The Steel Guitar Forum

Greetings All,
I am brand new to lap steel as well as this forum, I don't have an ounce of musical experience and am 56 years old. I wish I had the desire years ago but never thought that I had any musical talent. I have always loved traditional country music especially the pedal steel; I also love Hawaiian music.
I have just received my new Morrell beginner model lap steel along with a song book in open E tuning. I have been practicing faithfully daily showing just some improvement, the most discouraging thing is string buzz when lowering the steel to the strings, or fingers that accidentally hit more than one string. I live in an area devoid of steel instructors so I am completely on my own. I am just afraid of learning bad habits without any help and getting discouraged to the point of quitting.
I've been somewhat long winded I better close, nice to meet you all and thanks.

Deirdre

I would suggest that you invest in a good video course. Cindy Cashdollar has a course available, I believe it is for C6. If you start with C6 you will find a wealth of material out there from beginner to advanced. I recommend a video course as a starting point. When I started playing pedal steel, I got several of Jeff Newman's video courses. It was really helpful for me to watch him play the lessons. You can watch the video as many times as it takes for you to learn the technique.

Deirdre, I teach steel guitar and regular guitar four days a week at a music store in Northampton Mass... I've been there for 34 years. I'm less than an hour north of Hartford CT. You should consider coming up sometime for one lesson to get you started with the proper techniques, using the bar, the picks, vibrato, reading tablature, etc. If you're interested send me an email.

Your best bet is to invest in a lesson(s) with Doug. However, if you can't do that, I would recommend the following DVD instructional videos.

1 Picking Techniques by forumite George Piburn. How to pick, use the bar. Simple explanations with remedies for common problems.
www.georgeboards.com

2 Picking/Palm Blocking Techniques by Joe Wright.
www.pedalsteel.com

3 I think Joe Wright has some Instructional material for lap steel on the Sierra Steel website.
http://www.sierrasteels.com/lessons/lessons-index.html

Just click on that link, click on Lap Steel Lessons, click on Lesson 1 and away you go.

What is good about all 3 of the above choices is that they only offer technique for picking and bar manipulation without regard to a specific tuning. Obviously, the Sierra Steel website link for lessons is FREE.

Have fun and enjoy the ride.

I did pick up a copy of George Piburn's Lap steel 101 that's what I've been watching.
Doug, I do want to drive up to see you for sure, as soon as I find work and get on my feet I'll give you a ring.
Joe Wright's website looks like a very promising place to start, with some nice videos.


Thanks everybody

By all means go see Doug. You are indeed fortunate to be close enough to do so. If I had the funds and free time I would probably to 500 miles for a few hours of instruction from him. Listen to some of his stuff on lap steel on Youtube and you will see what I mean. I also think you will find about 1000 times the amount of instructional material for C6 compared to other tunings, and it is extremely versatile.

Hello Deirdre and I also welcome you to the Forum. I'm and old geizer who learned to play Hawaiian music on the lap steel in 1948/9 and have been having fun ever since!!

I also teach it a few days per week. It is important to learn the few correct techniques of using the bar and picks. While many videos and books are all of assistance, I would recommend that you should have a few one on one lessons to get you started correctly.

You're going to have a fun time.

George

If I was you I would go and see Doug Beaumier as he is a Great Steel player and Lap Steel player. Invest in his Tab book of 25 Songs it is worth ever dollar. I have it and I have picked up a lot of stuff from it. I'm now playing after about 2 months. I did play pedal steel for 17 years and did not get the good on it. I started when i was 60 and I'm now 77 and I should have started the lap steel back when i was 60.Do your self a favor go see Doug. he is in your State. We are moving Back to R.I. soon and I will be going to see Doug for a few lessons.He lives about 80 to 90 miles from R.I.
Sam White

It's funny how fate works. I was 11 and a classmate Bill Baker in school one day said, "George I'm taking Haaiian guitar lessons and it's fun, you should come".

And as Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story"!!!

I'm 76.

Geo

Welcome Deirdre,

I am a relative newbie myself and through this forum have founds tons of help. Doug Beaumier is one of the best around the forum and to be nearby as a teacher is fortunate. I have a teacher whom I traded a metal Rickenbacher for 30 lessons so that has helped me immensely but it's this forum that really rocks. I've gotten books from Andy Volk, a tome about the history etc. that is just fantastic and "Slide Rules", a little book that gives the guidelines and parameters of string gauge for the different open keys, my own little steel bible. I've also gotten and old musical guide with a wheel written by Nick Manoloff, a great book with a cd that you can play along to by Hal Leonard called Lap Steel Guitar and numerous other things like tone bars, a steel guitar capo and advice. I am on a few forums for things I love, and this is definitely the best forum I've ever been on. Good luck and keep your eyes on the strings and your hand upon the bar!
Rob

Rob, it's funny what we pick up along the way. In 1954 I bought a Gibson Console Grande (and still have it). In 1956,I bought Paul Bigsby's booklet "60 Modern Tunings For 8 String Steel Guitars". I don't know how many of the tunings I tried!!!! I thought it was the niftyiest thing. Mine is the 2nd printing, the First printing was 1953.



The oldest document I have for playing steel is the Improved Paramount Method For Hawaiian Guitar dated 1928. I wonder what the "unimproved" method was like!!!!



Geo

Hi Deirdre. I too am new to the Lap Steel. I have always loved the Steel and never got around till I bought my first one last month. I'm 54 and never played any instrument before. I am having a lot of fun learning although it is a slow process. I too live nowhere near a teacher so I have to rely on Video lessons that I have bought and watch a lot of videos of these great players. Hang in there and be determined to reach your goal, Follow your heart.

I took lessons from John Ely for several months via Skype. Those lessons were amazing.

I'm just exiting the complete beginner phase of learning steel guitar, so I still have just picking up the instrument fresh in my mind... Most importantly, try to get yourself a good teacher. I wouldn't want to try to figure the axe out on my own! If you can get in the flesh lessons with Doug, I'm sure that would be amazing. I'm still actively studying with John Ely on Skype, and like everyone else around here... I can't say enough good things! Here are a few things that I've figured out that I wish someone would have told me right away:

1. DON'T PICK TOO HARD, DON'T PUSH THE BAR DOWN TOO HARD ... You're tone will suck, your finger picks will fall off, nothing will be in tune, your body will hurt and many generations of your family will live in shame. Use as little force as possible to get a good solid tone.

2. GET YOURSELF A PROPER BULLET STYLE BAR, unless you want to play electric dobro. But seriously, it may seem easier to play a Stevens style bar, but you'll thank yourself later for getting the hang of a bullet bar. Here is an article where John Ely discusses some of the basic hardware issues: http://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/beginners_faq.php

3. PRACTICE EVERYTHING SLOWLY WITH A METRONOME ... This applies to all things music. You should almost always have a metronome on when you're practicing technique. It keeps you from speeding up and getting sloppy

.... There are of course a myriad of other issues, but these three things have helped me the most!

James Curtis wrote:Hi Deirdre. I too am new to the Lap Steel. I have always loved the Steel and never got around till I bought my first one last month. I'm 54 and never played any instrument before. I am having a lot of fun learning although it is a slow process. I too live nowhere near a teacher so I have to rely on Video lessons that I have bought and watch a lot of videos of these great players. Hang in there and be determined to reach your goal, Follow your heart.

Thanks James, It seems I'm in a slump for the last few weeks, I can't do anything right, and not noticing any improvement at all.
Been trying to learn muting/blocking and all that has done is mess me up more so as I don't know what to do with my right hand anymore. I'm just starting to get more discouraged=(

I am going to give you some practical suggestions. Start with the C6 tuning. It is the most commonly used and is highly versatile.
Get a copy of Dewitt Scott’s Basic C6th Nonpedal Lap Steel Method. Toward the first of the book, pick out a simple version of a song you recognize and practice it until you can play through it without stopping. Careless love is a good one if you know it. It is short and short is good for a first song. Expect some issues with coordination. That is normal. It will get smooth. With the exception of a few born virtuosos, there is now way to learn an instrument super fast. Keep the faith that it will get better and it will.
Listening carefully is important. Put the sound file of what you are learning on an mp3 player and listen to it over and over until you are walking around humming it involuntarily. Knowing the tune mentally, exactly as it is supposed to sound, speeds up the learning process greatly. Always remember that there is no way to learn an instrument without a lot practice. A lot of really smart people give up because they are used to accomplishing great things with very little effort. IMO, a person is better off being not to swift, but willing to make an extraordinary effort. It takes practice even for the smart folks.

Deirdre,
Don't let the blocking discourage you. I stumbled on the same hurdle after watching a video on blocking and trying to concentrate on doing exactly what the video was teaching. As you play more and more you will begin to notice when something needs to be blocked. When that happens, find a way that works for you to do it. Sometimes it might be with your palm, other times with the picks or a finger. No two hands are exactly the same. Become familar with the various methods but don't dwell on it to the point that it discourages you. Don't let it take away from your enjoyment of learning the steel. Hang in there, you'll make it over that temporary hump!

Take a one on one lesson with Doug. All the books and videos in the world will not give you the feedback you will need as a beginner. In one lesson you will be able to address so many of the problems that beginners run up against. Of course the more lessons the better to reinforce the fundamentals. Otherwise you are going to get more frustrated with your attempts and park your steel guitar in the corner.

Don't be discouraged...consider taking the advice given on switching to a C6 tuning, you'll find good stuff jumping out at you at every turn. Here's a link from Len Amaral with some nice sounding very simple C6 passages:

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

Hi Deirdre,

I too am very new to lap steel. New enough I've yet to pick a string, but my lap steel should be here in a few days. I just turned 50 and like you have never played an instrument, although I've always wanted to. I'm glad you wrote this post, I had been thinking of writing something similar. While looking for ideas on how to structure practice routines I cam across this advice from Mike Neer.

http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/2010 ... el-guitar/

It makes great sense to me and as of now where I hope to jump off from. Good luck!!

Mike

I also agree with the statements about c6. So much good material and so versatile. Of course you will have to have different strings

Thank you guys, you are a swell bunch.
I guess the only reason I've been using Open 'E' is because that's how the guitar came strung, and I hate to waste perfectly good strings; I thought they'd be ok at least for the moment while I concentrate on technique and getting a good sound, and I have a little book with some Tab in E.
I won't waste time learning note positions or chords in 'E' that I will take on in C6 for sure using Dewitt Scott's book.
For my right hand technique I have been leaning toward Joe Wright's style because of my long fingers I find it more natural with more of a flat hand. I have tried tucking my ring and index fingers under to block but it doesn't seen to catch the top string if I move down, so I have been sticking both fingers out to mute.
I'll not give up, no matter what I'm going to learn this

Mike Burch wrote:Hi Deirdre,

I too am very new to lap steel. New enough I've yet to pick a string, but my lap steel should be here in a few days. I just turned 50 and like you have never played an instrument, although I've always wanted to. I'm glad you wrote this post, I had been thinking of writing something similar. While looking for ideas on how to structure practice routines I cam across this advice from Mike Neer.

http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/2010 ... el-guitar/

It makes great sense to me and as of now where I hope to jump off from. Good luck!!

Mike

Hi Mike, That's great! what guitar did you finally end up choosing?
I found these very helpful lessons:
http://www.sierrasteels.com/lessons/lap-lessons.html

I wish you the very best with your new guitar.

Deirdre Higgins wrote:

Mike Burch wrote:Hi Deirdre,

I too am very new to lap steel. New enough I've yet to pick a string, but my lap steel should be here in a few days. I just turned 50 and like you have never played an instrument, although I've always wanted to. I'm glad you wrote this post, I had been thinking of writing something similar. While looking for ideas on how to structure practice routines I cam across this advice from Mike Neer.

http://www.mikeneer.com/lapsteelin/2010 ... el-guitar/

It makes great sense to me and as of now where I hope to jump off from. Good luck!!

Mike

Hi Mike, That's great! what guitar did you finally end up choosing?
I found these very helpful lessons:
http://www.sierrasteels.com/lessons/lap-lessons.html

I wish you the very best with your new guitar.

I'll have to check those out, thanks.
I bought a Chandler RH-2 off the forum here.

That's really nice Mike! Lovely style too.