Steve Fishell explains how pedal steel guitar works
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มิ.ย. 2024
- Emmylou Harris's pedal steel ace shows us how it's done
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Watch the video to see Steve demonstrate how his ZumSteel D-10's mechanisms can make magically expressive sounds.
Steve walks us round the instrument, explaining why -- in the world of pedal steel -- a guitarist's legs aren't just used for knee slides, but for changing pitch. We got excited when he told us there was a bar involved, but it turns out that's just another of the note-forming tools that makes pedal steel such a tough but rewarding discipline...
"The pedal steel is really simply a horizontal guitar tuned to a chord with pedals and knee levers that allow you to alter the chord that it's tuned to," Steve explains. "It's basically tuned to an open E chord on the outside neck, which is E, G#, B -- just the way you have an open E chord on a regular guitar.
"Actually, the neck most commonly heard in recorded music today is called the E9 tuning. The floor pedals and knee levers allow you to alter that chord just as a guitarist would if they were playing a barred chord and wanted to add a 7th or a 9th or whatever."
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I played with a pedal steel guy years ago who said 'it takes ten years just to get shitty.'
That just made my day!!!
I just laughed out loud at this! It sounds very complicated!
I believe it.
Mike, I was in White Lake, N.C. way back in my late teens. Three of us were walking around town checking out the ladies. I suddenly heard someone absolutely wearing out a pedal steel. It was coming from a tent revival with a Gospel Band, so I wandered over to check out the player. I stuck my head around the tent flap, and I shit you not, it was a kid playing a ShoBud, and his feet barely reached the pedals.Some people are just gifted. The bastards.
Mike Jervis. An old gent that's been around since the stone age, in my home town, plays the best steel in 10 county's, says the only way to get really good is to play it all the time. By the time you've mastered the steel, you'll be dead. Pretty much sums it up to me. There are few young players worth a hoot -- most seem to be old farts that can barely walk, like ol' Louie Amantero, Livingston, MT
Ok, I've been playin' guitar for over 50 years now and have never got it totally down, but now in my old age I think I'll take up the pedal steel. That way I can be guaranteed that I'll die frustrated.
Amen brother! I tried this for a while. All consuming and way too much going on.
its not hard. and you get to sit down when playing.
@@captainmoretokin2172 I mostly play old-time now and one of the reasons is that we all get to sit down while playing. I even have a tall chair for playing the upright bass :-)
@@nealmont that's good. at our age standing up is hard on the ''ol dogs'' LOL
@@nealmont Try a Hammond B3 sometime.....left foot bass, right foot volume, left hand comping bass, right hand lead and chords, and throw in the Leslie on and off. ....40 years later and I can't still make it all happen.
I'm not sure humans could invent a more beautiful sounding instrument love it.
You got that, man. I guess you could play any type of guitar with a pedal steel - from bluegrass to folk and country to twang-banging hard rock. (Imagine that through distortion and wah!)
The glass harmonica
@@CernanCDengaRight?! I have a MIDI Pedal Steel plugin I can use my keyboard with… I’m definitely building a song around a pedal steal through a wah and Orange Rockerverb.
A steel and a pipe organ....most beautiful instruments ever created.
Despite its immense popularity in country and western music, the pedal steel is still a tremendously underrated instrument. Fascinating instrument with an amazing sound.
Been hearing it for years never realised how complex this instrument was.
I have a new respect for pedal steel players. The precision with which they play is amazing.
3. Rocket Scientist
2. Brain Surgeon
1. Pedal Steel Player
Helicopter pilot, as well!
It took me 10 years to understand how a pedal steel works.You have to be able to chew gum and walk @ same time.
Just like Buckaroo Banzai.
Amaizing, i can't believe how complicated this instrument can be.
WORD!
Pedal steel= 13 ways to bend a chord
Only 13? 😂
Okay, so... feet petals, knee levers, pizzicato, and the occasional use of a finger bar... this is some high-level wizardry.
+Meat Machine Clearly haha, just imagine the guy who come with it and invented it :O
I can listen to him jamming all day long
+Nicolas.T who said a guy invented it
*facepalm*...
let me rephrase just for you... "imagine the PERSON who come with it and invented it"
Happy ?
+Nicolas.T better
+Nicolas.T +DerDa
OK, here's the thing:
1. The history of this insurtment, is not unknown. It's a couple clicks away. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedal_steel_guitar
2. It was developed throughout the decades by several people (as most instruments usually are). All of them men, as far as a quick search has confirmed.
3. I still like DerDa's point: it's a good thing to check your assumptions that men are responsible for everything. Women have contributed many advancements, technological and not, to human culture (they were pioneers in electronic music, for instance). We're still, unfairly, often taught mostly about men. But maybe, after that point was made, it would have been a good thing to just check the actual available facts?
The hardest and most underappreciated instrument in the world.
Unlike guitar where most people just learn where to put their fingers when beginning it seems like you would need a basic concept of music theory and how chords are built before even beginning on pedal steel.
No doubt! This thing is way over my head.
Offcourse, but i'm a professional guitarist and musician.
Ahem, slide and fretless players.
Ive played pedal steel for a few months...put I also play guitar,bass,drums,keys,....other insturments too but im not the best.......lets say jack of all trades
Joe Huffman n
My first thought: Ooooooh, I wanna learn how to play that
My second thought: Man, would I be in over my head
I played electric guitar for 21 years but now I feel dumb. This looks so much more complicated. o_0
It's not nearly as bad, once you get going on steel. It's just a steep early learning curve
It tkaes a year to corindate everything. Bigest mistake people make is trying to play Danny Boya wek after getting your steel and won't learn scales
right?
yes i see what you mean.. i play slide guitar... and this does look more intense
Pretty basic concept really. Had no knowledge of pedal steel´s but would be cool to try one. Only thing is, i hate using banjo-style thumb picks. Is like what happens if you put tape on the beans under a cats paws
thinking about chords in terms of 1-4-5 like Steve here is really helpful when learning music E=1 A=4 B=5 in this case!
Oh look! A wild wintergatan!
Weird Seeing you here. hello martin
Hello!
Music is a language and once you understand the grammar and vocabulary, it begins to make sense. What’s really tricky is once you begin to analyze music it is hard to simply enjoy it. That’s what turned me off from music school. Keep your mind and ears open!
@JM Coulon I'm with both of you . The more I've learned the more I appreciate even genres of music I wouldnt normally listen to or even care about, but it's also discouraging analyzing and knowing that I'll never get to the level playing through my limbs and fingers what's in my head. Music, when you start understanding it and your own shortcomings and lack of skill and creativity compared to others , becomes like madness .
Sweetest sounding instrument you've ever heard.
...maybe when accompanied by a good fiddle player.
All I know about guitars is that the sound of a steel makes me happy.
If you can't rub your tummy while patting your head, this may not be the instrument for you.
no instrument will be for you if you can't do that
Jayo Caine well you could play percussion
I was completely lost by the end of minute 2. I have nothing but admiration for anyone who can play this thing.
Guy: I really like slides and barre chords, but guitar is getting boring...
Inventor: BOY DO I HAVE
Hah! Been playing guitar for 57+ years, and I'm only now finding out just how much I DON'T know ...
PompousKatfish. BOY DO I HAVE THE INSTRUMENT FOR YOU (IF IT DON'T KILL YA, FIRST). LOL, LOL
@@Tonetwisters That why I took up mandolin and listen with my mouth hanging open to Ms Molly Tuttle play guitar AND mandolin. They call Jerry Douglas " flux" and for good reason. Don't know what Molly will get for a nic-name. Garcia gave great nic-names, so maybe it will be up to Peter Rowan to hang something appropriate on this phenomenal picker lady.
I knew this old cowboy for about 4 years and one day he mentioned to me he played pedal steel, me being a guitar player said get the hell out, I thought well he is probably pretty bad. Then one day he invited me to his house to jam around, when I got to the door he was playing and my mouth dropped, he was awesome.
Knee levers! There are knee levers as well?!? I was just thinking I might be able to handle it then you tell me about knee levers! And then there's the C6 neck.
4 or 5 knee levers to work as well.
Jonathan Reynolds I don’t play but it looks like it gets more complicated than that, how many strings on these things, hats off to those that master this monster.
The fun part is stringing them and tuning them ...
lmaooooo brooo same.
@@gary23jag Hats off to the tech that keeps it running. Doubly so if that's the musician.
I always thought the bending sound was made with a slide, not with a pedal. Interesting
You weren't listening carefully then... cause it's both.
@@sir_john_hammond -- technically you're right but I think the original commentor was speaking to the drastic pitch change to another note rather than the slight pitch change that comes from the bending or tightening in this case of the string: The pedal does of course change the pitch but so drastic it is changing the note but the slight verbato as the man in the video spoke of is just a softer pitch like bending on standard body guitar.
What I took from it was , the pedals only change certain strings , so if you want to just bend a certain string, you use the pedals because the bar would bend all the strings at once . But I could be wrong
this is a monster, i never knew they were so complex! amazing!
there is something so deep and spiritual about the sound of a pedal steel guitar it warms me like the sun on a cold winters day
I wish more people would talk about pedal steel guitar. I'm absolutely fascinated by it.
These are what made country music god i love them
@Martin G not really
@Martin G That would depend upon which god you are referring to. The one you pray to, or the one you kneel to when you are puking. I don't think the porcelain god should get an upper case g. That's my opinion, and everyone has one.
What I find funny about this, is that so many people stereotype country music as being a genre for less intelligent people, but yet this instrument is one of the most complicated damned things in existence. I am a multi-instrumentalist, and I can’t even imagine where to begin with this. God bless those who have mastered it.
As a banjo picker, I find the same attitude regarding Bluegrass music...just a bunch of dumb hillbillies, doing a Buck and Wing! I agree with you about those pedal steel folks. Heck, I have a bad enough time working with only 5 strings, and I don't even have to worry about pedals and knee levers.
I think that stereotype is aimed more at the general consumer than the actual musicians. And in my albeit somewhat limited experience I'd say that it does have its merits.
Right! Cuz only steel guitars, banjo's, and fiddles are limited to only country music. I have heard all of these instruments used in rock songs, blues tunes and other genres. Oooo, lets not forget harmonicas, also only country music. I know you only talking about the stereotype of "country music as being a genre for less intelligent people", but many people think these instruments are only for country music. Sad thing is though, country music isn't really country music anymore. All these kids doing "country music" now-a-days, are really only playing "twangy" rock music.
Ever heard of the Chapman Stick? Only an octopus could master it, although, the almighty Tony Levin comes close...
UncleFestersWorld You make a really good point. I’m not too keen on the use of steel guitar in rock music, but one of the most successful applications of that came from an Australian band from the 1980s called the Triffids. This is a really beautiful song from them: th-cam.com/video/OGkJONhkBgU/w-d-xo.html
That was totally sick. I'm a jazz guitarist and I've always found steel guitar kind of mystifying thanks for taking some of the mystery of of it. I find the sound of a steel guitar intoxicating. I could how if I ever got my hands on one of those things I'd get sucked into the abyss. I like the Brian Blade release Perceptual. Steel guitar all over it in a jazz setting. I don't know who the player is by I dig it.
Agree! listen to the pedal steel section in Adios to Calf by John Hiatt .. amazing.
According to Wikipedia, the pedal steel is played by a guy named Dave Easley, but Daniel Lanois is on there as well, and he's a pretty mean pedal steel player himself. I've seen him just jam spontaneously on the instrument a few times, and it always takes you right off to dreamland. Thanks for the CD recommendation, by the way. I will pick this up. Blade is an amazing drummer.
Brian blade is the fuckin man
@@raymarks7430 I just typed "Adios to Calf" into Spotify so I can check this out. D'oh! I listened to it now, and you're right -- the pedal steel's nice. My all-time favourite pedal steel playing is on the first few Mike Nesmith solo albums -- OJ Red Rhodes. Genius. Listen to 'Wax Minute' on the album 'Tantamount to Treason'. It's jaw-dropping.
From this demonstration, you can really see how the pedal steel is the perfect instrument to simulate one of the instrument choirs in a traditional big band, as is done in Texas-style Western swing. Texas and Kansas city aren't that far apart, after all. The cross-pollination was there right from the beginning.
loved this instrument the first time i heard it used in "To Be Over" on the Relayer album
steve howe is the best
The old SpongeBob.
SilverMoon actually, spongebob music just has slide guitar with no pedals. A Hawaiian steel
@@AECEntertainment isnt it a Guit-Steel? Junior Brown.
@@samking73 c6 tuning lap steel I believe
SilverMoon 88 Fingers Edward
@@AECEntertainment actually there are some pedal steel guitar licks
having owned several pedal steels, since 79. I will say on thing
It takes a lot more knowledge than most 6 string guitarists know !
You've gotta play a lot of "fill ins", that you wouldn't play as a 6 stringer,
It comes with time
BTW: Great "intro" video
It takes lot mot of how relative minors apply to you basic 1-4-5 than most jammers realize/ It requires a level of exact picking, and feeling
Good luck to any aspiring players
Rick Winfield sounds like it could be fun . You theoretically could make sounds that nobody has ever heard ! Seems to me that the chord/ note/ key variations are almost endless
Rick, DjF; ANY clue where to start? Just can't find a good instructor.Thx
@@djf2918/ guitar horizontal in capability of reaching your favorite inverted chord,isn't as rough or technical as a standard 6 string acoustic, as I found. After 63 years, I still find this most difficult instrument to master, as the best pedal steel players were dobro masters first.This my dear companions is how I observed it. Its the guitarist who duplicate steel players better than steel players can reproduce a guitar.Exceptions even here exists..." if they can do it so can you..." my secret sentiments since1957.Don't quit, retreat...but get back to this, carry-on...♡ Old Grandpaw will smile,& God too! Shalom& and pass a harmony of Concord... thanks for your help 👍
My favorite instrument, that sound and that emotion that it gives to a song
After 40 years on the guitar, the hard part of this instrument to me looks to be keeping all of those strings in tune. Six is enough of a pain!
Not only do the strings have to be in tune but the pedals and levers have to be properly adjusted, too. Just because the string is in tune open doesn't mean it will be when your feet and knees start working.
The guitar from an engineering perspective design wise is a compromise it's always at of tune which is why there's the old saying, " as guitar players we spend half our time tuning and the other half playing out of tune!"
try 36 strings on an autoharp,and the tuners aren't geared.
Put in an evertune bridge mechanism and they'll always be in tune even after months of wild bends... it goes for like $400 dollars or so.... only downside it's not compatible with a tremolo
If you have a good guitar and a good set of strings it actually stays in tune.
I swear every cartoon from the '90s used this instrument. Instantly-recognisable sound.
Looney tunes at 3:33 I hear bugs bunny
Thank you! Not only do you have to be a musician...you have to be a technician as well. All the wiring and leads..this is much more complicated than the average audience can fathom. Kudos!! We should all learn to appreciate the finesse involved.
As a musician, this is the coolest thing ive seen and learned about in a very long time
I admire the daylights out of anybody who can keep all that straight and create the art form of playing pedal steel!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸😉👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
remember seeing this in ed edd n eddy
I just love the sound of the pedal steel guitar. Great demo Steve.
Belated thanks for producing this demonstration. Even as a long time guitarist I had no idea how pedal steel worked.
"a bit like driving a 4-wheel drive"? Maybe more like learning to drive a semi truck with 18-speed transmission!
While juggling and knitting a sweater. 🙂
driving an 18 speed truck on the open road is easy
Flying a helicopter?
Nah a 3 stick Mack single stack mack with a window in the back
Pulling 1/2 loaded double shotgun tanks on old US 41 Nashville to Atlanta hitting Atlanta at morning rush hr.
Both of those are easy, especially to folks who like steel guitar
This is what much of modern “country” is missing. Bunch of soft rock pop top 40 type stuff these days
Thank god we have so much recorded country music The new Nashville sound? finger snap drum machines???? Go to blazes.
Yea..I agree!!
Thank you for taking the time to make the video. I doubt I will ever try a pedal steel, but it was cool learning more about them.
Love the sound of the pedal guitar!
that thing sounds a-ma-zing! what a tone he gets!
Frickin gorgeous.
Thank you! I used to play in a band with a pedal steel player and it always baffled and intrigued me. It’s such a beautiful sounding instrument.
Having watched Steve in person at The Birchmere, in Alexandria, VA - backing Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell through a fabulous evening - I now believe in Heaven!
I never realized how complicated that instrument was.
Yeah , like driving a 4WD, while upside down with 3 or 4 mirrors in different locations to see if your going forward,. Amazing, I would need another 2 lives to get the hang of it
That is SUCH a specific sound. Love it
Best explanation I have seen. Love the sound. Beautiful playing.
thank you thank you thank you I've always wondered how these work it was great explanation thanks again
It's interesting how David Gilmour of Pink Floyd almost completely changed the feeling of that instrument. Used to hearing as the backing of a country song, he used it to add sort of a spacey feel to their music.
Also, most bands have guitars, yet they all sound a little different! Crazy world we live in
its firstgrade Wise Guy. Pedal Steel has been used for country for a long time and no matter which group uses it, it sounds the same. A whiny country song. Gilmour changed that.
Gilmore used a lap steel most of the time. Big difference between that and a pedal steel.
Dave Skowron Point. Didn't Ron Wood use Pedal Steel on 'Far Away Eyes'?
Steve howe did it first
A really great introduction by a true master of the instrument. I hope he does some sequel videos.
Wow. It seems even a bit more intimidating than I thought, after learning about the knee pedals ! Hats off to anyone who can master this.
My god that's complicated. This gives me all the more respect for those who can make this box of black magic play so beautifully.
"Don't rub salt in the wound Eddy, you know how much I detest this instrument"
Thanks Steve.Awesome walk through. Fantastic playing and incredible musicianship.
I learned more from this video than watching pedal steel videos for the past 3 days. Thanks!
I found this so inspiring that I put a pick-up and an effects pedal on my pair of maracas. Sweet!
video or it didn't happen
How convenient it is for one of the most beautiful sounding instrument to require a expert level coordination of hands, feet, knees, and music theory at the same time. Damn.
Thanks for a fres look at the pedal steel guitar. You make it look easy . Great job explaining the workings of the guitar .. Thanks again Ken
Wow, so impressed! I love the sound of the pedal steel!
I finally learned how a lot of country songs get "that" sound. That sound that sounds like its from a guitar. But its from this. Never would've guessed. Awesome instrument though!
KNEE LEVERS! How do I get my les Paul knee levers?
I never realised it was such a versatile instrument.... Fantastic piece of kit.... 👍🏻.... Great playing too...
had no idea this was so complicated an instrument much more respect for pedal players now
This guitar separates the men from the boys.
That would have to be some rather vigorous knee lever action.
That looks like it would take about 20 years to master.
It takes 20 years to become a beginner
John Doe,. It takes 20 years just to tune it -- then another 20 to figure out how it works. Better stick with a Dobro,. HA HA HA
This man is a great steel guitar picker. first time ever hearing him. I play pedal steel guitar. And I know this is not an easy instrument to play...takes A lot of willpower and determination...and practice...practice...practice. That means a lot of time in the saddle.
Saw one in a music museum once. We were allowed to touch and play it.
Amazing that something so complicated can be so simple and soothing to play
Fantastic, I love the sound of them. I think it's lost in some country music these days.
Ha! I met Steve in a studio session tracking him a last year! Good guy and a great player!
What an amazing video. I was totally absorbed throughout and learned so much. Steve Fishell is a master in his art - the only other pedal steel guitar player I know is Paul Franklin and these two guys are just maestros. Thank you so much for posting.
I always wanted to see one of these things work. Thanks!
Ed Edd and Eddy brought me here
Why
+Mysterious Internet Guy 88 fingers Edward
Lol same. Listening to some 88 fingers Edward
Me to
Jajaja
I've always known this was a tough instrument to master and that was one of the reasons it has faded in use in music today. After watching this I have a whole new appreciation for the brave souls that put the time and energy in to being able to produce a melody like no other instrument can! I'm so happy that I'm old enough to wear the title of old fart so that I can live in the past and appreciate all the music of yesterday be it country, rock or jazz! I hope this instrument will continue to be used in the music still to come! Hopefully?
A Spanish singer still uses it haha
Amazing instrument! Thank you for the demonstration.
Amazing. Such a commitment to learn. Such a cool sound. Grew up around it and have never really understood it. Now I do. Thx!!
This instrument is mostly heard and seen in country music, but seeing this I immediately imagine the potential in microtonal music.
You have no set frets, and correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that these microtones that are achieved on this instrument are primarily used to add texture and flavor to country music while transitioning between traditional notes and chords. However, could a person with enough skill and knowledge sustain these microtonal notes and compose a song around them? So a traditional country musician uses these microtones to "slide" between notes, but it seems feasible that a person could stop halfway through one of these slides, and you wouldn't lose any sustain, and the microtone wouldn't decay. You'll see microtonal guitars with what I can only describe as 'wiggly' frets, but again this instrument is essentially fretless.
I mean, playing this thing to begin with would require a ton of music theory knowledge, and playing it as a microtonal instrument might require a bigger brain than any human has. However, the possibility intrigues me.
Microtonal bands are rare, and most wouldn't want the Nashville sound that comes with an instrument like this. But that seems to be something that could easily be fixed by utilizing a different set of pickups, pickup placement, amp choice, and effects. I'm sure the right person could build a version of this that doesn't have that country guitar sound, but it's closer to a clean sound you might hear in modern alt rock.
Tldr: this instrument may have the most untapped potential of any modern instrument.
To mellow out the sound, move the pickup further from the bridge. Since these ARE associated with country music, they're naturally set up to sound like the bridge pickup on a Telecaster.
i wouldn't consider it untapped potential, im fairly certain its a key instrument in obtaining the Hawaiian sound
@@elmerjfapp5730 huh, you're totally right. I never thought about that. I've looked into it, and it's been used in way more contexts than just country music.
I was more speaking towards highly expiremental genres, stuff that might be considered avante guard, as much as I hate that term. Like, have you ever seen a microtonal keyboard? They are wild, and people who play them are wild. This instrument though could in theory do a lot of the stuff a microtonal keyboard would do. Not everything certainly, and not when played in a traditional fashion, but it could create a lot of the same non-tradional intervals that you would get from that sort of instrument.
Would those applications be useful? Probably not. I mean not a lot of people listen to stuff like math rock or microtonal music to begin with. But the right musician might be able to have some fun with it. That isn't me though!
@@ckillgore It has also been used in jazz as well, but yeah, nothing as complex and involved as what you are describing, yet.
Jerry Garcia played a mean pedal steel. If you’ve heard CSN’s “Teach the Children” you’ve heard Garcia play.
Yeah...well Pete Kleinow played steel and is in the Gumby Hall of Fame...
That made the song
Buckhorn Cortez ....ok...?
'Captain Trips' also played it on the first NRPS album, before they picked up Buddy cage full time on the break machine. ;)
I could listen to this everyday. Such a talented musician
I can never understand why anyone gives a thumb down for a video like this. Very informative, thanks Steve
i fuckn love those things
Man! I thought the triangle was complicated!!
I've wanted to learn how this beautiful instrument was played. All that you have shown answered my questions. I want to Thank You for a fantastic demo.
Amazingly cool
Great description of this beautiful instrument.
There's also a lever in the middle, but you have to be a real man to use it.
As opposed to, say, an imaginary man. A little acid will take care of that, man.
I think this joke will go over most readers' heads
😂😂
@@d.e.b.b5788 wooooooosh
Only women get to use mine, xD lol
And that right there ladies and Gentlemen is Talent.
great demo and very nicely explained.
What a marvellous instrument, and player. Well explained Steve!
You won the olympics! Now step up to the pedal steel!
Ok..back to the Ukulele👀
Thank you for posting this! Came across it randomly, and even though I don't really like country music I was intrigued, so watched the video. WOW! I now have better understanding on how it works and a HUGE amount of respect for lap steel players.
I would love a go on one of these!!!!
Sounds absolutely beautiful
It's like a mixture of Country Bluegrass and Hawaiian Aloha music lol
Time for the weekly 88 fingers Edward comment.
Country and Blues accented and defined with pedal Steel guitars. Great video.
such incredible tone!!!!!