learning non pedal steel

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

Moderator: Brad Bechtel

Post Reply
Leo Belval
Posts: 12
Joined: 9 Jan 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Vermont, USA

learning non pedal steel

Post by Leo Belval »

hi everyone

I just purchased my first lap steel to learn how to play.
not bad at 58 years old kinda slow
anyways i was wondering what the best tuning is it is a 6 string rogue.

Also where is the best place for instructional material.
just recieved georgeboards dvd not impressed
can anyone help an old vermonter
Mark Lynott
Posts: 85
Joined: 23 Jan 2007 2:42 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Contact:

Post by Mark Lynott »

What style/s of music would you be wanting to play? Any particular steel players or bands you like?
Leo Belval
Posts: 12
Joined: 9 Jan 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Vermont, USA

Post by Leo Belval »

i like country.
i cannot remember his name but he used to have what he called a talking steel guitar.

Most any country witha steel playing is good to me
Mark Lynott
Posts: 85
Joined: 23 Jan 2007 2:42 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Contact:

Post by Mark Lynott »

If I may suggest, use a C6 tuning, it's the same intervals for the top 6 strings as the higher-pitched 8 string E6 tuning Don Helms used with Hank Williams Sr.. Also seems to be the most popular tuning with the great Hawaiian-style players here on the SGF.

DeWitt "Scotty" Scott's excellent book (with CD) "Basic C6th Nonpedal Lap Steel Method" (Mel Bay) would be a fine place to start for a good grounding. Also helpful might be Cindy Cashdollar's "Learn to play Western Swing Steel Guitar" DVD (Homespun) and of course the Don Helms "Your Cheatin' Heart" song book/CD.
Leo Belval
Posts: 12
Joined: 9 Jan 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Vermont, USA

Post by Leo Belval »

thanks alot for the info.

I knew there were people on here that could help me.

I really don't know many steel players in vt but i am sure there are a bunch of them.

any help is appreciated

i will check the info you said
User avatar
Andy Sandoval
Posts: 5176
Joined: 22 Jul 2004 12:01 am
Location: Bakersfield, California, USA
Contact:

Post by Andy Sandoval »

I second Mark's suggested courses. You can't go wrong with any of those courses. The Cindy Cashdollar videos are played on an 8 string Fender Stringmaster but can easily be played on 6 string as well as the tuning is the same (C6).
User avatar
Rick Alexander
Posts: 3904
Joined: 12 Jun 2004 12:01 am
Location: Florida, USA, R.I.P.
Contact:

Post by Rick Alexander »

Hi Leo, welcome to the forum!

To learn the basic techniques of non-pedal Steel Guitar - STEEL GUITAR BASICS DVD

To learn to play 12 songs with 130 how-to videos on 4 DVDs, a backup tracks CD and chord charts included - PIECES OF STEEL

You can see and hear samples from these 2 courses on my YouTube channel - http://youtube.com/rickalexander47


Then there's
TUFF FUN TAB - 12 songs tabbed out by the Legendary Herb Remington - includes CD with 2 versions of each song, 1 with Herb playing Steel and one with the rhythm track.
Roger Shackelton
Posts: 3911
Joined: 18 Mar 1999 1:01 am
Location: MINNESOTA (deceased)

Post by Roger Shackelton »

Hello Leo,

Here is the address & phone number of the PSGA in New York state. They can be helpful to you.
I am sure some of their members also play lap steel guitar.

Contact by mail:

The Pedal Steel Guitar Association Inc.
P. O. Box 20248
Floral Park, NY 11002-0248

Telephone:
516-616-9214
Don Barnhardt
Posts: 461
Joined: 11 Jul 2005 12:01 am
Location: North Carolina, USA

Post by Don Barnhardt »

C6 is my favorite tuning but you may want to try A and E too. Those three tunings will probably cover 95% of anything you'll ever want to play.
Charles Davidson
Posts: 7549
Joined: 9 Jul 2005 12:01 am
Location: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Post by Charles Davidson »

Welcome Leo,from Alabama,happy picking,DYKBC.
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !
User avatar
Dean Gray
Posts: 135
Joined: 9 Nov 2007 1:42 pm
Location: New South Wales, Australia

Post by Dean Gray »

Welcome, Leo. C6 does seem to be the most popular place to start. I can highly recommend Rick Alexanders' learning materials - particularly the Steel Guitar basics DVD, lots of close ups of all the basic techniques you will need regardless of the tuning you end up using.

Also check out Ron Whitfields' site for detailed description of the fundamentals, as taught to him by the great Jerry Byrd.

All the best Leo, just be patient with yourself and you will be steelin' in no time!
The more I learn, the less I know!
Dean Salisbury
Posts: 260
Joined: 31 Oct 2007 6:44 am
Location: New York, USA

join the club Leo

Post by Dean Salisbury »

Well Leo, I just started myself at the age of 60! I've play guitar and piano for years. However, my mother at age 79 just sent me a month ago a national 6 stringer that she bought in 1954, she never learned how to play it and being she sent and gave it to me, guess I got to! I ordered Rick Alexander's matterial and GeorgeBoards material and being I got Georgeboards material first tunned to C6. However going through his material now for 3 or so weeks, I'm ready to change tuning to A6 and go through Ricks material. Both are very good! In the first week I had the major and minor chords down in C6. Very easy! cannot tell ya bout the A6 tuning yet but that will be next.


I'll also tell you that if you don't know tabs, start now and get to be able to read tabs a I am finding that most steel guitar players go by tabs. If you know nothing about tabs go to: http://www.zentao.com/guitar/tab/

or just do a search learning guitar tabs! that will get you several pages to look up and to learn. Very simple to learn the basics a little longer to be able to read and play

Dean from NY
I'm new and just learning - I know nothing!
User avatar
CrowBear Schmitt
Posts: 11624
Joined: 8 Apr 2000 12:01 am
Location: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
Contact:

Post by CrowBear Schmitt »

Welcome to this great forum Leo
it's better than the county jail & the chain gang here

in case yer into the blues, you could try an open E tuning

from High to Low
--string 1 : E
* string 2 : B that you can tune up to C# (6th tone)*
--string 3 : G# that you can tune down to G (minor)
* string 4 : E that you can tune down to D ( dom7)*
--string 5 : B
--string 6 : E

* i like to use both of these, tuned to them changes
Bill Hampton
Posts: 115
Joined: 27 Dec 2007 4:08 pm
Location: Colorado, USA

Post by Bill Hampton »

Hi Leo. As a fellow older beginner, I can identify with your remark about "kinda slow". I started on the dobro at age 50 about a year and a half ago -- with no previous musical experience and the learning seems painfully slow. It sure is gratifying when you actually get a new lick or phrase in a song though!

I really enjoy listening to Cindy Cashdollar play, but her teaching material moves too fast for an absolute beginner like me.

I found some great stuff from jaybuckey.com for the dobro but it's all in open G. He has alot of play along tracks in a lot of different tempo's.


I haven't seen the same kind of offerings for the steel anywhere -- the play along tracks all seem pretty fast.

Bill
User avatar
Roy Thomson
Posts: 4386
Joined: 4 Aug 1998 11:00 pm
Location: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

Post by Roy Thomson »

Hi Leo,

I just put some short video clips on
Youtube that deal with beginner
right and left hand positioning,
blocking etc. you may find helpful.

I do custom lessons for C6 lap steel via email
as my time permits. I also have some
C6 Tab book with 20 songs and matching
CD. Check my Web Page Re: ClicTab below.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=steelinroy

All the best.
Custom Tabs Various Tunings
Courses Lap Steel, Pedal Steel
Vern Wall
Posts: 101
Joined: 13 May 2005 12:01 am
Location: Arizona, USA

Post by Vern Wall »

Here is a link to 62 different tunings used in Hawaiian music. Experiment.

http://dancingcat.com/skbook-tableofcontents.php
User avatar
Terry Farmer
Posts: 530
Joined: 28 Jun 2002 12:01 am
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Post by Terry Farmer »

And here's another way to learn. I just signed up for Reece Anderson's no pedal lessons on this site. http://www.musictexasstyle.com/ They are beginner lessons so far, with more advanced installments coming in the future. I like Reece's approach to teaching. I'm 58 years old myself and decided to start learning my instrument from scratch all over again. I've been "noodling" for a few years and not really progressing. I see now that there are some essential basics that I didn't spend enough time on in the beginning. Mastering the basics before trying to learn a bunch of songs is the way to go. Good luck and have fun learning!
Leo Belval
Posts: 12
Joined: 9 Jan 2008 5:26 pm
Location: Vermont, USA

Post by Leo Belval »

I joined steel guitarforum probaly a couple of weeks ago and i have this to say.

If the amout of talent that is on here was measured in money there would be enough money to pay off the
national debt with money left over.

GREAT SITE LOVE THE RESPONSES AND ADVICE FROM EVERYONE

Leo
Billy Gilbert
Posts: 455
Joined: 19 Apr 2005 12:01 am
Location: Texas, USA

Learning lap steel

Post by Billy Gilbert »

You can't go wrong with learning materials from Rick
Alexander or Roy Thomson. Both have some great lessons. Rick's are mostly for A6, but if you use C6 with a 5 on top everything will transfer. You will just be in a different key. :) :) Billy
User avatar
David Simenson
Posts: 58
Joined: 12 Jan 2008 10:03 am
Location: Merced, California
Contact:

Hi from another new lap steel player

Post by David Simenson »

I'm in the same spot, Leo. I just bought my first lap steel a few weeks ago. I'm using the C6 tuning for 6-strings. I'm just a few years younger than you. I've written an arrangement of Wayfaring Stranger for C6. Check it out on my website at http://www.elite.net/mtc/steel.htm. I'm working on a gospel tune now. I'm joining a country band (we're still looking for a drummer).

Good Luck,

David Simenson
Larry Hillman
Posts: 46
Joined: 6 Mar 2007 2:15 pm
Location: New York, USA

just learning

Post by Larry Hillman »

used C6 tuning on my 8 string. A,C,E,G,A,C,E,G.
works for me. picked up a lot of CDs from this form.
helped a lot with backup.
Post Reply