The British Steelies Society

I have a phrase for that John, " CONFIDENTLY WRONG " in other words, if your going to get it wrong you may as well be confident about it, then keep sliding until you hit the right note. Are you sure you're not a Sotsman ?

JD, I am very confident as I play bum note most of the time , so it has become quite natural for me I do keep sliding Donny but very rarely find the right note. I need a band who plays the same as me.

words to inspire, JD. nice one. I think the bum notes Make you stop, just for a second. and that makes them stand out all the more. I think it's worth remembering that the audience don't know you didn't do it intentionally. Perhaps Donny's "keep sliding" is not such a bad idea after all. I agree confidence is half the battle.

You have to be confident, trepidation is immediately apparent when playing steel, so keep that volume pedal wide open, and pick the strings with authority, I've played thousands of bum notes, none of them quietly, I just laugh them off

I think a lot of bum notes are born out of lack of concentration, we sit down at the steel but so many other issues of the day run through our mind and suddenly our head and our fingers are not coordinated, not trying to be a psychologist here, just a thought and I know I am very conscious of it, also because we have several choices of where we can play the tune on the board we are indecisive and therefore running almost behind the melody rather than in front of it.

There were no bum notes on your clip John until you were 75% through it when suddenly you were thinking S**t I’ll miss the post if I don’t hurry up here (true or false?? I know you Mr!) Then it's the ooops! moment! I think we are all guilty of it.

Regarding our failings and I guess more on technique than carelessness, all my days playing steel I have tended to lift the bar, my sound is not horrendous but it is a habit I would like to lose. I am always impressed when even 'fast picking’ the Whites and Franklins etc have the bar stuck like glue, it amazes me sometimes.

Right now I have my pedal into the patch side of the amp and the guitar straight to the high input, never done that before! (for once I read the manual and it’s not even a leap year!!) anyway it means that there is still volume even when the pedal is backed right off so it is creating it’s own discipline as you can imagine! Sorry now we are on yet another topic, pedal control. My only pet hate and a knuckle rapper with new players is the ‘pedal organ’ foot technique! That just as to go! …….

Did you get me started there JD, Goodness! And I’ve got things to do too! ............There you go! ...... I’m back where I started!

I HAD A FEAR WHEN I STARTED TO PLAY PEDAL STEEL OF HITTING BAD NOTES .BUT WAS TAUGHT BY THE LIKES OF BRUCE BOUTON ,AND DAVE HARTLEY ( DVD,S ) AND THEY SAID PRACTICE THINGS SLOWLY AND YOUR PLAYING WILL IMPROVE.I STILL MAKE BLOOMERS I MIGHT ADD ,BUT I DON,T FEEL IT SO MUCH . I DO GIGS NOW AND AGAIN ,AND I AM CHUFFED WHEN GUITAR PLAYERS ASK HOW THE HECK DO YOU DO THAT.I LOVE THE PEDAL STEEL, AND I AM PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH STEELIES. REGARDS EVERY ONE. DEREK.

I know this fear has held me back for years, always terrified of getting it wrong. Recently I've started cranking the amp up and I love the sound, it gives me more confidence. Now I've started to use the VP as well I just hafta learn not to "pump" it!