More Steel Licks

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Using The "C" Pedal To Make A Dominant 9th

Here's a quick lick using the "C" pedal to move from the V9 to the I chord in the key of C. The key to the lick is to roll your ankle to release the "C" pedal while holding down the "B" pedal.
Listen to the lick!


 1. _________________________________
 2. _________________________________
 3. _________________________________
 4. ___8C~8~~8L__________3___________
 5. ___8C~8~~8____8______3_____3~3A__
 6. ___8B~8B~8B___8B_____3_____3~3B__
 7. _________________________________
 8. ___________________________3_____
 9. _________________________________
10. _________________________________

Another lick at the same fret with the same idea. Roll your foot off the "C" pedal while keeping the "B" pedal engaged.
Listen to the lick!


 1. _________8__________________________
 2. ____________________________________
 3. ___8B~~____________8B_______________
 4. ___8C-8_____8-8L___8____~9C~8C-8____
 5. ___8C-8__________8______~9C~8C-8____
 6. ________________________~9B~8B-8____
 7. ____________________________________
 8. ____________________________________
 9. ____________________________________
10. ____________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Cool Brent Mason Type Lick

This is in the key of A. Although it is a short phrase, it
is a very useful one to know. Many
of Brent Mason's solos have some variation
of this phrase. One of the easiest ways to expand your
vocabulary on steel is to "steal" from
other instruments.
Listen to the lick!

1 _______________________________
2 _______________________________
3 _______________________________
4 __6L______6L______6L___________
5 _______________________________
6 ____6B-6____6B-6____6B-6_______
7 ________6_______6_______6______
8 _________________________6L____
9 _______________________________
10_______________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar Mixolydian Maddness

This is a nice and easy mixolydian (dominant 7th)
scale lick to take you from the 1 chord to the 4 chord in the key of G.
Listen to the lick!

1 _8_____________________________________
2 _______________________________________
3 _______________________________________
4 __8-8L____8L___________________________
5 ______8A____8A-8_____8_________________
6 ________________8B____8B-8___8B-8______
7 __________________________8______8_____
8 _______________________________________
9 _______________________________________
10_______________________________________ 



1 _________________
2 _________________
3 _________________
4 _________________
5 _________________
6 __8B-8___________
7 ______8___8______
8 _______8L__8_____
9 _________________
10_________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar Albert's Sound

This is a steel guitar lick in the
style of Albert Lee. Makes a great
way to start a solo. Break it down
and play it in three smooth phrases.
This one's in the key of "G".
Listen to the lick!

1    _________________________________________________
2    _________________________________________________
3    _________________________________________________
4    _________________________10__________________10__
5    __9a-8a-8__8___10-10a_______10a-10_____10-10a____
6    _________8__8_____________________10b____________
7    _________________________________________________
8    _________________________________________________
9    _________________________________________________
10   _________________________________________________


1    ________________________________________________
2    ______10(1/2stop)-10____________________________
3    ________________________________________________
4    ____________________10__________________________
5    _10a__________________10a-10____________________
6    _____________________________10b________________
7    _________________________________10-10(1/2stop)_
8    ________________________________________________
9    ________________________________________________
10   ________________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Roll and Rock

A new kind of pop music? No, just a little technique
to practice. This lick starts with a forward roll on
strings 4, 3 and 1 and then requires you to rock
your foot off of your C pedal while holding down the B pedal.
I really like the sound of the unison between string 4 with
the C pedal and string 1.
Listen to the lick!

1 _______12_______________________________
2 ________________________________________
3 ____12B_________________________________
4 __12C_________________12-12C____10C-10__
5 ___________12C-12_____12-12C____10C-10__
6 __________________12B___________10B-10__
7 ________________________________________
8 ________________________________________
9 ________________________________________
10________________________________________


1 ________________________________________
2 ________________________________________
3 ___12B__________________________________
4 ___12C_12C_____12C__11C-10C-10-10C__10~_
5 _______12C_____12C__11C-10C-10-10C__10~_
6 __________12B___________________________
7 ________________________________________
8 ________________________________________
9 ________________________________________
10________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar X-Pedal Pushers

Some very simple licks using the famous "X" pedal.
X lever lowers string 5 1/2 tone.

Lick 1 goes from 4 chord to 5 chord in the key of G.
Lick 2 is a fill over the 5 chord in the key of G.
Listen to the licks!




1 ___Lick 1__________Lick 2____________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _____________________________________________
4 ______8______________________________________
5 ____8___8--8X________10----8X________________
6 _____________________10----8_________________
7 _____________________________________________
8 _____________________10----8_________________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________

Lick 3 is a single note fill going from the 1 chord to the 4 chord in the key of G.

1 ___Lick 3____________________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _____________________________________________
4 _____________________________________________
5 __________8--8X______________________________
6 ________8_______8___8B--8____________________
7 ______8___________8_______8____8_____________
8 ___8L_______________________8L___8___________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________

Lick 4 is the "Honky Tonk" solo. Each 3 note group should be played as a triplet.

1 ___Lick 4____________________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _____________________________________________
4 _____________________________________________
5 ____7A___7A___7A___7A_____7AX__7AX__7AX__7AX_
6 __7B___7B___7B___7B_____7B___7B___7B___7B____
7 _7____7____7____7______7____7____7____7______
8 _____________________________________________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________

Lick 5 involves more triplets. This is an entire
breakdown style solo in the key of A. The solo goes
from the 1 chord to the 4 chord to the 5 chord. As
above each 3 note group is a triplet. Play this as
fast as humanly possible. Works well over the bridge
of "Orange Blossom Special".


1 __Lick 5  (1 chord)__________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 ______12B_____12B_____12B_____12B____________
4 ____12______12______12______12_______________
5 _12A_____________12A_________________________
6 _________12B_____________12B_________________
7 _____________________________________________
8 _____________________________________________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________ 
 

1 __Lick 5 (4 chord)___________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _______12B_____12B______12B_______12B________
4 _____12______12_______12______12AX___________
5 _12AX_____________12AX_______________________
6 __________12B______________12B_______________
7 _____________________________________________
8 _____________________________________________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________ 


1 ____Lick 5 (5 chord)_________________________
2 _____________________________________________
3 _____12______12______12______12______________
4 ___12______12______12______12________________
5 _12______________12__________________________
6 _________12______________12__________________
7 _____________________________________________
8 _____________________________________________
9 _____________________________________________
10_____________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Forward Rake

This little lick incorporates a forward rake instead of the usual reverse rake. I put a reverse (or normal) rake on the end so that you can practice both techniques. Brush your thumbpick forward over strings 6 and then 5 and immediately pull back and strike the string with your middle finger.
Listen To The Lick

E9th tuning

  |-FwrRake-|-FwrRake-|-FwrRake-|-FwrRake-|
1__________________________________________
2__________________________________________
3__________________________________________
4__________________________________________
5_____15_15____15A_15A____15_15___13_13____
6___15_______15B________15______13_________
7__________________________________________
8__________________________________________
9__________________________________________
10_________________________________________


   |-FwrRake-|             |-RevRake-|
1__________________________________________
2__________________________________________
3____________________________10B___________
4________________10____________10__________
5_____10_10-10A~____10A--10______10A-10____
6___10B____________________10B_________10B_
7__________________________________________
8__________________________________________
9__________________________________________
10_________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Be Lazy!

Many times I feel we steel players work way too hard. One of the things I like to do to avoid as much work as possible is to play the same lick over a series of chord changes. This little lick with the the b and c pedals is played over the 6m-4-5 in the key of G. Hard work may pay off in the end, but laziness gives one immediate results!
Listen To The Lick


E9th tuning

1_____________________________________________________
2_____________________________________________________
3_________10B-10__10~__________10B-10~________10B-10__
4__10-10C_10C-10__10~___10-10C_10C-10~_10-10C_10C-10__
5__10-10C_______________10-10C_________10-10C_________
6_____________________________________________________
7_____________________________________________________
8_____________________________________________________
9_____________________________________________________
10____________________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Latin Groove

Here's a lick in the key of "G" that has many uses. In the example, I played it over a Latin groove, but it works just as well as a fill or part of a solo on a country ballad.
Listen To The Lick

1 ___________________________________________________________________________ 2 _____________________10 1/2L_______________________________________________ 3 ___________________________________________________________________________ 4 ______________10___________________________________________________________ 5 _____________________________10A-10___________________________10___________ 6 ______________________________________10B_________________________10B______ 7 _________________________________________________10-10 1/2R________________ 8 ________10__________________________________10_____________________________ 9 ___________________________________________________________________________ 10 ___________________________________________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Sounds A Bit Like Dan

This lick is in the key of "A" and based very loosely on the style of guitar player Dan Huff. It's a great way to get your fingers flyin'. Pick the 5th string with your thumb and then use your thumb again on the 4th string followed by your middle finger. Good luck!
Listen To The Lick

E9th tuning 1 __________________________________________ 2 __________________________________________ 3 __________________________________________ 4 _____10L_10L_____10_10_____12_12__________ 5 __10_________10A_______-12A_____12A-12____ 6 _______________________________________12B 7 __________________________________________ 8 __________________________________________ 9 __________________________________________ 10 __________________________________________

1 __________________________________________ 2 __________________________________________ 3 __________________________________________ 4 _____12_12___14_14____15_15___17_17_______ 5 __12A______14______15A______17____________ 6 __________________________________________ 7 __________________________________________ 8 __________________________________________ 9 __________________________________________ 10 __________________________________________

1 __________________________________________ 2 __________________________________________ 3 __________________________________________ 4 ______17_17_17____________________________ 5 ___17A________17A--17_____________________ 6 __________________________________________ 7 __________________________________________ 8 __________________________________________ 9 __________________________________________ 10 __________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Old Dog, New Tricks

Here's a different way to play a standard type intro. This one's in the key of "A".
Listen To The Lick

2    _______________________________________________
3    _______________________________________________
4    _______10L-10____11C-10C-10___12_______________
5    __________ 10____11C-10C-10___12-12A____12A____
6    __10____________________________________12B____
7    _______________________________________________

2    ________________________________________________
3    ________________________________________________
4    _________________12_____12F_____15F____18F__17__
5    __10_____________12_____12______15_____18___17__
6    __10B-10______12______12______15_____18_________
7    _________10_____________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Chicken For Dinner

A little bit of chicken pickin' using the 7th string raise.
Listen To The Lick

E9th tuning  Lever R raises 7th string 1/2 step

1___________________________________________
2___________________________________________
3___________________________________________
4__________10_10____________________________
5__10-10A________10A-10______10_____________
6__________________________10__10___________
7________________________________10R-10_____
8_______________________________________10__
9___________________________________________
10__________________________________________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Funky Soul Food

Here's a vamp with some soul in it. Works great if the band breaks into "Mustang Sally". If one of the Isly brothers only played steel......
Listen To The Lick

E9th tuning.

1_____________________________________
2_____________________________________
3_____________________________________
4_________________________________3___
5__--8A--6A___________________--3A____
6__--8---6_____1-1B--1-1B_____________
7_____________________________________
8__--8---6_____1L--------_____________
9_____________________________________
10_____________1---------_____________

Zumsteel single-neck 12 string steel guitar

Move On Down The Line

Here are some licks that are normally played using the first string in combination with other strings. I've moved them to use the second string in combo with other strings. These are very simple, and yet kind of twist your ear a little.
Listen To The Lick

E9th tuning
Knee lever "L" lowers string 1/2 tone.

                                    
1 __________________  ______________  ______________
2 _________3L__3L___  ________3L____  ______10L--___
3 __________________  ______________  ______________
4 __3___3____3______  _3____3_______  ____10--______
5 ___3___3_______3__  ____3______3__  _10A--________
6 __________________  __3___________  _________ 10B_
7 __________________  ______________  ______________
8 __________________  ______________  ______________
9 __________________  ______________  ______________
10__________________  ______________  ______________

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