Look Who it Was Random video

Pedal Steel Guitar - a unique instrument!

3,940 views · Published 25 September 2018 · 16:39 · Indexed 29 September 2026

Channel: Dan Baker · 2018 · Music

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The Pedal Steel Guitar is a classy piece of design - it is the only instrument on which a chord can be played where the pitch is continuously variable and vibrato of any depth and speed can be applied. 
With a swell pedal, you also have control over dynamic shaping. Only a synthesizer can vary pitch of chords, but when you have an octave range on the pitch wheel, it can be very difficult to control. Not so on pedal steel... 
Here, in this video, is a basic description of the E9 "Nashville" guitar. This particular one is more of a "student" model - more pro ones have more knee levers which allow more advanced chords, but mine is still of massive use! 
I am a novice player with lead lines, but I use the guitar to augment harmony on my recordings and for something different and exploratory. Listen to the greats like Speedy West, Buddy Emmons (who came up with the E9 pedal arrangement!) and BJ Cole (listen to "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John - BJ Cole delivers the steel goods on that!) to hear what this can really do! 

Time contents of video: 

Part 1 
0:00 introduction, using other instruments to explain how the steel guitar is unique 

Part 2 
2:04 the pedal steel guitar and its parts 
2:51 the pedals and their function 
3:18 the diatonic chords of G major using the pedals with one bar position 
5:26 the diatonic chords of G major but this time going up the neck, using pedals 2 and 3 
6:14 changing tonality - what to do if you want G minor instead of G major 
6:52 extra notes in chords 

Part 3 
7:57 setting up a looped groove in G MAJOR to play some steel guitar over. Using drums from GarageBand, then Bass Guitar, then Electric Guitar 
9:14 playing steel guitar over the completed loop in G major 
10:24 adjusting the loop to play in G MINOR 
11:12 playing steel guitar over the completed loop in G minor 

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