O.K. I played trumpet, bass, drums, guitar, more or less in that order. Then after college I got an organ. Almost the day arrangers were invented, I got one.
I never used a sustain pedal on anything until a couple of years ago and there was a similar discussion on here. It made me think I was missing something.
I generally had one available in case I had a piano player that wanted to sit it in and play a couple of songs.
Anyway, I forced myself to start using one when I play piano rides, and sometimes Steel and Guitar, and I've found it does expand my tools. Like Donny and Gary, I don't use the piano sound as much as lots of you who came from piano backgrounds.
The only song that I turn off everything and play full piano notes is Happy Birthday.
I do use the pedal on Last Date, and when I take piano rides. My sustain pedal technique still pretty much sucks, but I'm getting better at it. Sometimes on slow nights, I use more piano and practice with the pedal to pass time. I also do stuff like never look at the keys, or make myself play in keys in which I'm not comfortable.
It all adds to our arsenal.
After many years of using a volume pedal I've just about replaced it with the sustain.
In the past few years, when playing Ketron or Roland, I've begun using a 6-button footswitch, controlling vocal harmony on/off, break/fill, and various other functions depending on what I need. The left foot goes to the three switches on the left, the right foot the ones on the right. I also use the sustain pedal with the right foot.
I try to make myself not look at any of the pedals.
Now I'm thinking I need to start using a volume pedal again, because you can do other neat things with it, such as change sounds by assigning one to full up and one to full down. I have assigned sax to up and guitar to down, and can easily play the lead and "answer" parts on Honky-Tonk without ever letting go of the keys. Another tool.
Listen, all this is a continuing learning experience. Although I never practice at home, working four to five hours every night gives you plenty of time to experiment.
All of this stuff is important, but not as important as showing up on time, playing stuff your audience wants to hear, and being a professional when it comes to handling your business. I don't drink when I work, ever. (By the way, neither does my doctor. I had one once that did, but he died from it.) If I had drunk all the drinks nice people wanted to buy me over the past 30 or so years, there is no double I would have a pickled liver and be long dead, or at least out of work. Again, there are many important factors that go into being an entertainer, particularly if your family wants to eat regularly.
DonM
_________________________
DonM
Previous Topic
Index