Need advice as to how to get started

Robert R Thomas · Post by **Robert R Thomas** » 13 Feb 2015 6:51 am

Brand new to lap steel and I will be playing Country so I am tuning to C6. With that said, I need to know how to play it and all the proper ways to do so. Played guitar for 50 years so I know a little about music and theory but have no clue about the lap steel. Where can I go for lessons on like or what videos would you recommend to get started?

Morgan Scoggins · Post by **Morgan Scoggins** » 13 Feb 2015 9:22 am

Hi Robert,
If you like playing country songs, you have made a good choice with your tuning. C6 is just right for a whole bunch of those old country tunes. I started playing steel about 7 years ago and had been playing guitar since I was a kid back in the 50's.
To get started, I would first start by working on the chord grips, that is learning the straight bar positions for the popular keys like F, G A and E. For a major chord strings 1,2 and 4 at each fret plus strings 2,4 and 5 and string group 4, 5, and 6 will give you the three inversions of each major chord at each fret. Pick a key like G and play these string groups a t frets 7,12 and 14 for G C an D. Practice your palm blocking with each picking motion. This will get you started.
There is a lot of material for nonpedal C6 tuning available on this website and from Scotty's music in St Louis, Mo. One of our SGF members, Doug Beaumier, has written a couple of C6 songbooks. I would suggest getting the first book from him. I think It is called "25 Songs for C6 Lapsteel" or something like that.
Good luck, you should do well with all your experience. Send me an email if you have questions or need help.

Stephen Abruzzo · Post by **Stephen Abruzzo** » 13 Feb 2015 9:38 am

As to videos, 2 recommendations....both of which are excellent from forumites George Piburn and Troy Brenningmeyer.

George---http://www.georgeboards.com/songs.html Scroll down the page for Instructional DVDs

Troy---https://www.lessonswithtroy.com/C6-Tuni ... l-Lessons/ Troy's lessons are all Downloads.

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 13 Feb 2015 11:17 am

Cindy Cashdollar's C6 Western Swing instruction DVDs are probably a good starting point for learning the basics.

As already mentioned, forum member Doug Beaumier has some C6 tab books available, and judging by his youtube vids, I'd expect the arrangements are excellent. He also offers lessons - don't know if online is an option there. Lessons are a significant expense but can be a quantum leap forward, compared to puzzling it out on your own. You can choose to save money, or save time.

Robert R Thomas · Post by **Robert R Thomas** » 13 Feb 2015 11:43 am

Thanks all, I appreciate the advice and info.

Dom Franco · Post by **Dom Franco** » 13 Feb 2015 1:01 pm

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 14 Feb 2015 10:14 am

Forum member Doug Beaumier has a substantial library of instructional material that is getting rave reviews. There is also the DeWitt Scott book. The latter is probably available on the forum.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Feb 2015 11:32 am

Thanks Ed and others for mentioning my lap steel books. As I've probably posted in the past, my books are "song books" for lap steel, C6 tuning. They are not method books that start from day one and teach "how to play" the steel guitar. However, many people have told me that they have learned a lot about chord positions, slants, slides, two string harmonies, and how to get around on the tuning by playing through the songs in the books. The tablature is large and clear and notes are included. Also two CDs, one with the steel melodies and one with the backing tracks.

Robert, you might consider getting in touch with John Ely for some lessons via Skype. He's a very good teacher and he gets very positive reviews here. I also recommend Mel Bay's non-pedal C6 method book, written by DeWitt Scott, as a good low cost way to get started.

Marty Forrer · Post by **Marty Forrer** » 14 Feb 2015 2:16 pm

I'm a newbie too, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. As a longtime guitar and bass player, I got frustrated with C6th. It did not seem logical. After experimenting with tunings, I found open E. Voila! I play country mainly, and I made more progress in one week on open E than I made in a month on C6.
Just my opinion.

James Hartman · Post by **James Hartman** » 14 Feb 2015 3:27 pm

Marty Forrer wrote:I'm a newbie too, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. As a longtime guitar and bass player, I got frustrated with C6th. It did not seem logical. After experimenting with tunings, I found open E. Voila! I play country mainly, and I made more progress in one week on open E than I made in a month on C6.
Just my opinion.

All tunings have their merits, and all tunings are limiting. No one tuning is inherently better or worse. Folks coming to lapsteel from conventional guitar playing inevitably find simple E tuning familiar and thus attractive. All the more so if you've played slide or country blues in that open tuning on guitar. As was my experience: all those Robert Johnson/Elmore James/Duane Allman licks I'd been playing for years are right there - instant steel guitar.

C6 is no less "logical", just less familiar. You'll soon find it's difficult to get classic country stylings in that simple E tuning. I still use it a lot for playing blues and rock on the steel, but the exploration of many other tunings has been an endlessly rewarding adventure. Don't stop with just one.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Feb 2015 4:03 pm

It's sometimes helpful for guitarists to think of C6 tuning as a "C shape" chord on standard guitar (position 1) with an A note added. So a "C shape" bar chord on fret 4 of your standard guitar is an E chord... same thing on C6 lap steel: fret 4 ---> E chord, and E6, and C#m (on fret 4). The same chords as guitar on fret 4.

Like James said, E tuning is good for blues and rock. C6 has closer intervals and more 3rds, which are very useful for playing country, swing, and most other styles of music, including rock and blues. And most importantly, it has full (3 note) minor chords, which the major chord tunings do not have.

Robert R Thomas · Post by **Robert R Thomas** » 17 Feb 2015 6:14 am

Thank you all so much for your posts. I'm struggling with technique as well as the fretboard but I expected this and welcome your assistance. I'm going to stay with the C6 tuning at this point as I have found it very interesting in sound and I will like the full 3 note minor chords once I get going.

Nic Sanford · Post by **Nic Sanford** » 17 Feb 2015 5:53 pm

I am a baby to lap steel with little musical background. I took a few lessons in E major, but recently retuned to C6 and started the Dewitt Scott Basic non-pedal book. I expect to be awhile with it. I hope to get into online lessons, next. I'm also interested in the Doug Beaumier songbooks, but especially the second volume. Do they need to be learned in order?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Feb 2015 6:10 pm

Hi Nic, regarding my lap steel song books, it's not necessary to do the first book before the second book. Both books have mostly intermediate arrangements and some beginner arrangements and a few harder ones. Having said that, I do think the first book might be a little easier. The arrangements in the 25 MORE book are longer. But I made sure to put a few easy ones in 25 MORE book too. So it's a mixed bag. Also, the songs are in alphabetical order, not from easy to hard, so I suggest that beginners start with the tunes that have few or no bar slants and are slower.

Nic Sanford · Post by **Nic Sanford** » 17 Feb 2015 6:24 pm

Thank you, Mr. Beaumier for the reply. Also, thanks to the OP for addressing common questions for C6 beginners.

Andy Henriksen · Post by **Andy Henriksen** » 18 Feb 2015 10:23 am

When I first started (not too long ago), this website was largely responsible for any a-ha moment I had for understanding the 6th tuning. I focused on the 2nd row of TAB to start (with forward slants, which I find easier), and similarly, the second row under the "Harmonized 3rds" header. Get to know the pattern of those harmonized scales and you will be able to play along with most any simple country song in a way that actually sounds "country." Hours/weeks of fun can be had just playing around with those two harmonized scale patterns.

http://www.planetgaa.com/C6/C6Harm.html