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Topic: How hard is Weissenborn? |
Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 23 Mar 2014 7:52 pm |
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My wife has become enchanted with the sound of the weissenborn after I showed her some YouTube videos and is interested in one. How hard would one of these in open D be for a beginner with some basic guitar experience be? Any suggestions on a book or video series?
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal. |
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Ben Elder
From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
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Posted 23 Mar 2014 9:30 pm
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How hard is Dobro? How hard is lap steel? Weissenborn involves a more subtle touch and usually benefits from a less aggressive style than, say, bluegrass Dobro. (I'm often horrified at the players who want to treat it as a cone-less Dobro or National, including using heavy strings cranked high and whomping on it with murderous abandon.) I would think for a non-steel player, the clumsiness of the bar--and getting consistent tone, intonation and no string rattle--will be the biggest obstacles. (And reverse slants on down the road.) That and figuring out where the damn notes moved in the open tuning.
Weissenborn isn't a style of music; it's a tool for accomplishing a player's vision.
There's a Bob Brozman Hawaiian Guitar instruction video in multiple parts, but if memory serves, even on the first volume he was demonstrating an upbeat tune with a three-fret forward slant.
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"Gopher, Everett?" |
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Jim Williams
From:
Meridian, Mississippi, USA - Home of Peavey!
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 5:08 am
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Thanks. My wife has some talent, but I don't know if she will have the practice time or be very comfortable with the bar and the slants. I may tune my dobro to open D and let her noodle with that a while before proceeding, but if she wants to pursue it, I'll get it for her. It may wind up being restrung for C6 and acoustic practice 
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GFI SM10 3/4, 1937 Gibson EH-150, 2 - Rondo SX Lap Steels and a Guyatone 6 String C6. Peavey 400 and a Roland 40 Amps. Behringer Reverb Pedal. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 5:15 am
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I started out playing on an acoustic guitar with a nut extender. My influences were David Lindley and Kelly Joe Phelps and Blind Willie Johnson.
One can make a lot of really pretty music like this, as well as play delta blues styles. It's a good place for someone with a guitar background to start, especially if you are into fingerpicking and using open strings. I'm into oddball keys and such, so I don't think it was a great vehicle for me to play solo.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 5:24 am
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Jim, I think a weissenborn is an excellent choice for your wife. An open tuning will spark who knows what in the future. I think it's completely awesome that she's sharing an interest with you. I'd love it if my wife was interested in playing steel or anything else, actually.
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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John Mulligan
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 5:44 am Open D
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| Open D or E is very easy to play pleasing sounds in with simple melodies for a beginner. Once a person starts playing they will start finding where they want to go. Songs like Norwegian Wood or 4 and 20 by Steven Stills are nice easy songs to start with, plus about a million others.Folk, blues and country offer lots of possibilities. Open D is much less intimidating to a newbie than C6, unless her true ambition is to play lap steel like Speedy West. |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 12:53 pm
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We recently purchased a Weissenborn. My wife got all enthused about them after seeing a solo David Lindley concert. No argument from me.
She plays clawhammer banjo, but had no steel/slide guitar experience. We've had it a few months now; she plays it most every day. The nice thing with a decent hollow-neck is you can produce lovely sound just strumming the thing and picking out melody on the top string. Doesn't take long to figure out a few simple tunes.
Go for it! |
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 24 Mar 2014 1:10 pm
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If she thinks she would enjoy it buy her one.
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Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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