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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 18, 2007 9:59:24 GMT
This thread is drifting from its original subject!!!! >>>Please please please can we try to keep threads on a particular subject, but if we can't.....it doesn't matter too much :-)
Shine On Michael
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2007 11:51:45 GMT
Hi Michael,
I received your DVD yesterday and watched it for the first time last night. It’s excellent, exactly what I wanted and definitely the best slide beginner’s lesson I’ve seen.
When I first started playing acoustic about two years ago I really wanted to play slide so I bought a Stefan Grossman slide DVD. It’s a good DVD but I struggled to make much progress, which I eventually put down to my lack of fingerpicking skills (I’d previously always played with a plectrum). As a result I put the slide down and concentrated on learning fingerpicking. Every so often I’d try the slide again and get another DVD. I’ve got Bob Brozman’s DVDs, others by Mike Dowling, Steve James, Fred Sokolow and probably others that I’ve forgotten. They’re all good lessons (apart from Fred’s) and I will return to them but they all seemed to skip over the basics and get complex very quickly. Despite asking for recommendations on various forums (not this one, I hadn’t found it yet unfortunately) I couldn’t find a DVD that taught basic slide technique with any clarity.
After watching it last night, I’m glad to say that your DVD does exactly that. For example, something as simple as using your fingertip instead of lower down the slide has transformed my playing virtually overnight. I was one of those beginners trying to use all of the slide and I couldn’t control it properly. It seems obvious now, but I hadn’t worked it out for myself. That simple change has greatly improved the accuracy of my playing. Also learning the G blues scale in Open G tuning has made a big difference. Now I can just about improvise blues licks in various positions, it’s still very rough but with practice it will improve.
As you can probably tell, I’m very pleased with the DVD. It really is an excellent piece of work and I shall certainly recommend it to any other budding slide players I meet. Thanks Michael and I hope you find the time to do other DVDs in the future.
Cheers, Iain.
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Post by Michael Messer on Apr 20, 2007 12:54:26 GMT
Hello Iain, Thank you! I am very pleased that you enjoyed watching the DVD and can learn from it. Those basics get overlooked by most teachers. I based the lesson on what I believe students need to learn to get up and running playing open tuned slide guitar. Learning tunes is wonderful, but I believe it is more important to learn the basics, how licks & riffs are built and how they can work for you. I think the 'player's-eye-view' camera shots of the fingerboard are much clearer to understand than the normal head on shots that are used in all other DVDs that I have seen. All in all I am pleassed with the DVD and I am very happy that so many people are enjoying learning from it. I do plan to do more - I am going to do a 'volume 2' of the blues slide guitar and a beginners introduction to lap-style 'steel' guitar playing. I am also considering an introduction to resophonic guitars and how to look after and maintain them. The DVD was filmed in a studio in Rijeka, Croatia. It was 100 degrees with no air conditioning, just a big fan that was too noisy to run while we were shooting! Every few minutes we would take a break and cool off with the fan. Couldn't even get a cup of tea Croatia is a beautiful country. I will be touring there in July. Keep in touch and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Shine On, Michael.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2007 14:15:29 GMT
Hi Michael,
I agree 100% with your assessment that beginners need to learn the basics before getting into learning tunes, at least this beginner does. That’s what I felt was missing from all of the other slide DVDs I’ve tried, they quickly go over the basics and then plough straight into teaching songs. Bob Brozman does cover some technique but not in as much detail, he doesn’t have the player’s eye camera angle either and his explanations can be a bit “left field”.
I’m glad that you’re planning further DVDs, particularly Blues Slide Guitar Vol. 2, I’ll certainly be getting that. The other DVD ideas sound interesting as well, I’d like to learn more about resophonic guitars and perhaps I’ll tackle lap style one day (not yet though).
No questions at the moment but I’ll get in touch if any arise. Many thanks.
Cheers, Iain
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Post by LiamR on May 8, 2007 16:38:25 GMT
Sounds like I'll have to get it. It seems as if it'll suit me level better than the Bob Brozman DVDs. Also I can' t wait for the lap style stuff. There's such a shortage of good material in that area, although Brozman has done a lap style DVD. It'll be amazing to compare the two different, but both thoroughly amazing, styles.
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2007 17:28:24 GMT
Bob's DVDs are good but in my opinion he jumps ahead and starts throwing complicated stuff in way too early. I actually started trying to learn bottleneck from his DVDs a coupe of years ago but gave up pretty quickly. Michael's DVD is much more approachable for a beginner and he covers areas of basic technique that Bob misses. The DVDs actually compliment each other well; I watched Bob's again this weekend and can now pick up on stuff that previously had me stumped. I’d recommend starting with Michael and then move onto Bob.
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Post by Gerry C on May 10, 2007 13:43:16 GMT
I got the DVD recently in order to help me structure slide lessons I'm giving to one of my students and guess what? I've learned loads from it!! I especially enjoyed working through the "North Mississippi one-chord blues" section: killer riffs which are now popping up without so much as a 'by your leave' in all sorts of Open D tunes... My only criticism would be that sometimes the camera on the right hand is a little distant, making it tricky to see what's going on. Great idea for the left hand though!
Another splendid MM production: well done!
Cheerily,
Gerry C
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Post by Michael Messer on May 10, 2007 14:13:54 GMT
Hi Gerry,
Thanks - I am pleased you have a copy and that you are enjoying it. Your kind words are very much appreciated.
That open D North Miss'ippi one chord stuff gets me every time! Fred McDowell was the master. He had so many of those open D rolls/riffs...and always killer rhythms to sit them on.
Shine On, Michael.
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Post by Michael Messer on May 22, 2007 7:54:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 22, 2007 11:17:22 GMT
Yes, I know since I started it
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Post by mirrormist on Jun 16, 2007 12:22:38 GMT
Hello Michael
I received my copy of “An Introduction to Blues Slide guitar” this morning…watched through first time guitarless. I was impressed with the immediate focus on slide which I thought was enhanced by all distractions being eliminated by the use of a darkened background. The camera angles which help you to get right in there and see what is going on…mostly though the explanation of the chords relative to open tunings early on was a delight to me as this was something I found difficult to get my head around even though I am familiar with chords in standard tunings….of course there is much much more to set me on my way...so i am looking forward now.
Regards
anthony
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Post by Flatland Charley on Oct 12, 2007 5:57:51 GMT
Is the Messer Bottleneck Slide teaching DVD available in the US--have read great reviews on this and IGS site from earlier in spring 2007 but I can't see that available for purchase in USA or at least formatted to play properly in USA players. Thanks in advance
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Post by Gerry C on Oct 12, 2007 9:59:56 GMT
Hi Charley. The DVD is available from EuroBlues Promotions and has been bought by at least one forum member based in Canada; I believe the DVD is set to play on any DVD-player (Region 0), so you should not have a problem in the US. Euro Blues can be found at: Euroblues Promotions Limited P. O. BOX 478 Cheltenham GL52 2XW United Kingdom Tel. + 44 (0) 1242 701 765 Email: info@euroblues.co.uk www.euroblues.co.uk/Cheerily, Gerry C
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Post by Michael Messer on Oct 12, 2007 10:17:23 GMT
Hi Flatland Charley, Welcome to our forum and thank you for your enquiry. As far as I know the DVD does play on US DVD players, but to make sure you should contact the distributor at www.euroblues.co.uk/merchandise.htm - info@euroblues.co.ukWith a name like 'Flatland' Charley.....are you from TeXas? Shine On Michael
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Post by Flatland Charley on Oct 16, 2007 3:45:31 GMT
Thanks Gerry and Michael for your advise. I will indeed check it out.
As far as location, I'm north of texas--more like the Land of Lincoln. Very flat----makes keeping your balance as easy as your checkbook.
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