Lap dancing 


Steel guitar.  

been a while since I added an entry, although I have thought about it often. Usually something that I've read elsewhere - Schneier columns, something from Interesting-People (they linked to a translation and analysis of the Al-Qa'ida message claiming responsibility for the Madrid bombings), or the whole forking SCO/IBM/Novell/CA/Microsoft/Baystar/YoYoDyne fiasco .
But I've been busy thinking of other things.
I've bought and started messing with a lap steel guitar. What makes a steel guitar? It is played with a piece of steel, and the strings are not pressed to the frets. Lap steel you hold on your lap, as you would assume, which makes the neck - a part that requires significant craftsmanship to build - a non-issue. So what I've got is a plank of wood with electric guitar guts - actually an Artisan. People spoke kindly of it on Harmony Central, so I gambled a stamp and snagged one.
I had been listening to a lot of two recordings - Sol Hoopii (Vol 1) and Vintage Hawaiian Steel Guitar. It has been a gas so far, although I just got my finger picks today. The book I got offers precious little in the way of hints on technique, so I'm muddling along, no doubt picking up bad habits. I may seek professional instruction if I can make less than embarrassing noises on it.

I had never played a sting instrument before a couple of weeks ago when my girlfriend brought over her ukulele. It is a tiny instrument, but not hard to figure out. I was able to figure out a few chords. Hmmm. Stringed instruments can't be that hard. Look at all them guitar players. They can't all be fucking brain surgeons?

So I'm trying to learn lap steel.

 

Posted: Fri - March 12, 2004 at 08:16 PM           |

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