Learning the lap steel

Larry Venberg · Post by **Larry Venberg** » 20 Dec 2013 3:32 pm

Hi all,

I just purchased my first instrument ever. I've always wanted to play the pedal, but at 52 I thought I would start here. There seems to be a lot of instructional materials out there and wanted to get some feedback on a good place to start. I bought an online lesson and it was a lot of music theory that I got lost in.

Thanks,

Larry

Brian Dixon · Post by **Brian Dixon** » 20 Dec 2013 4:35 pm

Hi Larry
I'm in a similar position. I've just completed making a copy of a Lap King Lap Steel and am looking for a good starting point other than "part" lessons on You Tube.
I've tuned mine to C6 as it seems the most common starting point so i'll be interested to see if anyone out there can recommend a good video course or book that would give me the basics.
I also think the chance of me finding a local tutor are virtually none as I'm in the North of England and Lap Steel players are like hens teeth in the UK
Regards
Brian

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 20 Dec 2013 4:47 pm

If you're truly a serious minded student of steel guitar......

I'd strongly recommend you acquire a copy of JERRY BYRD's "BIG BOOK" for the serious minded student.

Scotty's in St. Louis sells them.

There are other beginner books on the market but I'd prefer to invest my money in a book written by the acknowledged master of touch and tone. You don't have to play his style but if you want to learn all the rudiments of playing the steel guitar, this is the book to buy. Pictures, diagrams and detailed explanations.

Good Luck to you.........

Ralph Czitrom · Post by **Ralph Czitrom** » 20 Dec 2013 5:05 pm

Larry - I second Ray's suggestion. When I first started looking for instructional material about four years ago, I went with a couple of different video courses taught by well known players. They were good, but only up to a point. Jerry's course, together with the CD's which accompany it, is a great way to immerse yourself in the joy of learning to play the steel guitar. I spent a year with that course, and then got up the nerve to start studying, via Skype, with John Ely. Now I feel like I'm flying...

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 20 Dec 2013 5:13 pm

Maybe a link to the JB page would help... http://scottysmusic.com/byrd.htm

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 20 Dec 2013 6:20 pm

Larry if you want some real good Tab work I think you should get a hold of Doug Beaumier as He has some great lesson for us to learn. I have one of his lessons and it is great. I just went from Pedal Steel to Lap Steel and i fine it a lot easy to pick up than the Peadel Steel and the lap is a lot lighter.Ask Doug about the cords and I'm sure he will help you.But make sure you get his Tab and it has a Cd in it to help you along.
Sam White

Thomas Temple · Post by **Thomas Temple** » 20 Dec 2013 7:33 pm

Larry,

First off welcome to the forum and the world of Lap Steel. I like you took it up as a hobby a couple of years ago and well I am a bedroom player and that is all I really care about is just my own entertainment, I found Doug Beaumier's instruction books invaluable. Also here is a link to Doug Cutshaw's website with some neat tabs for free: http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Ta Good luck and have fun!!

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 20 Dec 2013 10:19 pm

Forumite George Piburn has an excellent DVD series....Lap Steel 101--C6 tuning

http://www.georgeboards.com/GB-Lap-101.html

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 20 Dec 2013 11:55 pm

I also think the chance of me finding a local tutor are virtually none as I'm in the North of England and Lap Steel players are like hens teeth in the UK

There is good news for you Bruce. Finding a local tutor is as close as the internet through your computer. You can take lessons right in your own home.

For instance, John Ely is a master teacher of lap steel guitar over Skype. He can be reached at http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/lessons/lessons.php I can highly recommend John.

Tom Snook · Post by **Tom Snook** » 21 Dec 2013 3:05 am

I would also recommend the Jerry Byrd video lessons.th
ere are a lot of good player/teachers online but there was only one Jerry Byrd

Paul Seager · Post by **Paul Seager** » 21 Dec 2013 9:31 am

Hi, my 10 cents on this is probably more directed at Brian Dixon than Larry as I am also outside the US. I started out with on E7 tuning using a book by Robert Filberto. The book has been in print for years butI just couldn't get going with it. I switched to Scotty's book: http://www.melbay.com/Products/95666BCD ... ionSId=G14

This got me going. The content is sometimes a little to "nice" but stay with it because there is everything in there to get you started. After that I followed my musical interest (western swing) and bought the Cindy Cashdollar DVDs. Again, there is more in there than at first glance and each time I revisit these I come out with something new.

This forum is by far the best place on the web to ask questions. I have never had an incorrectly or even an unanswered post (so thanks to you all). Key members for me, who also have a YouTube and / or web site presence are Doug Beaumier and Mike Neer. The late Rick Alexander's YouTube stuff is also great.

I would love to get a copy of the Jerry Byrd book but it's expensive before one has started international shipping and taxes but one day I'll climb that mountain.

Hope this is helpful.

\ paul

James Kerr · Post by **James Kerr** » 21 Dec 2013 12:17 pm

Brian Dixon wrote:Hi Larry
I'm in a similar position. I've just completed making a copy of a Lap King Lap Steel and am looking for a good starting point other than "part" lessons on You Tube.
I've tuned mine to C6 as it seems the most common starting point so i'll be interested to see if anyone out there can recommend a good video course or book that would give me the basics.
I also think the chance of me finding a local tutor are virtually none as I'm in the North of England and Lap Steel players are like hens teeth in the UK
Regards
Brian

Brian,
Apart from all the good advice here I can tell you there are several Lap Steel Players in the North of England who are active in the BMG Tape Club, I can put you in touch with them. I have addresses for players in Sheffield, Ilkley west Yorks, Hedon East Yorks, Hollingworth, Cheshire, Rochdale and Morcambe.

Tell me who is nearest and I will put you in touch. Also I will help you all I can and you can write to me at any time here in Scotland.

James Kerr.

Sam White · Post by **Sam White** » 22 Dec 2013 10:31 am

I( have Doud Beaumier Tab book and I think it is great. I use to play pedael Steel and had a lot of hard work and problems getting to play it and finally did play it after 15 years where as if I had gotten a lap Steel i would have been doing great as Doug has the tab that i can understand better than I have ever had. I have had the lap steel for two weeks and i'm playing a lot of songs on it already. my wife even said you are doing better on the Lap Steel that you did on the pedal steel. I agree with her 100%.Just get one of Doug's tab books and it has two Cd that will help you along also.
Sam white

John Limbach · Post by **John Limbach** » 23 Dec 2013 7:05 am

Ralph Czitrom wrote:Larry - Good on you. I started at age 67, so it can be done, not as easy as if you're younger. I spent my first two years with at a local music studio whose owner learned lap steel in the 30's-40's on the old Oahu PN course. So, this is what she used to teach me. Learned a lot, especially reading music. Then it was time to work on technique so I too turned to lessons via Skype, with John Ely. I highly recommend him to you.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 23 Dec 2013 8:36 am

Larry, lots of good ideas for you in this thread. The most helpful things I can add are:

1. At the start, try avoid the common trap of trying trying many different tunings. Each tuning has advantages and disadvantages and later on, you'll want to explore different tunings but for now, pick a single tuning and really dig in to understanding it. Learn the names of the notes on the fretboard and please don't give up on learning music theory because it can be very, very helpful in understanding lap steel. Just absorb a little bit at a time. It's a lifelong pursuit so nobody says you need to learn it all at one gulp. There are lots of good books out there to help you plus free internet sites: http://oneminutemusiclesson.com/2012/07 ... -websites/

2. Try to concentrate on playing notes without excessive sliding. Once you have your technique solid, you can add expressive slides as your taste dictates but early on, try to mix glissing into chords with hitting them solidly, in tune, and blocked as you move to the next chord.

3. Blocking and vibrato are (I think) two of the most critical aspects of steel playing and both take a long, long time to perfect. Be aware of them and start working on each now.

4. Don't be afraid to ask the Forum from help. Most of the folks here are great people who don't run with scissors and play well with others.

Good luck!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 23 Dec 2013 9:59 am

Back in my youth when I was learning "Hawaiian" guitar, I learned a lot from this book:

You could also try finding a copy of this:

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » 24 Dec 2013 7:46 am

The Jerry Byrd course seems expensive, but you can quickly wind up with more than that in some of the instant downloads, and other books, (many of which are great.) I went that direction, and although I have some good material, I sometimes wish I would have just bought the Byrd course to start with. I have one of Doug's songbooks that i would buy in any case though. Great tabs. Scotty's book is also very good, IMO.

A newer version of the Don Helms book above is readily available on Amazon, btw. Don't let the E13 scare you as the description says that the bottom two strings are not used much in the tab, so you can play the tabs on a six string in E6 tuning which is the same as C6 tuning only higher (with appropriately gauged strings, btw). If you want the intended sound you would want to transpose up 4 frets on C6 I would think. It's hard to beat the old Hank stuff.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 24 Dec 2013 11:47 am

Jim Williams wrote:I sometimes wish I would have just bought the Byrd course to start with.

I always say to start with Jerry's book and video to get at least the correct basics/fundamentals under your belt and only then venture towards everything else so that you know where they differ from the proper ways and know what disasters to avoid or incorporate into your personal style. Everybody has something to contribute but there are landmines aplenty. Example, while fine overall I don't think Scotty's book even tells the student the proper way to hold the bar, or correct hand/arm position, that's the classic wrong foot to start off on and the first things Jerry addresses. Learn it right and then do whatever.

M J Scott · Post by **M J Scott** » 26 Dec 2013 9:48 am

Well, I'm not "Larry", but I bought a 6 string lap steel a while ago to tune in GBDGBD to practice on while waiting for my Dobro (also a new instrument for me) to be completed. I've been working primarily on the Dobro and the lap steel has been left to be used as a travel instrument still tuned in open G. I have fallen in love with the tone of the steel guitar however, and hope to begin playing in earnest (probably in C6) so all the info in this thread is much appreciated by me. I think I'll go the Byrd route. Thanks!

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » 26 Dec 2013 10:02 am

Ron, you are absolutely correct about the fundamentals. I had a little advantage there as my father played lap steel for decades and had exposed me to some things when I was much much younger.

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 26 Dec 2013 11:03 am

You might check Roy Thomson. Roy puts out good material for a lot of tunings. He has the Jerry B. touch in his playings. He has a lot of songs submitted to the SGF. Also a great person to talk to personally. Ihave lot of tabs that he has put out over the years...You can find his info on his web site. Lee

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 26 Dec 2013 11:41 am

Jim Williams wrote:My father played lap steel for decades and had exposed me to some things when I was much much younger.

We should all have been so lucky, Jim, but then us baby boomers tended to purposely ignore whatever our parents did and said or found more interesting things to grab our attention. That helped squelch the incredible steel guitar craze you Dad encountered and even WW2 couldn't kill off. For those of us who slowed down a bit eventually the steel became quite appealing and the historical aspects are very interesting too. The oldtimers had a goldmine of info of all sorts that has largely faded into the mist of recent decades, we're fortunate we didn't lose it all.

Lee Gillespie · Post by **Lee Gillespie** » 26 Dec 2013 5:28 pm

Well seeing I'm the old dog on this site.... I'd like to throw in my 2 cents worth
I got the steel guitar bug when I was 15 years old.
Which was about 65 years ago. At that time the only info was Nick Manaloff book which taught the A high bass tuning.... and a few other badly written courses. My inspiration was Roy Wiggins who played steel for Eddy Arnold. At this time any steel player worth his salt would not tell his tuning. In fact I knew of a couple of steel players who would throw a towel over their right hand so you could not see what they were playing. The only way I learned to play was to copy Roy Wiggins and that was to play the record for three or four notes and try to find it on the Steel. It took me a while to figure out that Roy was tuned to an E13th tuning. I have often said .... if I had the info available today ... back then...... I'd of been one heck of steel player. Soooo... you young folk be thankful that you have all this info available to you. If you apply and study whats available today... you'll be one heck of fine steel guitar player in the future. Lee

Jim Williams · Post by **Jim Williams** » 27 Dec 2013 11:17 am

M.J....that's funny because when I got my Dad's old Gibson out of storage when I got interested in it, I did the same thing...I wanted to learn dobro to play at some local bluegrass / country jam sessions so I strung it open G. I didn't like it very much on the steel though and very quickly strung it to C6 and was a lot happier with that tuning on the steel. I have that guitar strung and tuned to E6 at the moment but I have two others tuned to C6.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 27 Dec 2013 8:18 pm

Of course, I have to put my two cents in for the old A Major tuning (low or high bass) of the 30's and 40's and still played by a few of us today. It has to be the easiest tuning to learn, sort of like, "Learn To Play The Hawaiian Guitar In 7 days"!!!!!!!!!

Geo

The Steel Guitar Forum

Learning the lap steel

Learning the lap steel

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