The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been playing guitar for about 30 years and lap steel for about 6 months and as it turns out Arlen Roth's new video, "Lap Steel Guitar", was geared towards someone like me. The video is divided into three parts. The first part starts with Arlen (who looks a little like Vince Gill with curly hair) wearing a Hawaiian shirt and playing a 40's National (Dynamic model, I believe) in open E tuning. He goes over the tuning string by string. He then covers blocking and damping with the right hand, alas with no picks, and shows how to hold the bar with the left hand. Mr. Roth uses a Stevens steel. He demonstrates vibrato and "slide tilting" (bar slants). The rest of the first section includes: The minor pentatonic blues scale; harmonics; voicing using fifths; splitting the notes two at a time; the major pentatonic Country scale; and block chords. In the second part Arlen switches to an early to mid-30's Epiphone Electar guitar still tuned to open E. This section is a little more blues oriented. He goes oveer David Lindley and Duanne Allman style licks; comping on chords; open and closed position licks; and string bending behind the bar (yes!). For the third part Mr. Roth switches to an early 30's Rickenbacker (B model) tuned to open G (GBDGBD). He goes over the advantages and disadvantages of each tuning as well as more licks and scales.

There's a lot to like about this video. Arlen is a very good teacher. He explains things very succinctly and then gives a demonstration of the concept. The video is well produced without being over produced (i.e. no annoying graphics or zooms). The material is geared towards the novice player yet it still should be useful for the more advanced player. I tuned one of my laps to open E and I could follow most of the material in the first two parts (a tablature book of the examples is provided). I didn't sound anything like Mr. Roth, however, which means I have plenty of room for improvement.

I also have a few nitpicks. There's nothing about using a volume pedal or fingerpicks. Although the tablature shows numerous examples, there's no transcriptions of the actual songs he's playing. As long as I'm ranting about tablature, it's a pretty small booklet and a little hard to read. I also found an error. My biggest complaint doesn't have anything to do with the video but with myself. I don't play in open E or G. I'm learning to play in C6th because it's more suited to the sound and style I like. I may someday use these tunings but for now I think I'm probably better off sticking to one tuning until I've got it down pretty good.

The video is geared more towards those with a guitar background than a rank beginner. Mr. Roth talks about voicing, double stops, augmented chords, and so forth that a complete novice might not understand.

Overall, I really liked this video. Besides learning quite a bit from it, it's great just to listen to. Arlen has great tone and phrasing and I played it many times just to listen to him play. I'd recommend this video to any lap steel player or any prospective one. Once they hear how cool these things sound they'll buy one.

Thanks to Ted Smith for loaning me the video for review. Now I'll have to buy one!

Don, thanks for the informative review.

-Bill

I'd agree with Don's thorough review of this new video. I'm also new to lap steel playing and have found this video to be very helpful in the absence of a live instructor. I can't figure out the blocking and damping though. It's hard to see what his right hand is actually doing. And the open E tuning seems to be at odds with most other instructional materials, but those points aside, its an invaluable resource. Any reason why he doesn't use picks?

On the topic of videos, has anyone viewed the Cindy Cashdollar "Learn to play Western Swing Steel Guitar?" Any comments on it would be most welcome.

Thanks

Playing without fingerpicks is unconventional but it's certainly a valid technique - especially on electric instruments. Don't be too quick to discount E major tuning - it's actually quite powerful. To a very large extent, tunings are irrelevent. To paraphrase Jerry Byrd, Tunings don't make a player, it's what you can do with any given tuning". I personally use C6th as my main tuning but E major (or D major) tuning are much better suited to many folk,rock and evean modal tunes because of the repeated roots & 5ths. The close harmony voicings of 6th tunings can sound out-of-place in the above styles. David Lindley did most of his groundbreaking rock steel solos in E major.

As for the Cindy Cashdollar videos, they are an excellent start for someone interested in Western Swing. The version of C6th she teaches, with G on top, is enharmonic to the standard A6th tuning. The video covers the basics quite well.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 14 March 2000 at 06:01 AM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 14 March 2000 at 06:02 AM.]</p></FONT>

I've just ordered the Roth video, looking forward to it... I thought Cindy C's videos were well done, informative, lots of good stuff for a new lap steeler-picking and chord exercises, some good basic song ideas, several scale approaches, tuning and string gauge charts, in a relaxed and comfortable style. The 8 string C6 tuning she uses would translate very well to 6 or 8 string A6, C6, etc. So really some good stuff for those with six string guitar. I have an extra copy of the volume 1 if anyone's looking.

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Mullen D-10, Fender Dual Professional, Dobro, Sierra 8 string

Thanks for the comments on the Cashdollar video. It sounds like a worthwhile investment. Any suggestions where I can learn more about the blocking and damping? Whatever Roth is doing there makes quite a difference in the sound that he produces and what I can produce -- besides the technical skill. And Mark, let me know what you're asking for the vol. 1 of Cashdollar.

Thanks,

Jeff

I happen to have an extra copy of each Vol 1 and Vol 2 of these videos - email me if you're interested.

I worked in a music store for awhile and got to see almost all the available steel videos.I think the Cindy Cashdollar one is the best for anyone interested in C6th.

Jeff Williams wrote:
"Any suggestions where I can learn more about the blocking and damping?"

Well, don't forget to let the 2-3-4 l.h. fingers rest on the strings behind the bar. I usually do most of my damping with my r.h. fingers and thumb, as well as some palm muting. Depends on the situation. I learned to r.h. finger block from Classical guitar, so you might want to check out an experienced classical teacher for a lesson or 3 on r.h. damping.

Good luck.
Re. D.G.

There's a lot of great blocking advice on the pedal posts, and on courses for pedal guitar...watching myself play on stage (!) It seems like I use a lot of pick blocking on the single note stuff and palm blocking on the chordal stuff, just unconscious things I got from pedal playing and tele bashin'- pull the bar back for blocking the higher strings, drop the thumb down in front of the bar for the lower strings, and when you hit a real clunker, look at the bass player...and, Jeff, my copy of the CC video is going out with an old Gretsch lap I just sold, thanks for asking.

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Mark van Allen-"Blueground Undergrass" Pedal, Non-Pedal, Lap, and Dobro

Got a chance to see the Arlen Roth video.

While I welcome any instructional material for non-pedal guitar and I congratulate Mr. Roth for producing this tape... I found the video lacking.

Most of the tape is centered around learning electric blues licks in the E tuning. Even when he switches to G, blues licks dominate.
Not much instruction on playing backup, fills, chord theory/substitution etc.

There are no actual songs transcribed. No simple melodies to help with single note precision.

The non-pedal world needs a three tape series on the C6 tuning. Beginning through advanced. Hawaiian, Western Swing and Standards. Just my bias.

Where can I order the Roth video on line? Homespun doesn't have that one yet. Does anyone have a link?
Thanks

Arlen Roth's videos are distributed by Hot Licks Musical Instruction Videos, not by Homespun Tapes.
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ARLEN ROTH
"Lap Steel Guitar"

Only $29.95


Though Arlen Roth has written books and done many tapes on slide guitar, this is the first time he's done Hawaiian Lap Steel video. And even though there are many obvious parallels and cross-overs between learning this increasingly popular instrument and slide guitar, this lesson helps bring into focus many of the properties that the Lap Steel is best adapted for, such as: Chord work, blocking and damping, David Lindley style, harmonic chimes (various types), blues style, Hawaiian style, open E tuing, "high bass" G tuning, open vs. closed position licks, jazz style runs, country and Hawaiin-style double-stop harmonies, advanced behind slide bends, proper techniques and so much more! If you're just getting into lap steel, or even if you've been playing for awhile, this tape will surely help you make the right moves on the instrument, while inspiring you on to greater personal creativity in the process. A true must for all slide players! (1 hr)


#VGR216, LEVEL 2-4

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Brad's Page of Steel:
www.well.com/~wellvis/steel.html
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 17 April 2000 at 03:52 PM.]</p></FONT>

Just my two cents worth, but, I bought the video thinking I might be able to use it at Berklee to show my students as I do with the Jerry Byrd/Issacs/Akaka video. Unfortunatly, I would ONLY show it if someone wanted to play a few typical blues licks on the steel. The fact that he doesn't use finger picks bothers me. (He plays well without them) but never even mentions the option of using them. His choice of the Stevens bar is OK for guitar players wanting to get into Lap Steel the easy way, but, when you see him wrench his wrist around to do a simple 2 fret slant, you wonder why he chose it. He'd have a heck of a time doing "Split Bar" slants with that. Again, he never mentions the option of a bullet nose bar. He also never plays the C6th tuning which I believe to be essential to the instrument along with E7th, A7th C6/A7 etc. I'm afraid he's just aiming this at the 16 to 20 year old market. I suppose it's better to get kids interested in Lap Steel for any reason than not be interested at all, but, I wish he had shown or talked about the way MOST of us play it.

Gerald, I agree.

It really does seem to be aimed at the lead guitarists who are interested in jumping into the lap steel pool, and caters to them without urging any movement into more traditional areas. As a lead guitarist who made the switch to steel, I am glad I started with the cindy cashdollar videos. It gave me a sense of tradition, and urged more technical appreciation.

I think the Arlen Roth approach is good for the audience it's aimed at, but anyone who might have a bit of interest in more traditional style may be misled or disappointed. I did enjoy Arlen's easy nature and casual presentation. And he does get some sweet rock/blues tones out of those guitars. He gave me some good tools to use, but Cashdollar gave me so many more. I'd recommend the Cashdollar videos before the Roth video.

I've seen his guitar videos, to my ears, he's not a natural musician.