I made a lapsteel...now how do I play it?!

[TheDuchess]

Hello there, it's nice to find you.

(In case you can't be bothered to read all my witterings, here are the headlines... Any advice for a beginner? Can you recommend any lessons? Videos? Books? Music to listen to? - thank you!)

So, yes, I went to a gig about six weeks ago and fell in love with the pedal steel and decided that was something I wanted a piece of. I spoke to the player and he let me have a go at making some fun noises. I would love one, but I don't trust myself to be dedicated enough to warrant the cost straight off so thought i'd try out the lap steel first. I tried two in a couple of shops and then got indecisive and thought it'd be quicker to make one than make a decision. So I took a long weekend of work and with my dad's help, I made one.

I've no idea how to play or where to start!

It's a 6 sting, electric with some lovely inlayed fret markers and shiny knobs. It works, which I'm impressed with but in no way feel qualified to judge how good it is. I wanted to tune it to G (because I also play the banjo and live in G) but the online string place accidentally sent me C6 strings so that's how I'm tuned for the time being.

Does anyone have any advise where to start? There's an overwhelming confusion of bits of online videos which I'm not great with but that seems kind of a logical place to start. I would be willing to have a lesson or two to get me started but the closest lessons I've found so far are a couple of hundred miles away (I'm in Oxfordshire). Skype lessons could be a possibility, but does anyone have any recomendation? I learnt to play the banjo without lessons or videos, so I am hopeful i can learn something on the lap steel.

I have a tone bar and I have some picks (I have them for the banjo but don't use them cause I mainly frail). And I have enthusiasm.

Unfortunately I don't off the top of my head know any music I could listen to with lap steel in it for inspiration. I'm happy just to be an "answering" instrument and fill in gaps for someone else playing as I'm a pretty shy musician but knowing some little tunes myself so i can play alone and work on techniques.

All advice welcome!

[Donny Johnston]

Welcome along you very brave person you. Building any type of guitar in a couple of weeks is a daunting task for anyone, well done. First instance, I would visit the Seirra steel guitar site, Joe Wright has 10 lessons, lap steel & pedal steel, posted there, for absolute beginner to more advanced. That will certainly get you started. Donny.

[bob adams]

Check this out for inspiration!

http://www.pedalsteel.co.uk/Mr-Jerry-Douglas

[Tony Russell Davis]

I think you have gone the right way with the C6th, even by mistake. The G tuning would have led you to "dobro" technique (like brilliant Jerry Douglas) but not necessarily laid down many markers for pedal steel later on. There are loads of tips that you will get from the forum, but as a starter - always use your picks and get a bullet nose steel, not a shaped dobro bar as that has certain drawbacks for pedal (and even Lap) steel technique.

[sabatica]

Browse through my site.

I live eat sleep and breathe Lap Steel Guitar