Lap Steel Camp Part 2

Bill McCloskey · Posted 6 Jul 2005 12:31 pm

I've really started thinking about this as a possibility. I contacted a friend of mine who works a local community college who believes he could get us space at a good rate at the college. No dorms though. I imagine starting slow: a 2 day workshop, with people staying at local motels.

I'd have to see if any instructors where available but I imagine the following classes:

1. Sacred Steel
2. Western Swing
3. Jazz
4. Blues
5. Country

That may be too ambitious for the first year. Included would be instructor performances and a music appreciation class each day, which explores the breadth of the lap steel.

My question: how many people would be interested? Location: 20 miles north of New York City. Cost?? Maybe $300 for the weekend - to cover the cost of the venue and instructors and food. Pay for your own room. Do it on a weekend. Maybe late august before school begins.

Thoughts?

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Of course I'm all for it and would not hesitate to register.

As to the feasability, that maybe another matter. I don't know if there would be enough people interested enough to make the commitment.

Perhaps if it were part of a larger seminar where the risks of low attendance would be minimized.

I would like to see a next generation of steel conventions that offered more options in terms of classes, jams, discussions, etc.

Billy Gilbert · From: Texas, USA

You might correspond with Jim Heffernan and see how he does his dobro workshops. He holds them in private homes, in motel conference rooms, etc. He charges $200-$250 for a 2 day session, and furnishes tab and a CD of subject matter covered in the workshop. He gets 10 to 15 wanna-be pickers per workshop. Advertising here on the Forum should bring em in.

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

Perhaps "Blues" and "Sacred Steel" could be the same class, I'd guess most blues folks would get everything they want from a "Sacred Steel" class?

How about a "Lap Steel As You've Never Heard It Played Before" class?

Seriously, there are people out there, and on this forum, who's using the instrument in 'ambient' and other unfamiliar/original styles and it would be a welcomed addition to the more traditional approaches.

Just a thought, I can't afford coming over anyway......

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

basilh · From: United Kingdom

What about a class about the "Hawaiian" aspect ?
After all that's its roots !!

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Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

Hey - you guys would be the teachers. They should pay you to attend!

Bill McCloskey · Posted 7 Jul 2005 4:21 am

Seems you are right as usual Howard. Doesn't seem to be any interest. I'll drop the idea, but hope someone else picks it up as part of a larger event.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Bill, I think your idea is a great one and there seems to be the beginings of interest and a little movement in this direction. Of course these things don't happen overnight and as you said, little by little.

Perhaps there are those reading this who have the position and clout to get the ball rolling. Of course they need our support.It could happen.

Billy G......I held a Jim Heffernan Workshop in one of my stores this past Spring. It was a success and everyone who attended was more than happy. You're right about advertising on the forum and yes, we had 13 people attend. We also held a "Slide Off" afterwards. I will do this again during the winter and hopefully, maybe have a couple of other workshops. It would be great to have a Tricone Workshop in the neer future.

Now, about wannabe....I'm a hasabeen!

Here's the link to the workshop....

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/007082.html

[This message was edited by HowardR on 07 July 2005 at 08:02 AM.]

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I believe an event like this is a very good idea, but since we're such a small group it probably needs to start off more like a "gathering of the tribe".

What I personally would like to see - and I have no idea how this could be arranged - is a 'get-together' that doesn't carry any specific stylistic banner. Some sort of arrangement where we could all, no matter which musical direction we come from, exchange ideas and experiences.

I'm not deep into the traditional styles myself, and would love to get a chance to pick the brains of those who are, AND at the same time perhaps contribute with something based on my own "why's and how's"..

A sort of "Tear down the fences" thing...
Keep the idea warm, and one day it may happen.

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Howard Clark · From: Brookston, Indiana, USA

I'm sure there was a time when a Mandolin Camp was considered impractical. Things like this generally work best if they evolve, I think there are plenty of wannabe steel players out there (like me) to make it work, but connecting to them is another story. I think the key to the success of the Midwest Banjo Camp was the sponsorship of Elderly Instruments, they just sent emails to their customers. With a list of dynamite instructors and a reasonable price, people signed up. Someone said that the average attendee had been playing about 10 years.

Randy Reeves · From: LaCrosse, Wisconsin, USA

I think it is held every year. it's a resonator festival. it's held blocks away in the old hippie part of town.
it has good attendance. lots of hawaiian shirts and funny hats to boot.
Howard, I think you idea is good. I just wonder if it takes time for things to happen.
the resonator fest I believe is ld, but how did that start? probably with an idea such as yours.

Im pretty broke, but I would find a way to a lap steel fest....I almost wrote lap fest...I know a place where they do that. no guitars tho.

Eric Gearhart · From: Bellingham, Massachusetts, USA

You'd also have to consider the various tunings that people use for lap steel and who knows a lot, a couple, or just one. It could not be as general as a dobro, banjo, mandolin, or regular guitar camps where they're mostly all in the same tuning.

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Bill-- the "weekend camp" for steel guitar is a great idea and worth keeping alive. As far as your original suggestion as to cost, location, etc., you can count me in as long as I have enough advance notice (I work most Saturdays, and gig once or twice a month). There's enough of us No Peddlin' types in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic area to make it happen, and I bet people would come from further away too. --Steve

Bill Thomson · From: Ocean City, Maryland, USA

I like the idea of a weekend camp. With advance notice I think enough interested parties would attend. Please include Hawaiian Steel guitar in your workshops. Thank you, keep the energy moving.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 20 Jul 2005 3:32 am

I'm back from vacation and will be meeting with my friend that has connections at the local community college. I haven't given up yet. We'll see. Although, I'm not sure there is time to get it together for this summer. Maybe plan for next summer.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Bill, I've been thinking, dangerous as it is.

I would consider hosting a jam, maybe once a month on Sundays at my store, begining in November and ending in April.

This can be open to non pedal, pedal, resophonic, and possibly a few other acoustic intruments. It's not a workshop, but certainly great to exchange information, ideas, along with the experience of playing with others.

Perhaps I'll start another thread to get an idea of folks in the area who may be interested.

Of course a weekend workshop would be great, but in the interim, this could be a nice thing.

Joel Newman · From: Smithsburg, Maryland, USA

Hmmm cool thread . . . just throwing my hat into the ring to show true interest, of course I'd rather it be in the mid atlantic area but I periodically get to NYC as well,(I missed Howards last endeavour by a day . . .). I'm open to all kinds o' styles, (I guess ala Steiner's idea), I could learn from anything I think. But as I'm more on the beginner side of things so I'd be more like a fly on the wall.I'll be watching this thread . . .tanx for the great idea Bill!

Bill McCloskey · Posted 20 Jul 2005 6:09 am

Howard,

Fantastic idea and one I would love to participate in. It is exactly what I need. When I started playing dobro, the way I learned was to jump into the deep end of the pool and just got to the local jam. As I get drawn more and more into lap steel, I'm desperite for a similar situation. Great idea.

Jason Dumont · From: Bristol, Connecticut, USA

Man, I know I'd sure be interested and I KNOW others who aren't members of the forum would be. I bet if a small mention was put in "Acoustic Guitar" magazine and postings on various other forums the response would be huge. After hearing music samples from people on this forum (Rick Aeillo you're my hero)I would sleep in a tent if I had to.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 20 Jul 2005 7:51 am

Some initial thoughts on it are that I would exclude Bluegrass style dobro. There are already enough places where this is being addressed. I would include, on the acoustic side, tricone work ala Mike Neer, Brozman, etc. The whole Sol Hoopi thing.

Joseph Rush Wills · From: New Jersey, USA

I'd be interested in a lap steel workshop; I'm just about to get started although I've been a Dobro player (well, hacker) for some time.
By all means, whoever organizes this should keep me informed so I can announce this on my radio program!

Joe Wills, host
Burlington County Bluegrass
Saturdays 10am-2pm
Z88-9 (WBZC) 88.9 & 95.1 www.Z889.com
Celebrating 10 years on the air!

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Well, there are some things to consider.

I could not have an unlimited amount of people due to space. I have a large front area that could hold 12-14 people comfortably.

I have a back room where 6 or 7 people could play comfortably.

I agree about bluegrass as I would not want that to be the predominent genre but I wouldn't want to ban bluegrass. I wouldn't want all blues, all Hawaiian, all gospel, all anything for that matter. As far as a jam, let's mix it up and keep it lively & interesting. Not too much of any one thing.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 20 July 2005 at 12:59 PM.]

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Howard, great idea, thank you. I'm about 4 hours away and with enough advance notice I'd definitely be there. (Joel, maybe you and I could carpool to one of these.) Something like Sunday afternoon 1:30-5:30, then split for dinner/travel?
Couple of points-- #1: with Howard's max. capacity of about 20 people, why don't we hold off taking this idea to the radio, other forums etc. until we gauge the interest on the SGF? I bet we could just about fill the place (the 1st time anyway) with Fo'bros. #2-- Maybe we could look at lining up an accomplished non-peddler for a 40-min. lesson (everybody interested comes up with, like, $10?).
Howard, I see your point about not excluding any kind of music. OTOH, I don't have to drive across several state lines to find a bluegrass jam...Yeah, let's do it! --Steve

[This message was edited by Stephan Miller on 20 July 2005 at 01:50 PM.]

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Good ideas....I'll start another thread.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 20 Jul 2005 2:07 pm

The radio promo (and even my comments about excluding bluegrass) were directed at the weekend workshop/symposium idea, not at Howards jam idea.

Obviously, a jam at howards is limited in people where the weekend seminar would not.

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