Great E9th Pedal Steel Tabs!
By David J. Stewart | November 2015 | Updated January 2019
Since I am tabbing these pieces on my guitar, I am showing you my E9th setup too, but I tried to tab them as Lloyd played them. I use the Emmons pedal setup (ABC or 123). I have Tommy White's awesome change on my guitar (i.e., lowering strings 5 and 6 a whole tone separately). Tommy uses the Day pedal setup (CBA or 321; see chart above). These are my tabs, not verified by Lloyd, Tommy or others, so I could be doing it wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. I am confident that there's much you can learn. I know some parts are 100% accurate, but other pieces I am unsure about. It's great to always have a challenge!
One thing that I have learned over the years is just how easy it is to mess up and make typos while doing tabs. Wow! I have really tried to get these correct, so if it doesn't sound right, forgive me! Go with your musical knowledge. Here's a few helpful things that I have learned over the years when trying to figure out what Lloyd, Tommy and other beloved artists are playing:
They always follow standard chord progressions. You cannot escape them in music. So when still in the dark while trying to figure a piece of out, consider the standard chord positions.
Use YouTube's speed control feature. Every video on YouTube allows you to slow or speed the video. By slowing down a fast song, like Hal Rugg's “Down To My Last Cigarette,” to quarter or half speed, you can EASILY figure out awesome stuff like this!!! Here's a cool live version (with a great band!) by Hal at the ISGC in St. Louis in 1994. Check out Buddy Emmons on electric guitar. Nice! Scotty told me that he was present when Jimmy Day recorded his album “All Those years” with Buddy Emmons playing bass guitar.
If what you THINK you just figured out, what the artist played, but it seems awkward or weird, look for a simpler way to play it. The greats rarely work harder than they have to, which is common sense. Lloyd Green is a master of profound simplicity! As difficult as it may seem for newer players, Lloyd really does play simple things, he has just mastered those techniques. If what you are playing seems impossible, I guarantee you that you just still haven't learned that particular technique. For example: This run by Hal Rugg may seem impossible to play for less advanced players, but if you study the piece, he breaks it down into THREE segments, and then connects them, but he plays so fluidly that you won't hear it unless you slow it down on YouTube. It's all in the timing! NOTHING is hard if you know what you're doing! I learned that from Jeff Newman, whom I miss and cherish greatly.
This is what Hal is playing, in THREE segments, all played quickly one after the other. By breaking these sections down into separate pieces, it makes it POSSIBLE to play them. The hand is quicker than the ear! I have significantly slowed down the song to help you, in which you can hear each and every note as Hal played it. GREAT STUFF! ...
T = Thumb / I = Index / M = MiddleF#_________________|_________________|__M13___________M13_________________________________________D#________#1_______|_______#2________|________________________M12_________________________________G#_________________|_________________|_____I13~13B______________________M13B~~~~~~___13__12__10___E _________________|___________M13___|____________T13____T13~12___________________________________B _________________|___I13~13A_______|___________________________T12A~13A__T13A~13___13__12__10___G#_________I13~13B_|_________________|____________________________________________________________F#______T13________|_________________|____________________________________________________________E __~T13___________|__________Every pedal steel guitarist ought to learn this piece well!_________D _________________|_________________|____________________________________________________________B _________________|_________________|______________________#3____________________________________Below is the other beautiful run by Hal, from the same song, which I HIGHLY recommend learning. It is very simple toplay if you familiarize yourself with it. I use a program called MixCraft (which you should get) that allows me toslow songs down, or change their pitch. It is a blessing to have! I use the Pro Studio version for $99. Audacityis free, and does a lot of the same things, but I am not very familiar with it. I used Audacity to separateJerry Byrd's left/right tracks so that I would just have the rhythm tracks without the guitar. Mixcraftwouldn't let me do that. Go figure! Still, I like MixCraft!Okay, here is Hal's masterpiece E9th run from "Down To My Last Cigarette" from his album, "Slidin' For Scale"...T = Thumb / I = Index / M = Middle (here is a VERY SLOW MP3 of the following great run, where you can clearlyhear each and every note, which I have tabbed for you. Gotta love it!F#__________________________________________________________________________________________D#_____________________________________________M14_________M16______________________________G#__________________________________________________________________________________________E ___M13__________________________M13___________________________________I18__________I20____B ______________I13_______I13~13A_____T13A~14A____T14A~16A_____T16A~18A_____T18A~20A________G#______T13~13B_____T13B____________________________________________________________________F#__________________________________________________________________________________________E __________________________________________________________________________________________D _____Use pick blocking. This is where you use the pick that you just picked_______________B _____a note with, to silence that same note! Your fingers take turns doing this!__________F#__________________________________________________________________________________________D#__________________________________________________________________________________________G#__________________________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________M13______________B __T20A~20_______I18______________________M16~15______M15~13______I13~13A______I13A~13_____G#_________T20~18_____T18B~18___________M16_______T15B________T13B__________________________F#_________________________ T18~16___I16____________________________________________________E ________________________________T16_______________________________________________________D __________________________________________________________________________________________B __________________________________________________________________________________________F#__________________________________________________________________________________________D#__________________________________________________________________________________________G#___________________________________________________________________________________________E ___________________________________________________________________________________________B _____________I11______________M11~~9____M9___M5~~5A_______END______________________________G#___T13B~11B______T11B~11______I11~~9____I9___I5B~~~________________________________________F#_________________________T11_________T9____________________________________________________E ___________________________________________________________________________________________D ___________________________________________________________________________________________B ___________________________________________________________________________________________If you are having a difficult time understanding the concept of speed picking. I encourage you to use YouTubeto slow down the above piece (which I have already done), to quarter speed, and LISTEN to what Hal is playing.Get that idea into your brain! You cannot play anything until you first get it engrained into your mind. When Ifirst struggled to learn pick blocking, I called Jeff Newman at home and told him, "This is hard!" His exact wordsto me were, "No it ain't, you just gotta keep working at it and it'll come to you!" And it sure did, that very sameafternoon! Talk about Christmas in the summertime! I had been working on a "Woodshed Workshop" (I don't recall which one).I have tried to include sound clips for many of these licks...
ABC pedals are standard
E = Lower both E's to Eb
F = Raise both E's to F
R = Raise string a half-tone
RR = Raise string a whole-tone
L = Lower string a half-tone
LL = Lower string a whole-tone26 Cents - Clip - Lloyd Green and Tommy White (Lloyd performs first)
I love what Lloyd and Tommy play here. This was recorded in 2001 at the International Steel Guitar Convention (ISGC) in St. Louis. Bravo fellas! Here's the complete MP3 song. Lloyd Green and Tommy White played together on these songs. I've tabbed out part of the song, where Tommy really does a nice job on this piece. I've done my best to tab it out for you. None of these tabs have been verified by the original artists, but I think they're close. Here's a clip of what I tabbed for you. In this piece, Tommy lowers string 5 a whole tone, but he doesn't lower string 6 at all.
F#________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________E ______________________15~~~~~~~13_______________15______________________B __________15__15~15A__15A~15LL~13__15A~13A__15______15~15A__15A~15______G#___15~15B_____15B~~~__15B~~~~~~13__15~~13_______15B_15~15B_________15B__F#________________________________________________________________________E ___________________________________15~~13_______________________________D ________________________________________________15__15~~~~______________B ________________________________________________________________________F#___________________________________________________________________17___D#________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________B _______12_12____12~12A__14A__~15A__14~14A__________14__14A~15A~17A______G#__~12______________________________14~14B__14~14B_______________________F#_____________12_________________________________________________________E __~12___________________14___~15F__14~~~~______________14~~15F~17F______D ___________________________________________________14___________________B ___________________________________________14~14A_______________________F#________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________E _______________________14_____14__14~~~~__14~~~~~~~~~_________7___7_____B __17A~15A~14A__14A~14__14_____14__14~14A__14~14A~14LL__7~~7A__7B__7A____G#_______________14B~~~_____14B__________________________7B~~~__7___7B____F#________________________________________________________________________E __17F~15F~14____________________________________________________________D _______________14~~~~___________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________E ______7~~~9~~~10F~~14___________________________________________________B ______7A~~9A~~10A~~14A_____END__________________________________________G#___7B~~~~~9B~~10~~~14B__________________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________Sweet Memories - Clip - Lloyd Green - ISGC 2001*BELOW: Pull back the bar just a bit, and use the tip of the bar to do two hammer-ons onthe 4th string. Just two hammer-ons. This is not as hard as it seems. Your bar never leavesthe 5th string. You pump and release the A pedal just after finishing the last hammer-on.
F#__________________________________________________________1_______________________________D#__________________________________________________________1_____1_________________________G#__________________________________________________________________________________________E _______________________6~~~~5~3~~1___*1~1~0~1~0~1___________1__________1~~~__1~~~~1~1~~~__B ___1___________________6~6A~5~3A~1A__*1~1A~~~~~~1__1~~1A____1A__1______1~1A__1~1A~1~1A~1__G#_____~3B~2B~1__1~~1B_______________________________1B~1B___________1B__1B~~__1B~~~1~1B~1__F#___________________________________________________________________1______________________E _______________1E~1E______________________________________________________________________D __________________________________________________________________________________________B _______________1~~1A______________________________________________________________________
Look At Us Clip - Lloyd Green - Some Great LicksThe above clip for "Look At Us" starts with a simple intro, and then the tabs below begin immediately following...F#________________________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________E ______________________________17~~~~~15____15~~~~~13C~15~~13~~~~___10~~~~_______________B ___15~17__17~17A~18A~17A~17___17~17A~15A___15~15A~13C~15~~13~13A___10~10A_______________G#______________________________16~~~~~15B___15~15B~13~~15~~13~~~~___10~10B_______________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E __________17~~~~~18F~~17~~~_____________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________F#___10~~~~~~~~____10______10_____________________________________________________________D#_____________________10__10_____________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________E _______10C~10____10___________________Note: I didn't separate the tabs for any__________B ______________________________________particular reason, it just saves time tabbing,____G#______________________________________when I need to go back and edit something later.__F#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________D#_____10~~~11__11~~10___10~~~11~~13LL~~12LL~~10~~~10LL__10LL~~~__10LL_____rake strings___G#_____10B~~11__11~~10B__10B~~11~~13~~~~12B~~~10B~~10B___10B~~11__10B_____M10B___10B~~10___E _______________________________________________________________________I10____10~~~~~____B ________________________________________________________________10A___T10A___10A~~10_____G#________________________________________________________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E _________I have not confirmed any of these tabs with Lloyd, but they are close. The_____D _________way you can tell is if it sounds right what you are playing. Still, I am_______B _________always rechecking my tabs to see if they are correct, as I learn new things.___F#________________________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________________________G#___10B~10~9~~7~~8_______________________________________________________________________E ___10~~10~9F~7F~8F______________________________________________________________________B ___10A~10~9~~7~~8________________NEXT-->________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________F#______________________________________________________12________________________________D#______________________________________________12L_______________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________E __________________________________________________12__12~12C____13C~~12C~~12~~~12C______B ___8A__8A___6A_*6A___5A___5A~6A~5A______________________________________________________G#____________________________________5B___~12B___________________13~~~12B~~12B~~12B______F#________________________________________________________________________________________E ____*use vibrato________________________________________________________________________D ______________________________________________________________________________NEXT-->___B ________________________________________________________________________________________*I have heard some steel guitarist try to play like Lloyd, but you can tell they are simply following what he did,but lacking the passion behind the playing that gives Lloyd's music that incredible tone! I struggle with the sameset back. The answer is not to play exactly like Lloyd, but learn ideas from him (or your favorite player) and thenplay FROM YOUR HEART (as Jerry Byrd often taught his students), and you'll sound much better! You can feel the ENERGYin Lloyd's performances! The same is true of Tommy White. You'll see Buddy Emmons sweating in all his performances.F#________________________________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________B ___~13A~~9A~~10A~~10____________________________________________________________________G#___~13B~~9B~~10B~~10___10__10B__________________________________________________________F#_______________________________________NEXT-->__________________________________________E ___~13F~~9~~~10~~~~~___10__10___________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B _______________________10__10A__________________________________________________________**Notice below that Lloyd uses a forward bar slant. Lloyd uses this piece a lot. It's a great thing to learn...F#________________________________________________________________________________________D#___*15LL~~~~~~~~___15LL~14L__14L~12L~10~11___**11~~10___________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________B _______15~15A~15___15~~~14___14~~12~~10~10A__**10A~10___10A~10__________________________G#________________________________________________________10B~~~__________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E __________*The above run is amazing and sounds right.___________________________________D ___________I never would have thought of playing something like this, but wow!__________B ___________I love the attack Lloyd puts on those last two chords...Cool!________________Piece #2 for "Look At Us" - Here's the full song if you'd like to hear it (correct pitch).The tabs below begin at 6:28 in the song. It makes sense to use pedal C instead of A, since you're already using it for the beginning of the lick. I'm not sure how Lloyd does it, butit works either way...F#___10~~~~~~~~~~_________________________________________________________________________D#__________________10___10~10LL__________________________________________________________G#__________________10B__10B~~~~__________________________________________________________E ______10C~~~~10_________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________10C~12C__10C~10___8___~6A__6A~5A___5A~3A_______________G#_________________________________10B~12B__10B~~~________________________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E _______________________________________________________~6F__6F~~5___5~~~3_______________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________Note: As you older folks know, cassette players often recorded at different speeds, and over time you ended upwith songs that weren't in tune with your steel guitar. Yuk! So I use MixCraft software (about $99 for the Proversion, which is what I use)) to raise or lower the pitch of songs and backing tracks. IT IS AN INVALUABLE TOOLFOR ANY MUSICIANS! I am not sure, but audacity is free and probably does the same. I just like MixCraft. I loweredthe pitch of "LOOK AT US" for semitones, so it will be in tune with your pedal steel guitar. Don't get into thebad habit of playing between frets! I know I mentioned these programs earlier, but they are AWESOME tools!!!Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger - Clip - Lloyd Green - Some Great LicksThe following run from "Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger" is tabbed as played by Lloyd Green.It was at the ISGC in St. Louis but I'm not sure which year. If you love Lloyd's playing,THIS IS FOR YOU. There's a piece in here that YOU WILL LOVE. And you can incorporate itinto your playing. I'm giving you tabs that you won't find elsewhere. What I suggest islisten to the MP3 click above first. If you like what you hear, then the tabs will guideyou how to make those sounds (at least it'll get you into the ballpark... I think mytabs are fairly close).
F#___________________________14___________________________________________________D#_________________________________*14~15~15L__14L~14LL~12LL~9LL~10LL~9LL_________G#________________________________________________________________________________E ______________________________14__14~~~~14C__14~~~~~~~12~~~9~~~10F~~9___________B ___9A~9__7~7A~7____9~9A~14______________________________________________________G#_________________9B___________14______*Forward bar slant ______________NEXT>____F#________________________________________________________________________________E ___9~~~__7~~~7E______________________*C pedal raises "E" and "B" a whole tone___D ______________________________14________________________________________________B ________________________________________*I love this piece above________________**BELOW: Lloyd uses this lick quite often. He raises string one a half-tone on a knee.I just use a forward bar slant. This provide some really nice things to play, as youcan hear on the brief clip. It may not look like much tabbed on the screen, but thisis a really great stuff to learn...F#_______________________________________________**4~4R___4R~4~2~~~_____________D#______________________________________________________________________________G#___7__~9__9~9C~9~9C__9__~7__4C~2C_____________________________________________E ___7__~9__9~9C~9~9C__9__~7__4C~2C___________________________________2_________B ___________________________________5A~4A~2A__2__ 4~4A___4A~4~2~~~___2_________G#___7__~9__9~~~~~~~~__9__~7__4~~2________________________________2B__2_________F#______________________________________________________________________________E _____________________________________________2E______ABOVE: once you get the__D _____________________________________________________timing right, this piece_B _____________________________________________________sound majestic!_________
Here's a pretty song composed by Tommy White and Lloyd Green in 2015, titled, “Variations Of A Theme.”Here's the MP3 if you'd like to have it. I've tried to tab out the basic idea behind the new concept, to getyou going. I am grateful to Tommy and Lloyd, and for Lloyd's invaluable musical comments about the song.Lloyd says:Tommy White and I wrote this tune, but mostly Tommy and it’s virtually all his melody. More importantly than this beautiful melody though is the fact that around 50% is played with pedals B and C and the knee lever lowering the 2nd string a half and whole tone, and the E to F lever. The strings are mostly 2, 4 and 6. This is a wholly new concept of how to use the pedals and strings on the E9th. It gives different voicing to the normal triads played, with the melody often being on the 2nd or 3rd rather than top string and no 3rd string is involved in the new segments of the tune. When playing it much will be counter-intuitive and mirror imaged, which initially was confusing to both Tommy and me, unusual in itself. I’m only putting this out there because Tommy and I wanted to add some missing elements and dialog to the language of the E9th tuning. Russ Pahl played the rhythm guitar, the only other instrument, and produced and mixed it. —Lloyd GreenSOURCE: Steel Guitar Forum, Variations Of A Theme - Part One
ABOVE: Lloyd Green performing at the 2011 BMI Country Awards, backing Willie Nelson.
Sweet Memories - Clip - Lloyd Green - ISGC 2002
The following awesome run from "Sweet Memories" by Lloyd Green is fairly simple once you get the timing down pat. This song was recorded in 2002 at the ISGC. The tabs below can beheard played at 41 seconds into the song. Just listen repeatedly to Lloyd playing the piece, as you play along, and you'll get the hang of it. (I slowed the song down to figure it out, using "MixCraft Pro" software. If you do buy it, you definitely want the pro version, if nothing else for the "iZotope Mastering Essentials." Acoustica used to sell three versions and I bought the middle version, which came with the iZotope Mastering Essentials, but now there's only two versions and only the pro version has it.) You can use the following timing technique in many songs. It produces an ILLUSION to the ears, and is beautiful. Tommy White uses this technique quite often also..
F#___________________________________________1____________________D#________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________E ______________________________________________1___1_____________B ____1~~3A~~8~8A__9A~8A~6A~6~5~3A~1A~1___________________________G#_______________________________________1B_________1_____________F#________________________________________________________________E _________________9F~8~~6~~6~5F~3~~1~1E__________________________D ________________________________________________________________B __________________________________________________1_____________
Petals - Ending - Lloyd GreenHere's a cool ending from Lloyd's song, "Petals"...
F#________________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________G#_______________________9~~9B____________________________________E ____2___2___2____4_____9~~~~____________________________________B _______________________9~~9A____________________________________G#____2___2___2B___4B_____________________________________________F#________________________________END_____________________________E ________________________________________________________________D ________2_______________________________________________________B ____2_______2A___4A_____________________________________________
One Of My Favorite 13th ChordsHere is one of my favorite chords, an F13th below, in three different positions. The various positions
enable you to voice them differently. I am raising string one a whole tone, which is a change I use often
when performing, and recommend that you add it to your guitar. Lloyd raises string one a half-tone and
uses a bar slant to raise it a whole tone. Some players even use their pinky to reach forward and PULL
the first string a half-tone higher. It doesn't require much pressure. I used to pull the first string
just for showmanship, but for the past several years I've gotten into the habit of using the knee lever.
To help you understand raising string one a half tone, it is the exact same note as string 7. So raising
string 1 a half-tone is the same as raising string 7 a half tone. Since Lloyd doesn't raise string 7 at
all, nor lower string 6 to obtain a G note, it makes sense that he would raise string 1 a half-tone. I
love using a forward bar slant, which Lloyd uses often.F#____1RR_________________________________________________________D#________________________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________E ____1_____4F____________________________________________________B __________4A____8A______________________________________________G#____1B__________8B______________________________________________F#__________4_____________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________D ________________8_______________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________
Sleeping Beauty - Intro - Lloyd GreenHere's the into for "Sleeping Beauty," from Lloyd's classic album, Reflections. I like what Lloyd
says, "Simplicity is the heart of elegance." I learned that from Jerry Byrd, who quotes Lloyd in
his autobiography titled, "It Was A Trip On Wings Of Music."F#_________________________2______________________________________________________D#__________2______________2__2___________________________________________________G#________________________________________________________________________________E ___2__2_______________2______________________________5F~~7~~~4~~~5F_____5F~5F___B ______________2__________2______2___2~~~~~_______2___5A~~7A~~4A~~5A_____5~~5A___G#___2__2___________2___2_____________2~2B~2_______2___________________5__________F#__________2_________________2________________2__________________________________E ______________2E__2_____________2E_______________2______________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________B __________________2_____________________________________________________________
Blue Bonnet Spring - Lick And Ending - Lloyd GreenHere's another really cool lick that took me a while to figure out from "Blue Bonnet Spring" on Lloyd's
"Reflections" album (my favorite album). Once you get the hang of the piece below, it is really awesome
to add to your repertoire. The piece is toward the end of Lloyd's song. You really ought to hear the
recording on "Reflections" or you won't get it. Lloyd doesn't lower his 4th string, so he does a revere bar slant.F#____*Pick the strings individually, separated by a fraction of a second.________D#_____Stu Basore used this technique a lot. (I-index - M=middle - T=thumb)_______G#________________________________________________________________________________E _______________13__*13_____*13~~~____8___________8~~8~~~~4F~3~~~1_______________B ________8~8A________*13___*13~13A_______*8___*8~~9A~8A~~~4A~3A~~1A______________G#_____8~8B________________*13~~13B______*8___*8~~~9~~8B~~~4~~3B~~1_____(next)____F#________________________________________________________________________________E ___8____________________________________________________________________________D ______________________________________ABOVE: Reverse bar slant__________________B ________________________________________________________________________________Here's a really cool ending to "Blue Bonnet Spring." I raise my first string a whole tone, but Lloyd raises it a half tone. I tabbed it the way I think Lloyd did it. I give you some alternative positions below to get Lloyd's unique sound, which he obtains by not lowering string 4 at all. I love that sound. I don't raise string 2 a half tone, but perhaps you do. I use a bar slant, but that won't work for chords like this. I use both of the other positions...F#___1_______2~2R__2R~~1____________________________|____alternative positions____D#__________________________________________________|___________3L_________1R_____G#__________________________________________________|_____________________________E _________________________1~~~___1~~~___1____1~~~__|___1_________________________B ______1________________________________1__________|___1__________________1______G#______1B___2~~~__2~~1B___1~1B___1~1B________1B~1__|___________3B________________F#__________________________________________________|_______or________or__________E _______________________________________1E_________|___0__________________1E_____D __________________________________________________|_____________________________B _________________________1~1A___1~1A________1A~1__|___________3A________________Here's another alternative position...F#________5______________________________________________________D#_______________________________________________________________G#_______________3______2~2B_____________________________________E _______________________________________________________________B ____5A____3A_______2A~~~~~_____________________________________G#_______________________________________________________________F#_______________________________________________________________E ____5F____3F_______2~~~~~~_____________________________________D _______________________________________________________________B _______________________________________________________________Borrowed Angel - Clip 01 - Lloyd GreenF#________________________________________________________________________________________D#__________________________________7LL~~8~~~10~~~12L_____________________________________G#____7B___7B___7B____7B~~____7B____7B~~~8~~~10~~~12______________________________________E ____________________________7__________________________13F~~15F~15F~~13F~~12____________B ____________________7~7A_______________________________13A~~15~~15A~~13A~~12A___________G#______________7_________________________________________________________________________F#_________7______________________________________________________________________________E ____7__________________________________________________________________________next>>___D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________12~____________________________12_______________________________________B _____12~~12A____12A____12A~~15A___15A~12_____________12~~~~_____________________________G#_____12B~~~~_________________________________________12~12B____________________next>>___F#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________
F#_________________________12_________12__________________________________________________D#_________________________12_________12__________________________________________________G#_____15~~~14B~~12B~~12B________12_______________________________________________________E _____15C~~14C~~12C~~12_________12_________12~~~~~~10F____10_____________________________B __________________________________________12~12A~~10A____10______end____________________G#_________________________________________________________10_____________________________F#________________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________________________________________________D ________________________________________________________________________________________B ________________________________________________________________________________________Here's another Christmas present that took me years to figure out. This piece is alsofrom "Borrowed Angel"...F#__________________________________________________________________________________________D#___________7L___________________________________________7~~~8~~10___10~~7~~7LL____________G#_______________7B__7~~7B____7B____________________________________________________________E ____________________________7____7~~~~____________________________________________________B ___7A__7_________________________7A~~7______7~~~7A______________________________7_________G#___7B__7____________________________________7B__7B~~~___7B~~8~~10___10~~7B~~~~____________F#__________________________________________________________________________________________E ___7_______________7~~~~___________________________________________________________next>__D _______7__________________________________________________________________________________B ___________________7A~~~__________________________________________________________________E __________________________________________________________________________________B ____7B_________________________________________7~~7A_____end______________________G#____7B~~~~~~~~~~__7~~9B~~~~8~~___7~~7B~~7~~~~__7~~~~______________________________F#__________________________________________________________________________________E __________________________________________________________________________________D _______________________________________________7~~~~______________________________B __________________________________________________________________________________Farewell Party - Clip - Lloyd Green - I've Got Most Of It NailedHere's a beautiful piece that literally took me 2 years to finally learn (and I'm stilllearning it). This has been one of the most perplexing pieces for me to figure out. I'm close,but something still seems missing. This is so brilliant. The piece is from "Farewell Party,"played in St. Louis 2003 by Lloyd. Listen to the clip above and see if you can nail it down.
F#______This is an ongoing project, as I'm still trying to nail it down._______________D#_____________________________________________________________________________________G#_____________________________________________________________________________________E ________________________________________________*Here's where I get confused.________B ___7~7A~~8A~10A__12~12A__12~12A______________________________________________________G#_________________________________~14B__14B~~12B~*12~12B~12~10~12~10_____next>________F#_____________________________________________________________________________________E ___7~~~~~8F~10F__12~~~~__12~~~~______________________________________________________D _________________________________~14___14~~~12~~~12___*Lloyd lets these note ring____B _________________________________~14A__14A~~12A~~12__but how does he lower string 6?_F#_________________________________________________________________________D#___________________________12______12LL~12~~13___________________________G#_________________________________________________________12B~12__________E _______________________________12_______________12~~~~___12~~12__________B _____________10~~10A~~12A_______________________12~12A___12A~12__________G#___________________________________12B~~12B~13__12~12B___________end_____F#____10~10________________________________________________________________E ____10~10E_______________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________Waltz Across Texas - Great Chop (at 37 seconds into song) - Lloyd GreenF#______________10~~~~~~~~~________________________________________________D#___10_________10~10L~10LL________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________E ________10____10~~~~~~~~~___12~~~~_______________________________________B ___10___10A_________________12~12A___12A_________________________________G#_____________________________________12B_________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________Take Me As I Am - Awesome Chops By Hal RuggF#__________________________________|___Here's a great lick at 1:07_________D#__________________________________|___in the song!________________________G#___3B~~4~~3B~~4~~~4~~~4~~3B__3____|_______________________________________E __________________________________|___5~~7C~~10~~~10C__10_________________B ___3~~~4~~3A~~4A~~5A~~4A~3A__3____|_______________________________________G#__________________________________|___5~~7B~~11B~~10B__10_________________F#__________________________________|_______________________________________E __________________________________|_______________________________________D ____Here's a must have chop at____|_______________________________________B ____53 seconds in the song!_______|_______________________________________A Nice Thing to PlayF#__________________________|__________________________________________________D#__________________________|__________________________________________________G#______________8~~5~~5B____|__________________________________________________E ___10L~~9F________________|__________________________________________________B ___10~~~9_____8~~5~~5A____|__________________________________________________G#__________________________|__________________________________________________F#__________________________|__________________________________________________E __________________________|__________________________________________________D __________________________|__________________________________________________B __________________________|__________________________________________________The Famous Hal Rugg Lick! (see 11:42 time in YouTube video)(Buddy Emmons & Hal Rugg Live at Bell Cove in 2002)F#__________________________________________________8_________________________D#____________10L___12L~~~~~_____10L_____10_________8_________________________G#___8~~10B_________12B_~~~~_____10B_____10______8____________________________E ___8~~10C___10____12~~~12C_____10C_____10______8_____8______________________B ___________________________12C_____10C____10_________8A____10~10A__8~8A_____G#___8~~~~~___________________________________________________________________F#____________________________________________________________________________E ___________________________________________________________10~~~~__8~~~_____D ____________________________________________________________________________B ____________________________________________________________________________You Don't Know Me - An Awesome Piece By Randy Beavers (see 2:10 time in YouTube video)F#____________________________________________________________________________D#____________*G knee lever raises string 7 one-half tone.____________________G#____________________________________________________________________________E ____________________________________________________________________________B ____10~10A~~8___10~~~~~~~~~~___10~~~~___10___10_________10~~~8___8~~~6______G#____10~10B~~8___10B~~~~~~~~~____________10B__10B___10_______________________F#______________________________*10~10G________10G___10_______________________E ________________10E~~10~~10F____________________________10~~~8E__8E~~6E_____D ____________________________________________________________________________B ______________Here's the entire masterpiece MP3 song!_______________________You Don't Know Me - Another Awesome Piece By Randy (see 1:55 time in YouTube video)F#____________________________________________________________________________D#____________________________________________________________________________G#____________________________________________________________________________E ____________~5_________________________8~8F~~5F~~8F_________________________B ________3A__~5___3A~~_____________8~8A~~~~~~~5A~~8A__8A~~~~~~~______________G#______3B_________3B~3_________8___8~~~~~~~~~~5~~~8___8~~~8B~~8______________F#____________________________________________________________________________E ___3____________________3~~8________________________________________________D __________________________________8~~~~~~~~~~5~~~8__________________________B ____________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________D#_________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________D#_________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________D#_________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________D#_________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________G#_________________________________________________________________________F#_________________________________________________________________________E _________________________________________________________________________D _________________________________________________________________________B _________________________________________________________________________
* * * * * * *
A Helpful Tip: I've learned that one of the 'secrets' to great tone is to crank up your amp and lay into that volume pedal. Tone is feeling, and in order to 'feel' your steel guitar music, you've got to play it loud enough to be felt. When you pick a major chord, you ought to FEEL that crisp bite! The best playing in the world means nothing if people cannot FEEL your music. You absolutely need a great amplifier. I recommend a 15-inch speaker for sweeter low-end tone, but 12 inch is preferred by some pros (like Paul Franklin - he likes a higher middle range). I've never liked high mids. I like higher highs and sweeter lows.
There's debate over tube amps verses solid state. I've owned both. From my own experience, wooden guitar/wooden neck guitars like Sho-Bud sound better through tube amps; however, mica/aluminum neck guitars like my Rittenberry sound better through solid state. It has to do with the materials of the guitars. Tube amps have a warmer tone than solid state. I hate digital, because they kill the quality of the sound. Jerry Byrd and Lloyd Green both used the Fender Twin Reverb amplifiers (a tube amp). Lloyd also used a Peavey Session 400 (solid state) in the recording studio. God bless.
Lowering The 2nd String, Half-Stops & More | Helpful Advice For Steel Guitarists
Cold, Cold, Heart by Lloyd Green (MP3, partial) | For the Good Times by Lloyd Green (MP3)
Here me play When They Ring Those Golden Bells on E9th pedal steel
C6th Pedal Steel Simplicity and Variations
Beyond the Reef using a C# on the 6th string
Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven!
