How am I to approach lap steel/non-pedal steel playing?

Lincoln Goertzen · Post by **Lincoln Goertzen** » 20 Mar 2013 11:19 am

First, let me give the background to my question. I have played piano for most of my life, and guitar, dobro, and pedal steel for over 10 years. On each of these instruments, I was able to learn and understand the versatility and limitations that are inherent to the instrument and its tuning(s).

Very recently, I purchased an 8-string lap steel. My biggest reasons for doing so are so that I would have a good instrument to study so that I can build a 6-stringer for my little boys, and so that I can play steel without setting up my pedal steel. I would love to learn to play non-pedal well enough to be able to teach my children, so they can get a start while they are interested now, and not have to wait until they are tall enough to play my PSG.

I have been fascinated by the different tunings that I've looked at, including Tom Morrell's 10-string tuning. I can see that each tuning lends itself to certain chord shapes and styles of playing. I have started with G6th, EGBDEGBA, because it is similar to my dobro tuning and the intervals are the same as the top 8 strings on my C6th pedal steel neck.

Sorry for the long-winded introduction. I didn't think my question made any sense without that.

So, here is the question: I have been trying to work out arrangements of songs with three- and four-note chord melodies, the same as I have on guitar and pedal steel. What I find frustrating on lap steel is that I can play passages of several nice fat chords, and then I get stuck with either a 2-note chord, with or without a bar slant, and it sounds really empty to my ears.

Am I expecting too much of this instrument, or this tuning? Do I just need to learn to hunt for the chords better?

Is there a tuning in which there are more extended chords more readily available? (Maybe this is the reason for 3- and 4-neck consoles!)

Do I just need to build myself a 10- or 12- or 14-string lap steel and get a really long bar?

Jerome Hawkes · Post by **Jerome Hawkes** » 20 Mar 2013 12:50 pm

IMO - this is the newbie trap that most fall into (including me)...you cant have everything. for everything you gain by adding strings / compound tunings / more necks / heck, even pedals - you lose something in return. this is the most "zen-like" instrument i have ever taken up. believe me when i tell you 6 strings will cover 90% of what you need to play any chord melody if you have the skills.

what i'm going to say may sound "duh" but - if i can get a fat chord, i'll get it - if i can only get 3 notes...2 notes...only 1 melody note - i dont let that ruin a good arrangement by the fact i cant get ALL fat spread open chords in any inversion i want.

i think people just dont understand how to play/approach the steel guitar....you have to spend a while listening to the masters and hearing how they did things - there is usually a reason behind it that will only reveal itself after serious study of the instrument - you cant just try to play what you play on std guitar or piano - it has its own unique voice that has to be understood.

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 20 Mar 2013 1:31 pm

You might want to take advantage of a FREE website from which you will have the opportunity to learn a great deal......about the wide spectrum that is available to you on a six or seven string lap steel.

Visit the jerrybyrd-fanclub.com site........ and then select on the index Jerry's Music to listen to.

Until you master what you hear there, you will have an endless challenge to attempt to digest and develop into your own playing style.

GOOD LUCK to you~

Wayne D. Clark · Post by **Wayne D. Clark** » 20 Mar 2013 3:21 pm

well Lincoln, you have more back ground in music then most of us when we picked up our first lap steel.. Maybe you should just do a little doodlin, to hear what the insterment sounds like.
As for your children, keep it simple, I started on a Sears mid 30s acoustic with a nut to rais the strings. I'm not saying that is where your children sould start but let them play with the insterment, make sounds show them some simple combinations. That is just my openion.

Wayne

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 20 Mar 2013 5:07 pm

There are probably more than a couple of ways for you to go: you could go the Reece Anderson route and get a nice 12 string with Reece's tuning to get fatter chords.

Or, as has been suggested, try and learn the laps unique characteristics. Remember a trumpet doesn't play lush chords either, but that doesn't make it any less an expressive instrument. Spend some time and let it grow on you. It isn't a pedal steel or a dobro. It is it's own thing.

Chris Lucker · Post by **Chris Lucker** » 20 Mar 2013 11:10 pm

Ray offered a great suggestion. Listen to Jerry Byrd. Listen to Remington. Apply what you already know from piano. I wish I could play the way Ray Charles filled with the piano.

Tom Gray · Post by **Tom Gray** » 21 Mar 2013 6:13 am

Listen to the way Ray Charles sang. That's a college course in sliding from one note to another -- what this instrument is all about.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 21 Mar 2013 7:58 am

Are you playing solo or with a band/backing tracks or what?

For me, one of the biggest keys to making a steel guitar sound like a steel guitar is NOT playing 3 and 4 note chords as often as the fretboard allows. A significant majority of what you hear in steel guitar parts in songs, is just two notes - chord fragments, if you will. The particular interval chosen is what gives it a characteristic sound. The 6th intervals that are so prevalent in a lot of styles lose their mojo when you start cramming other notes between or outside them. Keep it more sparse from the onset, and then it won't sound as empty when you are FORCED to be sparse. Let the bass guitar, rhythm guitar, and whatever else fill in the rest of the chord parts that are missing.

Lincoln Goertzen · Post by **Lincoln Goertzen** » 22 Mar 2013 7:24 pm

Jerome- "i think people just dont understand how to play/approach the steel guitar": That is my point exactly. I came to the place where I figured I was expecting the wrong thing from this little unit.

Ray- Wow! Thank you so much for the great resource! All I have is "Admirable Byrd" and one other non-pedal steel player in my CD library. This is terrific!

Wayne- thank you for the thoughts and encouragement. My four-year-old asks several times a day to hold two things- the lap steel, and his 3-week-old sister.

I believe I will build him a short scale steel tuned to an open G like a dobro. I think it will be easier for him to figure out than the tuning I'm using on the 8-string.

Andy- Great point. I have been playing solo, which is the same thing I do with most of my other instruments. I really need to sit down close to my laptop or CD player and just play along with some tunes. Thanks for pointing that out. I have been listening to Jerry Byrd as mentioned above, but I seemed to hear a lot more going on than just two-note chords. Maybe I need to listen closer and work it out for myself- he may be implying things that I end up hearing.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I feel almost as though I'm starting at ground zero with this thing, but it is sure fun, and my wife loves it, so I have a lot to be thankful for.

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 23 Mar 2013 12:48 am

If you are digging the Jerry Byrd stuff, you should check out Don Helms' work with Hank Williams and others. The Hank stuff in particular is a masterclass in the instrument.

Some of his playing is tabbed out in this book and accompanying CD so you can hear exactly what he's doing...

http://www.amazon.com/Mel-Bay-presents- ... =don+helms

Jerry Byrd played on some of the Hank stuff but most of it was Don. Some of his best playing was on the "live" radio shows which are also available on CD.

The amazing thing about Don's playing is that he apparently only ever used the top 6 strings of his E13 neck (and didn't use bar slants) and therefore his stuff can be played for the most part on a 6 string steel in C6.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 23 Mar 2013 7:25 pm

Jeff Mead wrote:The amazing thing about Don's playing is that he apparently only ever used the top 6 strings of his E13 neck (and didn't use bar slants) and therefore his stuff can be played for the most part on a 6 string steel in C6.

I never heard that before. I've figured out a few DH songs, but never thought about it, I guess. Now I need to sit down and chug through some more to check that out. Cool!

Jeff Mead · Post by **Jeff Mead** » 23 Mar 2013 10:43 pm

Andy Henriksen wrote:
Jeff Mead wrote:The amazing thing about Don's playing is that he apparently only ever used the top 6 strings of his E13 neck (and didn't use bar slants) and therefore his stuff can be played for the most part on a 6 string steel in C6.
I never heard that before. I've figured out a few DH songs, but never thought about it, I guess. Now I need to sit down and chug through some more to check that out. Cool!

Apparently, he did use his other neck for a few fills but most of his playing and all the solos were as described. Certainly, this is true for all the ones I've worked out. I found a couple that were easier for me to play with the odd bar slant (e.g. the last note in the opening riff to "Hey, Good Looking") but that's rare.

Mike Ihde · Post by **Mike Ihde** » 24 Mar 2013 7:52 pm

Lincoln,
You might look into The Leavitt Tuning. It's for 6 stings, no slants and you can play 3,4 and 5 note voicings for every melody note like a pianist might approach it.
Go to my site and click other publications, then listen to some of the clips from my lap steel books. www.mikeihde.com

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How am I to approach lap steel/non-pedal steel playing?

How am I to approach lap steel/non-pedal steel playing?

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