Tom Bradshaw

[RonMc]

Hi: I have greatly expanded a paper I wrote away back in 1960 titled "Chord Construction For The Pedal Steel Guitarist." It now includes pictures, tab and audio files and is free to read and download at:

http://www.songwriter.com/bradshaw/chor ... uction.php

Please tell your steel-playing friends about it and send them the link so they can read it too.



Keep Steeling, ...Tom Bradshaw

[Danny Mitchell]

This is a great resource, Ron.
I also loved the wee gems you find like this..............

Quote; "Contrary to Popular Belief: Humor me for another digression, but appropriate if you believe that you must learn what I’m trying to teach in this paper. You just may not if you have the talent of some of the many great steel guitarists, past and present:

When playing the E9th tuning, you have surely wondered about the thought that the steel pioneers put into its creation. It would seem reasonable to believe that those pioneer greats of our instrument were hip to their guitar’s basic tuning. Believing this, you strive to learn all you can, hoping to be the “next coming” of your favorite steel guitar hero. One of mine was pioneer steel great, Hall of Famer Ralph Mooney. Besides his stylized contributions, he added the high G# string to the tuning. But now to my digression.

Back in the late ‘60s I was eager but naïve, hoping to make my mark as a writer of steel guitar lore. I had managed to get one article published in Guitar Player magazine and was looking for a topic for a second one. I learned that “Moon” was going to be playing at a night club in a town about 40 miles from me (in California’s S.F. Bay Area). At that time he and vocalist Wynn Stewart were touring as a duo. They would hire their sidemen for the club dates in towns where they had bookings. I drove down and met both for their one-night gig. After introducing myself and explaining why I was there, I interviewed Ralph during his set breaks. He and Wynn were gracious and accommodating, and Ralph knocked me out with his playing behind Wynn. I also discovered that Ralph was a true “two-fisted” drinker as he slammed down straight shots aplenty during those intermissions. I was fascinated by hearing how his performance became more impressive as the night wore on, accompanied by his imbibing. He never missed a beat nor flubbed a riff. Amazing I thought.

After gathering sufficient information of his musical history, I explained that I’d like to know what his tuning was (I hadn’t yet coined the word “copedent”). He said he didn’t know. I was startled and thought he misunderstood my question. I then asked “What are the pitches of the strings on your guitar?” He again said he didn’t know. I was so dumbfounded that I kept asking. He wasn’t kidding. He finally suggested that I go on stage and check out the tuning for myself. It occurred to me that he was so accustomed to perhaps saying “Gimme an E,” that it was the only string on his guitar that he needed to identify or maybe knew. After getting that string in pitch he would tune all the other strings by “ear.”

Ralph proved to me that becoming a musician of legend without knowing what notes you pick or the chords you play was entirely possible. But, you had better be gifted as Ralph was. Otherwise, best you keep studying". Unquote.
Magic

[Johan Forsman]

This sounds really interesting, thanks for sharing! BUT...are you guys able to download this article? I can't find where.

[Danny Mitchell]

I'm afraid you can't, Johan, or at least I haven't found a way. It's a case of revisiting the site, or a case of cut and paste. Well worth it though.

[Johan Forsman]

OK cool, thanks for confirming. I will read it on the iPad.