Approach: instrumentals or accompaniment?

Pat Sylvest · From: Louisiana, USA

Having achieved some proficiency on the Dobro, I've decided to take on Lap Steel and I'm having a great time of it.

I'm finding that I prefer accompanying a performer to learning instrumentals.

I do the work of learning the basic homework tunes; Panhandle Rag, SGR, Sleepwalk... primarily for the purpose of gaining skills. Insofar as learning an extensive repertoire, I'm just not that interested.

I do enjoy listening to the beautiful arrangements of proficient players very much.

Does anyone else feel this way? Am I short-changing myself?
_________________
http://www.patricksylvest.com

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/PatrickSylvest

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

I love the sound of the steel guitar, and instrumentals are great, but I think the vast majority of people prefer music featuring vocals.

IMO this is why Jazz improvization is under-appreciated, even when played by the greatest musicians. The public would rather buy records with fair singing and just okay arrangments with a good beat that you can dance to...

IMO this is partly why the big bands died out and gave way to popular vocal hits, then doowap singing groups, rock & roll and whatever the mess is that they call "music" today.

You will rarely hear an instrumental on the radio today, (Except on an oldies or Jazz station)

Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3

Pat Sylvest · From: Louisiana, USA

That's true Dom, and it's a shame. There have been some good instrumentals on the charts over the years.... 'Frankenstein' is a favorite of mine. In the 70s 'Music box Dancer' was accidentally released to pop radio and became a hit!
_________________
http://www.patricksylvest.com

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/PatrickSylvest

Thomas Temple · From: Florida, USA

As you progress I am sure that you will want to become more and more proficient with the lap steel. I understand being a backup player in a group, but just as a "lead" guitarists wants a few minutes in the spot light I am sure that you'll want to let the lap steel shine as well. Good luck and welcone to the forum.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I find that I enjoy doing both. The fact is though that when I do an instrumental, it isn't usually an instrumental per se. It is almost always an instrumental version of something that is usually done as a vocal. I think the popularity of vocals is that tunes written for vocalists tend to be extremely melodic (note: I'm talking about music here and not the poetry with musical background known as rap.) The death of jazz has alot to do with the lack of melody in most of it these days. I tend to like the jazz of the jazz age but not modern jazz. It really is a long way musically speaking from Louis Armstrong and Django Reinhardt to most of today's jazz.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Edward;
I totally agree with you about melody. It seems to me in most modern music of any style, Country, Rock, Alternative, Worship, and Jazz, the importance of the melody has been lost.

I hear so many songs that have a similar chord progression, and very monotonal melodies. The lyrics are rap style, and very rhythmic, and grouped together in bursts that seem to follow the chord changes.

I have a running joke with my wife whenever we hear one of these kind of "songs"... I say "Oh boy, now I'll be humming that tune all day long!" NOT!

Dom
_________________
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYG9cvwCPKuXpGofziPNieA/feed?activity_view=3

Pat Sylvest · From: Louisiana, USA

Excellent points!

As a songwriter, I try to be mindful of melody and actually compose music to go with my lyrics. I've a ways to go on that count.

Insofar as playing solos during my 'breaks' I try to hew close to the melody, or at the very least hint at it. This is where instrumental meets accompaniment, I suppose.
_________________
http://www.patricksylvest.com

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/PatrickSylvest

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

I've found the best is to have a couple of steel features in an evening... the singers want a break, too, and the crowd really does enjoy them. I took the 8-string dobro to Luckenbach for the Sunday Picker's Circle and tried to get away with just accompaniment... they wouldn't have it, I ended up playing Panhandle, Bootheel, SGR, *and* Alley Cat... and they'd have taken more if I'd had it available. Several folks came up to me and mentioned they'd never seen such a thing as a dobro before... very enthusiastic folks too.
_________________
New FB Page: Lap Steel Licks And Stuff: https://www.facebook.com/groups/195394851800329

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I also find that my 8 string resonator is a big hit wherever I go.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Pat Sylvest · From: Louisiana, USA

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

John D. Carter · From: Canton, Ohio, USA

I think that to be a proficient player, you need to be able to do both equally well. I have written a song called, "My Brown Hawaiian Girl" where the steel plays in background with the vocalist in verse 1 then switches to the melody for verse 2 (no voice) and then goes back with the vocalist as backup for verse 3.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

Mine is tuned to a C6 as follows- D-E-C-A-G-E-C-A. I play alot out of Buddy Emmons C6 pockets. This is a set-up invented by him. You can get most of the instructional material on it from Jeff Newman's website last I looked. Mike Auldridge has some on it in his beginning 8 string resonator instruction DVD. I have heard that Buddy's instructional material is no longer available.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: