Dobro instruction book recommendations?

[4restg]

I’ve recently started playing a lap steel guitar I built tuned to a dobro G tuning and I’ve really been enjoying it. I’m looking for recommendations for dobro instruction books that are focused on G tuning. I want to learn chords, slants and harmonized scale patterns. Tabs for simple beginner songs would be great too. Thanks for your recommendations.

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by 4restg

I’m looking for recommendations for dobro instruction books that are focused on G tuning. .

That should be pretty much all of them - it's not like lap steel with its myriad of different tunings, GBDGBD is pretty much the tuning for dobros.

[dhodgeh]

https://www.lessonswithtroy.com/

D

[Realbluesman]

Stacy Phillips "The Dobro Book" has basics.

https://www.amazon.com/Dobro-Book-St...0221850&sr=8-1

This site is a good source for learning and information on your tuning of choice:

https://www.resohangout.com/pages/forum/

Warning: You will get hooked and be buying a resonator soon!

[columbia]

I think Janet Davis' You Can Teach Yourself Dobro is the best introduction to the instrument. Everything is introduced gradually and explained well, and it's very well-notated and legible. She gets into slants but not in a very systematic way. There are several song examples and newer editions come with online audio and video.

I think the Phillips books are all worth owning but probably not the best first books. He goes into harmonized dyads/scales in the early part of Complete Dobro Player.

Depending on what type of music you're interested in, I might have further recommendations. The references to slants makes me think of older dobro styles, a la Bashful Brother Oswald or Josh Graves. Some of the best instruction material for these styles has been put out by Bev King since the 1970s. She still sells her stuff via eBay. Her rhythm notation is a little unorthodox but she has a ton of songs using slants and two-string harmony.

For Josh Graves stuff, which is kind of a conglomerate of the old-timey, bluesy, and banjoistic styles, there are some old "instructional" videos he did where he doesn't really explain anything but you can see his playing close up. These are out of print but thankfully on YouTube right now. A good source for learning the cliches of Josh's backup style is the Dan Huckabee 4-CD Backup and Fills for Dobro. It's available from Elderly as a download.

[4restg]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the suggestions. And yes, I bet it won’t be long at all before I’m shopping for a resonator. As a side note, I’m going to try to build a crude one out of scrap wood, aluminum cans and license plates. We’ll see how I do!

I don’t know how to do individual replies here, but someone asked what kind of music I want to play. I’m into slower stuff. Old time, country. I’m not as into bluegrass.

[columbia]

Best of luck with your studies! This album is a tour de force of Oswald's dobro stylings; you might appreciate it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTszn7_yv8U

Also, a lot of great old timey dobro on the first Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "Will the Circle be Unbroken" album from Os and Norman Blake, I think.

[darylcrisp]

these are fun, and good. watched this group-Red Molly- live a couple times, amazing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcpXTn5IhfU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhAs77iNiEQ


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


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQg7r_QSzKE