Porkbelly Futures

(Stuart) The sound of our band has changed recently with the addition of pedal steel guitar on some tunes. Derived from the Hawaiian guitar, its most striking feature is the sustain of the notes, which never seem to die away. (The notes don’t even stop when you want them to, which is why I have a volume pedal under my right foot.) My steel guitar has ten strings, six of which are tuned to a major chord. Like its Hawaiian cousin, the pedal steel is played (in part) by sliding a steel bar up and down the strings, but a system of 4 foot pedals and 5 knee levers mechanically alter the tunings while you play, giving a much richer tonal palette. This system also means that the notes don't consistently appear in the same place. Middle C, for instance, appears in 4 different positions on the same string! Our instrument - named "Rosebud" by Paul, though some call her Rosie- was made in Penetanguishing, Ontario, by the remarkable Ed Fulawka. See the pedal steel guitar (and order Ed’s fantastic barbeque spices) HERE