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Topic: My musical journey started today, 24 FEB 22 |
Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 9:20 pm |
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I thought I'd keep a loose record of my learning to play lap steel, in fact ANY instrument, beginning less than 2 weeks from my 60th birthday. It will hopefully bring me sage advice from Day One from my someday peers, insights on roadblocks turned to hurdles, and for anyone who reads this, memories of your progression, smiles, and for folks like me just starting out, answers to your questions that I have needed advice on, as well as proof, the Good Lord willing, that you are never too old to learn something new. So here we go.
I'm starting off with First Lessons in Lap Steel here's a pic of the book. (I need to learn how to make my pics smaller when not showing detail, I'll work on that).
Full disclosure, I've picked up a few books, this one when I realized the first didn't cover C6 tuning. As far as gear, have a 6-string I'm using now that's tuned in C6, and am upgrading a Rogue to the same 22.5" scale, with new guts. It will be tuned maybe in Dobro to start. But that's down the road. I've got a SHUBB Robert Randolph 1 slide, which I plan on using solely until i can at least PLAY comfortably, the thumb and finger picks, and a Spark 40 amp that is perfect for my purposes. And a caffeinated beverage at all times
GROUND ZERO
Today I started with chapter 2, as I have been getting the preparations covered in chapter 1 since I decided to walk this path. I have fiddled with holding the slide, the picks are nice and comfy. Easy peasy.
Now the fun. I got the software and apps installed for the Spark. I can get sound out of it, know enough to turn off the pedals, so I'm good for now. I do see there's going to be a small learning curve for getting all the benefits that work for me, but that will be more of a speed bump. My guitar is tuned, time to work on the string groups.
Here's where my ego might suffer a bit. Like I said, playing any instrument is new, so muscle memory is going to need time to come together. I get my syrumming hand in the same position as the photos. Picking the strings separately or together isn't exactly musical. It might be a felony, Aggravated Tone Menacing or something. But I didn't expect much better. I spent over an hour. Fiddling with the angle the picks hit the strings, working to even out the amount of attack I give each string. Over and over. I'm not even worried about using my left hand, just staying with open strings. My dog came in and howled once, then barked. My son was here for supper, he notice something I'll be working on.
"Dad, see how you make sure when you start to play that you get the hand exactly positioned right? By the 2nd or 3rd time you play the group, Hou look like you're picking up a dead, rotting mouse. (Smiles) I think you dhould keep your hand position in good form first. The rest will come easier after that!"
By this time, I had about 1ΒΌ hours playing, so I let him try out my amp with the guitar I restored and upgraded for him. For the next hour, the house was filled with righteous blues and rock: SVR, Mayer, Clapton, Santana, whatever sound he sought, that little amp captured. And I got to hear his LP clone that I gave a Gretsch voice put through its paces. I look forward to getting use out of all the Spark's features!
All in all, my first practice went as expected. I knew it would be an uphill climb, and as long as my wife can stomach it, I won't give in. Using those banjo picks with a thumb pick just increased the mad respect I have in all of you for accomplishing what I aim to.
I look forward to the day I get comfortably past chapter 2. To actually play a song, even 3 Blind Mice at this point, will be music to my dog Smokey's ears! |
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Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 24 Feb 2022 9:27 pm
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| (I have a bad habit of submitting my posts without proofreading for errors. I'll try to work on that, too!) |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 2:33 pm
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Well that was some fun reading!!
Welcome to steeldom. I remember my first steel bringing it home, plugging it in and the sound was just amazing. This was after owning but no playing dobro for a few weeks (wait, Reso, pls don't sue me Gibson!) and deciding I wanted a less fragile instrument.
Re: the Shubbs, I like the sp1 and sp2 becuase of the rounded nose, makes sliding up to treble strings easier except you have to flip around for hammer ons and pulloffs.
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew |
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JB Bobbitt
From:
California, USA
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Posted 25 Feb 2022 3:03 pm
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Thanks, I'm looking forward to the lowdown on your Spark Amp settings as you find them.
-jbb
_________________
"Time is an enemy"
-Bob Dylan |
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Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 26 Feb 2022 9:18 pm
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I'll keep you apprised of everything, generally at weekly intervals. My son has been coming over the past 2 nights since checking the Spark out, with the Gretsch-powered gold top I just fixed up for him and a stick-built multi-voiced tele I made 6 years ago, spending about an hour or two tweaking different settings, it's impressive how close he can match tones. He was in a Knopfler-zone today, Prince and Allman Bros yesterday.
One thing I can say, that little box pushes mass bass. I dialed it way back for my picking practices, and saw that he does the same. I haven't fed music through it yet, but I'm sure it will sound good playing my regular Playlist through it.
There's a Spark mini coming out soon, it looks like maybe an 8" cube with maybe 2-3 knobs, but supposedly runs THE full-size Spark's software, and has a built in battery. That'd be a good portable solution for the Guitar Guy at parties.
Not much to say 3 days into my musical adventure. Logan (my son) suggested I don't set up and plug in the amp except for when I sit down at night to practice, but when I pick it up throughout the day to pick at it for 10-15 minutes, just use the resonance from the alder body to judge my ability. I know it's helping, I can feel the resistance on each finger evening out. But I doubt I'll be posting any videos of me covering anyone's music for quite some time. Gotta say, even little gains make me grin like a goof! |
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Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2022 7:35 pm One Week In - 03 MAR 22
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Last edited by Thomas Bray on 3 Mar 2022 7:45 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2022 7:42 pm
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| (I added a post above that isn't showing on my feed. I'll see if I can figure out why. I can still pull it up and edit...) |
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Thomas Bray
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 3 Mar 2022 7:50 pm
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Well, that's weird. I can read it by hitting edit or quote, though the pics don't show. But other than that, I see a blank space.
If I did something that caused this, I can't seem to undo it. Ideas? |
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C. Eric Banister
From:
Scottsburg, Indiana, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2022 6:52 am
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| Give it another try. Looking forward to the update! |
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David Venzke
From:
SE Michigan, USA
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Posted 11 Mar 2022 7:19 am
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| Thomas Bray wrote: |
Well, that's weird. I can read it by hitting edit or quote, though the pics don't show. But other than that, I see a blank space.
If I did something that caused this, I can't seem to undo it. Ideas? |
Thomas,
You have a URL partially coded about half way down the post, but the closing tag is at the end of your post.
Change this:
| Code: |
| [Url]https://www.fatpick.com/tools/fretboard-generator?tuning=GBDGBD&frets=26 |
to this:
| Code: |
| [Url]https://www.fatpick.com/tools/fretboard-generator?tuning=GBDGBD&frets=26[/url] |
That will fix the post.
-Dave |
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