This page deals with dobro, a generic term for 6 or 8 string acoustic resophonic guitar, not to be confused with the brand name Dobro currently owned by Gibson Guitars; and non-pedal steel electric guitar, anywhere from 6 to 12 strings, 6 or 8 being the most common. Lap steel is played while seated, while console style (on legs- also known as electric table) can be played seated or standing.
Andy Volk has published a beautiful lap steel book with interviews, tunings and unusually fine graphics. We collaborated on a book of Joaquin Murphey solos, just released 9/04.
Nothing against Pedal Steel Guitar (an extension of the lap steel concept, with foot pedals and knee levers to alter the pitches of various strings). It is a fantastic instrument, and nothing can do what it does. It has marvelous advantages; most players use one or two tunings exclusively ( E9 'chromatic', C6th or an extended 'Universal' tuning combining features of E9 and C6) and can play any style in any key. Slant bar positions are not usually needed, so focusing on straight bar placement eliminates that tuning anxiety. Each approach has it's strengths.
For all things pedal steel, check out the Steel Guitar Forum. Also check the Carter site for great information on the mechanics and care and feeding of the instrument.
I recently acquired a Zum Steel Hybrid and it is AMAZING. Setup here.
I will be adding a pedal steel page soon.
Dobro and lap steel have much in common. They can be tuned the same way, and the basic techniques for playing are the same. Like standard guitar, the touch used on the electric is generally lighter than the touch used on acoustic, due to the lighter string gauges. The tunings used are different from standard guitar in most cases, as more chord combinations are available in the tunings listed below.
Of course, you can play in standard guitar tuning, especially if you are going to play only simple single-note melodies. Steve Howe of Yes plays some great stuff on standard tuned lap steel, but he also uses open E and pedal steel as well. Approach it as a new instrument and you'll be rewarded with new sounds and ideas.
The tuning you choose may be based on the key of the song you are in, sound of open position (using open strings) in combination with barred notes can give you easy access to chord and melody notes.
As with standard guitar, you can also use a capo. There are several varieties available; I like the Leno dobro capo. You can change keys without re-tuning, and apply open position runs in odd keys. For example, B is a common bluegrass key; most guitarists and G-tuned dobroists will capo at the 4th fret and play out of G position.
(all listed low to high)
The best starting point for tunings is the most basic- the open triad used in bluegrass dobro styles,"Open G" (GBDGBD). Hawaiian players often use the corresponding tuning "Open A" (AC#EAC#E), which is the same as open G but one whole step higher. The advantage of open G for the standard guitarist switching to steel guitar is that strings 4,3,2 are exactly the same as standard guitar tuning, which helps give you bearings on the new note layout. It is easy to adjust to the 1st string notes being two frets higher than usual.
Finding your way along the major chords is easy, too, if you remember that the bar position (fret number where you lay your bar) corresponds to the triad played in standard guitar tuning with the root at the 5th string. For example, the Bb chord with your first finger on the 5th string (where your first finger is on the ist fret, the actual triad notes on strings 4,3,2 at the 3rd fret) is found on all strings in open G on the 3rd fret, strings 4,3,2 being tuned like a standard guitar.
Although there are no minor chords directly available in this tuning, you can select two notes of the minor triad in this tuning, for example the open 3rd and 2nd strings (G and B) are two-thirds of an E minor chord. Open strings often can be combined with barred notes to give chord voicings, for example if you add the 4th string 2nd fret note barred with the open 3rd and 2nd strings, you'll get a full Em sound.
A variation on this tuning is DGDGBD, which extends the low range, which is very useful for solo arrangements. In a band context, you'll probably spend most of your time on the upper strings for melody, and for accompaniment, you may find the GBDGBD tuning to have enough 'bottom'.
Related to open G, and often used as a slide guitar tuning is open E (EBEG#BE).It's a good idea to think of the note functions of the tunings, to help you find your way between tunings. GBDGBD= 135135 in G; EBEG#BE= 151351 in E. The relationships on strings 6-4 and 3-1 in G tuning are the same as strings 4-2 in open E. Knowing this helps you transpose ideas between the tunings, and makes you more fluent in various keys.
Stacy Phillips has written several excellent dobro books, focusing on open G tuning but also touching on several other tunings, and covering styles from bluegrass and country to Hawaiian. (He is also an excellent, imaginative and innovative musician who should be heard by any aspiring steel guitarist).They are published by Oak Publications and Mel Bay. Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Roger Williams, Rob Ickes, Sally Van Meter are also top players, most of whom can be heard on "The Great Dobro Sessions" on Sugar Hill (SH-CD 2206).
(delete bass notes for 6 string)
There are plenty of variations on these tunings, too. Don't get hung up on all the possibilities, pick one tuning to work with and stick to it, starting with a basic triad tuning. The best method I've seen is Jerry Byrd's. He is rightly known as the Master of Touch and Tone . It is a 325 page book with two audio cassettes that leads you from triad tunings through all the 6th-and 13th based tunings. He also explains the 'right way' to deal with slants (He also did a video a few years back, which is probably the best way to see slant technique at work). A great investment, from Scotty's 9534 Midland, St. Louis Mo. 63114.
There are some fantastic non-pedal steel players in both the Hawaiian and Western Swing fields. A great source for recordings is:
Frenchy's Steel Guitar Shop, 103 McKnight Pl. Belen, NM 87002 (505-864-2966).
Check out Junior Brown, Jerry Byrd, Tom Morrell, Bobby Koefer, and the many fine Hawaiian steel guitarists to hear the amazing range of expression available without the aid of pedals.
The Bar:
The two types of steel bars usually used are the ' Stevens' type, and the 'bullet' type. The Stevens steel is the prefered type of bluegrass dobroists; it has ridges along the sides where you can 'get a grip' quite solidly, and a blunt, snub nose. Electric steel players (and pedal players) usually use the bullet bar, which has smooth, rounded sides with no ridge, and a rounded tip (bullet'). I prefer the bullet bar for all playing, as the it is heavy, contributing to sustain and tone; the bullet nose allows you to cross strings easily. The blunt nose of the Stevens bar can get caught in the strings unless you lift it slightly. It also allows for slant-bar chords to be more in tune, as you can use the rounded, bullet nose to fret higher pitches while slanting the bar forward or reverse.
Slants forward and reverse:
These advanced techniques allow you to transcend the limitations of the tunings to get intervals in pairs of strings or chords otherwise unavailable. Check out the Jerry Byrd video and Stacy Phillips material to get it straight from the masters- they explain the best ways to control the bar while slanting. It takes a lot of patience and practice, and good understanding of the most efficient techniques.
Pulling behind the bar:
Stacy Phillips is a master of this technique: while holding the bar in position (straight or slant), use your left middle finger to pull a string behind the bar to raise the pitch. For example, play a D chord at the 7th fret in G tuning, pull the 3rd string a half step and you have a B7th chord. Pull the 2nd string a half step for a D sus 4. Explore the possibilities.
Picks:
The usual setup is to use a plastic thumb pick and two metal finger picks. I like to use lighter gauge metal for electric playing (.020, Jerry Byrd uses .018). I use .025 for acoustic playing, as the strings are bigger with more string tension. The amazing Bobby Koefer plays bare fingered, with an odd shaped bar. Some players use picks on all 5 fingers, for fat chord attacks (more like a piano than a strummed guitar).
Thumb and fingers:
The thumb is often used for melody playing in Hawaiian music, while bluegrass and country players often play faster streams of notes by alternating the thumb with the middle (or index) finger.
Blocking:
By using the knife-edge side of your right hand, you can 'shut off' a ringing string an instant before picking the next string. This blocking technique helps keep your playing clean. Be careful not to cut the notes too short, yielding a choppy effect. Some steel players 'pick block' by placing their pick back down on the ringing string to shut it off while picking the next string. This can be effective, but watch out for an ugly clicking sound when the metal pick touches the string , especially while amplified. Pick blocking seems to work best at higher velocities ("speed picking").
Check my surf page for dobro and other links.