| Subject: | Re: [RESOGUIT-L] Angry Dobro Syndrome | | Date: | Friday, September 7, 2007 20:25:20 (-0400) | | From: | Greg Tucker-Kellogg <greg @..............com>
|
So you want to deal with your angry dobro syndrome without pulling
a Pete Townsend and smashing your instrument? Play "red river valley" in
the most aggressive, pull-off filled, overarticulated arrangement you can
muster. At the same time, learn a version of "groundspeed" without
any pull-offs or rapid-fire rolls (you may have to leave a lot of the
tune to the imagination here). Play them in jam sessions, and on stage if
you have the chance (*). FEEL THE LOVE from other players and the audience.
Then, try it the other way, using a few more pyrotechnics for "groundspeed"
and a few less for "red river valley".
Personally, I think the "angry dobro syndrome" is overrated,
both as a distinction between the characteristics of
famous players and as a ubiquitous playing fault. Any
player can be too "noodly", a fault to which techniques
such as hammer-ons and pull-offs lend themselves.
The greatest risk in developing players with good technique
is being slavishly imitative of their idols, regardless of
style. When learning a tune I often used to just listen to
my favorite dobro rendition, and learn it note for note. I
thought it sounded OK, until a great fiddle player in our band
(thank you, Nate Leath) started teasing me by playing the same
solo, note for note, softly behind me on his fiddle. He had
listened to the same albums, and was telling me to play something
new.
I know it's well intended, but I'm going to go out on a limb
and guess that being referred to as "Saint Mike" makes Mr. Auldridge
cringe. (He's one of the greatest players ever, but he's also easy
to sit down with for a drink.) My second guess is that Mike knows his
limitations better than do his fans. I'm one of those fans: I think
Mike's skill in play and craft in arrangement have led to some of the
coolest stuff ever recorded on dobro. (When I learned "It's over", I
briefly thought it WAS over, and I never needed to learn any more.) But
I may be one of the only rabid Mike Auldridge fans who doesn't much
care for his "house of the rising sun" because I think it's too noodley.
Mike is a fantastic instructor. The materials area great, and if you
ever have a chance to have a lesson or attend a workshop, it will be
time and money well spent.
Greg
(*) Note, if you actually try this, please don't mention my name. I
would prefer my advice to be anonymous.
>
> From: "Mark Garton" <magarton@sbcglobal.net>
> Date: 2007/09/07 Fri PM 01:43:45 EDT
> To: <resoguit-l@elistas.com>
> Subject: [RESOGUIT-L] Angry Dobro Syndrome
>
> I read Poob's email regarding playing an "angry dobro". So if I am one of
> those player's, what do I need to work on to rectify that. I come from a
> flatpicking guitar back ground and tend to play a lot of single note lines
> using hammer on's and pull off's. I have tried to sound more like a reso
> player but have a long way to go. Is it a matter of learning certain tunes
> trying to mimic the tone of the likes of St. Mike? I've spent the summer
> tying going back to reso roots by learnng Josh and Oz tunes. I have just
> started to move on to MA tunes. I was actually just getting ready to order
> some of his instructional items. I am just curious what folks recommend a
> player learn to raise their level of musicianship.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>
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