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Topic: Getting rock/blues sound out of GBDGBD |
Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 7 Sep 2014 6:56 pm |
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So, in my book, Al Perkins has absolutely mastered this (Crossroads!!)....never heard licks like that on six string lapsteel, with that tuning.
Assuming that's what he uses (I believe it's true) are there any other examples of similar blues rock sounds played on that standard dobro tuning, on a lapsteel?
Most lapsteel rock I've heard has been in open D or E, but I'd like to see what can be coaxed out of GBD dobro tuning.
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Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
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Posted 7 Sep 2014 9:26 pm
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| For some reason I thought he had an E7 tuning on the 6 string non pedal steel he was playing at the steel convention. He sounded great, I hope someone pipes in who knows for sure what tuning he was using. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 8 Sep 2014 6:39 am
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I'm assuming you're talking about this version of Crossroads from the 2013 NAMM show.
I don't know of many players who use open G for blues based music. The disadvantage to me of open G for that style is that you don't get the root note on the top of the tuning. The advantage, though, is that everything you play on the top three strings can be duplicated an octave lower on the bottom three strings.
I use open G on both electric and acoustic steel guitar.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 8 Sep 2014 7:55 am
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Tony, see if you can track down any of Randy Kohrs' lap steel work, he uses GBD GBD on both reso and lap and just rocks the lap steel.
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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Orville Johnson
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 8 Sep 2014 9:06 am
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| I don't have any problem playing blues in GBDGBD. In fact, I think it rescues me from a lot of the cliche moves that many steelers use for blues and gives me more unique options. |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 10 Sep 2014 4:39 pm
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hmmm...
Drop the low G to an E
more options with an Em. Also the more chords available the less likely you are to be limited thus less cliches unless specifically chosen by the player or simply lack of knowledge.
Knowledge = power and versatility when playing or soloing in any genre
a lot to learn indeed. Love music.
Try using different blues turnarounds and you will see what I mean. You're dobro tuning comes up pretty short unless you do some serious string pulling like Stacy Phillips.
Some are 2 frets up with a slant - Gee (He's mastered it) but it would be easier just retuning to a more versatile tuning and learn where all the chords are.
Once again more strings will give more options and less compromises.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 10 Sep 2014 5:47 pm
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I agree with Orville. Hi, Orville!
The 4th interval with an unwound string on top is a 1 fret forward slant on strings 2 and 3.
Perfect the intonation on that slant and you can dust the broom all night long.
_________________
Excel D10 8&4, Supro 8, Regal resonator, Peavey Powerslide, homemade lap 12(a work in progress) |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 3:23 am
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I should have clarified a bit. My goal is to get inspiration/ideas using the GBDGBD on my Powerslide, not my dobro. And yes, Al's version of Crossroads personifies the sound and style I'm looking for (right....who wouldn't!). But I haven't heard any other examples of overdrive rock sound in that tuning other than his version and performance. By the way, I watched him play it live at ISGC a few years ago and, yeah.....it was awwwwwsome!!
Randy Kohrs definitely fits the bill (thanks Mark!) but I'd love to see him play on lapsteel to hear how his style transfers to electric.
_________________
Sierra S10 (three!), Peavey 112 and 115, Benoit dobro, Beard Model E dobro, Beard Roadophonic, MSA Superslide, Dean Nickless custom dobro |
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Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 5:15 am
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| I use standard G tuning for rock/blues tunes all the time and make extensive use of power chords (root/5th/octave) the same way an electric guitarist would use them. Where a guitarist would bend strings I try to employ slide guitar/dobroistic embellishments - slurs, drone strings, hammer-on's, pull-offs, muted notes, and/or certain right hand picking techniques - rolls, pick blocking etc. to keep things interesting. Certain tunes can be more challenging than others to create a good rhythm arrangement or expressive solo - for example licks or melodies with wide intervals that don't lay out neatly - but there are plenty of great possibilities within G tuning for playing rock/blues music. Like any other tuning it's mostly a matter of putting in your time and patiently exploring the possibilities for yourself. |
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Rob Anderlik
From:
Chicago, IL
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 5:15 am
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| I use standard G tuning for rock/blues tunes all the time and make extensive use of power chords (root/5th/octave) the same way an electric guitarist would use them. Where a guitarist would bend strings I try to employ slide guitar/dobroistic embellishments - slurs, drone strings, hammer-on's, pull-offs, muted notes, and/or certain right hand picking techniques - rolls, pick blocking etc. to keep things interesting. Certain tunes can be more challenging than others to create a good rhythm arrangement or expressive solo - for example licks or melodies with wide intervals that don't lay out neatly - but there are plenty of great possibilities within G tuning for playing rock/blues music. Like any other tuning it's mostly a matter of putting in your time and patiently exploring the possibilities for yourself. |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 5:19 am
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| Tony, go to looknohands.com and go to the guitar side. Go to custom tuning and tune the guitar neck on the site to GBDGBD, and then start going through all the different scale patterns and memorizing the ones that inspire you, all the way up the neck. There is nothing I've done that has enabled me to play virtually any genre in traditional G like I've learned from that site. There's 148 scale patterns for every key on there. |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 7:16 am
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Check out Jerry Douglas in 2009 when he did a duo tour with Travis Tritt, a short video of a soundcheck they did for Merlefest.
Starting at around 2:20 listen to Jerry's bluesy playing during the instrumental break on his Lap King, tuned to Open G:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG578ApbN98
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Mark |
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Timothy Foster
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 8:11 am
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Not to derail a great thread entirely... but can anyone share additional artists/performances worth checking out for some tasty blues inspired lapsteel?
Especially with mixed lead/rhythm playing as in the Al Perkins clip -- I wasn't familiar with his work but greatly enjoyed it. Much of what I've come across thus far is very "lead" driven, relying on accompaniment to hold down the rhythmic structure... outside of the bluegrass/dobro guys of course. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Timothy Foster
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 8:32 am
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| Yeah, nicely done! |
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Olli Haavisto
From:
Jarvenpaa,Finland
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 9:58 am
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Here`s me noodling on my vintage Dobro the day I got it.
It`s actually a 1935 model 37, not a 1932 76 as it was sold as.
A great guitar with a beautiful blues tone. High bass G tuning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh5E0dN--4o
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Olli Haavisto
Finland |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 5:01 pm
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| Don't think of it as G tuning, think of it as Em7th tuning. Playing in the open position works very nicely when the song is in the key of E. |
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Ron Funk
From:
Ballwin, Missouri
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 8:57 pm
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At 2014 ISGC, Al Perkins did say (over the mic) that his 6 string Fender steel was tuned same as his dobro - Open G.
And he was cranking on Crossroads. |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 11 Sep 2014 9:11 pm
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I like that, John!
_________________
Excel D10 8&4, Supro 8, Regal resonator, Peavey Powerslide, homemade lap 12(a work in progress) |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Ulrich Sinn
From:
California, USA
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 12 Sep 2014 6:02 am
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And then again about 22 minutes in when they add a bass player and the bassist sings "Trouble in Mind" (IIRC). Great playing all around on this tune too. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2014 10:22 am
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Paul,
Of course if you approach the tuning as Em7th, you have your 4 chord, A, at the second fret, and the 5 chord B at the 4th fret, if you sorta revert to thinking G tuning on those. Lots of Blues in that short space of 4 frets. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2014 8:05 pm
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There are all kinds of great minor/pentatonic pockets on a major triad tuning, and one thing to think about is what will lie two frets back and three frets above (any major chord position, or straight across a GBD tuning) two frets back from the root, 3rd, 5th tones you have the b7, 2 (or 9) and 4 (or 11) tones, and three frets up you have the b3, 5, and b7 tones, so all kinds of rock/blues fuel right there. Add in some chromatic movement to and from and you have all kinds of territory to mine.
_________________
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
www.musicfarmstudio.com |
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