Subject: dobro lessons
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 23:34:25 -0500
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I am trying to print out your dobro instruction sheets and they are too wide. Are they meant to be that way so they can't be printed out? If that's the case, is the whole set available for sale? It is the best basic lessons set I have seen.

Greetings,

Yes, these lessons were designed to have high visibility when viewed on the screen...when reducing them to fit at 8.5", they become quite small on the monitor...so the medium qualifies different sizes...

Even so, there are alternatives and you're welcome to print directly from the site...only make sure that your printer allows you a "fit to page" setting...if not, each manuscript, on our Free Lessons section can be saved and downloaded as an image by downloading as a jpeg...once you've done this, you can then take it to another art program by importing...and then size it to print...

Thanks for your kind words regarding my lessons...I have many more to come so please stay tuned...let me know how the printing works out...Mickey

Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 18:30:58 EST
Subject: Oh Susannah

I am looking for Dobro tablature for Oh Susannah, but I haven't had any luck.
I have the videos but am having trouble following that part. Can you help?

Thanks, Lynn

Greetings Lynn,

Thanks for tuning into our instructional videos...we have had plans to notate many of the exercises and songs from the video series...only, we're not sure how long it will be...we'll put "Oh Susannah" at the top of the list on your behalf...it will be posted at the following section:

http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

Continue your studies as best you can...and watch our site for future updates on the video tablatures...

Mickey

Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 15:24:29 EST
Subject: Dobro lessons

Attn: Mickey Cochran

Am very interested in your Free Dobro lessons. Have looked at them and attempted to print them but the entire page won't print, part of it is missing.

Question: do you have a printable version that one could use? If so, I would really like to have all the lessons. If there is a printable version, where would I find it?

Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

Keep on Pickin'
Sherry Chapman

Greetings Sherry,

Our lessons were designed for online viewing...for high visibility...that's why they extend further than the average page size. You might try a fit-to-paper print-out option...many printers offer this option before sending the print job...

Sorry, we do not have a printable version...we will keep it in mind...however, it would require setting it up with a completely new format...

Let me know if your printer works with the fit-to-paper option...Mickey

Thanks for answering my e-mail. No, my printer doesn't seem to be able to fit the image to the page -- at least not when I'm online. Thanks for the tip, though.

Wish you would think about making them either downloadable or printable. Not all of us are able to get out instruments to the computer room/table/etc. and many of us would love to be able to have a printed copy of the lessons to put on a stand and work on. Just a thought.

Again, thanks for the free lessons -- think they are great!

Keep on Pickin'
Sherry

Subject: More Dobro Questions
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003 23:07:44 -0500

Dear Mickey,

Greetings Ben,

I appreciate your last 2 e-mails regarding my Dobro questions.
I have my Dobro now,but since it is a Christmas gift from my wife I can not play it yet. I continue to go over your 5 lessons and other Dobro items.Could you answer 2 more questions for me?
1.In reference to your tuning the Dobro to its self.On the internet I found sound files to tuning the Banjo since the first 4 strings are the same for both instruments. I assume I could tune the Dobro to that and then strings 5 and 6 I could tune per your lesson 1 in relation to the other tuned strings.Would that work.?I did get the chromatic tuner but that seems harder to use then this would.

Yes, these strings should correlate without a problem...however, I'm not sure of which site you're referencing...so, cannot give you a full endorsement of this process working.

Believe it or not, once you're up to pitch, you may find that the chromatic tuner will work in keeping you fine tuned. If it's a Korg tuner, you will find it relatively easy and automatic.

Question 2.Ref Soldiers Joy lesson 5.
You show chords D 7th fret and A 2nd fret,but in the Tab it does not show all 7 and all 2 there are other numbers there.What do the other numbers show? Because in lesson 3 you show when you bar a fret and pluck the appropiate strings you are showing the numbers for the fret you bar on.

This only means that these are the relative chords to be played by another instrument while the dobro plays lead...when the chords are listed above the music, the music itself may or may not have the very same notes as played by the chord listed. The other numbers are usually the lead notes being played; the chords played behind these lead notes would only establish the background harmony.

Hope this helps, Mickey

Thanks again for your help.
Sincerely,
Ben Witherell

Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 22:55:12 -0500

Greetings Mickey,

Greetings Ben,

Thank you for your very helpful reply to my questions.

You're most welcome...

I just downloaded your latest Dobro lesson no.5.Soldiers Joy would the tab be played T I M T or just T I,T I ?

Notes: Use your thumb and index only when playing this piece.. When playing the eighth notes, the first note would be with the thumb..the second would be with the index finger. Quarter notes are all played with the thumb.

I have already bought some picks,do you just brush the strings or grab them and pull up?

You play each note individually without strumming. The thumb goes down and the index goes up as each finger strikes a string.

My Dobro has not arrived yet been trying the picks on my guitar,they are combersome,but will get used to them.

This is a great way to get warmed up...before your dobro arrives.

Some questions on your products.
My daughter might be ordering the books I suggest to her for Christmas,you give a good review on Janet Davis You can teach yourself Dobro as well as Learn to Play Bluegrass Dobro Guitar by Swatzell. I assume the instruction for playing country would be similar to bluegrass,right?

Yes, they both would be relative...one style of music is mechanically approached on the dobro very closely to any other style.The only differences would be the patterns used...such as, you'll hear quite a few more banjo-type rolls while listening to bluegrass dobro...and, more slow harmony patterns in country. (These are both great books!)

Are those the type of methodology books you were refering to?

A methodology book consists of exercises and studies that build a foundation for playing...where the average instruction book usually always covers one song to another. Both of these books will add a library of some mechanics involved with building a foundation. Neither is a full methodology book...they're both focused on learning some mechanics with songs reinforcing these mechanics. Both of these books should be in every dobro player's library. I'm not sure if there's a completely dedicated book to studies and exercises for dobro. Stacy Phillips has a great book which has been considered the all-in-one dobro book...there's a lot of sections that break down the mechanics of playing dobro...it's not only a history book, but also a songbook:

The Dobro Book
- an overview of styles and the great players,with an insert record...all techniques from elementary to advanced are taught with typical solos.. . hammer-ons, pull-offs, slants,string pulls, scales ... Wabash Cannonball, Jesse James, Buck's Stumble, Steel Guitar Chimes, Fisher's Hornpipe, Taking Off, Skin Game Blues, Oklahoma Stomp, Reuben, and many others...recommended by Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes, Mike Auldridge. . . the one book you will see in the music rooms of all the top players. A CD is included, replacing the old floppy record. This CD contains only a selection of material in the book. (The next item contains all the music.)

Find this one at: http://www.stacyphillips.com/dobrobooks.html

Additionally, if you're just starting out, I highly recommend an instructional video...an instructional video will visually lay down the mechanics...which then makes it quite a bit easier to tackle dobro books.

Your catalog lists a guitar tuner would this be for Dobro?

Yes, the standard Korg Guitar/Bass tuner will work well for tuning Dobro to Open G: G - B - D - G - B - D

Also you have 2 Dobro strings advertised,one for G the other open G I am assuming the open G is what I need.

Both will work fine...GHS Open G Tuning...Additionally, for a superb sound, you might consider Paul Beard's Specials...of which I personally use.

Again thank you for your kind reply.

Glad to help...Mickey

Ben Witherell