Recommendations for instructional material?

Bill Hisle · From: Shawnee, Kansas, USA

Just bought a 6 string Fender lap steel after 30 years of Tele playing. Do you all have any recommendations for some good beginner lap steel instructional material? I think I would prefer DVD, but I'll take whatever would help. Any recommended tunings? I think it came tuned to C6, which I like to this point.

Thanks for the help.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Bill,
Look at what Scotty has for sale. He has some non-pedal material available.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Bill, I'd suggest getting all the Jerry Byrd course material you can get, as he litterally wrote the book on getting the most out of your guitar and learning the basics correctly to allow you to progress as far as humanly possible.
Then learn what everybody else has to offer.

The lesson's listen / play along CD is full of great tunes by Jerry and his Hawaiian all-star rhythm section (on left and right channels) that are unique to this collection, and an absolute joy to simply listen to. So, that little bonus is worth a lot right there.

Have fun!

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Bill, what kind of music do you want to learn to play?

Rick Alexander · From: Florida, USA, R.I.P.

Hi Bill,
The A6 tuning - hi2lo E C# A F# E C# is a great tuning.
You can easily retune to it from C6 without having to change strings - just raise the C's to C# and lower the G to F#.

Herb Remington and I authored TUFF FUN TAB for A6 tuning which has Herb's handwritten tab for each song and a CD with 2 versions of each song - one with steel and one with just the backup track.

and I have a DVD of Steel Guitar Basics that mainly deals with A6 tuning. It consists of over 50 videos, many with an overhead cam so you see the guitar from the same angle you see your own.
The DVD shows you how and TUFF FUN TAB shows you what to do with it.

b0b has both TUFF FUN TAB and The Steel Guitar Basics DVD for sale right here on the forum.
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BIG STEEL

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I know from experience that what Mr. Whitfield and Mr. Aiello say is true. I went through Mr. Byrd's course to learn the basics and it did well by me. But I did have to shell out over $100.00 for the entire course at one time. Also, it was very hawaiian oriented. On top of that, I found that it gave me more information than I felt I wanted. It does begin with open A tuning and progresses through to C6.
I don't know about the Tuff Fun tab. But I have heard both Mr. Remington and Mr. Alexander play. I have bought one of Mr. Remington's guitars (top notch, by the way). Mr. Remington's playing is also more along the line of what I'd like to do. I think that for a much smaller investment you can probably try out some of the tuff fun tabs. If they don't suit your needs or take you in the direction you want to go, the Byrd choice is a winner. As Mr. Byrd would probably say, "If you don't know how to play, it doesn't matter what kind of music you want to make. And if you do know how to play, it doesn't matter what kind of music you want to make."
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Amor vincit omnia

Bill Hisle · From: Shawnee, Kansas, USA

Thanks everyone for all of the replys - much appreciated! Lot's of good advice!

"Bill, what kind of music do you want to learn to play?"

Both kinds...country and western. Sorry, couldn't resist. I'd like to learn Don Helms/Hank stuff as well as E.T. I'm kind of liking the C6, but will give A6 a go as well.

As stated by many before me, this forum is a great place for steel guitar players and wanna' be's like me. All your help and info is very much appreciated!

Garry Vanderlinde · From: CA

If you're into Don Helms, you should get his book that is available through Scotty's. E6th tuning.

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

What ever you learn on C6 you'll be able to play on A6 as the intervals are the same, just pitched lower. Have fun with it.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

As Rick and Ron have stated...... JERRY BYRD was one of the most successful 6-string lap steel recording artists in history! Others played at them but IMHO failed to achieve the level of competance in styling and technique.
JERRY BYRD was playing a Hawaiian Steel Guitar. Was he supposed to sound like something else? I don't think so.
When he joined Ernest Tub and launched into the real traditional country-western tunes, he did so on the single neck steel guitar.
HIS instructional material will start you at step #1 and carry you all the way to the end. Once you know how to REALLY play the thing, you can decide on which tuning you're going to devote your life to.
Show me just one of his Mercury records that wasn't absolutely sensational.......and I'll show you someone that likely doesn't know what they're talking about.

Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

Ray, that cut you have on the JB-FC site, 'Somebody's Been Stealing My Sweet Sugar' has some typically nice playing, and the song selection option you now have available is way happening! Thanx for the nice improvements.

Bill, give a listen to how THE master did it.

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