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Topic: 10 days in the woodshed - Need advice |
Jim Hussey
From:
Reno, Nevada - USA
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Posted 9 Nov 2005 6:30 pm |
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So what instructional materials would you recommend if you were new to lap steel and had 10 uninterrupted days to spend in the woodshed?
Here’s the deal. I hate to cruise but we won a 10 day cruise, so me and my wife are leaving Dec 1. I have 10 days by the pool and I have a:
6 string Fender Champ tuned to C6
Korg Pandora PX3 (and lots of batteries)
Headphones
Portable DVD / CD player
Laptop with BIAB
I have a little time behind a PSG, but that’s too big to haul onto a cruise ship. I have a beginners look into theory and I really want to learn, so what would you recommend?
Thanks
Jim
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 9 Nov 2005 6:52 pm
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Cruise with wife--yes.
Cruise with guitar--no wife---yes.
Cruise with guitar AND wife---no way!
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 9 Nov 2005 6:59 pm
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| Quote: |
| so what would you recommend? |
Well, if you're cruising off the coast of Somalia, a Rueger 10/22 with a 20x scope....range of about a mile.....you can be pickin' steel guitar & pickin' off pirates while you're laying out.... 
The Cindy Cashdollar instruction for C6 is a good one, if you're into western swing. Even if you're intent on learning theory, you wouldn't go wrong having that with you.[This message was edited by HowardR on 09 November 2005 at 07:06 PM.] |
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Tom Olson
From:
Spokane, WA
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Posted 9 Nov 2005 9:53 pm
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| Quote: |
| Well, if you're cruising off the coast of Somalia, a Rueger 10/22 |
??
What would you do with a little pee-shooter like that?
What you need is one of those single-shot 50-cals, with plenty of ammo and a good scope. With that, you could simply knock the motor right off their little boat from about a mile away.  |
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Jim Hussey
From:
Reno, Nevada - USA
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Posted 10 Nov 2005 6:04 pm
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Recently came across an 1874 Sharps 44/70 is that big enough?
I'm not hung up on learning theory, but somewhere between learning licks and studying theory lies understanding what you play and why. That's what I'm looking for. |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 10 Nov 2005 7:20 pm
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| Suggestion - just tune your steel to A Major and enjoy!!! George |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 10 Nov 2005 7:25 pm
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Howard, I think your post is a great idea! I think there's a bunch of folks out here that would really enjoy a combo cruise (dining, dancing with the SO) and 'high-seas safari' (pickin' off bad guys from the poop deck!).
I'd prefer my .308 though...maybe even a belt fed.... 
------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 11 Nov 2005 4:56 am
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Mmmm... I kind of have to go with Bill Hatcher here....
It's romantic to think of a gently swaying boat, accompanied by the sweet sound of steel strings...
... unless my wife's idea of romantic is to spend time with me.
But if she prefers shuffleboard and the bar, what the heck?
(Those focused beam sonic blasters seem to be the current weapon of choice at sea.) |
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Gary Anwyl
From:
Palo Alto, CA
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Posted 11 Nov 2005 10:03 am
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Getting back to Jim's original request for recommendations, It's hard to give a recommendation without knowing what level he's at as a player. To play almost any instrument requires some mastery of technique and theory (by theory I mean simply knowing where the notes are on the fretboard and how groups of notes relate to one another). Both can be improved with regular practice. If you're much weaker in one area then you should concentrate on that area.
That said, I think the Cindy Cashdollar videos are a pretty good choice. She teaches some good picking exercises. If you have trouble playing those, you should spend 15 minutes a day practicing them. Start off by playing them slowly and cleanly, then gradually play them faster as you get better. She also covers some basic theory (e.g. showing how to harmonize things in thirds and sixths). You should spend time everyday playing harmonized scales until you can do it without having to think very hard about it. Plus she teaches some fun tunes. Learning tunes is a good way to practice both theory and technique.
Another recommendation might be DeWitt Scott's "Basic C6th Nonpedal Lap Steel Method". The book contains quite a few tunes at a variety of levels. It'll be good to have in case you work through the Cashdollar video quickly.
If you think you already have good technique and know your way around the fretboard you should work through Denny Turner's monster tome on playing modal scales on C6 lap steel. He has a lot of interesting ideas. Here's the main page: http://www.homestead.com/dennysguitars/modes7steel.html
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Rick Collins
From:
Claremont , CA USA
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Posted 11 Nov 2005 10:14 am
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| Quote: |
| 10 days in the woodshed - Need advice |
...did Google search; unable to find any cruiseliner with woodshed onboard. [This message was edited by Rick Collins on 11 November 2005 at 10:23 AM.] [This message was edited by Rick Collins on 11 November 2005 at 10:24 AM.] |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 11 Nov 2005 2:45 pm
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| I really like the 50 cal. idea, guitar or no guitar!! |
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Walter Jones
From:
Athens, Ohio USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2005 6:20 pm
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| Barrett 50 Cal. |
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Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2005 7:03 pm
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10 days in the woodshed? Get a good coach/teacher. The rate of improvement will be 10x or more.
My mentor from a while back (not a steel player) said:"you don't know what you don't know."
when learning, we all thru the same phases
1) Unconcious Incompetence
2) Conciously Incompetent
3) Conciously Competemt
4) Unconciously Competent
Maybe remember what it was like learning to drive a car? Most of us now are unconciously competent at operating an automobile.
Somewhere along the line we all had a good coach.
Ron. |
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Jim Hussey
From:
Reno, Nevada - USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2005 8:10 pm
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We have been married for 32 years now, so shuffleboard, a pedicure, a seat with a view in the lounge keeps her occupied and happy.
Using Ron’s scale of competence, I'd say I've been stuck at Consciously Incompetent for quite a while. So I have ordered the Cindy Cashdollar DVDs and am looking forward to some quality practice and perhaps a breakthrough to the next plateau.
Thanks
Jim
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Jim Hussey
From:
Reno, Nevada - USA
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Posted 12 Nov 2005 8:27 pm
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We have been married for 32 years now, so shuffleboard, a pedicure, a seat with a view in the lounge keeps her occupied and happy.
Using Ron’s scale of competence, I'd say I've been stuck at Consciously Incompetent for quite a while. So I have ordered the Cindy Cashdollar DVDs and am looking forward to some quality practice and perhaps a breakthrough to the next plateau.
Thanks
Jim
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