Pedal Steel substitute?

[maarkr]

I have a couple of country style cover songs that use a lap or pedal steel, and I don't even try to replicate the sound, so I was curious... do you have a synth sound, substitute or suggestion for something that u use on these songs????  I'm using just piano on this one... it's a hoot if you do any older non-rock songs.

 

[TIMKEYS]

 

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maarkr wrote:

 

 

I have a couple of country style cover songs that use a lap or pedal steel, and I don't even try to replicate the sound, so I was curious... do you have a synth sound, substitute or suggestion for something that u use on these songs????  I'm using just piano on this one... it's a hoot if you do any older non-rock songs.

 

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I play in a country style band.   Our lead guitar player just uses multiple string big ass string bends and his technique.   Its pretty convincing.   He will even thow in those steel sounding licks in jimmy buffet stuff to sym  Hawaiian style.   I would think that there are some guys who can do that on synth with pitchbend. 

I am glad we got a guy to cover that so I dont have to try on keys

[Etienne Rambert]

Roland synths the past ten years or so, have five dedicated knobs. Two of those knobs are for attack and release.

When I need a pedal steel sound (and I have a project coming up soon where I need one), I take an electric guitar patch; (a Surf or tremolo guitar works fine, or even a GM Jazz guitar works). Then I turn the attack knob counter-clockwise and I turn the release knob clockwise.

 

So I'm subtracting attack and adding release time. Try the attack to 10 o'clock. Release to 2 o'clock. Then I play hammer-on Floyd Cramer style chords. Flavor with reverb and whammy bar as needed. It works for me every time.

 

Those 5 dedicated knobs have made me a Roland fanboi. They're very handy.

[Kevin T]

Pedal steel bends 1 note in the a chord. You need poly pitch bend to do it right.even with volume pedal atack done right. Wrong tool let the guit cover or get a real steel. Look how long its taken for good B3 emulators

 

[pogo97]

I'm with Kevin T. You want to emulate a pedal steel, get a pedal steel.

(By the way, the pedals on a modern steel can have notes bending up or down 1 to 3 semitones and different notes in a chord change can change in different amounts and even directions. Even poly aftertouch can't do that for you. Believe me, I've tried.)

If, on the other hand, you want to fill the role of the pedal steel, then I'd suggest a Hammond. The most common role for pedal steel is pads and Hammond can cover that territory better than anything else that comes to mind. For the bendy lead stuff, give it to the guitar player.