the more You play the better You get?

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

The learning curve for Pedal steel is full of ups and downs.
I am posting this out of interest in what others think and to generate posts on this site.
My intrerpretatioon based on My experience would be that when the player sits down at the instrument for the first time ever His playing is a catastrophy or as I prefer to call it a catastrastroke(a phrase stolen from the late great Schnozzle,anyone remember Him?)
Very quickly the student (with practise) becomes pretty good with the three note chords and pedal positions and actually sounds quite good,the learning curve rises steeply and quickly.As the student continues and tries to master the techniques for tone,intonation,vibrato,blocking,right and left hand movements and such,the learning curve rises in increments,it levels out for periods of time and then takes off again when something new is learned and absorbed,We have heard the phrase often that We are constantly learning on this,our chosen instrument and it is very true.
Do We reach a peak? what determines that peak? why can;t I play like Emmons,Franklin ar any amount of world class players? I try hard and consider Myself to be a decent player but when I hear the Top guys I wonder what food they eat to get there.
I recall having asked asking our well known friend Ken Byng how He felt about having taught Sarah Jory to Play,Ken's answer, and I hope He does not mind me saying was that He has taught some players who were better than Sarah but non who were so dedicated.
Peruse My post if You will and let's hear what You have to say
best regards
Billy

[Ken Byng]

Billy
This is a great topic that deserves a lot of participation.

The general rule of thumb with any learning is INPUT plus PROCESS equals OUTPUT. Fancy words for the more you put in the more you get out. Aptitude also comes into the equation. Music is an emotional art, and is not something that can be just learned parrot fashion without having a natural feel for it. Quality practice sessions are key, with a focused target for each session. Just running over pieces that we can already play is not that beneficial, but we are all guilty of doing it from time to time.

In answer to your question of why the top players are that cut above everyone else, it is a combination of extreme dedication and many productive hours of practice coupled with a natural gift. Paul Franklin and Tommy White have put countless hours of practice and jamming over the years as did Buddy Emmons over 50 years ago. Buddy's practicing regimes bordered on the obsessional, often playing right through the night on a guitar with no fretboard to get his intonation spot on. These guys have all set the bar of what can be achieved, but there are younger players coming up who are awesome and are fast-tracking the learning process by taking lessons from pro players.

Buck Reid and Steve Palousek are in the very highest echelon of current players, and both of these fine players have dedicated their lives to steel playing. Technically they are of a very high calibre, but it has been achieved through sheer hard work.

I know players who have almost burned themselves out in their quest to improve their technique and musical know how. Interestingly Billy mentions Sarah Jory. Sarah started off as an 'OK' player who had enthusiasm and natural flair for the instrument. What set her apart from my other pupils at the time was a highly ambitious father (Arthur) behind her, coupled with an almost inexhaustible ability to dedicate herself to the cause of learning and improving. Towards the end of my teaching sessions with her, I would increase the technical aspect of her weekly lessons, and Arthur would tell me that she had often been reduced to tears at home when she could not replicate what she had been taught. However, she had great mental resilience and never gave up or let it beat her.

Players over here like Pete Hayward and David Hartley seem to have that single minded mentality that is needed to become excellent musicians. I know through anecdotal discussions with other musicians over the years, Pete in particular has spent a significant part of his life dedicated to steel guitar, and it shows in his playing to the point where he is now arguably the best exponent of C6 pedal steel in Europe.

Sorry to waffle - this is a theme that holds great interest to me, and is a topic that I have had interesting discussions with many of the top players in the world including Maurice Anderson, Franklin and Herby Wallace.

Ken

[Malcolm]

My reason for being a not very good player is exactly that stated by Ken, not practising !!! I love the instrument and can get past on it with the average band, but I am nowhere as good as I could or should be.My excuse is/was other things took precidence , work-family-having to set up and tear down as I only have one guitar etc etc, no excuse really just lazy.As I approach that certain age I am hoping to have more time to practice(if her indoors doesn't leave me too big a list to do each day).I take the view that it is never to late to get a bit better, all learners don't do as I did do as I say PRACTICE.

[Paul Brennan]

Excellent thread. Great post Ken. You mention Maurice Anderson. I came across a quote of his once - practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect. In other words simply sitting at the steel and noodling away aimlessly is not enough. You must have a goal for each practice session and you must focus on achieving that goal. When I started playing the steel I was very determined and I had no difficulty putting in any amount of hours practicing. The trouble was I didn't know what I should be practicing. This knowledge only came with a lot of listening and analysing steel guitar music and steel guitar players. Going to the Newbury festivals was a great help in this.

At this stage of my life I've met quite a few truly world class musicians. They all have one thing in common. They are totally focused on their craft. They really don't think about anything else their music.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Well I too thought it was a good thread.
Three excellent replies
Thanks Gents.
I thought this may have got people talking but they must all be working .
Could have developed into a ....Q and A on practise methods etc., and on infinitum.
Sometimes I wonder why I take a small libation.
Best regards
Billy

[Donny Johnston]

I have to agree with all the previous messages, I think you can always improve, but dedicated and planned practice is the real answer. Malcolm, you don't do yourself any justice by saying you're an ok player, after I heard you at the opry a few weeks ago, you're a lot better than an ok player. I try and practice every day,and I'm sure I'm a better player now than I was 10 years ago, but that may just be in my head.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Donny
I have to disagree, Malcolm is an absolutely crap French Horn player
Oh no I'm on the wrong Forum
Malcolm is a great steel player

[Zebedee]

I don't have a practice regime at all, I just play my steel (which is always set up) when I feel like it.

That's probably why I'm no better at playing steel than I was a decade ago.

My laziness started when I joined a country band in the early 80's. As I'd been in a well-rehearsed club band previously, I was astonished to learn that they never rehearsed at all, just went to the gig and busked, which is what I've done ever since

[john roche]

I think that what happens to a lot of players is that they quickly become pretty good and join a band and with that they don't have the time to practice anymore, I spent years on the road with Frank Ifield and USA acts touring in the UK and Norway , Germany and other countries, I never had time to sit and and work on the steel, most of the time it was in the back of the transit. Now I have the time I spend a lot of time siting at the steel trying to learn instrumentals that I never had time to do before, and yes to the question ( the more You play the better You get?) you do get better , your tone for one will improve.

[Malcolm]

Donny thank you for the compliment, your lessons way back then must have done me some good.Billy perhaps you are right I should have taken up the french horn, with the ammount of hot air I spout I could have been world class.