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Topic: The Immediate Impact of a Lesson |
Bill McCloskey
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Posted 31 Oct 2006 10:49 am |
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It has only been a two days since I trekked down to Mike Auldridge's house for my new MA8 and a lesson.
I'm both surprised and amazed how much this lesson has changed my playing already. Under the influence of my 12 string superslide I've been playing with 3 picks and for the most part doing a lot of pick blocking. I've been carrying this technique over to the 8 string dobro.
The first thing Mike said to me was: "You use 3 picks?" And then proceeded to show me that in fact for 90% of his playing, Mike uses just the thumb and middle finger, and does mostly palm blocking. I started yesterday turning my hand like he does and using the thumb middle finger technique he showed, and suddenly, I sounded a lot more like Mike than I did before. Quite startling actually.
Also taking his lessons and slowing them down in my slow down program. Mike has a tendency to show you something slowly, and then whipping off some fast passage that you know was a lot more complicated than the slow thing he just showed you. "Do you understand?" he asks. I just nod my head: "I'm with you." when I'm not really. But later being able to slow the lesson down and actually hear that lightening fast lick slowed down, you really can begin to absorb what he is talking about.
I would suggest that any one who is even thinking of playing dobro should not be inhibited in calling Mike first for a lesson. He plays the whole time anyway so you are not going to embarrass yourself and taking the CD home and working on it is the best lesson you will ever have.
[This message was edited by Bill McCloskey on 31 October 2006 at 10:51 AM.] |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 31 Oct 2006 11:00 am
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I would LOVE to take a lesson from Mike.
Won't happen any time soon. I was in Baltimore a couple of years ago for a trade show, but that oppportunity hasn't been available to me since. And the schedule was too tight that week for me to try to get together with him.
We knew for some months that that he would be playing with Emmylou at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass earlier this month in San Francisco, and a friend and Forum member contacted Mike to see if it were possible to have a workshop here, but Mike's schedule was too tight.
The man just doesn't get to California very often.
Three finger picks for dobro playing-even on an eight string-I can't even imagine.
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Mark
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2006 11:39 am
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I could never put a value on the fantastic one-on-one times I've had with Mike- some truly inspiring players don't have a good teaching personna, but he can really communicate his wonderful ability. And one of the nicest guys ever to hang out with.
One thing I can suggest to anyone who can't get some in person lesson time with Mike, order one of his videos. The ones with three songs are truly amazing, detailed looks at his techniques and ideas, enough on any one video to keep you working a long time.
Mike's phenomenal. |
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Mitch Druckman
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2006 8:24 pm
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Bill,
What tuning did you and Mike have on your MA-8s during the lesson?
Does Mike have a preference for teaching in particular tunings on the 8 string?
I have a Barney Isaacs album where he plays Hawaiian style on a 6 string resonator squareneck tuned to C6. Beautiful. It got me thinking about an MA-8 tuned to C6 with a high G.
Your inspiration is contagious. |
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Mitch Druckman
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 3 Nov 2006 7:03 am
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| Just a bump to find out about Bill and Mike's MA-8 tunings. |
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Bill McCloskey
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Posted 3 Nov 2006 7:12 am
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Sorry Mitch,
I missed this the first time around.
We were working in G6 tuning. However on Mike's very well produced DVD on 8 String dobro he covers G6, C6 and C9 tunings. |
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