Had I already seen this video I would not have queried your E6th tuning! Great tuition, Steve. Thoroughly enjoyed. [I wish such as this was available all those years ago when I was starting out on the steel guitar].
Thanks Stan. Sometimes I think how great it would’ve been having access to RUclips back in the day, but looking back I’m pretty happy with the old school learning process.
How cool ! What a neat teaching video, I'm an oldtime banjo player , I've just bought an old guyatone lap steel and having a lot of fun with it in C6th , thanks for the lesson
Thanks for taking the time and doing this video Steve...just getting back into playing my Ric Lap after too long of a hiatus(for what reason I don't know), and this is a really nice harmonic/melodic inspirational kick I will be incorporating...thanks for sharing;)
I'm waiting for some strings to come in for an old Dickerson lap steel I picked up at a swapmeet to resale, but listening to you here has me thinking I should just add it to my wall in my studio instead. Thanks for the inspiration! PS! It's the same color and shape as yours!
Nice lesson! Been playing slide guitar for 4-5 years now in the style of Elmore James, Derek Trucks, Duane Allman, Son House and myself :) but finding a good lap-steel lesson on youtube like this isn't easy. Good going! Like how you put the lick into context. It would also be an idea to try to do the same thing in perhaps your old tuning E6 --> in order to prove the point that a key may change but the lick "algorytm" stays the same, the only difference is that the key is in E.
+Walter Stuart True...which is why having a good intervallic understanding of whatever tuning one might use is so important. Thanks for the feedback, Walter.
Wow -- I'm a bass player, and I've only really been able to play with one steel player. He played pedal steel. I had NO IDEA about this "pinky bending" thing you can do on a lap steel. So other than the pedals or knee levers that drop the sound, you can pretty much keep up with a pedal steel player and hit all sorts of whacked out chords. Mind = blown.
Steve I found this lesson very useful as I am starting my head first dive into lap steel after playing regular guitar for years. I'm having a blast with the instrument so far. Picked up a Supro Comet from my neighbor just last week. Would love to see some more C6 lessons like this for blues/jazz style playing. Or if you offer live video lessons I would be very interested. Thanks man , let me know! -Derek
Thanks for the video. Good stuff! I think I have the same lap steel you use in this video (looks exactly like it) but mine doesn't have any indication of the brand. Also have a matching amp, again with no name. Can you tell me anything about it? Thanks.
Most of the MOTS(Mother Of Toilet Seat) lap steels you see are Magnatones or Dickersons, but there are a lot of unlabeled ones too, as well as different companies who slapped their own labels on the headstock. My two are a Leilani and a Bel-Tone.
Hey Steve, kinda lost ya for a while. I think I've got more online accounts than I can remember and now that google is taking over earth I do that account; so I gotta build my saved videos all over again! Arrrrgh! Anyway great instructional video as I would expect from you. Digging the western swing man!
I just picked up an ole Dickerson too, same green color as he's using in the video. I paid $100.00 for it at our local swapmeet and my original intent was to resale as I'm also a picker of antiques, but being a picker of instruments too I'm thinking I just might keep it here in my studio. How you coming along with yours?
I keep running into not being sure what tuning to start with if i want to play alt-country. I research, get a lot of conflicting opinions, then give up. What would you say a best starting tuning would be?
Hey Ryan, I’d definitely recommend Open E for alt-country. 6chord tunings are great for classic country/western swing & Hawaiian, but I find E to be great for most post-50s country, rock, blues, etc, due to the relative neutrality of the tuning. Plus, if you’re a guitarist it’s fairly easy to learn…strings 1, 2 & 6 are the same as standard tuning. Best of luck to you
How are you making it get that old country sound? Is it the way you are picking or do you have the tone nobs adjusted a certain way? I've seen different people play the same type of lap steel and some sound no different than playing a slide blues guitar and some can get that old Hank Williams country sound that sounds totally different
I think it's a combination of...1)clean tone w/a little bit of grit, 2)appropriate vocabulary, 3)rhythmic phrasing/swing. Hard to really say though...I'm just playing it like I hear it:)
the thing I'm noticing,being new to lap steel,is how high the string tension seems to be.I'm impressed by the effects you get from string pulling,but do they ever snap on you? My lap steel has quite a prominent break angle over the nut.
I got a lap steel very similar to this from my grandpa when he passed only it just has a single volume knob and this metal bridge thing over the strings at the end and no head stock logo any info on it for me?
Basically same as mine...I took the metal PU cover off, to free up my picking hand. These old steels were made by Valco, in Chicago...a bunch of different brands put their own logo on the headstock.
Great vid! I really want to buy a lap steel but not sure which one. Which one you think is more country/western swing in sound? Morrell, Airline, Gretsch? I want it to be as close to a pedal steel as possible. Gonna also use a volume pedal. Thank you!
TBH, I never play in C6, other than these couple of vids on youtube. I would check on the Steel Guitar Forum, "Steel without Pedals" section...you'll definitely find the answer there. Good luck!
Love the "pinky pull". Never would have thought of that myself.
This is exactly the lesson I’ve been dreaming of, excellent presentation!
That’s great Robert, thanks!
Just purchased a lap steel. This is awesome!
Very cool, enjoy it!
This is so slick. Thanks, Steve!
You’re welcome Maddie, hope some of it was helpful.
Dude, I’m just now starting out on the lap steel and you have already been most inspiring and helpful. Thank you!
Cool Oscar, best of luck on your new journey 👍
The relation to standard tuning is of great value!!! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
When I come to power you, Steve, will be appointed as Minister of All Things Lap Steel. Great lesson!
+mxr618 Ha! Thanks
Steve, this is a great, no-nonsense vid. Gives a lot to work on and your explanations are easy to follow.
Had I already seen this video I would not have queried your E6th tuning! Great tuition, Steve. Thoroughly enjoyed. [I wish such as this was available all those years ago when I was starting out on the steel guitar].
Thanks Stan. Sometimes I think how great it would’ve been having access to RUclips back in the day, but looking back I’m pretty happy with the old school learning process.
That pinky trick is a bit of a revelation. Thanks. Got to try it out.
Jon Thorne same!
Steve, the best lesson since I began. Thanks a million.
How cool ! What a neat teaching video, I'm an oldtime banjo player , I've just bought an old guyatone lap steel and having a lot of fun with it in C6th , thanks for the lesson
Very nice and useful lick; thanks for showing it to us.
Yessir
You make that look so easy....I've played a standard 6 string guitar for decades....But this sure is tougher than it looks!
didn't even know about string puls until I saw this! it's a whole new world! thanks!
Love this lesson, simple and direct. Sounds great!
Amazing Thank you for the teachings.
Loved this. As a learning player it gave me some great ideas. Thanks!
Great to hear!
Nice. I had an old Magnatone that looked identical to that one but for the badge on the headstock.
This helped me. Thank you
Glad it helped
Thanks Steve , really helpful !!!
Great stuff. Steve! And it helps me to have things related to standard tuned guitar--no problem with that, at all! Looking forward to trying it out.
Thanks for taking the time and doing this video Steve...just getting back into playing my Ric Lap after too long of a hiatus(for what reason I don't know), and this is a really nice harmonic/melodic inspirational kick I will be incorporating...thanks for sharing;)
This tip is gold...
Cool, thanks
I'm waiting for some strings to come in for an old Dickerson lap steel I picked up at a swapmeet to resale, but listening to you here has me thinking I should just add it to my wall in my studio instead. Thanks for the inspiration! PS! It's the same color and shape as yours!
Great Vid! Fun Concept! Thanks!
Great Steve thankyou ❤
You’re welcome🙏
Way too cool,I just built a lap steel ,you Da Man!
Thanks Roger, congrats on your new build!
I am digging it Steve!
Nice lesson! Been playing slide guitar for 4-5 years now in the style of Elmore James, Derek Trucks, Duane Allman, Son House and myself :) but finding a good lap-steel lesson on youtube like this isn't easy. Good going! Like how you put the lick into context. It would also be an idea to try to do the same thing in perhaps your old tuning E6 --> in order to prove the point that a key may change but the lick "algorytm" stays the same, the only difference is that the key is in E.
+Walter Stuart True...which is why having a good intervallic understanding of whatever tuning one might use is so important. Thanks for the feedback, Walter.
Wow -- I'm a bass player, and I've only really been able to play with one steel player. He played pedal steel. I had NO IDEA about this "pinky bending" thing you can do on a lap steel. So other than the pedals or knee levers that drop the sound, you can pretty much keep up with a pedal steel player and hit all sorts of whacked out chords. Mind = blown.
Two thumbs up brother,great lesson,my second day playing a lap steel,this really helped,thanks
That's great, thanks.
Excellent vid
PS :- I hope you do more videos like this in the future !
_________________
Great stuff Steve. Where do you find the background?
Thanks Bob. The backing is just from a looper.
Dang that was impressive
Thanks Cap
great teacher, thank you!!
Woah. I've never seen pinky-bends like that on slide before.
Thanks
Steve I found this lesson very useful as I am starting my head first dive into lap steel after playing regular guitar for years. I'm having a blast with the instrument so far. Picked up a Supro Comet from my neighbor just last week. Would love to see some more C6 lessons like this for blues/jazz style playing. Or if you offer live video lessons I would be very interested. Thanks man , let me know! -Derek
Thanks Derek. I don't do any skype-type lessons at the moment...if that changes I'll let you know.
Thanks for the video. Good stuff!
I think I have the same lap steel you use in this video (looks exactly like it) but mine doesn't have any indication of the brand. Also have a matching amp, again with no name.
Can you tell me anything about it?
Thanks.
Most of the MOTS(Mother Of Toilet Seat) lap steels you see are Magnatones or Dickersons, but there are a lot of unlabeled ones too, as well as different companies who slapped their own labels on the headstock. My two are a Leilani and a Bel-Tone.
Thanks! Is that a Magnatone?
It’s a Leilani. Magnatone, Dickerson, Bel-Tone, etc all put their names on the same instruments
a good lesson
Thanks for the feedback guys.
NICE!!!!!
Hey Steve, kinda lost ya for a while. I think I've got more online accounts than I can remember and now that google is taking over earth I do that account; so I gotta build my saved videos all over again! Arrrrgh! Anyway great instructional video as I would expect from you. Digging the western swing man!
Thanks Michael!
I always wondered what lap steel players were doing with their pinky finger. I didn't know they bent strings like that.
Your guitar looks like one of the variants of the Dickerson. I just got a '47 Dickerson that needs fixed up... but It's gonna sing again.
I just picked up an ole Dickerson too, same green color as he's using in the video. I paid $100.00 for it at our local swapmeet and my original intent was to resale as I'm also a picker of antiques, but being a picker of instruments too I'm thinking I just might keep it here in my studio. How you coming along with yours?
I keep running into not being sure what tuning to start with if i want to play alt-country. I research, get a lot of conflicting opinions, then give up. What would you say a best starting tuning would be?
Hey Ryan, I’d definitely recommend Open E for alt-country. 6chord tunings are great for classic country/western swing & Hawaiian, but I find E to be great for most post-50s country, rock, blues, etc, due to the relative neutrality of the tuning. Plus, if you’re a guitarist it’s fairly easy to learn…strings 1, 2 & 6 are the same as standard tuning. Best of luck to you
i have the same lapsteel
They’re gooduns
How are you making it get that old country sound? Is it the way you are picking or do you have the tone nobs adjusted a certain way? I've seen different people play the same type of lap steel and some sound no different than playing a slide blues guitar and some can get that old Hank Williams country sound that sounds totally different
I think it's a combination of...1)clean tone w/a little bit of grit, 2)appropriate vocabulary, 3)rhythmic phrasing/swing. Hard to really say though...I'm just playing it like I hear it:)
the thing I'm noticing,being new to lap steel,is how high the string tension seems to be.I'm impressed by the effects you get from string pulling,but do they ever snap on you? My lap steel has quite a prominent break angle over the nut.
Hasn't happened yet. Probably will next time I pick one up!
@@SteveCunningham007 Thanks-good to know !
i have a lap steel guitar just like that enemy aunt gave to me can u tell me a little bit about the make or history of this guitar? thanks Thomas
LINDO SOM, SUCESSO.
INSCRITO, NO CANAL E O MUSICO?
There's not a single person just giving you a tuner. Everyone talks and talks
Do you play this through a matching Mel-o-tone?
Through a solid state Pearce amp
Is that a Dickerson?
Leilani- same as Dickerson
Steve yur bril
Thanks man
I got a lap steel very similar to this from my grandpa when he passed only it just has a single volume knob and this metal bridge thing over the strings at the end and no head stock logo any info on it for me?
Basically same as mine...I took the metal PU cover off, to free up my picking hand. These old steels were made by Valco, in Chicago...a bunch of different brands put their own logo on the headstock.
Great vid! I really want to buy a lap steel but not sure which one. Which one you think is more country/western swing in sound? Morrell, Airline, Gretsch? I want it to be as close to a pedal steel as possible. Gonna also use a volume pedal. Thank you!
I have no first hand knowledge of any of those. I'm guessing any of them would be decent, especially in a 6th chord tuning. Good luck!
What that steel guitar name
AR BV Leilani. Same as Magnatone, all made by Valco.
I would have liked to hear each open string at the beginning of this vid. What are the notes? Thanks.
C6 - C E G A C E low to high
Thanks much! I have been having success with D E G# B C# E as well. Sleepwalk & Steel Guitar Rag EZ there. Hawaiian music too!
Hey I have a 21" scale lappy. Should I use standard E strings to go to g tuning? or what works with 21"???
TBH, I never play in C6, other than these couple of vids on youtube. I would check on the Steel Guitar Forum, "Steel without Pedals" section...you'll definitely find the answer there. Good luck!
Il tire comment les cordes ?
Con su tercer dedo o meñique detrás de la barra de su izquierda.
What make of lap steel are you using?
It's a Leilani, Valco made
Thank you!!! I have one just like it but no brand name on the head piece!!! had it for 60 years and never knew who it was by!! Thanks again!!
❤️👍
Thanks
Hi Steve, any intetest in selling Leilani ? I have her twin sister....
Not at the moment
Thats pretty neat stuff your doing. What kind of foot pedal is that?
MrWeedpatch Thanks. The pedal is a Boss Loop Station.
What string gauges are you using for the c-6 tuning? Mine sounds like a damn banjo. Thanks.... Mr Weed
+MrWeedpatch Not sure...I never play in C6, I just tuned whatever was on there. Whatever they are, they're too heavy.