The White Light - by Lloyd Green

THE WHITE LIGHT
Tabbed by David J. Stewart (from original 2014 musical composition by Lloyd Green) | October 2015 | Updated April 2016

LLOYD GREEN MASTERPIECE TABS COLLECTION

(As recorded by Lloyd Green - Here's the Here's the MP3 recording)

This is one of my favorite pedal steel guitar instruments, composed entirely by (my favorite musician) Lloyd Green. I first heard Lloyd play this song live in Indiana in 1990, but he didn't record it on any albums. To my surprise and delight, Lloyd recorded the song in a studio in 2014, and it is wonderful. One of my passions in life is pedal steel guitar, and in that pursuit, Lloyd's recordings are one of the biggest blessings in my life, which I thank God for regularly. Each recording is an instruction course. I can't imagine the world if Lloyd Green had never been born.

I have done the work and tabbed out the entire song for you, and there are some really interesting things to learn, outside the box of traditional playing. I hope you enjoy the tabs as much as I did transcribing them. I tabbed Lloyd's recent 2014 performance, attempting to get every note exactly as it was played (these have not been approved by Lloyd, so I'm not certain if they're correct). Lloyd once taught me that many of the steel guitar sounds that the listener hears are "illusions to the ears." That is, the techniques that are used to produce a particular sound are not always what you'd expect. I keep that in mind when studying Lloyd's artistry. The best way to learn these tabs is to play along with Lloyd's performance, so you can hear the timing and how he phrases each piece.

LL = lower string two half-tones. / L = lower string one half-tone
E = lowers 8th string one half-tone / F = raises strings 4 and 8 one half-tone

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

B ___3_______________________________3____________15~15A___13A~11A~10A____

G#______~5B~3B~3~3B~3______3__3~3B___3_______~15__________________________

F#______________________3_____3~~~________13______________________________

E _________________________3_________3_____________________13~~11F~10_____

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

B ___10~10A___8~8A~10A____________________15___15~15A~15__15~13__10A~10A__

G#______________________8____15~15B__15B__15B_____________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E ____________8~~~~10___8______________________15~~~~~~~__15~13E_10~~10E__

D ___10(thumb block)______________________________________________________

B ______________________8____________15___________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________10~~~~__10~~~~~~~_______________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ____________________________10~~~~~~~~~~~_______________________________

B ____________________________10~~~~~~~~~~~___5A~3A~3_____________________

G#________10~10A__10A~10~~~~__10B~10~10B~10____________3B~3~3B~3__1~~3____

F#___10_________________10B_______________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________1F~3____

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

*BELOW: I love how Lloyd articulates this musical piece. Many things affect

tone (amp brand, speaker size, control settings, guitar brand, pickup type,

wood or aluminum body/neck, pick pressure, volume, solid state or tube. Lloyd

uses a Bill Lawrence 710 pickup, which has individually would magnets. Most

factory pickups are just one winding around one big magnet. This musical piece

is an "illusions to the ears."

F#___________________________________________________________________________

D#_____________________________________________________________________3LL___

G#_____________________________________________________________________3_____

E _______________________________________________________________*3~~~~~~~~__

B __________3____________15~15A__15~13~12___8A~10A__10A~11A__3A__*3~3A~~~~~__

G#___3~4____3_______~15______________________________________3B__*3B~~~~~~~__

F#______________13___________________________________________________________

E ___3~4F___3____________________15(thumb___8~~10___10A~11F__3_______________

D __________________________________block)___________________________________

B ___________________________________________________________________________

F#___________________________________________________________________________

D#___3LL___3~________________________________________________________________

G#___3B___3B~________________________________________________________________

E ___3___3__________________________________________8_8__5~5C~3C__3C~3_______

B _______________5~3___3A~3_____________3~~~_________________________________

G#_______________5~3___3B~3___3___3B____3~3B__~6__8_8__5~5B~3B__3B~~_________

F#________________________________3__________________________________________

E ____________________________3______________________________________________

D ___________________________________________________________________________

B ___________________________________________________________________________

*BELOW: This type of chord is called "dissonance" (the strings conflict but sound good).

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#__3~~4~~~5L_____________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

B ___________________3~~__*~1A__1A________________________________________

G#__3B~3__~5B__5B~3B~~~3____________3~3B__3B__3B__3__3~B__~6___6~~8~~8B___

F#________________________*~1___1___3_____3___3___________________________

E ________________________*~1F__1F________________3__3~~__~6F__6F~8E~8E___

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________~5A__5A~3A~~~3____________3~3A__3A__3A__3__3~3A_~6___6~~8~~8A___

*BELOW: Use a forward bar slant. This run is brilliant. Lloyd figured this out.

Once you learn this musical piece, you can use it again in many other songs,

and it sounds awesome!!! You can also use the knee that raises string 4 from

E to F, without doing a bar slant, but I believe Lloyd used the C pedal. I like

the feel of the C pedal with a bar slant.

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#___________________________8__*~9~~11~~10L~~12L~~15LL___________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________8~~10~~10C~~12C~~15~~~____15~~~_________

B _____15A~~15__11A~10A__8A_________________________________15~15A________

G#_____15B~~15____________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E __~15~~~~~~~___________8________________________________________________

D __~15~~~~~~~____________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ___15~~~~_______15~~~15~~13C~~15~~15___15_______________________________

B ___15A~15_______15A~~15~~13~~~15~~15A__15__15~~~13~~~10A~~10____________

G#___________15B__15B~~15~~13~~~15~~15B__15__15~~~13~~~10B~~10B___________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E ___________________________________________15E~~13E~~10~~~10____________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

*BELOW: Use a forward bar slant. Once you get comfortable using bar slants,

then you can work on your accuracy, getting the bar just where you want it. I

prefer bar slants oftentimes over usage of knees, simply because a bar

slant sounds more emotionally expressive to me. I let the song guide me.

F#____________________10__________________________________________________

D#___________________________*10~~11~10L~~~~~~~~~~______4~3~~3LL__________

G#__8~10~10B~10___________________________________________________________

E ________________________10_____________10_10~~10___5____________________

B __8~10~10A~10__10_______________________________________________3_______

G#_______________10B__10B____*10B~10~~~~____10B~10______4~3B~~~~__3B__3B__

F#____________________________________________________________________3___

E ________________________________________________________________________

D __________________________________________10~~~~________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ___________________________________________________10~10~~8___8~~6F_____

B _______________________3________15~15A~10A~10______10~10A~8A__8A~6A_____

G#___3__3__3B__3B~3~3B___3______________________10B_______________________

F#_________3______________________________________________________________

E ___3__3______3E~~~~~______~15___15~~~~~10~~~~___________________________

D _______________________3__~15___________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#___________________3__________5L________________________________________

G#___________________3____________________________________________________

E ___3~~1F_______3_______________________________________8_8__5C_5C__3C___

B ___3A~~1___3A__3A__3___3A~5A_____3__________3~~~________________________

G#___________3B__________3B~5B_____3__3___3B__3~3B___~6__8_8__5B_5B__3B___

F#________________________________________3_______________________________

E ____________________________________3___________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ____________________________________3___________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#_____________________________________________use vibrato________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ___3C~~3___3__3~~~~3~~__________________________________________________

B _______________3~~~~~~_________15__17~17A__17A_15A_15A__13A~11A~10A_____

G#___3B~~~___3____3B~~~3_____~15__________________________________________

F#________________________13______________________________________________

E ___________________________________17~~~~__17__15__15___13F~11F~10______

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ___________3____________________________________________________________

*BELOW: I like to use a forward bar slant here, which is what I think Lloyd uses below,

but am not sure. Use what sounds good to you.

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E _______________________15___13F~11F__11F~10~10~~8~8~~6F~5___6F__________

B ___11A~11A_____________15A__13A~11A__11~~10~10A~8~8A~6A~5A__6A__15______

G#____________15~~15B_________________________________________6___________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E __*11F~10___15E~15E_____________________________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ____________15~~15A_____________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#____*~16~15~15LL___________________11~10~10LL______10LL~10~~10~10LL~8LL_

G#___________________________________________________10~~~10B~10~10~~~8~~_

E __15~~~~~~~~~~~~___15~~~~~15__12________________________________________

B ___________________15~15A~15__12A_____________10________________________

G#___*bar slan_______________________11~10B~~~__10B_______________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#______10________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#_________________8_8__9_9~10____________________________________________

E _________10__10_________________________________________________________

B ___8_____________8_8__9_9~10__3____________________________3____________

G#_________10_____________________~5B~3B~3~3B~3____3__3__3B__3_____~15____

F#______________________________________________3________3______13________

E _________________8_8__9_9~10_____________________3__3______3____________

D _________10_____________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________3~~~~~~_________________

D#__________________________________________________________3~~4~3~~3LL___

G#__________________________________________________________3B~4~3B~~~~___

E __________________________________________________3~3C~3________________

B __15A~16A~15A__13A~11A~10A__8A~10A_10A~11A______________________________

G#____________________________________________8___________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E _______________13~~11F~10___8~~10__10~~11F__8___________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ____________________________________________8___________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#____________________________________________3~~4~5L__5L~6__3~~3LL_______

G#_____________3_______________________________________5~~6__3B~~~________

E _____________3____________8_8__5~5C~~3C~~3______________________________

B ___3A~5A__3_____3~~~_________________________________5A___________3A____

G#___3B~5B__3_____3~3B__~6__8_8__5B~~~~3B~~~__3B~3~5B__5B___________3B____

F#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#___3~~4__4~3~~3LL_______________________________________________________

G#___3B~4__4~3B~3_________________________________________________________

E _______________________________________________8_8__5~~5C_5C__3C_3C~3___

B ___________________3A~5A~3A~5A~3_________3~3B___________________________

G#___________________3B~5B~3B~3B~3__3__3B__3~~________5B~~~_5B__3B_3B~3___

F#_____________________________________3__________________________________

E __________________________________3_____________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ___3~~~___~11F~~10~~~6F~~3_________3~~~~~_______________________________

B __________~11A~~10A~~6A~~3A_____________________________________________

G#___3~3B_________________________3~~~~~~~~_______________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E _______________________________3~~~~~~~~~_______________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ___3~3A_______________________3~~~~~~~~~~_______________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

D#________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

G#________________________________________________________________________

F#________________________________________________________________________

E ________________________________________________________________________

D ________________________________________________________________________

B ________________________________________________________________________

LLOYD GREEN MASTERPIECE TABS COLLECTION

I'm an avid Lloyd Green fan and want to do what I can to help new steelers learn quickly. These tabs are invaluable. If you'd like to learn Lloyd Green's music style, then the most important thing to do is start listening to lots of Lloyd's Performances. Get the sounds into your brain. As time progresses, you'll discover the sounds on your steel guitar. You can't play it if you haven't heard it. Become familiar with the sounds. Like anything else in life, the more time that you spend with something, the more you will get out of it. My advice is to crank up your amplifier's volume so you can FEEL your music. That's very important to developing great tone. The best playing in the world is totally useless if the tone is not there. Hopefully, these tabs will help you by opening your perspective to new things on the steel guitar. The possibilities are only limited by your mind and desire to learn more. Also, I use a great program called MixCraft regularly to change the pitch in songs (so I can play in tune with the song), slow down riffs that I want to learn to play, or my own steel guitar recordings, et cetera. It's well worth the $89 for the basic version. God bless!

MAKING BELIEVE

SWEET MEMORIES

THE WHITE LIGHT

STORMS NEVER LAST

COLD, COLD, HEART - SUPER JAM 1995

VARIATIONS OF A THEME

ONE HAS MY NAME, THE OTHER HAS MY HEART

COLD, COLD, HEART - AN EVENING OF E9th

Lloyd Green Page

More Lloyd Green Tabbed Masterpieces

(Lloyd Green uses a standard E9th setup. The only exception is that he doesn't lower string 4 a half tone.
Instead he uses string 2. I designate lowering string 2 with either "LL" for a whole-tone drop, or "L" for a half-tone drop.)

Great E9th Pedal Steel Tabs
(Tabs for short amazing pieces from Farwell Party, Does Your Ring Hurt My Finger, Borrowed Angel,
Sweet Memories, Petals, Blue Bonnet Spring, Sleeping Beauty, et cetera)

Cool Things To Perform On E9th Pedal Steel (Lloyd style licks & more)