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Topic: Continuing adventures of the Alkire Journey |
Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 6:46 am |
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When someone comes along and shows the potential of this tuning"
some folks already have including Eddie Alkire who wrote a ton of materials for the tuning including a series of complicated jazz and classical pieces. Certain Roy Thomson has also be showing the way.
I'd be happy to start a private facebook group for those interested in exploring this tuning more fully. If anyone is interested, send me a PM. I need at least one other person to start a facebook group.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 2:41 pm
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Just received my first order from the University of Illinois's Alkire Eharp instruction. The eHarp course method covers 24 steps, with each step containing 8 lessons. I got Step 1 Fundamentals in Steel Playing.
Each lesson begins with a piece of music by Eddie Alkire, followed by a more popular number. You start playing from sheet music immediately. 3 staffs: top staff is the melody, 2nd staff is the suggested harmony, 3rd staff is the eharp harmony written in regular notation with the fret and string grips listed above and below the notation. First song is Music of Hawaii written by Eddie Alkire.
There is a second song along with written instructions, how to hold the bar, how to read the notation, how to hold your hands, how to rest the eharp on you knee, etc. Second song in lesson one is Goodnight Ladies.
Other songs in Step One include: Flower Leis, Merrily We Roll Along, My Hawaii, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Hello Honolulu, Jingle Bells, Gliding, Her Name is Margaret, No News Blues, Bring Back My Bonnie, Riding on the Prairie, Down in the Dell, Bell Bottom Trousers, and Horner's Corner. An Alkire original followed by a public domain tune.
The other 24 steps are:
2. Dual-Purpose Preparatory Lessons
3. Preparatory Studies in the Electric Style
4. Solos and Music Writing Studies
5. First Studies in Technic and Theory
5b Preparatory Electronic Lessons
6 Basic Electronic Lessons
7 Electronic Solos and Studies
8. Introductory Eharp Studies
9. Eharp Solos and Essential Studies
10. Graduate Studies on the First Series
11. Studies and selections using Strings 7, 8, 9, 10
12. Eharp Part Two
13. Eharp Part Three
14. Eharp Part Four
15. Eharp Part Five
16. Eharp Part Six
17. Chord Inversions
18. Advanced Solos and Studies
19. Alkire Scale System
20. Scales and Solos
21. Advanced Left Hand Technic
22. Eharp Full Harmony Solos
23. Advanced Right Hand Technic
24. Eharp Advanced Technic
As you can see it is quite extensive. On the first lessons, it starts out on 2 and 3 note grips, mostly on the top strings. Wider grips are introduced later. This system is pretty astounding. The first "step" prints out to about 32 pages.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Former Member
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Former Member
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 4:26 pm
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Mike,
Can you post any of the CD?
What’s your thoughts on the tuning and being able to use it for reading compositions? |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 6:36 pm
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| Ron Ellison wrote: |
Mike,
Can you post any of the CD?
What’s your thoughts on the tuning and being able to use it for reading compositions? |
I was contemplating using the tuning, or maybe a bastardized version of it. Ultimately, I didn't feel like it was a good tuning for me--I need something I can rip into, I don't like to think too much. I've never heard anybody swing with it.
Claude's CD contains some like Band-In-Box-Tracks or something and the production is of the home brew variety, but I love this cut: Funny How Time Slips Away? I think this is one of the best tracks on the CD and it probably best shows off the Alkire tuning, especially the opening lick.
https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/claude-brownell-funny-how-time-slips-away
Man, I wish this forum software was a little more up to date in terms of including links. Soundcloud is so nice when it's embedded.
_________________
http://www.steelinstruction.com/
http://mikeneer.com |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 7:21 pm
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that is a wild solo. Thanks for sharing that. Any idea where that CD can be obtained?
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 2 Feb 2018 7:56 pm
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Well, finished the first lesson of the Complete Alkire method and by the end of it I was sight reading notation. He starts dropping the fret number and grip guides and you are on your own reading music and playing it on the steel.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 3 Feb 2018 5:01 am
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I love the amount of work that Eddie put into studying it.
I am tempted to buy it and transcribe it for E13. Maybe will.
What was the cost per box folder?
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 3 Feb 2018 5:31 am
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I am interested in how he approaches scales on here plus I don't see lots of octaves choices without a huge amount of movement.
Example Scales
C ionian - How would he approach this - lots of string skipping
Example Octaves
I only see one octave actually between the lowest C string 10 and highest C on string 1 without and insane amount of movement.
Whereas on E13 like a guitar you have 2 octave distance positions between lowest and highest string without tons of movement.
So not sure where this 4 octave range comes in but whatever it is but am pretty sure A6, C6 and E13 all have double the range over the same 10/12 string amount.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 3 Feb 2018 7:05 am
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It is sold by the page Stefan. You can email them, tell them what you are interested in and they send you a invoice for the cost. Step One which includes 8 lessons was $16.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 3 Feb 2018 10:38 am
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| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
| It is sold by the page Stefan. You can email them, tell them what you are interested in and they send you a invoice for the cost. Step One which includes 8 lessons was $16. |
thanks Bill.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 3 Feb 2018 10:50 pm
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Been practicing the first couple of lessons in the Alkire eharp method. I have to say, it continues to intrigue, especially learning it along with being able to read sheet music. Alkire wrote a ton of material for the eharp. I'll try and get some of the first practice tunes recorded so you can hear Alkine's songs for complete beginners.
Studying this tuning has paid off some dividends: people emailing me who learned to play the Alkire tuning as a child. Some sending me sheet music. And there is a lifetime of material to study. Alkire was prolific . Most of the folks I've communicated found the tuning easy to play, and preferred it to C6 or other tunings.
Off to bed before the wife comes down and drags me away.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 5 Feb 2018 5:21 pm
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Did you know there was an eHarp bar made especially for playing the eHarp? Here is a picture of mine next to my clinesmith 7/8 3.375 bar. the end of the bar is labeled EHA Electronics.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Dustin Rhodes
From:
Owasso OK
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Posted 5 Feb 2018 5:54 pm
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| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
Did you know there was an eHarp bar made especially for playing the eHarp? Here is a picture of mine next to my clinesmith 7/8 3.375 bar. the end of the bar is labeled EHA Electronics.
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I've got 2 or 3 that say Alkire Eharp on the end. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 5 Feb 2018 6:42 pm
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Dustin, does it look the same as the one in my pictures. Let me know if you'd like to sell one of them.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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James Hartman
From:
Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 6 Feb 2018 9:22 am
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I also have one says Alkire Eharp on the end. Looks the same: 5/8" dia. x 3 1/4"
I find the narrow diameter makes it, for me, almost impossible to lift off the strings. Can't get a grip. |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 7 Feb 2018 10:16 am
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 7 Feb 2018 10:26 am
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 7 Feb 2018 10:32 am
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 7 Feb 2018 10:39 am
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 8 Feb 2018 8:48 pm
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good day today in the Alkire journey. First, got an email from Alkire player Duane Solley who forwarded me some really interesting Alkire related articles written by Bob Schaefer, who expanded the eharp tuning to a 14 string Sierra pedal steel. That steel was apparently acquired by a gentleman in australia, another Alkire player, who I just connected with on Facebook.
And many thanks to Michael Lee Allen for sending me two more in the 24 steps which make up the complete Alkire course.
This course is like nothing else that I know of in the lap steel world. First, it teaches you to read standard musical notation with the aspirational ability to buy off the shelf sheet music and just play it, no reliance on tab or figuring it out by ear.
Michael's gift included a hand written note from Alkire to the student of these books, indicating that the four books that make up step 5b and c, covering the first 6 strings, should then be followed by Step 11 which are studies on strings 7, 8, 9, 10.
The earlier lesson is basically simple tunes with only two note chords. I had to relearn to play them once I was required to use the fourth pick on the ring finger. Everything slide down one. grips that I used to play with thumb forefinger and middle finger are now forefinger middle finger and ring finger.
But as soon as I included the ring finger, I was able to go back and play the 2 note chords more cleanly. It felt more locked down.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 28 Mar 2018 2:25 am
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| Bill McCloskey wrote: |
| ... First, it teaches you to read standard musical notation with the aspirational ability to buy off the shelf sheet music and just play it, no reliance on tab or figuring it out by ear.... |
I am more interested in this approach.
I would love to know how Eddie approaches this so I can compare our techniques. What lesson has more detailed info on his notation sight reading technique.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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