Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Dobro (response to Billy)

#1

Are you a member of resohangout?
I got a really good deal on a recording king RR-60-VS or something like that, from the hangout classifieds, and it’s currently sitting in a packing box at my grandparents house waiting for me to show up. The folks at resohangout also each sent me some accessories, so I’ve got a strap, strings, picks, slide bars, and anything else they thought I needed. I’m really excited! I’ve already been playing lap style open tuned guitar for a couple months, and you can see me doing that in a couple other topics in “other instruments”

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#2

… as well I have! You’re such a naturally gifted musician on more challenging instruments than the Bro™ that I’m truly interested in seeing what you end up doing as a slider.

I started out playing reso (an '80s Morrell I bought new back then) in open G tuning like everybody else. But my dobro teacher (who was also a pedal steel player and knew that I was also) got me to change my tuning to C6 (which matches one of my pedal steel necks) on the acoustic. I was 1) entranced 2) blown away 3) illuminated 4) enlightened and immediately went home and restrung my lap steels to C6. There weren’t any other reso players in Bluegrass doing C6 over the hubcap except him. And then me. I LOVED IT and I still do today. You’ll probably need to keep an open G axe around especially if you start jamming with folk, but for self-growth and sheer musical expression, I’m sold on C6 as my primary tuning. Just a thought or two.

Best of Luck with it! You’ll do real well with it!
Billy

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#3

Thanks, I’m always looking for excuses why I need another instrument… I’ll try C6 tuning sometime

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#4

Here’s some food for thought on the subject that pretty much sums it up:

https://www.resohangout.com/archive/37032

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#5

@BillyD I’d love to hear some pedal steel vids on the forum! That’s about my favorite instrument. I haven’t had the opportunity yet to play one but hopefully someday. :smiley:

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#6

How about some vintage mp3? Here’s a track from 1992. A younger me playing a round-neck reso tuned open G (fingered banjo-style), twinned lead vocals, and my Mullen D-10 E9 (Nashville) neck. Really simple arrangement, but sped up a bit from The Pirates Of The Mississippi version. Four tracks into a 4-track recorder.

Feed Jake

And for an example of what I sound like on a C6 neck, I offer up this golden oldie, same instrumentation as above, but other neck of the steel.

Talk to Me Texas

Hope you enjoy it!
Billy

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#7

Thanks Billy!!!

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#8

I love hearing pedal steel, nice picking and singing!

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#9

Thanks!

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