The Steel Guitar Forum

I would like to hear from others that are self taught. Is it possible to become a good steel player without ever having had a lesson? I'm sure there must be others who live in disadvantaged areas where steel is unpopular.

You've been corresponding with one for several months now.

Most of the elderly/mature Members here on the SGF are what you have described. When we were starting out, they didn't have TAB.

Listening to records, digging it out by ear and practicing was the secret to our limited success.

I'm self-taught in music, though I've had a number of guitar lessons with some of my favorite guitar players after I was already a fairly accomplished player (been playing since about age 7). No steel lessons, though. Never even knew a steel player.

same here. never had lessons but played for 40 years. that's really where you learn.
i try to avoid practicing, too.

I am self taught in 6 string acoustic guitar.
Played for a few decades finger picking style and did fairly well.
I don't know if you would call me a good player but I enjoyed myself.
I started lap steel 3 months ago and with the help of Troy's lessons I am once again off on another journey.

As far as being in an area where steel guitar is unpopular, you can't even buy a steel guitar in a music shop around here let alone get lessons.
Even Craigslist is absent of steel guitars unless I want to drive 150 miles or so. I can't even find a used steel in a pawn shop in this area.
Every piece of equipment I have bought and every lesson I have taken has been from the internet.

Larry Carlson wrote:
As far as being in an area where steel guitar is unpopular, you can't even buy a steel guitar in a music shop around here let alone get lessons.
Even Craigslist is absent of steel guitars unless I want to drive 150 miles or so. I can't even find a used steel in a pawn shop in this area.
Every piece of equipment I have bought and every lesson I have taken has been from the internet.

Larry it's the same here in Connecticut, I'm serious when I say most people here don't even know what a steel guitar is.

Self-deluded.

...most people here don't even know what a steel guitar is.

I know what you mean, Deirdre. I just tell people that I play "guitar" and leave it at that. Saying "steel guitar" usually requires further explanation. And saying "pedal steel guitar"... no, never! That's way to complicated for the average person to process and it requires even more explaining!

Deirdre Higgins wrote: Larry it's the same here in Connecticut, I'm serious when I say most people here don't even know what a steel guitar is.

I can sympathize with that.
I was buying some parts for the little Rogue I have and the clerk at the music store asked me what they were for.
I told him I was working on a lap steel. I could have been standing there naked and not received a more odd expression from him.
Next time I'll tell him I'm building a nuclear powered 12 string Stratocaster with 8 pickups.

chris ivey wrote:played for 40 years. that's really where you learn.

I started at 8 years old, took lessons for 5 years in A tuning, then switched teachers and took another 5 years of lessons in E7th tuning. Learned a lot on the lap steel and thankful I took lessons but Chris is correct. I didn't really know what it was all about until I was out there working in the trenches.

the late great music educator Dick Grove said once..."everyone is actually self-taught".
a teacher can only guide you in the right direction with the necessary information - they can't wave a magic wand over you through years of study and gift/impart anything you aren't willing to work hard for.

i am self taught. i always wanted to play steel, but i made my living playing underarm guitar and bass. my steel playing is more experimental than practical. thats the way i like it.

just play. dont be concerned with all the other stuff.

Bill Hatcher wrote:just play. dont be concerned with all the other stuff.

Simply put.

Also self-taught on everything since piano
(got the get the theory somewhere, as it applies everywhere).

Another thought: who taught the early guys? Self?

Brilliant post Jerome! As a former high school teacher (and music teacher) I agree 100%

Yes: self, jam sessions and asking "how did you play that lick?"

Jerome Hawkes wrote:"everyone is actually self-taught" a teacher can only guide you in the right direction with the necessary information.

Very well said, Jerome. Music is little more than an expressed emotion, a feeling that's inside you. The instrument is merely a tool we use to express it. There are few other "tools" that are quite as useful for expressing these emotions like the steel guitar.

Self-taught? You bet! Fifteen years ago I fell in love with the blues. All kinds of blues. Researched it rather extensively. I started listening to people like Tampa Red and Blind Willie Johnson. That was when I first really "heard" slide music. About ten years ago I started fooling around with open tunings on the acoustic guitar and using a brass slide. Not sure what made me buy a lap steel, but I think it was because nobody else around here plays one (except one guy I know). I agree with Mr. Hatcher that my playing is more experimental than anything. The instrument is also scarce around here. You rarely see one on Craigslist and never in the music stores or pawnshops.

By the way, the learning never ends. I am constantly studying and contemplating music, even when there is no instrument in sight. It is a journey. I like to leave little breadcrumbs along the way.

I agree with the All People are ultimately Self Taught statement.

With so Few Instructions Tutorial Books - Lessons - DVD's - YouTube's - Skype's - Specific to Steel Guitar
(compared to other Musical Instruments) it is well worth getting all of them or as many as possible.

There is something to be gained from every thing available in today's world.

Dig it, George.

Diedre said wrote:I would like to hear from others that are self taught.

Here Some lap steel recordings of me you can here what you want to hear.

It's Mike Neer, and it's my morning music today.

I play lap steel, banjo, mandolin, electric bass, a little guitar and used to fool around with a uke some, never had a one on one lesson, but watched a lot of video lessons. I would add that I don't claim to be an expert at any of the above though.

I agree with what the others said about everyone being self taught. I've had lessons, and help by many of the best players around. In the end I just had to sit down and do it. Playing my guitars is the one thing no one can do for me. (hope that makes sense, and you get what I am saying) Knowing how to do something, and, actually, doing it...two different things. You can do it. Frankly, I think, I've learnned more by accident than from anything else. lol It just takes dedication, lots of practice, and a lot of time. Patience helps too, something I'm, extremely, lacking in. Just keep at it. You will get there.
I live in Texas. Along with California, and Nashville, there are probably more steel guitars, and players here than anywhere else in the world. You would be surprised at the number of people who have, absolutely, no idea what a steel guitar is, and dobro? lol Finding a psg in a music store rarely happens. Lap steels are becoming a little more popular and available. If you want a squareneck dobro...a what? I know it isn't as bad as other places, but still you would think in Texas, home of twin fiddles and, uhm, steel guitar? lol Have you contacted some of the steel guitar associations on the east coast? Most psg players over a certain age, started playing on lap steels. Just an idea, and, most of them are more than willing to help a new player. Again, just an idea, and you can do it.

"everyone is actually self-taught"

As a recently retired teacher of college (freshman level) mathematics, I am of the opinion that this is a general principal, and I really wish more people understood it. Those of you who teach steel guitar have two big advantages:

1) No one is required to learn steel guitar so that they can get on with totally unrelated career objectives. They made the decision to learn all by themselves and are free to change their minds without recrimination at any time.

2) Most of your students I would hope understand that it's all going to boil down to many, many hours of practice, and while a teacher can point them in the right direction and help them avoid pitfalls, they can't magically shortcut those hours of practice.

In math, there were times when it appeared that students, parents, administrators and legislators were all in agreement that any student who got to class had done there job, and if they failed it was all the teachers fault. Be thankful you don't have to deal with such nonsense.

I'm teaching myself. I purchased some online lessons in C6th but have ditched those and changed to open E, which for me is more intuitive. I just learned Steel Guitar Rag to performance level by listening to it on youtube. I learned Sleepwalk from tabs, but they were very basic, so learned it properly by listening to youtube.

I think this is my first post on the forum even though I signed up in 2013, so Hi Everyone! In case you're wondering: 8 string A6th on Tremblay custom and also GeorgeBoards Console (love them both). Can stumble along on A major Low Bass on a 6 string as well.

I think Chase is correct. Everyone is self-taught, or at least has to have the dedication to take the clues given to them by teachers, tracks or material, and make something out of it. Perhaps steel guitar (non-pedal at least) is somewhat unusual since weekly face-to-face lessons are not the norm for us. So, perhaps we're all self taught.

I guess I'm self taught if following the material of others is included. I've been playing about 2.5 years. Started with Lorene Ruymar's Hawaiian course and also have some of Georges DVD's along with Jerry Byrd's, Cindy Cashdollar's and Herb Remington. Basically, I buy and read anything I can lay my hands on, and I look for commonalities from one tuning to the next to see if I think it's worth trying. Andy Volks Lap Steel Guitar book is awesome in helping narrow down possible tuning's, but I expect most people know that already.

I have basic music reading knowledge from grade two piano in 1979, so very basic, but enough to grab sheet music and do my worst after a bit of fumbling. I have always wanted to play steel guitar though, so when I came across some spare time that I never had before, I bought a non-pedal steel and quickly discovered that there are very few actual teachers. I found Lorene, who also lives in Vancouver, and decided I'd work my way through her course material, which is very good as a foundation of music theory, technique and all things Hawaiian.

Once I had the basics though, what worked best was jamming with others. It's a leap of faith and I found that thick skin and short memory helped me most. This route forced me to really stare down my tuning and really try to get to grips instead of doodling about. I was lost at first, I have to admit. Dominant, Minor, third, fifth... huh?

As an aside, since I'm not much of a theorist at heart, and just like to play, I found and I recommend John Ely's Hawaiian Steel chord calculator. Fantastic for establishing patterns around where chords lie in relation to each other etc. for your particular tuning. This in itself along with jamming with others sped up the learning process considerably. I'm still learning though, and with steel guitar, always will be.