Dobro is basically an American band of Resonator guitars, but since they have dedicated themselves to these guitars and undoubtedly have dominated the market, the dobro is the most popular term being used for such wood-bodied, single-cone resonator guitars.
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Guitars are the most popular instruments all over the world without a doubt, and there are different forms of the guitar being played today. Dobro is one such instrument that is played mostly for Jazz, rock, and pop music and allows you to have the right edge of EDM as well.
Coming to the composition, dobro has a square neck with strings attached on a pretty high level, unlike the regular guitars. Dobro is essentially played by putting in on the lap and it is way different than a regular guitar. Not only the playing style differs, but the tunes are also poles apart and that is why you will need some devotion to learning to play dobro if you are planning on it.
Best Ways To Learn Dobro
Online dobro lessons are the perfect choice for anyone who is not able to make time for regular classes, as they allow you to create your own schedule and learn whenever you want to. You will also get some great advantages of learning online if you choose the right course on a good website. One such option that will help you greatly in learning dobro lessons online is as below.
Andy Hall is a living legend and a true inspiration for those who have a thing for bluegrass playing or love rock and pop music. He has performed on some of the biggest platforms and left the world in awe for decades. With such experience at his hand and that huge fan following, it is a dream of many around the globe to learn dobro from him and this course by Artistworks can make your wishes come true.
This course is designed with a great narrative that allows people from all different skill levels to achieve the right proficiency over the instrument and music genre. For anyone who already plays guitar or even for those who are totally new in the field of music and Dobro will be their very first instrument to start with, this course is a roadmap that will lead them to the heights of excellence.
They will be able to play Dobro and know it all like the back of their hands. The ultimate goal of this course is to make resophonic guitar and lap steel easy to understand for all the music enthusiasts out there.
Moreover, the course contains elements of chop chords & strumming that will help you with the right skillset to play dobro. You will also get to learn rolls & picking patterns on this course that will eventually help you grow your skills. There are also some cool exercises to create solos and you will be able to play like a pro without any assistance after the course.
Needless to say, you get unlimited access to video lessons but the best part is that you will also get up to 5 video submissions from the teacher and he will be reviewing your skillset, performance, and everything so you can learn more proactively.
The course also includes some insight on gear that will help you in choosing the right equipment and some alternative tunings on the dobro, allowing you to manage the dobro yourself and build a stronger connection with it.
2. Dobro performances
While this is not a primary method to learn dobro, but it is highly effective for those who are choosing some other way to learn dobro but want to supplement their learning experience and have all the insight that they can get their hands on.
There are tons and tons of dobro playing videos out there on the internet that are free, and they will not have any playing instructions either. You can choose your favorite dobro player to follow their style, posture, gesture, and playing techniques to play dobro yourself, copying all that in your own way.
You can also choose to watch such videos online and easily create your own style with the help you will be getting on such videos if you are good with playing by ear and you have the right music sense and knowledge of the guitar.
This method might not be the right thing for beginners to start with because it doesn’t have any instructions, details, or things of that sort. But for someone who has a basic knowledge of music, guitars, and dobro, this is the perfect thing that can help you polish your skills on dobro and take your dobro playing journey to the next level.
3. Private Tutor
While you can also join a music studio but that is too much to ask for someone as you will need to spare time on a regular basis to join classes and stuff like that. The commute is also not easy for some people and for all those, a private tutor will be just the thing they are going to need to learn playing dobro.
Since dobro is mostly played and preferred solo, you will not be missing out on the company and you can learn to play dobro the best way at the comfort of your own home and you can manage the schedule effectively too. Another cool factor of having a private tutor to teach you dobro is that you will be getting all the attention to yourself and you can learn all that you need much quicker than any other way.
Basically, having a private tutor allows you to have a more personalized and goal-oriented approach towards the goal that you have set for yourself to play Dobro. The tutor will be able to make you understand what it needs, and you both can make an effective schedule to work on it and achieve your goals. You will also be able to get the right guidance on the spot if you are making any mistakes.
With such an instrument as Dobro that requires great precision with the posture, movements, and all that, having a private tutor is simply the best thing that you can get to learn it the right way if you can afford it. A private tutor can help you with requested lessons or any skill that you want to revise in an efficient manner and be there with your practice routine to make you understand the right moves, chords as well. You can have your confusions and questions addressed right away with a private tutor.
The Bottom Line
Dobro is a musical instrument that is not old comparatively but highly complex to play and learn. These methods allow you to have the right learning for playing Dobro. No matter what goals you might have set, you can choose the preferred learning method based on your convenience and you can learn how to play Dobro effectively with the help of all these ways. You just have to take the first step that is always the hardest and the rest of the journey gets easier. So, pick a method and start learning Dobro today.