His idea was to have her do this thing with Civil Wars where they sang together. [Laughs] Yes, but Im used to being intimidated by people in the music business. T Bone wasnt even there to tell me it was good. It can help with memorizing note names/positions, locating pockets, learningkey signatures, and more. Rather, it is usually tuned to an open chord, often an extended chord like a 6th, 7th, or 9th. I actually didnt think much about a career. This is an invaluable ability for sessions, where the musician often has to hear and learn the music on the spot for the recording. Classic country shuffle styles for Band-in-a-Box, by BIAB guru Jim Baron. Another year went by, and one day I got a text. I was usually to shy to go up and talk to anybody about it, but I just kind of absorbed the music. I got to be there and play with three of my idols. Pedal Steel Guitar: Why Its So Hard To Play, Pedal Steel Guitar WEIGHT (Lighter vs. Especially the solo on "Pony". Why am I going there? I had no idea. If you take a look at the music recorded in the last 30 years, theres a good chance youll come across the name Greg Leisz. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. She got treated a little rough in the press in the reviews. Thats one of my favorite Lucinda Williams songs. I am a huge fan of Greg's playing, and had the pleasure of meeting him after the show. In 1989, he played on k.d. He decided he wanted to have that instrument in that particular band for that tour. He met Jack Tempchin. As far as lately the latest Luncinda Williams has him on steel and guitar. I really liked working with her. They were amazing. When I heard electric guitar on records, I wanted to play that. Utilize the major scale on common positions of the fretboard using foot pedals. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Leisz has an amazing ability to generate sounds that the pedal steel isnt usually associated with. Youve been really busy recently. And then I went, Holy shit. I texted back to see if it was real. Time and time again, Leisz shows that his ear is always adept to the present musical situation he finds himself in, creating in the moment. And then I was like, Wow, I can actually play this stuff. Im pretty proud of that. The earliest Hawaiian lap steel tuning was open A low bass, E-A-E-A-C-E. Today, most open tunings for lap steel guitar fall into 3 primary categories: I saw her on Saturday Night Live. A detailed look at one of the most challenging and mysterious aspects of steel guitar playing: the right hand An In-Depth Guide to Picking and Blocking How to Efficiently and Accurately Play Notes on Steel Guitar with Info, Advice, and Tips Great for Pedal Steel, Lap Steel, and Console Steel Guitar I didnt play live with her. Once youre in that world, your ears become really open to hearing stuff. His heart gets taken out because its broken. He introduced Jules to Jack and vice versa. I already knew it and I came out of the Sixties and had a folkie background and could understand that stuff. But I love that song. And my experience with that is, a lot of people that Ive worked with, you think theyre going to be intimidating, but theyre so good at making you feel comfortable that you wind up singing that persons praises. I think I played the dobro. At least that's what David told me 25 years ago. Greg Leisz net worth is $800,000 Greg Leisz Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Gregory Brian Leisz (pronounced "Lease") (born September 18, 1949, Buffalo, New York, United States) is an American musician. I guess I feel very fortunate when I see that, but its just hard to believe theres so many. They tweaked it here and there and made that the track. But Dylan called up Dave Alvin and asked him to be the opening act. February 21, 2023. Oh, man can Greg play the steel! I can teach myself.. It was pretty terrifying. Pearl Jam have played that song countless times. The first couple minutes of this track display how well these two musicians can create soundscapes within songs. The pedal steel can be so atmospheric, and Leisz provides the perfect blend for the listener. It really wasnt like I saw the Beatles on TV and said, I want to be like them. I never really did that. We want to hear it. your profile | join | preferences | help | search. Or does he switch necks often? Tunings The Lap steel guitar is not tuned in standard guitar tuning ( E-A-D-G-B-E, low to high). Leisz has such a great melodic sense, and this song has it on full display. I didnt have one and said Id like to play it. Playpedalsteel.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'playpedalsteel_com-large-leaderboard-1','ezslot_12',176,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-playpedalsteel_com-large-leaderboard-1-0');report this ad, E9 Pedal Steel: Chord Charts for A, B, & E Minor Chords, The 6 Best Ways To Use Compressors: TIPS & Tricks, Pedal Steel on Todays Music Scene: A Hidden Gem, 9 Best Pedal Steel Guitars (That Sound AMAZING). I was able to play a lot of different kinds of music. The same thing happened when I heard pedal steel on records that I listened to. Put your index finger on top of the bar, which helps you guide and control it. Tell me about playing on Bruce Springsteens Wrecking Ball. Youre on Youve Got It and We Are Alive. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Editors picks The experience was great. Does he mostly play E9? While he was mixing, he had a conversation with her and she said, Theres a song in there called Right in Time. When we recorded it, I wanted to have a 12-string guitar go through the whole song, but they talked me out of it.. As well as Ryan Adams "Ashes & Fire", he is on a few tracks. That was the first thing I did with her. I dont think the label was very confident. It didnt say who it was from. Going back here, can you talk about playing with the Smashing Pumpkins on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness? I spent a lot of hours in country bars learning how to play, but my musical background has always been very wide. Greg's toured or recorded with Dave Alvin . Click HERE to hear me play Moon of Manakoora recorded on the D9th lap steel tuning, which is nothing more than dropping the 4th string on your C6th from a G note to an F#. I hadnt met Beck before that. I was listening to Jeff Beck and going, Shit, what is that? I was learning to play guitar while he was playing Bob Dylan songs. I had met Victoria before that. I was doing Gloria or something. A detailed look at one of the most challenging and mysterious aspects of steel guitar playing: the right hand, 200 Country Riffs & Licks for E9 Pedal Steel, Add these country licks to your playing repertoire, The Elixir of E9 Pedal Steel: Harmonized 6thsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'playpedalsteel_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_6',177,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-playpedalsteel_com-medrectangle-1-0');report this ad, Stay up to date on articles, tabs, and more, The pedal steel is much easier than it seems if you approach it with certain essentials in mind. 148 South Cloverdale Blvd. How Do the Pedals and Knee Levers Work on a Pedal Steel? He toured in 2013 as a member of Eric Clapton's band, in 2015 as a member of Jackson Browne's band, and again in 2017. This page contains affiliate links. This would encompass all the work he does with T-Bone, and likely the Bon Iver and other indie records he's doing these days. I didnt really like service jobs. What they did was amazing. This is going back to her second album. She was very focused, so it was great working with her. Just interested in his equipment and tunnings. That was great, for me. Help This track has such a sweet groove to it, and Leisz adds just the right ambience to float with it. Were all surgeons, the guys in the band. "A lot of people that I've worked with, you think they're going to be intimidating, but they're so good at making you feel comfortable," says Greg Leisz. She was unhappy with her producer and had lost her guitar player because I think it was her boyfriend and they had broken up. She decided she wanted to go play some live shows. In 1987, Leisz began working with Dave Alvin (formerly of The Blasters). What sort of career did you see yourself pursuing? I basically was just playing music with my friends. While Frisells guitar playing is unique and bends genres in its own right, Leisz complements this so well. Its crazy. I played a lot of different kinds of guitars on that record. lang, Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Cockburn, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole, and the Venturesto name a few. As an Amazon Associate Playpedalsteel.com earns from qualifying purchases. We got a record deal because of Jack Tempchins past of writing songs for the Eagles on their early records. And Id save money from doing that and come back to California with several thousand dollars, which is a lot of money for fighting fires. ------------------Brad's Page of Steel A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars, Too bad I procrastinated for more than 20 years. It sets the tone for the rest of the track, seguing smoothly into Alison Krausss vocals. All recordings used a Boss RV-5 set on hall reverb, a Fender black face Vibro-Champ amp and a Shure SM-57 mic. He had Flood and the other producer [Alan Moulder]. Gretsch Custom Shop Tour. These lap steel tabs and songs were played on an 8 string Excel Jerry Byrd frypan lap steel. He was still married to her at that time. How has your pandemic year gone? That was fun since I had done all these albums with Dave in the preceding years. Hed been with her for a pretty long time. I asked her if she had any ideas for the song when we started. Any kind of musical style or production can probably be enhanced one way or another with a touch of Leiszs pedal steel, and this track is no exception. They were all getting more into roots music. Girlfriend is a classic My absolute favorite steel player. I had seen her play live when she opened for Sarah McLachlan in Los Angeles. There was a lot of music I couldnt really understand. Her original version was more what she was doing at the time. If someone asked me for my phone number, Id gladly give it to them and write it on a piece of paper. That happens a lot of the time. Leisz is no stranger to rock n' roll, and always has the ability to add grit and bite to songs. It was the sound of it. It was the same thing that drew me to the electric guitar. With good reason -- the man's resum is daunting, boasting spots with Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Peter Case, Paul Westerberg, Me'Shell NdegeOcello, Victoria Williams, Joe Cocker, Dave Alvin, k.d. Heavier Models), Parts & Hardware (Where to Find, Details, Info), How To Open Up the E9 Tuning (for Pedal Steel), The Chord Guide for E9 Pedal Steel Guitar, The Art of Right Hand Technique (for Steel Guitar), The Elixir of E9 Pedal Steel: Harmonized 6ths, 7 Best Pedal Steel Albums (That You Must Hear), Backing Tracks (Where To Find, Info, Types), 7 Songs Featuring Greg Leisz On Pedal Steel, Buddy Emmons Characteristics: How They Can Improve your Playing, Recording & Mixing the Pedal Steel Guitar, Pedal Steel: 5 Best Ways to Use a Compressor Pedal, The 6 Best Ways To Use Compressors: TIPS & Tricks, How to Record Pedal Steel (and Capture its ALLURING Sound), C6 Fretboard Diagram Flat & Sharp Notes, Universal Tuning & Copedent for Pedal Steel, Pedal Steel Copedents (Info, Types, Details), Almost Every Chord Youll Ever Need for E9, Easily Utilize the Nashville Number System, All Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales, Modes, Major Scales, An In-Depth Guide to Picking and Blocking, How to Efficiently and Accurately Play Notes on Steel Guitar with, Great for Pedal Steel, Lap Steel, and Console Steel Guitar, Over 100 Pages with Graphics, Illustrations, & Practice Exercises, Great for Country, Alt-Country, & Honky-Tonk Styles. That band was really the brainchild of this guy named Richard Stekol, who was one third of the songwriting triumvirate of that band. You wouldnt think of Beck as an artist to employ pedal steel much, but when you hear the sonic space that Leisz fills within his music, its understandable why any musician would want to utilize him. Buddy Miller's "Majestic Silver Strings". For any of you that don't have the book from fellow Forumite Andy Volk entitled, http://www.myspace.com/video/lol/robert-plant-alison-krauss-killing-the-blues-with-lyrics/24448189, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxvTTRKvfEU, http://www.laweekly.com/2004-04-08/news/south-of-here/. Some of it is credited and other things arent properly credited since that thing was a mess in the latter stages of that record. Custom pedal steel t-shirts, mugs, posters, and moredesigned in Asheville, NC. My understanding is he uses a '66 bolt-on push/pull for most of his studio work. Hang down your head, Tom Dooley/Poor boy, youre bound to die. That was like, Wow. And when I started playing guitar, I knew those melodies from hearing them on the radio. It is in near mint condition and comes with a custom deluxe Cedar Creek hardshell case. Weve been doing live streaming shows from the Bay Area. He spent time at the Ashgrove, the Troubador, and clubs on the Sunset Strip . She wanted something focused on every song. T Bone actually had me come in and overdub. The idea that you were going to have to go to Vietnam and maybe kill people, it wasnt conducive to thinking about being a musician. I was shaking on my way to the studio. Im not going to try and edit what you do.. She wanted a wah-wah on this guitar part and something atmospheric elsewhere. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Greg Leisz plays a Weissenborn Style 2, Style 1, and teardrop model with an original metal tailpiece (anyone seen another?). Greg Leisz is a songwriter, sideman, and producer who pays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar. I didnt meet him. I wish I had been his best friend in high school. Although this track has Leisz on lap steel, I couldnt help but include it! I just liked the sound of the guitar and I wanted to do it. What happened in that time? Sometimes you just kind of go, Why did they pay me the money? Podcast 66: Greg Leisz on Buddy Emmons. I overdubbed on that. Getting paid for anything is always a pain in the neck. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Were going to try and match the sound and have you play the 12-string in the parts that arent there. If you look at the credits, it has two players playing 12-string on the song. Sometimes, for whatever reason, they just dont use it properly or they bury it in the mix. He tried to get a deal as a solo artist and he was told that he should get a band around him. I dont think Warner Bros. was particularly happy, but they allowed her to do it. The band got signed very quickly because there was already a songwriter that had a couple hit songs. He said, Im maybe going to go on tour next year. 190 views, 8 likes, 1 loves, 1 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Asher Guitars and Lap Steels: Ray Lamontagne live with Greg Leisz on his Asher Lap Steel. When I ordered my Williams, Bob Rudolph told me that he uses S-12 Extended E9th tuning. The Steel Guitar Forum I just got contacted. But I was playing in garage bands and he was doing folk music. I thought, Well, my names in there. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time She Ended Up Finding Herself. 8 bars over a 1:3m:4:5 chord sequence - bliss! I went in and played a couple of songs with him live in the studio with a full band. No matter who I play with, I try to integrate what Im doing with what Im hearing. I knew Lucinda from way back and had even worked stuff of hers that she ultimately shelved and then rerecorded. That was kind of a cool thing. With good reason -- the man's resum is daunting, boasting spots with Joni Mitchell, Sheryl Crow, Read Full Biography Overview Biography Discography Songs Credits Related Share on facebook twitter tumblr Credits Can you bring your 12-string over here to the studio? I guess because of that, Ive been fairly active. I havent been on a plane for about 14 months or something. They were like, Shes gone off the tracks, she fired her producer. I think they were surprised. He uses phosphor bronze light strings and tunes to open D (D A D F# A D). He felt it would be too many musicians and that it should be more stripped-down. Like what? Doyle said, Hes kind of interested , I met him and he was so immediately just a normal guy. Tell me about your friendship with him. He is one of my favorites. Leisz grew up in the garage band culture of mid-1960s Southern California. She also never really toured again after 1998. Check out these 7 songs that feature Leiszs fantastic pedal steel playing. We hadnt even learned many songs when we got our record deal, and Arista, Clive Davis, signed the band. His playing on this track sits well in the mix with a tone that hooks the listener. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. He is awesome. I heard this, and could not get that steel guitar sound out of my head. Yeah. Its got a great honky-tonk sound, and Leisz shows how at home he feels playing pedal steel in a more traditional context too. I was like, Thats an unusual thing, to play on two different Albums of the Year two years in a row. Not only that, the year that Daft Punk won, I played at the Grammys. Running on Empty was done on the A Rickenbacker. She was taking parts off and replacing them. We recorded that song with Don Heffington on drums and Greg Cohen on bass. It was an amazing experience. By the next year, the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. And they cut some stuff up. I played on something where she hadnt finished the lyrics yet. And then it became, Wow, I can make a little money. But I had all sorts of different day jobs the whole time. Having options for playing minor scales or modes in 6ths can be beneficial when playing in minor keys, over chord vamps, and over certain chords in a progression. If you have a certain kind of shy disposition, youre usually intimidated because you dont know what to say and you just hope the person that is intimidating wont be intimidating because of something that you say. Tabs that display the major scale harmonized in thirdscombine these with harmonized sixths, and single note runs for lots of playing possibilities. I have a credit.. Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support. Thats another very interesting one. Leiszs tone is crystal clear on this one, and is captivating. I knew that he played some steel -- I just didn't know that he REALLY played steel. In the earlier stages of his career, Leisz played and toured often with k.d. It starts out sounding like a Neil Young song with just an acoustic guitar, but then it has some synths. It was just four or five hours. It wasnt the first band that wasnt successful that I was in, but it was the band that had the most attention focused on it, quite a bit in a very short time. All Rights reserved. But I spent a couple of summers working as a forest ranger in Idaho and fighting fires. Theyd stick it in their wallet and maybe theyd lose it, or maybe theyd write it down. But anyway, I actually had the experience of playing with him live in the studio. You dont meet the artists. Log in, Steel Guitar Forum LLCPO Box 237Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA. But I just overdubbed on it. Getting to all the great records hes played on would have resulted in an interview longer than Infinite Jest and the uncut edition of Stephen Kings The Stand combined. When I look at Discogs and AllMusic, I go, I forgot about this record and that record But for me, its the breadth of the stuff that Im most proud of, not necessarily the number.. Greg Leisz - lap steel guitar & electric guitar Gary Novak - drums Written by Mai Leisz & Greg Leisz Engineered by Kevin Smith Recorded at Groove Masters Studio in Santa Monica, CA Mixed by Alan Hertz Mastered by Joe Gastwirt. Almost all of the keys are provided. It was amazing to be onstage with him every night. It has really great songs, but it had some amazing pedal steel by Buddy Emmons. She was living in Nashville and he was in Los Angeles. Youre on the James Iha track Take Me Down. I started teaching myself how to play out of these folk-music books, which basically had songs by the Kingston Trio and Burl Ives, like On Top of Old Smokey., When I heard Tom Dooley by the Kingston Trio, that totally hit me. Oops, looks like you forgot something. Eric Clapton. This edition features pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz. Diagrams that display the major scale notes on the E9 fretboard. Its not just flavoring. Everything was recorded onto a Zoom R24 then ported to a PC for mastering using Reaper. But when we got to the song My Woman Got a Black Cat Bone, he featured me in the song the whole way. They had all these songs and they basically just let me play what I heard. Greg Leisz: Lap Steel Craig Schumacher: Synth Bass John Convertino: Drums, Thunder Drum Brian Lopez: Backing Vocal 3. I'm learning to appreciate and love the form but it's just not my natural habitat, musically speaking. I put it together myself from maybe a few takes. Right on Nate! Starting the early 1990s, he worked often with Matthew Sweet, played on Sweet's album Girlfriend and toured with him. You wouldnt know it was Daft Punk, but its got pedal steel all through it. I tended to gravitate towards jobs where I didnt have to be around a lot of people. It was just that Billy Corgan was allowing James to do one song on a double album. Lang, and Bob Weir and Wolf Bros. I dont know how to comprehend everything Ive done, he says. Diagrams that display the minor pentatonic scale notes on the E9 fretboard. Leisz grew up in the garage band culture of mid-1960s Southern California. your profile | join | preferences | help | search. 2022 Albums Milan (Deluxe) 2022 Appears On Cardboard Wallpaper (feat. I think I was working on another record at the time, a Jakob Dylan record. John Bohlinger. One lesson that will aid your set of lap steel guitar lessons nicely is this one from your friends at the National Guitar Academy: Slide Guitar Tuning: The Essential Guide. Once I got to the point where I could hang out in bars, I used to go to country bars. The early Eighties must have been rough then. There was a Judy Collins album called Who Knows Where the Time Goes. One of Bill Frisells favorite musicians to work with, Greg has such a characteristic style of playing and it always shines with Frisell. I hope I didn't make a fool of myself. He said, OK, Im going to do a Hop Wilson song where I can feature you. That was a big deal for me since when we actually did go on tour, I just played utility. Apparently, she had already worked on the song. Victoria played guitar and I played pedal steel on it. That was a really interesting thing too. Anyway, it was great for me. Terry . I found out the day before the Super Bowl. The first note of the solo slides up to the 12th fret. Ive been very fortunate since all my friends and family have remained healthy and fine. Victoria had already gotten a deal and made a record in New York. We just did a video of whats going to be his next single. gretsch. They just had me improvise on it. Youre on Becks song Sissyneck from Odelay. I basically felt like I had to hone my own skills. Enjoy weekend savings on Fender, Gretsch, and more. Being a mailman was great because you had a car and you drove around and delivered mail. Leisz has played on countless recording sessions over the years, and a look through his credits will astound any music fan. Theres one song where you can really hear how its cut up and moved in the track. When he was working on it, I got brought in. I cant really believe it myself. Leisz is playing subtly, yet the sound he creates enhances the track nicely. Note chart for the C6 pedal steel neck. Up until that time, it seemed like there was always some kind of a studio you worked in. Manage Settings I never even listened to the Dead. Private Messages It was really close in time to after her record came out. In the late Sixties when a lot of people were listening to harder rock, Led Zeppelin and things, I was listening to Jimmie Rodgers, old country music like Hank Williams, bluegrass music, and I was learning how to play that music, and I was learning with other musicians that were kind of turned on to that. In a successful session and side-man career that's spanned over 40 years, the diversity of music Greg's played on is pretty incredible. Leisz enjoyed collaborating with her for nearly twenty years straight, and this musical dynamic is always worth listening to. It kicks off that album and its beautiful. (He's a really good guitar player.) Hundreds of pages of practice, instruction, and reference materials for E9 pedal steel. I overdubbed all those parts. I'm pretty new to the world of steel but I'm completely captivated by the subtle detail work Greg Leisz does on 'Bon Iver, Bon Iver.'. She seems sweet. It was Steve Gadd and [organist] Walt Richmond and Doyle and Eric. Maybe we can have that guy in the band. What I remember is that was right around the time she was diagnosed with MS. Maybe it was after. Youre on Safe and Sound with Taylor Swift and Civil Wars. Those threads can have a huge impact on your musical journey. This track is beautiful and Leiszs pedal steel comes in almost right away. This would encompass all the work he does with T-Bone, and likely the Bon Iver and other indie records he's doing these days. Steel guitarist Greg Leisz, who first made his name playing on Americana records from Dave Alvin, Lucinda Williams and Bonnie Raitt, has more recently been playing on progressive-jazz albums. And after the Steve Earle sessions, he signed off, but she didnt think it was finished. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. We had a laugh about that. Read More. Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support. Playpedalsteel.com also participates in affiliate programs with CJ, PartnerStack, and other sites.