C6th course suggestions

[Detlef Webert]

I'm looking for a good and effective C6th course - intermediate/advance - to get deeper touch onto the neck. There are probably lots of them around in the web. So far I have a Jeff Newman and a Herby Wallace course. Both both them contain simply tabbed songs to play along without understanding what's actually going on and what I'm doing.
Is there something on the market what it's worth to buy and where one learns how it works?
Any recommendation is appreciated.

[Al Evans]

I'm looking for a good and effective C6th course - intermediate/advance - to get deeper touch onto the neck. There are probably lots of them around in the web. So far I have a Jeff Newman and a Herby Wallace course. Both both them contain simply tabbed songs to play along without understanding what's actually going on and what I'm doing.
Is there something on the market what it's worth to buy and where one learns how it works?
Any recommendation is appreciated.

I've been enjoying Buddy Emmons' "Basic C6th" course, which I got from Jim Palenscar at
https://steelguitars.me/

It lays out a simple but complete schema for understanding the C6th neck, and has plenty of examples that are fun to play.

Naturally, Buddy Emmons knows a thing or two about the C6th neck....

--Al Evans

[Tom Spaulding]

Paul Franklin has two $99, 12-month access courses that teach how the C6th tuning works and how he approaches it. Details, complete syllabus and sample videos at the links below.

C6 Essentials

C6 Toolbox

“Studying with Paul Franklin is a rare chance to study with a pro master of our instrument. If you're planning to make a career from playing, look at it as a great investment in developing your knowledge and skills.”

“The C6 Essentials course really opened my eyes to a lot of stuff. Paul has always been a great teacher."

“This course has done wonders for me. I have been playing for years but didn’t really know the
instrument. I highly recommend it."

[John Poston]

If you're at a higher level and looking for deeper insight into the tuning, you might be best served just getting a Fake/Real book and start working on tunes.

Pick a song that you're already pretty melodically familiar with. Figure out comping chords at a couple different fret positions and try to find cool ways to move chords without a lot of bar movement, or focusing on voice leading type of stuff.

Then try to figure out how to play the melody line mostly chordally, using levers to grab passing notes and doing single note stuff where necessary.

I really liked newman's c6 and swinging and the Paul Franklin course has some pretty nice eye opening stuff. But the things I've learned from doing the above have probably stayed with me the most.

[Detlef Webert]

@ Al: I will send an email to Jim, asking for the course of Buddy Emmons.
thanks !

@ Tom: I'm aware of the courses and would like to get a bit more info from you guys.
Did you do both of the courses from Paul and how quickly did you went thru them. What is the essential course about? Does it start from scratch and how far does it go in direction to intermediate/advance. Where does the C6th toolbox start and what it's content?
Many thanks !

[Bill C. Buntin]

I can't say enough good about Buddy's basic C6. To me, it IS the definitive "meat and potatoes " for most C6 work. Buddy's logical approach is top notch.

I had to take care with this. In that course Buddy freely admits to having his "pet" things about C6. He defines those very well. And in really theoretically looking at C6 this way, one sees clearly why Buddy's self admitted "pet positions" jump out.

The course caused me to develop a C6 second nature just like most of us developed second nature on E9 work.

After really digesting Buddy's course, I finally could play C6 "relaxed" and confident.

It will bring out the best in my opinion.

[Al Evans]

@ Tom: I'm aware of the courses and would like to get a bit more info from you guys.
Did you do both of the courses from Paul and how quickly did you went thru them. What is the essential course about? Does it start from scratch and how far does it go in direction to intermediate/advance. Where does the C6th toolbox start and what it's content?
Many thanks !

I should mention that I am a member of the Paul Franklin Method, have been almost since the beginning, and will continue to re-enlist as long as I play pedal steel. Paul's C6th lessons are amazing, deep, and thought-provoking -- for example, there's a set of "big band turnarounds" in there that I'm still marveling over every time I play them. I'd say they contain far more "intermediate/advanced" material. But I've picked up some "basic" things from the Buddy Emmons material -- e.g., "pedal 5 moves the key center down two frets" -- that I hadn't gotten before.

--Al Evans

[John Poston]

You can go to the Paul Franklin course links and you can see the list of topics covered, that should help you decide whether or not you want to start with the more basic course or jump ahead, though I think there are always hidden gems in the beginner lessons even for long time players.

My experience with the PF courses, although I may have less time to practice than some, is that you could probably take one individual lesson/topic and really work it for a month. You are given the basic tools to understand a concept/progression/approach but then it's really up to you to take that new understanding and woodshed. The lessons are pretty deep.

[Detlef Webert]

@ Bill: is that the course which Al mentioned before ?

I had a look to Paul's web page and both the courses sound very promising. It probably best to start with the basic one and later continue with the tools.

@ All: thanks for the constructive feedback!

[Tom Spaulding]

Detlef-

I haven’t taken either course, I’m with the company that puts them out with Paul. That said, the advice of going to the website, looking at what is covered on each course, and deciding which course fits where you’re at is perfect.

[Detlef Webert]

Hi Tom,

I've been there already; both of them sound quite interesting. Finally its a question of money to spend. I have to think for a few more days.
Thanks !