Arranging for Solo Lap Steel

[Ray Langley]

I am humbly seeking assistance in learning how to create solo arrangements for Lap Steel. Yeah, I’ve been told it’s NOT a “solo instrument”. And, I know there ain’t no four-string dominant 7th chords in C6th tuning, low to high: C-E-G-A-C-E. But, there are a few members here who are exploding that myth. Some of the folks I want to sound like are: Mike Neer, Bill Hatcher, Mike Idhe, Roy Thomson, Doug Beaumier, etc.

Doug’s arrangement of Irving Berlin’s “Always” is exquisite! I want to make quality arrangements like that one and share them with everyone, for free! I don’t want to be a slave to other people’s tabs forever.

Why has no one written the book, “How to Arrange Lap Steel from a Fakebook”? I want to play harmonized simple melodies without a band or backing track. I plan to add in the occasional bass run and a few “fills” for those times when you are holding a whole note for two measures.

Many of my favorite songs are not in any tab books that I know of. I want most to play:

Dream (When You’re Feeling Blue)
Dream a Little Dream of Me (Mama Cass)
True Love Ways (Buddy Holly)
Unchained Melody
Only You (Platters version)

Right now I am studying two-note harmonized major scales, with slants. In Excel, I made a large fretboard chart of the C Major Scale. I’ve learned the basic “grips” for Major, Minor, and Minor Seventh chords. I understand that when a chord changes, I can also use the notes of the chord to harmonize the melody. Where do I go from there?

If anyone would care to contact me privately, I respond to all PMs and email. If anyone can share even skeleton arrangements of any of the above tunes, I will be eternally grateful.

[Jim Williams]

I posted a similar question recently. Anyone who says the lap steel isn't a solo instrument has never heard any of those guys you mention play one! I hope nobody ever tells them its not a solo instrument.

Mine has to be a solo instrument because about 90 percent of the pickings I go to don't allow electric instruments other than a bass.

Do you have an ear to find the basic melody (single string?) If so you might want to look at some of the responses I got here: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=261694

There were several good suggestions.

Doug's arrangements are some of the best I've seen. Simple enough for us beginners but sound great. I have his first "25" book and plan to get the other one soon. I hope he does more.

Mike's web page is great. I've been playing about a year and I have been so impressed at how so many folks here who are masters of this instrument will go out of their way to help a beginner.

I'll be watching your topic and good luck.

[Stephen Abruzzo]

Don't know how much this will help you Ray, but some players here on the Forum take that Low C and raise it to C#; calling it C6/A7 tuning. So you have an A7 on the bottom 4 strings and an Am7 on the top 4 strings.

[Doug Beaumier]

Thanks guys for your kind comments. The short answer to the question of how to make solo arrangements for steel guitar from a fakebook... first of all, you need to know the chord positions, majors and minors, up and down the neck, and you need to study basic harmony, chord construction, scales and harmonized scales. It's a combination of playing by ear and knowing the theory. I try to combine the melody notes (in the fakebook) with the chords shown above the lead line... in other words, harmonize the melody with additional notes in the chord... whatever notes of the chord I can grab. Either on the same fret or with a slant. But to do that, you need to know what notes make up that chord and where those notes are on your fretboard. Some players can play completely by ear and don't need to know the theory. For most people it's a combination of Ear and theory.

[Ray Langley]

Thanks for all the support in such a short time!

Jim, I'm "almost" deaf and "almost" blind. I don't have an ear for music. I play several instruments in as many as six different tunings. I use an electronic tuner for each and every one. I learn from either piano sheet music or fakebook lead lines with chord symbols.

Stephen, I do retune the fat string to C# for some tunes.

Doug, special thanks to you. Fortunately, I do understand music theory and chord construction. I can't see well enough to play directly from a page. I have to re-enter everything in a software using a magnifying glass. Then, I make LARGE tab similar to yours. Unlike most tabs I have seen, my tabs show the exact accurate timing of each note, so I don't really need tab and the sheet music once an arrangement is finished. Fortunately, your tabs come with standard notation. Do you sell individual tabs for any of the tunes listed above?

[Doug Beaumier]

Ray, I don't have tab for the songs you asked about, sorry.

[John Botofte]

Arranging for C6 is really fun and though one's first attempts sound awful, one slowly figures out when to use full chords, sixths or thirds or single notes and in which pitch (ie where on the fretboard). John Ely's website is a great help too for finding chord locations. I learnt a lot from Doug's books. Now I am using his pedal steel guitar book and progressing much faster than by using beginner's books. But start with some basic songs in F or C. Lap steel is a great solo instrument with a touching sweet tune. I play a lot of Scandinavian folk stuff with lots of minor chords. Sounds better than on dobro, I think. So what if you cannot get a full 7th.

PS: I can send you basic versions of Only You and Unchained Melody later today. Just need to get home from work.

[Ray Langley]

Thanks John! I'll be waiting to hear from you. It's interesting that I found a 2 year post from you asking the same questions. And now, you are in a position to help someone else asking the same questions.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

I have a feeling that with everyone's input that I'm going to get really good at arranging tunes for lap steel.

[Ray Langley]

Inspired by your suggestions and advice, I now feel confident to jump in the deep end and have a go at arranging one of my top 10 favorite songs. One of the members of my Yahoo Lap Steel group sent me a transcription of “Dream a Little Dream of Me”. After a little research, I found the original right here on SGF in a post from 2009:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=158334

It’s in the key of F and has several reverse split slants. I think those are beyond my present and future abilities! The author of the above post did admit that he did this from memory. I dragged out the original piano sheet music and discovered many differences. I decided to arrange this tune in the key of G since I play armpit guitar mostly in Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D) and G6 (D-G-D-G-B-E) tunings. This is my first effort in my new life as the “Lone Arranger”.

I use a free music transcription software called “MusEdit”. It allows me to make tabs that show the exact correct timing for the notes, just like in standard notation. The files can also be saved as a png or a midi. I am attaching the first 8 measures for your perusal. Please let me know if I am on the right track or just wasting my time. Since the first 8 measures are repeated several times, I want to make sure that I have this part right before continuing with the rest of the song.

For others who are interested in learning to arrange YOUR favorite songs, here is my thinking process:

Measure one (and three) are similar to Mr. Cundell’s arrangement, except that the sheet music shows that it starts out with a melody half note instead of a quarter-note rest.

I used two-note sixths harmony on strings 2 and 5 in measure two.

In measure four, I harmonized with notes from the respective chords.

In measures five and six I opted for mostly single notes around the 12th fret.

In measured seven and eight, I used “standard” chord grips for the harmony.

Please, please, please help me to make this even better. I truly welcome all criticisms, both constructive and destructive.

[Jim Williams]

I strongly dislike reverse slants.

[Ray Langley]

Well, I finished arranging this one. I posted it in the tablature section here:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 30#2212830

Let me know if you have any tips on how to make it better.

[Stefan Robertson]

Just a note. Love the thread however Lap Steel Guitar steel has full chord accompaniment. Simply use more strings. At least 8 and you're there.

[Stefan Robertson]

You get m7b5, maj7, maj11/13, 6/7/11/13... And the list goes on and on and on. 3/4/5/6/7 note chords.

[Stefan Robertson]

Your problem is strings and tuning. The less string you have the less options.

[Ray Montee]

I'd quit worrying about chords, splits, slants, volume pedals, charts, and tabs.

Take simple songs at first. Pick slowly, RED RIVER VALLEY or something like it. Nothing fancy, just the basic tune. Do it with only one string when starting out. Ad the harmony notes in subsequent choruses.

I believe too much emphasis is commonly given to newer players which likely confuses many of them. I never practiced scales and still don't. I never worried about this note or that. Just discover how to play a single tune. Don't give up on it until you've got it down really good.

GOOD LUCK!

[Ray Langley]

Stefan, thanks for your comments. I know it is limiting but 6 strings is what I have. Using 3-string grips and harmonized scales is giving me most of what I need to play in a chord melody style.

Mr. Montee, I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say.... If I were 60 years younger, I might try something different. But, I've spent over half my life learning to read music. I was asking for suggestions on arranging songs in the chord melody style on lap steel. Here's a quote from Mike Neer's site:

"I know there are a lot of folks out there who are interested in learning about Music Theory but are either intimidated by it, don’t know where to start or just don’t get it. I can understand these feelings, but underneath there is a desire to learn. I believe you need to take advantage of the desire and try to learn as much about music as you possibly can–it will make you a better musician, I promise."