VIDEO - Django Reinhardt "Swing 48" on 8-string

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 30 Mar 2014 11:33 am

I've played this on and off for years on guitar, been starting to mess with it on steel...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myTo7R28xnI

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 30 Mar 2014 11:46 am

Wow, that's some serious pickin'. There is so much energy in your playing! I like the sound of your Tremblay steel with those Lollar Stringmaster pickups... a vintage tone from a modern lap steel. Well done.

Paul DiMaggio · Post by **Paul DiMaggio** » 30 Mar 2014 12:23 pm

Smokin' man!!

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Mar 2014 12:27 pm

Yowza, Steve! Hot stuff. Can we teleport you back to 1936 Paris for a few days?

Ken Campbell · Post by **Ken Campbell** » 30 Mar 2014 12:49 pm

Yeah Man! Thats some pickin there.....

Myk Freedman · Post by **Myk Freedman** » 30 Mar 2014 1:36 pm

Yeah! That is awesome to the max!

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 30 Mar 2014 4:25 pm

Steve, that was a real blast, man. You've got great rhythmic phrasing and fire, and just the right mix of oddball harmony and humor to make it stand apart.

Definitely worthy of a placement in an animated film, like The Triplets of Belleville.

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 30 Mar 2014 5:00 pm

What everyone else has already said - great stuff Steve, as always.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 30 Mar 2014 5:41 pm

Holy smokes! Awesome!

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 30 Mar 2014 11:14 pm

Top stuff! More please.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 31 Mar 2014 12:07 am

Your rhythmic definition is outstanding. I mean, specifically - standing out. The easiest thing in the world to do on steel, besides play out of tune, is to just sort of slither around amorphously, with no real definition of one beat over another and no punch to it. I would guess (presumptively?) that working it up on guitar first really helps with that?

To me, Chris Combs of the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is the "other" modern guy who tries to pile on some jam with the jelly, so to speak. Tom Morrell & Cindy Cashdollar will get a whiff of it, too. Other than that, you almost have to go back to Speedy West & Joaquin Murphey to hear the attack-trained steel. Fine job, sir.

Nate Hofer · Post by **Nate Hofer** » 31 Mar 2014 4:33 am

Thanks. That one goes on my to-do list now.

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 31 Mar 2014 5:32 am

always mighty fine!!!!!!

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 31 Mar 2014 11:36 am

Thanks for the comments y'all.

David Mason wrote: The easiest thing in the world to do on steel, besides play out of tune, is to just sort of slither around amorphously, with no real definition of one beat over another and no punch to it. I would guess (presumptively?) that working it up on guitar first really helps with that?

You're right David.
In general, my steel playing has always been heavily influenced by my guitar playing, which is very rhythmic, and attack-oriented...which is probably why I do better with a flatpick instead of a thumbpick.
What's cool is how much my guitar playing has been influenced by my steel playing...definitely more melismatic than it used to be.

Fred Kinbom · Post by **Fred Kinbom** » 31 Mar 2014 1:44 pm

Wow, Steve - smoking indeed! Really cheered me up.

Fred

Loyal McAvoy · Post by **Loyal McAvoy** » 31 Mar 2014 5:04 pm

That is pretty good, it made me smile. now on to Djangology.

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 1 Apr 2014 10:19 am

Great job Steve. Enjoyed it indeed.

W. Van Horn · Post by **W. Van Horn** » 1 Apr 2014 11:05 am

Fantastic!

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 1 Apr 2014 10:32 pm

Thank you guys.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 2 Apr 2014 10:05 am

Super nice! Thought of Speedy too.

Chris Renna · Post by **Chris Renna** » 4 Apr 2014 8:24 am

Really dig this and am inspired by the fact that you aren't using fingerpicks as I have been avoiding using those. I'm sure you have mentioned this before but what tuning are you using here?

thanks,

C

Steve Cunningham · Post by **Steve Cunningham** » 5 Apr 2014 8:11 am

Thanks guys.

Chris, the tuning is F#9...low to high, F#-A#-C#-E-G#-A#-C#-E. However, for this song, which is essentially a minor blues, I consider the tuning to be more of a C#m6(w/low F#). Intervallic semantics, eh?

Chris Renna · Post by **Chris Renna** » 9 Apr 2014 8:04 am

Interesting. I have yet to delve into a tuning with a 9 in it or an 8-string for that matter. I am more and more curious about the options that 8 strings allow.

thanks,

C