Paul Franklin Instruction

Jack Latimer · From: Ontario, Canada

It goes without saying that Paul Franklin is fabulous. I'm wondering if anybody can provide a review of the follow teaching cd's from Paul? 1)Pedal 4...E9th...The F#'s to G# and Eb to E Knee Lever Change, and 2)Improvising Over Minor Chords...E9th

Jeff Colson · From: Rockford Illinois, USA

Jack,
Paul's Instruction is great. I have 2 of the 3 your mentioned and the 3rd comming. In the Eb to E and F# to G CD he touches on the P4 stuff a little but it was enough to make me wish I would have ordered it along with the others. Paul doesent just teach you licks there are some, but he teaches the theory behind the change and the melody voicings that are possible so you can grab your own way of thinking to play these changes. His instruction leaves me with a thinking method of using this new info rather than just a few lick's to hope I can find a place for. The improvising through minors is great too as is evey lesson I've ever gotten from Paul.

Jeff

Larry Weaver · From: Asheville, North Carolina, USA

I totally concur with Jeff. Paul's instructional material is top, top notch. I've purchased way too many things in the past, unlike Pauls, that just amount to "and here's a lick in G". I have found Paul's materials VERY thought provoking. I have recently purchased everything g Paul is currently offering, and I find them all to be excellent. Of special note, for me as well was the Improvising over Minors. I found the speed picking-solo series to be somewhat less of a "speed picking course", and more of a peek into the mind of how a great musician constructs solos and phrases. In a word-- invaluable.

Very, very highly recommendable stuff!!

regards,
Larry W

Mark Eaton · Posted 11 Apr 2006 9:51 am

I know that you guys are referring to the cd's-but I wish Paul would offer his video in DVD format instead of still selling the VHS tape.

I've reached the point that no matter how good the program is, I don't want to buy it in VHS anymore. DVD, for instructional programs in particular, much more so than feature length films, is about 100 times more convenient than VHS. It's sort of like going back to a world without cell phones for me.

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Mark

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

your loss, Mark

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

Mark Eaton · Posted 11 Apr 2006 1:33 pm

I won't argue with you Larry, I'm sure that's true. There aren't too many bigger fans of Paul than I.

A lot of the stuff that has been out there for awhile is getting re-done to DVD. In the dobro world, Homespun Tapes has just come out with Stacy Phillips' program that has been around for several years on DVD. Last year they came out with a new improved version of the Jerry Douglas instructional video on DVD.

That said, Theresa, maybe you can talk to Paul about getting the tape re-formatted to DVD?

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Mark

Theresa Galbraith · From: Goodlettsville,Tn. USA

Mark,
Thanks, but Paul doesn't listen to me.

The material Paul teaches on this VHS is unlike anything out there. I'm just going by what I've just read in this post.

David Weaver · From: Aurora, CO USA

Where do you buy his instruction materials?

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

David, you can get Paul's video at www.paul-franklin.com. Brett, Emmons S-10, Morrell lapsteel, GFI Ultra D-10

David Weaver · From: Aurora, CO USA

Thanks Brett....I found it.

Regards,

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Paul is aware of our desire for DVDs.

He asked for input when making this tape, and DVD was the consensus.

Here's the discussion: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/003630.html

I bought the VHS when it came out anyway, and am very happy with it. I did convert it to DVD for my own use.

If my memory serves me correctly, I paid a lot more than the current price of $30 for it ($55?). It's really a bargain now.

I have no doubt there will be all DVD in the future. Just like cassette tapes gave way to CD.

Mark Eaton · Posted 12 Apr 2006 8:22 am

Thank you Joey, for posting that thread from three years ago.

The response seemed to be fairly overwhelming to release it on DVD, but since Paul decided to go the other direction-I'm sure he had a good reason, or received advice from someone within that industry.

Alot has changed in the three years since Paul posed the question here. You can't even rent a movie at Blockbuster anymore in VHS.

If there isn't an announcement in the near future about a DVD edition, I'll probably order it on VHS.

I hope I still know how to work my VCR!

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Mark

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Well, for what it's worth my take on it:
Paul is the busiest session steel player in the business. He certainly doesn't need the proceeds from teaching to put bread on the table, unlike, e.g., Jeff Newman, who made a career of teaching.

If the studio weren't a full time job

he also composes, works dates with certain artists, and does the Players thing.

We are fortunate that Paul has seen fit to share some of his unique ideas and approaches with us. I'd like to see him include tab and, of course, would prefer DVD as a video format but I realize that this is a labor of love from a giant in our industry who makes the time to publish his tutorial material around a busy schedule. I'll take it any way I can get it and be most grateful for it.

And, yes, the VHS lesson in question has a variety of information you will find nowhere else. His approach to 'pivoting' and his explanation from a musical perspective is worth the price of admission.

THANKS Paul

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

David Weaver · From: Aurora, CO USA

Meanwhile my check and order is in the mail. I don't care if it's on 8 tracks or if I gotta get a hamster to run in a cage to make the thing play.

Like Larry said.......

Jack Latimer · From: Ontario, Canada

Thanks for the feedback on Paul's material. I too would like the video to be DVD, so I'll wait on ordering that and hope the DVD format is available soon. However, it's quite easy to recognize from the comments that this instructional material is great, so my money order is on it's way for a couple of the cd's.

David Weaver · From: Aurora, CO USA

I received the two CD's that I ordered from Paul Franklin. One is the "Chords at a Fast Tempo" and the other is "Improvising over Minor Chords".

I gotta tell you that these are outstanding lesson pieces. I have tons of lesson materials from all kinds of sources and these are some of the best yet.

Paul is methodical in explaining where to play, and once you hear and practice what he is teaching, all sorts of ideas fall into place.

I think I paid $20 each for these and they are top drawer.

He seems to have picked moves that are within reach of the average player, yet are unique enough to offer a new approach. So far, all the moves he is leading you toward in these lessons are "do-able". He doesn't have you jumping around with impossible pedal changes or up and down the fret board trying to hit positions at impossible speeds. Once you hear what he is showing you, it start to lay out in a way that the average player can get.

Those of us who have underutilized the BC pedal licks will get great ideas from the "Fast Tempo" cd.

Those of us who push the A pedal up and down or grab the 7th string for minors, get a whole new vocabulary after working with the "Minor Chord" cd.

Great value.

Jack Latimer · From: Ontario, Canada

Thanks David. I'm still waiting for the cd's I purchased to arrive and your comments keep me exicited about the delivery to come.

Darryl Hattenhauer · From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA

You can buy a machine now that will transfer VHS to DVD, but I hear that the picture won't be any sharper than the VHS. Anybody got any advice on what machines to get and what to pay?

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"Drinking up the future, and living down the past"--unknown singer in Phoenix

[This message was edited by Darryl Hattenhauer on 01 May 2006 at 01:35 PM.]

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Can anyone tell me how long the VHS and three NEW courses listed are (Pedal 4,The F#'s to G# and Eb to E
Knee Lever Change, & Improvising Over Minor Chords)?
As for including tab, Paul, I'd be glad to tab out the courses for you to allow players to use along with the VHS tape or the CDs. I'd tab one at a time and send it to you for your approval. It'd be a real time saver and still permit use to think about the concepts you are teaching and not just blindly follow the tab in a mechanical way. Please give it a thought. steve t

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

Paul makes it pretty clear in an earlier post about why he does not provide tab for his courses. Here is the link

(by the way, I own it all, and they are all great

)...
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum8/HTML/002311.html

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

Thanks, John, I do remember Paul's answer to question regarding tabbing in that earlier thread. Here was my reply to Paul then which stilll holds: I have to lean more towards Charles than Paul on this one, especially when it comes to the amount of time required that most of us do not have. As he says, in addition to tab you gotta hear the music to have it make sense. Of course, it helps to understand how those little tabbed numbers relate to the chords & scales too. Just memorizing them wont' help much. Another argument in favor of using tab would be this: most other musicians who play piano, guitar, sax, etc., who read music and play very well, probably did not take take the time to dissect and write out all the pieces they've ever played. Why should steel players be any different? I know tab can be a crutch if used in isolation, but it's also a great learning tool as part of a total learning program. . As one gets older, he realizes the importance of saving time since there increasingly becomes less of it that will be available. My offer to tab Paul's material was given to save Paul and, others who buy his courses, that extra time for thinking about the concepts and putting them into practice by playing the steel.

steve t

[This message was edited by steve takacs on 01 May 2006 at 06:05 PM.]

[This message was edited by steve takacs on 01 May 2006 at 06:06 PM.]

[This message was edited by steve takacs on 01 May 2006 at 06:09 PM.]

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

"but I wish Paul would offer his video in DVD format instead of still selling the VHS tape."

...and use Paypal as well. His stuff sounds really great, but VHS is of no use to me any longer, and I still don't get the lack of use of Paypal in the steel world.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

You guys crack me up

I would learn to decipher hieroglyphics etched into stone tablets to be able to get Paul's slant on his craft. I don't use my VHS machine OR checkbook very often any more either, but it is a small price to pay for the result. Like I said before, Paul provides us with this material by sacrificing some of his rare spare time that he could spend doing other things.

(I'm just glad I didn't have to learn the Egyptian thing)

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Sorry, Larry - I guess I look at instructional materials as a product for sale, not some gift from the gods. And having seen none of it yet, I can't say how good it is until I buy the first one...which isn't going to be on VHS (I don't even have one of those any longer). The payment thing is simply a hindrance to commerce around here IMO.

But as good as Paul's playing is, I can only add that there are lot of othe good players who put out instructional materials that are abysmal. Good players are often NOT good teachers (there are exceptions - Herb Steiner's stuff is great, among some others not coming to mind right now). Ever seen Albert Lee's instructional video's? Albert is a prince of a guy, and a stupendous talent, but not an instructor in any sense of the word.

So kowtowing just because of the guy's talent and accepting instructional materials on an Etch-a-Sketch because he graced us with his "spare time" is kinda foolish. He's selling something, not giving it away.

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