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Topic: Has your Dobro/Lap-Steel playing influenced your PSG? |
Mike Greenberg
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 29 Aug 2010 7:16 pm |
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I'm just curious. For those of you who play dobro and/or lap steel as well as PSG, how has your knowledge of one instrument affected your playing on the other. I have only been playing PSG for a few years. I have been playing 6-string dobro for many, many more. I still find myself "translating" at times.
When I first started playing PSG, I relied heavily on my dobro "patterns" to start to "translate" PSG for myself. For instance, most of what I play on dobro is in standard G (GBDGBD) tuning. Needles to say, on PSG with pedals down the B-D-G-B-D portion of that tuning comes right up on strings 10-8-6-5-4 (with a bonus "root" up on string 3 and lots of other good stuff in between). The day I realized that, some things started to make a lot more sense because I could more easily draw upon my knowledge of the dobro neck, again "translating".
That being said, I had to be careful not to just "play dobro on steel". For example, I still think I pick up the bar too often and forget that there is a whole lot of sustain available if I choose to use it.
I won't bore you with any more of my "Aha!" moments, but I'm curious to hear other people's. How has your experience with non-pedal-steel influenced your playing/learning of PSG or vice-versa?
Thanks
--Mike |
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Jay Yuskaitis
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 9:11 am
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| I always use slants while playing with pedals. I'd be lost without them. Jay y. |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 10:11 am
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I've been playing Dobro/lap steel since 1973 and PSG since 1982. Yes one influences the other.
I have to admit, I had the call to emulate PSG licks on the Dobro or the lap steel not the other way around. For instance I used to detune my dobro high B to an A. Then I'd use my ring finger on my bar hand to pull the A up to B behind the bar to get that classic PSG lick.
The three instruments are very different beasts. I used to bring all to gigs but eventually I found it difficult to switch between them and be proficient improvising. I use a Stevens bar on the Dobro/laps teel and bullet bar on the PSG thinking it's a cue that helps me switch. I still have trouble so now I just bring one and not the others.
I would say playing the dobro gave me good bar and picking hand technique that I was immediately able to apply to PSG.
I tend to pick block on the dobro and palm block on the PSG.
I do some hammer ons and pulloffs on PSG that I probably would have never done had I not played dobro/lap steel.
I rarely bar slant on the PSG. That's what I got all those pedals for.
I love to play the Dobro in a bluegrass combo or acoustically with just another player or two. It has wonderful overtone that gets lost in a big electric band though in my opinion. You can put a pick up on a dobro but then it begins to sound electric - yuch.
I played a pedal bro once at Paul F. senior's booth at the St Louis convention - cool! It had a very similar but quieter acoustic dobro tone. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 10:34 am
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I spend a good bit of time approaching any of the three instruments with ideas and approaches gleaned from the others. Mostly, though, I utilize the differences for just that, different tunings, sound, attack, sustain, and approach to broaden the colors and musical contribution each can bring to the table.
Viva la slideystuff. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Mike Greenberg
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 3:39 pm
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| Very cool! Many thanks for all the responses so far. It's always interesting to hear about how others approach their instruments. |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 4:43 pm
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Started on a 6 string with "A" tuning in 1963.
Same tuning as A & B pedals down for 3,4,5,6,8 & 10.
Yep, helped out a lot when I was just figuring the axe out and needed to get to a familiar place.
_________________
Lawyers are done: Emmons SD-10, 3 Dekleys including a D10, NV400, and lots of effects units to cover my clams... |
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Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 8:07 pm
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| Jay Yuskaitis wrote: |
| I always use slants while playing with pedals. I'd be lost without them. Jay y. |
Me too. Sometimes I even prefer to slant rather than use a pedal/lever...it can be a lot quicker.
On C6th, I use the pedals to get different chords, but then I'll often play them as if they're different tunings on a non-pedal steel. When I play single-note stuff, it's usually without pedals.
_________________
www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Papa Joe Pollick
From:
Swanton, Ohio
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Posted 30 Aug 2010 8:26 pm
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| Actualy just the oppisite with me..The PSG influences my lap and 6 string style.I never did slants on lap until I started on PSG. |
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John DeBoalt
From:
Harrisville New York USA
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Posted 31 Aug 2010 5:13 pm
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Having played the dobro a long time before I took up the pedal steel, I still find I pick way too much instead of using the instrument sustain. I'm still working on it. I also find the bullet bar tough to pick up after so long with bars like the Tipton I currently use. I pick the dobro bar up all the time, but only the pedal steel bar when I absoloutly have to. I'm sure I pick block most of the time on both instruments. When it comes to chord positions, I always relate the steel to the 6 string on the E9th neck. If I play both pedal, and dobro in a set, I try to shift my thinking, while I change picks, and bars. I really have to concentrate on the C6th neck. I won't use it unless I'm really familar with the song. John
_________________
Equipment: Carter D10, Zum Stage1,
Wechter Scheernhorn Reso, Deneve Reso, Fender Jazzmaster, Martin D16, Walker Stereo Steel amp, TC Electronics M One effects unit, JBL 15" speaker cabs,Peavey Nashville 1000,Peavey Revoloution 112, Morrell Lap Steel, Boss DD3 delay,others |
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Harry Dove
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 31 Aug 2010 6:02 pm
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| I solved the confusion of switching back and forth during a gig by tuning my dobro to an E7 tuning. Now I enjoy playing it alot more and I can play more chords, etc. much easier than I found them with the G tuning. |
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Tamara James
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Posted 1 Sep 2010 7:19 am Re: Has your Dobro/Lap-Steel playing influenced your PSG?
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| Mike Greenberg wrote: |
When I first started playing PSG, I relied heavily on my dobro "patterns" to start to "translate" PSG for myself. For instance, most of what I play on dobro is in standard G (GBDGBD) tuning. Needles to say, on PSG with pedals down the B-D-G-B-D portion of that tuning comes right up on strings 10-8-6-5-4 (with a bonus "root" up on string 3 and lots of other good stuff in between). The day I realized that, some things started to make a lot more sense because I could more easily draw upon my knowledge of the dobro neck, again "translating".
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I am very interested in hearing more about this subject. I was having difficult times with my psg. I started dobro lessons about 2 months ago hoping it would help me understand. I don't play anything else, so maybe I did start too high. My progress on the Dobro is going well and I think the psg has helped with that,but I am learing much on the Dobro that I think will fill in the "missing spaces" on the psg. I have never learned scale patterns before as actual patterns, just as plain scales, and if I had to tell about just one thing that I think is a true help is the scale patterns in so many different places. I am not sure why my brain thinks "scales" and "scale patterns" are different. I guess because one is moveable and one is not. On my Dobro I think I can pick out 3 blind mice in 5 different places all because I have learned the scales in that many places.
Sorry if I am babbling. Point is, I'm glad someone else thinks Dobro and PSG can go hand-in-hand in the learning department. I don't feel like I am wasting my time now. Thanks. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 1 Sep 2010 7:42 am
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I'd never thought about it too much but over the years I've been told on several occasions that I "move the bar around" more than most pedal steel players and I guess that's probably a "left over" from lapsteel playing..........JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Greg Gefell
From:
Upstate NY
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Posted 1 Sep 2010 7:44 am
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I have one of my resonator guitars tuned to high open E, the same as strings 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3 from E9 pedal steel. Its an interesting way to practice "getting" around without the pedals. A side bonus is any patterns you learn/practice aren't lost in translation when you go back to pedal steel.
I've had a few recording sessions where the naturally sustaning pedal steel just wasnt apropriate for the song so I pulled out the reso - played basically the same part but it just stayed out of the way and fit the track better.
So for me, learning the strengths and different techniques of each instrument helps me play a better part.
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https://www.facebook.com/ggefell/ |
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