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Topic: New to Weissenborn. questions |
Todd Pertll
From:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 5:53 am |
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I'll be getting my first Weissenborn in a few months, and have a few questions:
What is the preferred bar to use?
Also, I've tuned a lap steel to the tuning I will be using, DADF#AD. Can anyone recommend a good place to go for material to start working on? Books, CD's, Artists to listen to.
More specifically. I think my first big gig on the Weissenborn will be a wedding in October. Maybe there is some musical recommendations you can make in that respect. Maybe some good arrangements of wedding appropriate tunes.
thanks for your help,
Todd |
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Ed Altrichter
From:
Schroeder, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 6:47 am
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I've always liked the Hank Snow song " With This Ring I Thee Wed ". It sounds good on my Dobro tuned to E B E G# B E . I have my National tri-cone tuned to D A D F# A D .
Ed
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Bill Blacklock
From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 9:02 am
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Hi Todd,
I use a Sheerhorn bar and I personally think there the best of the bunch. "D" is a great tuning,if you look at the shape its just a low "G" tuning with an extra trebble string and all the low "G" tabs can be used by moving everything down one string. As far as great players that use "D" its a long list, Jerry Douglas, David Lindley, Ry Cooder,Cindy Cashdollar, just to name a few.
If you get bored with the "D" just drop the 3rd. down to an F and it give the tuning a hole new flavor. |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Gary Anwyl
From:
Palo Alto, CA
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 9:22 am
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Here's something you can try right now. Acoustic Guitar magazine has a free online lesson by Kelly Joe Phelps. It uses the D tuning.
Online lesson
The second page of the lesson has an arrangement of "Red River Valley" which isn't too hard and sounds quite nice.
If you like that style then I also recommend Slide Guitar of Kelly Joe Phelps on Homespun Tapes. It is all unaccompanied acoustic lap steel in the D tuning.
[This message was edited by Gary Anwyl on 18 April 2005 at 10:25 AM.] |
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Todd Pertll
From:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 10:27 am
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thanks for all of your help.
One more question: How important is a capo when playing in different keys? |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 11:54 am
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I think a capo is more important for G tuning when playing bluegrass because open strings are most important for hammer on's and pull off's. Since speed is essential, so is the capo when playing a fiddle tune in A for example.
Personally, I don't like what the capo does to the sound. I've tried several, I just don't care for them.
I don't recall ever seeing anyone capo a Weissenborn. I know that's not criteria for not trying one. I would find other patterns and alternate ways around to play the tune. Sometimes you can unearth gems this way.
Sometimes, I unearth germs......  |
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Bill Blacklock
From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 12:55 pm
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I really don't care for capos. For example if in a "D" tuning you capo up to "G" you loose all those great notes and goings on below the capo. On the plus side it does give a nice blue grass effect to a
weissenborn as you capo up, kinda starts to take on a mandolin type sound. |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 1:17 pm
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Players like Phelps and Harry Manx use capo to be able to use the chord voicings and licks available with open strings, while accompaning their singing in different keys (ok, they don't play Weissenborns but they could have......  ).
Steinar
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www.gregertsen.com
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Bill Blacklock
From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 18 Apr 2005 3:43 pm
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| Todd, best forget the capo just get Neil to build you a couple of more weissenborns, a baritone for "G" and a teardrop (27" scale)for "C", you can never have enough of these wonderful things. |
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