Dobro and Pedal Steel Discussion on ITM

[pete_grant]

On the Irish Traditional Music Forum, I posted a question about how many other folks are playing trad on dobro and pedal steel. Please feel free to join in.

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=32752

[PJ]

I play trad jigs, reels, hornpipes, etc. on an Ovation tuned to DADGAD. I've been looking out for a dobro to do the same thing as the Ovation isn't loud enough for picking (great for accompaniment, though).

[pete_grant]

I play National Model D guitars lap style (an 8-string and a couple of 6-strings), but they make a round-neck Model D. http://www.nationalguitars.com Roll over "instruments" and click on "single cone spider". BTW, when you get to the page, there's an Easter egg: roll over the upper right corner of the lighter color "page"

[Walden]

"Ahh! Leon!"

[PJ]

I play National Model D guitars lap style (an 8-string and a couple of 6-strings), but they make a round-neck Model D. http://www.nationalguitars.com Roll over "instruments" and click on "single cone spider". BTW, when you get to the page, there's an Easter egg: roll over the upper right corner of the lighter color "page"

How is the 8-string tuned? I've seen the pic and info of your Zephyr. Is it anything like that?

[missy]

well - it's not a dobro - and he's not tried ITM on it, but Tom plays this:
dulcimer fret patterned, tuned D, F#, A, d :

[pete_grant]

It's a little like the Zephyr tuning in that I have the 1, 2, and 3 of the scale, but they're on top.

The tuning is D A D F# A D E F# or 1 5 1 3 5 1 2 3

I find it works really well. I can get a harp-like sound and also not have to jump the bar around as much on the high notes.

[pete_grant]

Hey, that's a cool looking instrument.

[greenspiderweb]

Hey Pete!

I heard you play "Galway Boy" (or "A Mother's Last Lament") on RonB's Lazy River Baritone Weissenborn, and I thought it was a great tune, and sounded right on a slide instrument. Good job on that one, Pete! Here's the link if somone would like to hear it:

http://www.dahothouse.com/music/bari.mp3

I fool around on the dobro and weisse some, but haven't gotten around to
playing any ITM on it yet, but a lot of it would work fine. Accepted, well, that's another thing!

But, no one says you have to play all traditional stuff all the time either.

And Missy, that's a nice looking dobro/dulcimer that Tom is playing, thanks for that. I always thought it would make a good slide instrument, but with the resonator, it sure would help it! Is Tom playing it with a slide, or is he fretting it?

And, how long's this new forum been here? I just spotted it today!

[missy]

And Missy, that's a nice looking dobro/dulcimer that Tom is playing, thanks for that. I always thought it would make a good slide instrument, but with the resonator, it sure would help it! Is Tom playing it with a slide, or is he fretting it?

Tom is playing with a slide and fingerpicks. That particular dulcimer is the first one made by the builder (if you look at our site and click the "Sweet Woods instrument" button you'll get to Dave's pages). There's another builder in Indianna (Don Newhauser) who's been making a resonator dulcimer for about 7 years now. Tom gave Dave the challenge to make one, and Dave didn't want to "step" on Don's toes, so it took him about a year and a half to come up with it. It's got a full 8 1/2" resonator in it - and since the darn thing is so big, we call it the "Dulcinator".
Tom is still on the "steep" learning curve with it - but he's just about got "Steel Guitar Rag" (with me doing back up on the bass dulcimer) perfected.
Dave set the dulcimer up with a removable nut - so you can play it either with a slide, or like a "normal" dulcimer.