat it too.

I used to work with a fiddle player who would take fiddle tunes and play them in flat and sharp keys for practice. When you can play any single song in every key, you own that song. If you want to be an in demand musician, one thing you need to be able to do is to play proficiently in all the keys.

The Tascam GB-10 is a wonderful tool because you can put any song into any key and then learn it. This helps in learning songs in all keys. It’s still a challenge learning one song in 12 keys, but this makes it easier.

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Steel Guitar Nashville
123 Mid Town Court
Hendersonville, TN. 37075
(615) 822-5555
Open 9AM – 4PM Monday – Friday
Closed Saturday and Sunday

This is Bob Hempker with today’s newsletter which is the last one before Christmas. We will be closed on Christmas Eve so there won’t be a newsletter on Monday.

We sometimes forget the newer players that read this newsletter as I was reminded when I was asked the following question.

What are the essential songs I need to learn before I join a country band?

Usually when you start playing, clubs are your first venture out into the public arena. There are some standard country dance songs that you need to learn. I’ll also suggest you learn them in several different keys in order to play them with different singers.

There are several standard 4/4 shuffles almost everybody plays. These are a good starting point for your repertoire.

Crazy Arms by Ray Price
Heartaches By The Number by Ray Price
Big City by Merle Haggard

You need to learn a few waltz tunes. The Tennessee Waltz works great, especially if you have an older crowd. Here are some more.

I Always Get Lucky With You by George Jones
You Look So Good In Love by George Strait
There Goes My Everything by Jack Green
Rose Colored Glasses by John Conlee
Waltz Across Texas by Ernest Tubb
Hello Darlin’ by Conway Twitty

You need to learn a few slow country ballads.

Today I Started Loving You Again by Merle Haggard
Your Cheatin’ Heart by Hank Williams
Cold, Cold Heart by Hank Williams
Amarillo By Mornin’ by George Strait
Make The World Go Away by Eddy Arnold
Don’t Close Your Eyes by Keith Whitley
Together Again by Buck Owens
Behind Closed Doors by Charlie Rich
Silver Wings by Merle Haggard

Somebody in just about every crowd is going to want to hear some Johnny Cash. Folsom Prison Blues and Ring Of Fire are the two most requested ones.

You need a few pop/crossover tunes under your belt.

Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry
Kansas City by Wilbert Harrison
Mustang Sally by Wilson Pickett
Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Gimme Three Steps by Lynyrd Skynyrd

A lot of country bands hate those songs but will play them for someone who puts money in the tip jar.

You need up-tempo songs for the dancers in the crowd.

Jambalaya by Hank Williams Sr.
Workin’ Man Blues by Merle Haggard
Boot Scootin’ Boogie by Brooks and Dunn
Liza Jane by Vince Gill
Tulsa Time by Don Williams
The Fireman by George Strait
Unwound by George Strait
Guitars, Cadillacs and Hillbilly Music by Dwight Yoakam
Rainy Day Woman by Waylon Jennings
Good Hearted Woman by Waylon Jennings
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings
Act Naturally by Buck Owens
I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink by Merle Haggard
Oh Lonesome Me by Don Gibson

You want a few swing tunes in the mix.

The South’s Gonna Do It Again by Charlie Daniels
Route 66 by Asleep At The Wheel
San Antonio Rose by Bob Wills

A couple of cha-cha type tunes often requested are Neon Moon by Brooks and Dunn and Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet.

Bluesy type things like Night Life by Ray Price are often requested.

It’s pretty much mandatory to be able to play You Never Even Called Me By My Name by David Allan Coe even though I hate the song personally.

I would encourage you also to categorize songs by artists because so often you’ll hear somebody in the audience yell out, “Play some Jones!” So here’s a quick list of requested artists.

George Jones, Hank Williams Sr., Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Conway Twitty, Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Don Gibson, Tom T. Hall, Ronnie Milsap, Don Williams, Johnny Paycheck, Johnny Cash, Vern Gosdin, Alan Jackson, Alabama, Garth Brooks and Charlie Rich.

This list if meant to apply to a classic country bar band which is the type of band most likely to employ you. If this isn’t enough to get your started, then send me an email after you learn all of these songs and I’ll give you some more!

In the meantime, let me insert this blatant plug for the Tascam GB-10 to help you learn these songs. Follow the link and you’ll find out all the ways it can help you.

We also put up a video on YouTube so you can see it in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkje1we7G2g&list=UUk5k2BOJjxzLt6QQkhYVZaQ&index=5

Check out our Christmas specials at www.steelguitar.net/christmasspecials.html

www.steelguitar.net
sales@steelguitar.net
www.youtube.com/bobbeseymour

Listen To Steel Guitar Music Streaming 24 Hours A Day!

Steel Guitar Nashville
123 Mid Town Court
Hendersonville, TN. 37075
(615) 822-5555
Open 9AM – 4PM Monday – Friday
Closed Saturday and Sunday