| Author |
Topic: when my Carter Starter arrives tom. I should.... |
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 9:11 am |
|
I play open tuning slide and some Dobro.
I just bought this steel guitar and a new bar for it.
Should I immediately buy a book or video? Or just mess around a little.
Is the Carter DVD any use?
Patiently awaiting.[This message was edited by Mike Thomas on 08 November 2006 at 10:19 AM.] [This message was edited by Mike Thomas on 08 November 2006 at 10:19 AM.] |
|
|
|
Alan Rudd
From:
Ardmore, Oklahoma
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 10:08 am
|
|
| I highly recommend the Bruce Bouton DVD. |
|
|
|
Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 10:34 am
|
|
I would first make a voodoo doll representing the Pedal Steel Guitar and stick some pins into it while you are in a dark room with some candles and incense burning and you are mumbling some words like "pick blocking, even temperment, Emmons, Green, Chalker", and such. That way the spirits might favor you and give you an edge over conquering such a beast.
This should be a ritual that every beginner pedal player does. |
|
|
|
Nathan Delacretaz
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 10:54 am
|
|
| Book a [minimum] 2-hour lesson with the nearest teacher (are you anywhere near Beaumier or McGann?). For me, seeing a human being work the crazy thing was essential. [This message was edited by Nathan Delacretaz on 08 November 2006 at 10:59 AM.] |
|
|
|
Jim Eaton
From:
Santa Susana, Ca
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 11:23 am
|
|
Get the Winnie Winston book, read it cover to cover!
JE:-)>
------------------
Emmons D10PP 8/4 -75'
Emmons SD-12PP 3/4
Zum SD-12 5/5 - 91'
75'Session 400
06 Nashville 1000
06'Nashville 112 x 2
w/Knob-Guard
|
|
|
|
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 11:35 am
|
|
Nathan
Are Beaumier or McGann in the Boston (or at least MAssachusetts) area? |
|
|
|
Alan Kendall
From:
Maury County Tennessee
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 11:37 am
|
|
Mike you can't go wrong with any of the Jeff Newman material.He starts off with the absolute fundamentals of the instrument,rather than just learning licks, and from there you can take it as far as you choose. The phone number is (704)543-6059 and Fran is a wonderful person to deal with.
Alan |
|
|
|
Nathan Delacretaz
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 11:41 am
|
|
McGann is a Berklee guy - think he taught or is teaching there? http://www.johnmcgann.com/
Beaumier is in Northampton - dunno where that is exactly... http://www.playsteelguitar.com/
I spent a couple hours with 2 local pros in Austin (Herb Steiner and Ricky Davis) and it made a world of difference...
Best of luck,
Nathan[This message was edited by Nathan Delacretaz on 08 November 2006 at 11:44 AM.] |
|
|
|
David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 12:11 pm
|
|
Get some hands on help and one or more good basic instruction videos. After you learn some fundamentals, listen to some CDs with good backup steel of the style you want to learn. Play along with them and try to figure out and learn what they do. Forget the top pro virtuoso solo albums for awhile, except maybe for inspiration (which can backfire into deep depression). Get a good headphone setup. Prepare for your progress to be very slow for a long while. If you want it to go any faster, get rid of your friends, family, significant other, pets, demanding day job, other hobbies, middle class lifestyle (or ambitions for such), and sanity.  |
|
|
|
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 12:44 pm
|
|
Just like Dobro, I am primarily interested in learning country back up.
I don't play bluegrass on my Dobro for example. I do try and do all the Jimmy Rogers type fills.
Same goes with Pedal Steel if that makes any difference how I approach this.
|
|
|
|
Joe Smith
From:
Charlotte, NC, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 1:00 pm
|
|
Mike, I agree with Alan Kindell. go for the Jeff Newman course. It is one of the best courses out there for someone just starting out on pedal steel.
Best wishes, and enjoy that guitar.
Joe |
|
|
|
Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 1:18 pm
|
|
I expect that the Carter video would be useful. I double-dog second the Winnie Winston suggestion. And I can put you on to a teacher--a homeboy friend of mine--in the Newton area. Email me if you're interested.
Keep in mind that the Carter Starter is an E9 tuning and it is not really intended to be changed around. So if you want to take advantage of what it has to offer you will want to learn the fundamentals of the E9 setup. |
|
|
|
Jeremy Threlfall
From:
now in Western Australia
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 1:51 pm
|
|
Mike - The Carter Starter video is great - it covered everything I needed to know as a beginner to get me started. I bought the Bouton video before the Carter arrived - and it is good, too - but the Carter video was just as useful to me as a beginner.
When the Starter arrived in Tasmania here, I took it out of the box, clipped it together -(watched the video first, while I looked at it standing there) and then started to play the sucker - magic!
John Fabian's segment about chords for the guitar player was a really neat introduction to the thing.[This message was edited by Jeremy Threlfall on 08 November 2006 at 01:57 PM.] |
|
|
|
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 1:53 pm
|
|
Jon,
Newton is MUCH closer to me than Northhampton. Please email me the info.
Much appreciated! |
|
|
|
John McGann
From:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 2:31 pm
|
|
Beaumier- seasoned pro player and teacher, expert pedal steel player.
McGann- seasoned pro player but not on pedal steel. I have played as many pedal steel gigs as Doug usually plays in a week (ok, maybe a few weeks). I am still "developing" and am not in the same league as Doug!
I can show you which way your picks go on, and some technique basics- but I have been meaning to take the drive to Northampton and sit down with Doug myself! I know it would be worth the trip...Really, start at the top with Doug and you won't be sorry!
edit- Just saw Jon's post on the Newton connection, I don't know who that is nor am I trying to override that suggestion at all- I just know Doug is excellent!
------------------
http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...
[This message was edited by John McGann on 08 November 2006 at 02:55 PM.] |
|
|
|
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 2:56 pm
|
|
Thanks John,
Tell me a little about your Dobro teaching methods. I've taken some lessons from Lloyd Thayer but I have beenm too busy with guitar do to it lately. |
|
|
|
John Cisco
From:
Alexandria Virginia, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 3:29 pm
|
|
I got my Starter last Christmas. I made pedal steel noises and whale noises for a couple of months. The video that comes with is pretty good for a start, mine had Joe Wright on it. Then i knew I needed to start taking some lessons to go further. I found in a two hour lesson (with Mike Auldridge) I get enough to keep my mind and fingers occupied. The most important thing is that I found I needed to focus as much (or more) on technique as what notes or scales i was playing. Each lesson actually lasts me a few months of digestion.  |
|
|
|
Nathan Delacretaz
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 6:45 pm
|
|
| John McGann - didn't mean to overstep my bounds...I just had a clear memory of you being in MA and thus close to this fella. I'm a steel poseur coming out of the jazz/rock guitar world, so Berklee is a mental bookmark for me! |
|
|
|
Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 8:04 pm
|
|
John, thanks so much for your kind words! I appreciate it.
Mike, I’m in western Mass. (Northampton) about 20 minutes north of Springfield on I-91, about 2 hours from Boston. I’ve been teaching guitar and pedal steel at a large music store for 26 years, 4 days a week, 45 students a week. I’ve taught many PSG students who travel from CT and eastern MA every other week or every 3rd week for a lesson. If you’d like more details about lessons, click on the link above and send me an email. thanx
------------------
My Site - Instruction |
|
|
|
A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
|
Posted 8 Nov 2006 8:06 pm
|
|
| Mike any type of learning material is good, but get a teacher is what you need right now, this will speed up the proccess, you are investing in a good guitar now go the extra mile!Good Luck! |
|
|
|
David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
|
Posted 9 Nov 2006 4:05 am
|
|
My gut feeling is that John Mc. would get you going
and leave you with several weeks of basic work to do.
After digesting what John i am sure can show,
at that point a pilgramage to Doug out west would be a good move.
|
|
|
|
Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
|
Posted 9 Nov 2006 5:43 am
|
|
| If the DVD is John Fabian doing a breakdown on pedals and levers for guitar players, it's a great introduction. The video is somewhere on the Carter site. It's a quick start. |
|
|
|
Mike Thomas
From:
Massachusetts, USA
|
Posted 9 Nov 2006 6:27 am
|
|
| I was looking for that video on the Carter Site and could not find it. |
|
|
|
A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
|
Posted 9 Nov 2006 8:29 am
|
|
| Mike my carter video was vhs, I had to go over to my mom's she had a vhs player, it shows how to tune it up and talks about amplifiers, jeff newman is on it. |
|
|
|
Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
|
Posted 9 Nov 2006 6:11 pm
|
|
When my Carter Starter arrives, I should....
...put it back in the box, advertise it on eBay and buy a ShoBud.
But watch the video. It's the best thing in the box. |
|
|
|
