How to Learn Dobro at Home by Yourself
Those people who are fans of Bluegrass and Rythmn and Blues music are probably quite familiar with the steel resonator guitar, also commonly referred to by the brand name Dobro. This uniquely sounding instrument closely resembles the acoustic guitar, with one very distinct difference. Instead of having a hole or opening to the inside of the body of the guitar, the Dobro has a steel or metal plate or dish.
The name Dobro actually comes from the company that makes this particular version of the steel resonator guitar. The company was called Dobro Manufacturing Company and it was founded by a man named John Dopyera. The company is currently operated by the mega-successful and well-known guitar manufacturer Gipson.
Like so many other musical instruments, the Dobro Steel Resonator Guitar does have some appeal. Fortunately, if you happen to be a person who is intrigued by the unique sound of Bluegrass and Blues, this article is designed to help point out some very successful ways (methods) that a person can teach themselves (self-paced) how the play the Dobro.
5 Methods on How to Learn Dobro at Home by Yourself
One of the best ways that we could find for a person to use is a website called ArtistWorks. On this membership-style site, they brought together 200 or more of the top musicians to create a massive database filled with music lessons that cover all of the musical instruments. Each of the hundreds of video-based lessons covers different aspects of playing the instrument.
One of those artists you will find is Andy Hall, he is one leading musician that has played the steel resonator guitar alongside some of the best musical artists in the music business for more than 20 years.
2) Jimmy Heffernan's Dobro Handbook
Training course on video that covers how to play the Dobro or steel resonator guitar is an amazing way for anyone to learn how to play the instrument of their choice. By going to this website, you can sign for this online course and as a paid student you will have immediate access to all of the course material. Each of the sections of the course covers different parts of learning how to play this unique member of the guitar family of string instruments. Jimmy Heffernan is one of the most well-known steel resonator guitar players in Nashville.
3) Dobro Instructional Training Books
For many years' music books were the most preferred method of learning to play musical instruments. The format was perfect because it allowed for full-color pictures, charts, and musical tables to be included. Now, with today’s digital technology, we now have these training books in ebook form and can be downloaded and read on ay number of mobile devices. With a reliable Internet connection, you have access to hundreds if not thousands of musical training ebooks.
4) Online Tutoring
One on one tutoring is one of the most popular and successful ways to learn how to play a musical instrument. Now, thanks to the Internet and today’s advanced digital technology, one on one tutoring does not have to be as restrictive as it once was. Using online video chat services like Skype and smartphone video communication systems such as Apple’s Facetime, you can interact one on one with a tutor who happens to be halfway around the world. There are many online tutors available to learn how to play the Dobro.
5) YouTube Videos
One of the best things that digital technology has brought is the way to learn to do virtually do anything that comes to mind. This is because chances are pretty great that if there is absolutely anything that you want or need to know how to do there is a video available on YouTube. With billions and billions of video clips stored inside its massive video library and with millions being added every single day, it remains the best source of “How To” videos on the planet today. Just type in Dobro and you will likely come up with hundreds if not thousands of video clips from people from all walks of life making videos for you to learn from.
4 Tips for Improving Your Playing of the Dobro
- Exercise Patience
Patience is a virtue and it is definitely a good thing to have when you are trying to learn how to play Dobro. Rushing through your lessons in order to learn faster will only result in the poor quality of sound. The more time you are able to spend practicing, the better you will get.
- Be Persistent
Do not give up too easy, being persistent more often than not results in more positive results. Being persistent will also make it easier to set aside the necessary amount of time that you will need to become better at playing the instrument.
- Invest in a good recorder
Being able to analyze your own music that you are playing helps you be able to make needed changes in order to be able to get better. The best way to do this is to have a good recording system that you easy record it and play it back over and over again.
- Repetitive
Repetition is one of the most well-known methods for learning and it is definitely the case when you are trying to learn a musical instrument like the Dobro. Repetition is usually a big part of lessons and training courses that are found online.
Steps to Self-Taught Dobro
The guitar is one of the all-time most popular musical instruments along with the piano. With so many different variations of the guitar including several acoustic styles and electric varieties. One of the most unique of the acoustic guitars is the Dobro or steel resonator guitar. Dobro refers to a brand name of this type of guitar that was created by John Dopyera and manufactured by the Dobro Manufacturing Company, which is now run by Gipson, one of the most recognizable guitar makers in the world.
If you are a fan of country, bluegrass, and twang, chances are you already know the sound that is created by the Dobro or steel resonator guitar. We hope that all of the information that we have included in this article somehow helps you to be able to figure out what is the best way for you to teach yourself and to learn how to be successful Dobro players.