YOUTUBE OR NO TUBE ???

[SHAKEY]

If you have time to spare then read on. I have been playing "STEEL" for about 43 years starting with an old Burns Nu-Sonic with a pencil under the nut to raise the strings and progressing to a home made 6string lap steel then a pedal steel I built from an article in the magazine "Practical Wireless." To try and cut a long story short I played with several bands around the Midlands including "Martin Perdine & the Big City Boys, "Patsy Powell & the Good Timers," "Tennessee Stud, ""Barbary Coast," "Quicksilver" and J.D.Bullit as well as other one offs and recording sessions.
The point is I never ever played an instrumental with any of the bands I played for, I was purely a backup musician. The only time I ever did an instrumental was on Radio 2 when I was with Patsy and Dennis O'Keefe wanted an instrumental to go to the news. The only thing I knew was a medley of "The Old Rugged Cross & How Great Thou 'Art" which I did and got so many responses for it, I thought I was a super star.
So to get to the point, I decided to take a trip to Uncle Roys meeting which at that time was held in Pucklechurch, I didn't take a steel with me as I just wanted to see what it was like. I ended up playing about 4 different steels, just messing about of course.
Any way I decided to learn a couple of instrumentals for the next visit and did so for many many visits. I missed playing with a band and just picked at home, then when the Youtube thing started I thought well if they can do it so can I.
Ken Byng said about Pete Haywood, that he didn't have to prove himself with Youtube and he is absolutely right. I do the Youtube as a sort of release thing. I get frustrated not being able to go out and play, so I like others, Richard Burton, James Kerr, Bob Adams & John Davis as examples, (Yea ok John gets loads of gigs) like to do the Youtube and even David Hartley. Certainly not to prove anything.
I am sure if Pete put something on Youtube he would get as many hits as Franklin or Emmons. So is Youtube your thing or not. I personally think it is a great medium which I think we can all learn a lot from and contribute to. I could go on for ever but I'll leave it there for now.
Cheers Shakey.

[Ken Byng]

Dave
I wasn't knocking you or anyone else who puts clips on YouTube, and I hope it didn't come across that way. I just wanted to make the point that Dave Heywood hasn't felt the need to do so. He is so not into promoting himself that it is a good job that you and others have made the world aware of his CD.

You certainly have nothing to prove and I understand why you choose to broadcast your playing. Your playing is of a very high standard. I've been really impressed with what you and the other UK players put out, and of course its a great medium for any musician to show others what they are capable of. I watch and enjoy many clips, and while I am not inclined to put out stuff myself I wouldn't knock anyone who does. There are some clips of Pete Heywood playing with Don Keyworth's Top Country Sounds on YouTube that are recorded in an environment that are accoustically poor with a distorting camcorder microphone. I would imagine that Don and Pete would prefer for those clips not to be on there. That's the downside of YouTube - someone can record your live performance on a phone recorder and it can get posted warts and all. Some of the steel guys have got things down to a T now, and mime to a pre recorded track which is probably the best way to get a really good audio sound.

Micky Adams and Bobbe Seymour do a fantasic job with their YouTube lessons, and it is a great source of info for the novice player who is looking for free tuition.

Regards
Ken

[SHAKEY]

KEN, Your right about the videos of Pete, I don't think he even knows they are on there as he doesn't have a computer, but I'm sure like you say he would probably prefer they weren't on there. As for my Youtube stuff like I said it is a release valve for me. People send me e-mails and ask me if I can play a certain number and I do what I can to oblige. Some numbers are way beyond my capabilities so I apologise and try to find an alternative that I can handle. I now have a really bad hearing problem so I am somewhat restricted, once I go over the thirteenth fret all the notes sound very much the same, so it's a case of pot luck if I have to play up top. Even harmonics sometimes sound wrong. Fortunately my wife has excellent hearing and she will tell me straight away if something is wrong. Wish I'd kept away from engineering as much as I loved it. Funny thing is the only real live gig I have done in the last 10 or so years I had no problem at all and that was with a Blues Singer.

[Ken Byng]

You play in tune Dave, and many steel players who post on YouTube are not careful about their intonation.

Thinking about things, perhaps I might put something out myself for posterity. I am an old codger of 61 and maybe its a good way of leaving your mark on the internet for ever.

[Zebedee]

Youtube is certainly a good way of getting the playing 'bug' out of your system, with the added advantage that you can do it your way, without any outside interference from singers, guitar players etc.

It has also silenced a lot of the ridicule I was getting on b0b's forum (before youtube), as I had shown photos of my Heath Robinson mechanisms (to improve the ergonomics and playability of my steels), and was roundly dismissed as an uneducated heretic, who couldn't possibly play.

As an unexpected bonus, I have recorded several steel tracks for various bands worldwide, after they saw my youtube videos

[Zebedee]

Here's my Christmas Youtube offering:

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Dave, its about time time you got yourself over here!!, Lots have missed you.... some thought you had gone on an undercover operation...... some thought you had bought a boat and sailed off into the sunset......... or possibly moved to Barnsly... (off the planet!)... Anyway, welcome back..this forum needs you...
Re. You tube, I think the stuff I have put on there have probably done me severe damage as what you get from me is one go at the toon and shove it on there warts an all.... and I am fairly sure with a little more effort I could do a lot better job! but the difference (I think) is ,I don`t give a Rat`s arse let it all hang out! some of the best things I play are my mistakes....... I see people at my meetings shaking with fear at the thought of taking their turn in case they screw up and I`m thinking Why?!! Its not brain surgery! no-ones gonna die... so I try to create an environment where people don`t feel intimidated as I love the instrument and all this poss. talant needs to be nurtured (did I spell that right)??
Regardless of my ramblings above, don`t mean I don`t appreciate the efforts of people like you and Richard B.that do take the trouble to get it right..... Just a good job we are not all the same I reckon...

[bob adams]

Now here's a subject that's been waitintg to happen! let's see some more Dave! and Richard and Ken it would be great if you would stick some tasty playing on there!

As for me!!!!!!


Well I’m too old to learn to knit so further efforts on the psg will have to do! For JD....This is the old p/p banger now that it’s in tune 'ish!!! Still want it!!?? ... Too bad!! .... Just stuck it on! ..Both the pictures and playing are sure warts n all with the recording done on that old laptop and the backing created on the Roland you see there! .. Mmm!




Since the country no longer groans with ‘Live Bands’ be they country or otherwise the steel community, for me had gone 'underground' often people ask me!? .. where can I hear a guy playing steel…..!!?? sad but true and I struggle to tell them at times!!. Was it not for the event of the PC ! I for one would unlikely be back playing again, for me the ‘Tube’ is a two way street, I get lots form it and actually try to give a little back! Even if we do live in a world of 'no response!' Yes I cringe when I hear LG/TW/PF/MJ and the likes play it right! But there is still lots to give and of course lots more to receive!

[Ken Byng]

Youtube is certainly a good way of getting the playing 'bug' out of your system, with the added advantage that you can do it your way, without any outside interference from singers, guitar players etc.

It has also silenced a lot of the ridicule I was getting on b0b's forum (before youtube), as I had shown photos of my Heath Robinson mechanisms (to improve the ergonomics and playability of my steels), and was roundly dismissed as an uneducated heretic, who couldn't possibly play.

As an unexpected bonus, I have recorded several steel tracks for various bands worldwide, after they saw my youtube videos

Richard
I was in Bobbe Seymour's store once and he asked me if I knew you and Basil. I said that while I didn't know either of you personally, I knew of you both. He was intrigued with some of the work-arounds that you have come up with on Emmons push-pulls. Your reputation both as a player and as a mechanically minded person has been enhanced because of the internet. You have proved that things don't always have to be shiny, in-line and neat looking to work.

Also, some of your recent YouTube offerings have sounded great.

[SHAKEY]

Yes Ken, a big yes, you really should do some Youtube, I will certainly look forward to it. Going back to the 70's /80's when there were loads of country festivals I used to dread it in case I ever had to do a festival where bands would turn up with steel players like yourself, Pete, Derek Thurlby and Barry Smith, another wonderful steel player we don't seem to hear much of these days. As for ol' John Davis well what can you say, he does what I think a lot of us would love to do, (no John I'm not on about the BUM notes.) He like Roy Heap does everything possible to promote Steel Guitar in this country, I just wish I could get to more meetings. I remember John saying to me once that he made a living out of Bum notes, and he wasn't far wrong, but recently I think he has taken things a lot more seriously and his playing now compared with a couple of years ago, well there is no comparison. As for your next meeting John, (and there will be one ) one way or another I'll get there. Wouldn't that be great if you could get all these great steelies together. We'll have to organise a fund raiser to get it on and apply for a lottery grant. Let's face it they give money away to some right loads of shite so let's get some for a real good cause.
Enough for now , Dave.