really good playing, but something nags at me

[Lane Gray]

Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

[retired53]

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

I think the tempo is a bit quick and I'm not a big fan of the rhythm box
sound he's got goin'

I'm not sure if he was a bit behind on a couple of beats but I'll bet it
sounds 100% better live.

Over all; not bad at all. Could be smoother. One hell of a lot better than
me. :-)

[Tony Done]

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.

Tony D

[Lane Gray]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.
Tony D

it's using all those narrow tonal spacings of the E9 neck. We've got
lots of major seconds sitting around. He hits a lot of those rapid
triplet/quadruplet sets. If you've got the tuning, they're right
there. Remember, the E9 tuning takes ten strings to cover from the B
on the second fret of a guitar's A string to the G# of the fourth fret
of the first string, a whole step shy of two octaves. Trying to to
that on even a C, G, or A6 tuning would hurt your brane or your hand.

[Tony Done]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.
Tony D

it's using all those narrow tonal spacings of the E9 neck. We've got
lots of major seconds sitting around. He hits a lot of those rapid
triplet/quadruplet sets. If you've got the tuning, they're right
there. Remember, the E9 tuning takes ten strings to cover from the B
on the second fret of a guitar's A string to the G# of the fourth fret
of the first string, a whole step shy of two octaves. Trying to to
that on even a C, G, or A6 tuning would hurt your brane or your hand.

Thanks, I can see how the close spacing would do it. Also, I'm starting to
see the intent of some of these lap/pedal steel tunings. One that really
intrigued me was a simple diatonic tuning, allegedly used by jerry Byrd,
just CDEFGABC, or some equivalent.

Coming from conventional guitar, I find the wide tunings easier to manage.

Tony D

[Lane Gray]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.
Tony D

That's definitely what it is, take a look at his right hand on this
other one.

He's got that thumb working. He'll also send his fingers out to the
"chromatic" strings up front.
For the lap guys in here, on the E9 neck, the third string's the
highest: from 1-5, it's tuned F#-D#-G#-E-B
And I like that one better

Lane

[Lane Gray]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.
Tony D

it's using the close intervals of the E9 tuning. Remember we've got
lots of Major 2nds on that neck. Watch his thumbs. the stuff up
higher uses those "chromatic strings", the first and second,
especially the F# first string.
It shows up better on the Mel Tillis thing "Brand New Mr. Me" at
http://youtu.be/_3Ji7jm0zBM
And I think that one hangs together real well

[Lane Gray]

Post by Tony Done

Post by Lane Gray
http://youtu.be/CT7FJd6VA7I
Steel player named Henry Mathews playing the standard "Pick Me Up On
Your Way Down."
I hear a bunch of nice ideas, some stuff that I hadn't thought of
playing that I'm gonna learn.
but is it just me being particular and growing up at the feet of
Auldridge, or does it fail to hang together, even in 8-bar slices?
It's almost as if, thinking of music as language/solo as soliloquy,
this isn't a handful of paragraphs, but a bunch of soundbites thrown
together because each has merits. Or is it just my being an ass?

Sounds good to me. How is he doing those things that sound like hammers and
pulls? It doesn't look like he does it with the bar. That's a trick I could
certainly use.
Tony D

He's hitting extra strings. Watch his thumb. I like his right hand.
He gets a great tone, and is nice and smooth.
You can see his right hand at work on this other one
http://youtu.be/_3Ji7jm0zBM which is the old Mel Tillis
"Brand New Mr. Me"
Remember the E9 neck has lots of Major 2nds. It takes ten strings to
span under two octaves. It's pretty standard stuff, and once you learn
it, it's almost impossible not to drop in at most of those places
Henry puts it. Sounds cool and feels right.
Lane