Guest chrisr0712 Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 Anyone know what tuning Nels uses on his lap steels with Wilco?Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zoom Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 (edited) Wow, funny I was just thinking about that last night. Uncanny. I concluded awhile ago that he was using an open G (DBDGBD - low to high), but then I recalled seeing somewhere that he was using a variation on open G . I could not find that in relation to the lap steel, but I found this in an interview with respect to open tuning on standard guitar: "The guitar I’ve played on virtually everything for the past nine years is a ’59 Jazzmaster,” says Cline. “It still has the original pickups and hardware, but just about everything else has been replaced. I also play a Jerry Jones 12-string and a Baritone, as well as a candy-apple red ’66 Fender Electric XII, and a Hagstr Edited December 6, 2005 by zoom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 You can tell on the Walken video from ACL that he is playing in open G, or at least the top 4 strings are the same as open G. I hope some more info surfaces... trying to learn this darn instrument myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest chrisr0712 Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 Thanks for the info so...sounds like open G is a good starting place. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
muller Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 Its an open G definately. If your just starting out, using a volume pedal with a lap steel gives a lovely effect.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted December 6, 2005 Share Posted December 6, 2005 Its an open G definately. If your just starting out, using a volume pedal with a lap steel gives a lovely effect.... volume pedal + reverb = awesome. Now I just have to figure out how to effectively block the unwanted strings and I'll be set Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 volume pedal + reverb = awesome. Now I just have to figure out how to effectively block the unwanted strings and I'll be set This for me came as a complete mystery. I sucked at lap steel but my band made me play it live and one day it just sounded so much cleaner. The whole instrument is a mystery to me but it sounds great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 This for me came as a complete mystery. I sucked at lap steel but my band made me play it live and one day it just sounded so much cleaner. The whole instrument is a mystery to me but it sounds great. Good - there's hope for me yet. Did you try any of the instructional DVDs/books, or just perservere on your own? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mfwahl Posted December 7, 2005 Share Posted December 7, 2005 Good - there's hope for me yet. Did you try any of the instructional DVDs/books, or just perservere on your own?I just read a few things on the internet. But for advice from the pros I went to Steve Kimock and Gordon Stone. Kimock has an online discussion forum which he is involved and he answered a lot of my questions. http://www.online-discussion.com/SteveKimock/ He is the reason I got into lap steel in the first place. Gordon Stone I talked to on the phone but I can't give out his cell phone number. I'd say just play. If you're any good at guitar, your hands and ears already have a special relationship. From there, it just takes time and patience. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted December 8, 2005 Share Posted December 8, 2005 I just read a few things on the internet. But for advice from the pros I went to Steve Kimock and Gordon Stone. Kimock has an online discussion forum which he is involved and he answered a lot of my questions. http://www.online-discussion.com/SteveKimock/ He is the reason I got into lap steel in the first place. Gordon Stone I talked to on the phone but I can't give out his cell phone number. I'd say just play. If you're any good at guitar, your hands and ears already have a special relationship. From there, it just takes time and patience. Cool - I love Kimock's playing. Used to go see Zero in SF when that band was still together... will check out his forum. Thanks for the tip. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MarkLee Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 volume pedal + reverb = awesome. Now I just have to figure out how to effectively block the unwanted strings and I'll be set If you can play with fingerpicks or just your nails, you can mute extra strings with whichever fingers you're not using... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest blind boy grunt Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Damping the strings with your left hand (or whatever hand you hold the slide in) is extremely important to getting a clean sound. You ought to try learning bottleneck style first. It's a lot easier to pick up and once you have that down, lapsteel/dobro style isn't very far off. Of course, both of them take a lot of practice and a nice touch. Beautiful instrument though, I wish I had a real pedal steel, I've only got the cheapy Artisan lap slide . Practice practice practice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigRay Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 Good - there's hope for me yet. Did you try any of the instructional DVDs/books, or just perservere on your own? I highly suggest Cindy Cashdollars videos. Ive been playing pedal/lap steel for many years, and in my opinion, her videos are the best for learning the instrument. Shes an awesome player.. www.cindycashdollar.com I use c6th tuning or Open G on lap steel. Em7 on pedal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigRay Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 I I'd say just play. If you're any good at guitar, your hands and ears already have a special relationship. From there, it just takes time and patience. Thats true, although the instruments are nothing alike save for the fact that they both have strings. Completely different skillset. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Artifex Posted April 4, 2006 Share Posted April 4, 2006 "It still has the original pickups and hardware, but just about everything else has been replaced." Anybody else confused by this? What exactly is replaced, some software? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 "It still has the original pickups and hardware, but just about everything else has been replaced." Anybody else confused by this? What exactly is replaced, some software? That would imply the body, neck, headstock have all been replaced. Seems weird to keep a bridge and tuners and replace a body, but who knows? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Artifex Posted April 5, 2006 Share Posted April 5, 2006 Yeah. that's what I thought. Dosen't really make sense...at all... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Hey jhc, what happened with that Jesus etc lap steel tab you were going to post a few months back?? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted April 9, 2006 Share Posted April 9, 2006 Hey jhc, what happened with that Jesus etc lap steel tab you were going to post a few months back?? Crap - I forgot. I'll see if I can find my handwritten copy at home Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted May 3, 2006 Share Posted May 3, 2006 If you can scan it I can type it into a tab! And probably arrange it for some other tunings as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jhc Posted May 8, 2006 Share Posted May 8, 2006 If you can scan it I can type it into a tab! And probably arrange it for some other tunings as well. Hey, I posted it in the Lyrics and Tabs section Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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