In this follow-up lesson to her very popular video for beginning players, “Learning Bluegrass Dobro,” Cindy moves into intermediate territory with the blues, minor key and western swing styles that have become her signature sound.Cindy builds your knowledge of the Dobro step-by-step, teaching alternate tunings, music theory and invaluable bar and fingerpicking techniques. Starting with the much-requested classic Panhandle Rag, Cindy details the wide variety of musical moves – rolls, slants, harmonics, hammer-ons, pull-offs, damping and raking – that bring style and color to the song’s basic theme and variations. By re-tuning just one string, she puts you into the instant country/swing sound of an open G6 chord, a revelation for those who have only played in standard tuning.
Minor keys can be a challenge for anyone playing with a bar, and Cindy devotes part of this lesson to an in-depth study of minor chord shapes and the licks that are based around them. This invaluable information will enable you to play just about any tune that requires improvisation in minor keys. She then goes into a very playable version of Django Reinhardt’s great Minor Swing, which you’ll soon be playing along with the band,
Cindy uses a modified Stella round-hole tuned to an open E chord for the rockin’ Rockabilly Blues. From its slow Robert Johnson-esque intro to its hard driving boogie-woogie bass line and flashy blues licks, this tune is a real show-stopper. You’ll gain an understanding of how lap-style guitar can be used as a powerful blues instrument as well as its usual role in playing country, bluegrass and swing music.
Faded Love, the classic fiddle piece of the Bob Wills era of traditional country swing, is a “must” for any player who likes this great style of music. Cindy teaches the basic melody and then demonstrates the ways that ascending and descending harmony lines can be used to accompany a fiddle, guitar or other lead instruments.
Aside from spectacular playing and teaching, a major highlight of this video is the play-along session on each tune with the pro band that Cindy assembled. Each tune is slowed down and space is left for you to practice with the rhythm section. This clear and insightful lesson will build your musical knowledge, expand your range of ideas and teach you important music theory that will make you a better all-around player.
Review:
"The tunes are not ends in themselves but vehicles for Cashdollar - a clear and engaging teacher - to impart a greater matrix of techniques and tips. From the creation of open tunings and minor scales (with some useful music theory dropped in) to barring and picking strategies, these are lessons the serious resonator guitar player will want to revisit again and again. You'll glean something new with each viewing." - Bluegrass Unlimited
Student Review:
"Just wanted to thank Happy Traum, Homespun and Cindy Cashdollar for her Dobro Variations DVD. I just received it and it is great. Not only is she a great player, but she's a terrific teacher as well. Anyone who has "been around" a resonator for a while and is ready to advance from the beginner stage to intermediate would greatly benefit from the dvd. Her brief discussion on music theory along with insight on her own musical development is a welcome addition. Great song selection as well. Thanks again."- Juan