Geni Swing Guitars

Standard Flatpick

Any bluegrass fan will tell you that there is nothing like the sound of a dobro. Looks like a guitar, plays like a steel guitar and adds a truly unique dimension to a song. Here we will look at the inception of the design and the history of it's use in recording and performing.

John Dopyera invented the resonator guitar around the late 1920s based on a request from steel guitar great George Beauchamp. Together, they formed the National String Instrument Corporation and manufactured these under a brand name of National.

Dopyera left National in 1928 and formed the Dobro Manufacturing Company with his three brothers. The name "Dobro" is a contraction for "Dopyera Brothers". It also means "good" in the Slovak language. The word "Dobro" is now used in reference to any resonator guitar, regardless of maker.

The Dobro was introduced to country music in the 1930's by Bashful Brother Oswald as he played with Roy Acuff and the Smoky Mountain Boys. In this genre, the steel guitar Dobro has largely replaced the dobro. However, it is still used today, just to a lesser degree.

Around this same time period, dobros were being used by blues musicians like Bukka White and the legendary Bo Carter. This was mainly in the southern part of the United States around Louisiana and the deltas of Mississippi. Most players were using acoustic guitars, but electricity was scarce in larger venues and the dobro was louder, thus making it the choice of live blues performers.

This was significant since the dobro is normally played as a lap top instrument. These blues players began to play them as standard guitars, in the upright position. Due to the high action of the strings, all of them used either a slide or a "bottle neck" on the fret board. The sound was pleasant and is still heard today in the southern blues genre.

In the mid 1950s, a fellow named Josh Graves introduced the dobro to bluegrass music. The effect was stupendous and dobro music became a staple of bluegrass almost overnight. Graves had been playing with Flatt & Scruggs at the time. He took Earl Scruggs' three finger picking style for the banjo and applied it to the dobro. This is the way they are played today with one notable exception in Tut Taylor, who used a flat pick.

As you can see, the dobro is an all American creation with roots in the southern United States. The inventor, John Dopyera, was an immigrant but made his mark on the music world with this instrument. First manufacturing them with George Beauchamp, then with his brothers and coined the name "dobro".

Beauchamp attempted to usurp the name, but after a lot of legal wrangling, Dopyera took control of Beauchamp's company. The Gibson Guitar Company acquired the right to make the dobro in 1993, stating that they retained the rights to the trademark name "Dobro". Gibson now manufactures several models under the Dobro name, a few of the cheaper Hound Dog models and another line as Epiphone.

Dobro music is sweet to the ear and the instruments are a treat to the eyes. Even though they are played today, it is best to listen to the great players of the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

To find out more about dobro music, visit: Dobro Music.com

Learning To Flatpick (3pc) - $49.99 Learning To Flatpick (3pc) -

Homespun Dan Crary's Flatpick Guitar Workshop (DVD) $29.95 Homespun Dan Crary's Flatpick Guitar Workshop (DVD)

Homespun Dan Crary's Flatpick Guitar Workshop (Dvd) $29.95 Homespun Dan Crary's Flatpick Guitar Workshop (DVD)

Brad Davis: Flatpick Jam, Vol. 1 - $29.99 Brad Davis: Flatpick Jam, Vol. 1 -

Alfred 00WMB006 Guitar Tabsongs Classic Rock for Flatpick Music Book $27.92 Alfred Music Publishing is the world s largest educational music publisher. Alfred produces educational' reference' pop' and performance materials for teachers' students' professionals' and hobbyists spanning every musical instrument' style' and difficulty level. The Guitar Tabsongs series is arranged for the beginning/intermediate guitarist. The arrangements can be easily played on nylon or steel string guitar and are written in standard notation and tablature. Perfect for anyone looking to increase their popular music instrumentals with greatsounding arrangements that are easy to play. Fifteen rock classics: Brown Eyed Girl Cocaine Desperado Evil Ways Free Fallin' Free Bird Have You Ever Seen the Rain Layla Rock and Roll All Night Rocket Man (I Think It's Gonna Be a Long' Long Time) Sugaree Take It Easy Touch of Grey What's Your Name Your Song.

Alfred 00WMB007 Guitar Tabsongs Popular Country for Flatpick Music Book $27.92 Alfred Music Publishing is the world s largest educational music publisher. Alfred produces educational' reference' pop' and performance materials for teachers' students' professionals' and hobbyists spanning every musical instrument' style' and difficulty level. The Guitar Tabsongs series is arranged for the beginning/intermediate guitarist. The arrangements can be easily played on nylon or steel string guitar and are written in standard notation and tablature. Perfect for anyone looking to increase their popular music instrumentals with greatsounding arrangements that are easy to play. Fifteen popular country favorites: Chattahoochee Don't Rock the Jukebox God Bless the U.S.A. Guitars' Cadillacs Liza Jane My Maria Nothing's Changed Here South Side of Dixie Take This Job and Shove It Tempted Thank God I'm a Country Boy There's Your Trouble This Time A Thousand Miles from Nowhere The Thunder Rolls.

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Homespun Learning to Flatpick DVD 2 - Building Bluegrass Technique (DVD) $29.95 Homespun Learning to Flatpick DVD 2 - Building Bluegrass Technique (DVD)

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Homespun Learning To Flatpick From The Beginning Dvd 1 With Tab $29.95 Homespun Learning to Flatpick From the Beginning DVD 1 with Tab

Homespun Learning to Flatpick DVD 3 - Developing Speed and Style (DVD) $29.95 In Developing Speed and Style, Volume 3 of the three part Learning To Flatpick DVD series, you move beyond the basics into the finer points of flatpick guitar style with lessons that focus on speed building and the essential elements of flatpicking style. On the Learning to Flatpick DVD, Steve covers rhythmic crosspicking techniques, left- and right-hand positions, and a dynamic variety of slides, arpeggios, bends, accents, intros, and endings. Includes music and tab.

Homespun Learning To Flatpick Dvd 3 - Developing Speed And Style (Dvd) $29.95 In Developing Speed and Style, Volume 3 of the three part Learning To Flatpick DVD series, you move beyond the basics into the finer points of flatpick guitar style with lessons that focus on speed building and the essential elements of flatpicking style. On the Learning to Flatpick DVD, Steve covers rhythmic crosspicking techniques, left- and right-hand positions, and a dynamic variety of slides, arpeggios, bends, accents, intros, and endings. Includes music and tab.Songs include:LibertySalt CreekBlackberry BlossomClarinet PolkaHome Sweet HomeRagtime Annie

Learning to Flatpick 1-3 $69.95 By Steve Kaufman. Instructional/Guitar/DVD. Bluegrass. DVD. Homespun #DVDKAUFL29 9. Published by Homespun

Homespun Learning to Flatpick (VHS) $99.95 Complete 3-tape series which includes the videos titled: From The Beginning, Building Bluegrass Technique, and Developing Speed and Style.

Homespun Learning To Flatpick (Vhs) $99.95 Complete 3-tape series which includes the videos titled: From The Beginning, Building Bluegrass Technique, and Developing Speed and Style.Size: 11" x 8-1/2"Artist: Steve Kaufman

Learning to Flatpick - Video Two $39.95 Steve Kaufman covers use of the capo, how to play up and down the neck, chord back-ups, bass runs, damping, slides, substitution chords and crosspicking. Build a flatpicking solo to tunes like: Old Joe Clark * Bury Me Beneath The Willow * The Wildwood Flower * Wabash Cannonball * Arkansas Traveller * Salty Dog * Down Yonder. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL 2.

The Art of Flatpick Guitar $39.95 Russ shows guitarists at all levels how to achieve good tone, keep solid time, compose solos, improvise, play with more assurance, better control and stronger technique. Includes several exercises and original instrumentals. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL ALL.

First Jams : Flatpick Guitar $12.71 No Synopsis Available

Homespun 8 Great Tunes & Variations for Flatpick Guitar by Dan Crary Book with CD $19.95 Homespun 8 Great Tunes & Variations for Flatpick Guitar by Dan Crary Book with CD

Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick, Vols. 1 & 2 [2 Discs] - $24.99 Includes:Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick (2009) Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick, Vol. 2 (2010) Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick No synopsis available. Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick, Vol. 2 Professional guitarist Adam Traum leads this instructional program on playing blues style steel guitar with a flatpick, offering lessons on basic shuffle rhythm in E, bass runs, chord shapes, string bends, turnarounds, improving fretboard skills, picking techniques, and more. ~ Cammila Albertson, Rovi

Adam Traum: Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick, Vol. 2 - $24.99 Professional guitarist Adam Traum leads this instructional program on playing blues style steel guitar with a flatpick, offering lessons on basic shuffle rhythm in E, bass runs, chord shapes, string bends, turnarounds, improving fretboard skills, picking techniques, and more. ~ Cammila Albertson, Rovi

Learn to Play Blues Guitar with a Flatpick $29.95 (DVD One). Homespun Tapes. DVD. Guitar tablature. Homespun #DVDADAFL21. Published by Homespun

Guitar Tabsongs: Classic Rock for Flatpick $12.95 "For Guitar (Electric). Solos. Warner Bros.. Rock. Beginning-Intermediate. Book. 48 pages. Published by Mel Bay Publications, Inc"

Dan Crary's Flatpick Guitar Workshop $29.95 (An Exploration of Dynamic Soloing). By Dan Crary. Instructional/Guitar/DVD. Bluegrass. DVD. Homespun #DVDCRAGT21. Published by Homespun

Homespun Learning to Flatpick 2 (VHS) $39.95 Steve Kaufman covers use of the capo, how to play up and down the neck, chord back-ups, bass runs, damping, slides, substitution chords and crosspicking. Build a flatpicking solo to tunes like: Old Joe Clark * Bury Me Beneath The Willow * The Wildwood Flower * Wabash Cannonball * Arkansas Traveller * Salty Dog * Down Yonder. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL 2.

Homespun The Art of Flatpick Guitar (VHS) $39.95 Russ shows guitarists at all levels how to achieve good tone, keep solid time, compose solos, improvise, play with more assurance, better control and stronger technique. Includes several exercises and original instrumentals. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL ALL.

Homespun Learning To Flatpick 2 (Vhs) $39.95 Steve Kaufman covers use of the capo, how to play up and down the neck, chord back-ups, bass runs, damping, slides, substitution chords and crosspicking. Build a flatpicking solo to tunes like: Old Joe Clark * Bury Me Beneath The Willow * The Wildwood Flower * Wabash Cannonball * Arkansas Traveller * Salty Dog * Down Yonder. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL 2.Size: 8" x 4-3/4"Artist: Steve Kaufman

Homespun The Art Of Flatpick Guitar (Vhs) $39.95 Russ shows guitarists at all levels how to achieve good tone, keep solid time, compose solos, improvise, play with more assurance, better control and stronger technique. Includes several exercises and original instrumentals. 90-MINUTE VIDEO * INCLUDES TAB * LEVEL ALL.Size: 8" x 4-3/4"Artist: Russ BarenbergISBN: 634053965

Techniques for Soloing and Improvising Flatpick Style $35.24 This top Nashville guitarist breaks down his method for improvising across the entire guitar fingerboard, teaching how to create guitar solos through finding "chord centers" in every position. Pat includes new ideas for adding harmonies within chords, improvising blues and minor-key songs, and innumerable tips on playing technique. 90-MIN. INCLUDES CHORDS + TAB EARLY INTERMEDIATE TO INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Homespun Learning To Flatpick Dvd 2 - Building Bluegrass Technique (Dvd) $29.95 Building Bluegrass Technique is volume two of the three-part Learning to Flatpick DVD series. In Building Bluegrass Technique, Steve Kaufman covers use of the capo, how to play up and down the guitar neck, chord back-ups, bass runs, damping, slides, substitution chords, and crosspicking. Build flatpicking solos to several bluegrass tunes. Includes music and tab.Songs:Old Joe ClarkBury Me Beneath the WillowThe Wildwood FlowerWabash CannonballArkansas TravelerSalty DogDown Yonder

Steve Kaufman: Learning to Flatpick, Vol. 2 - Building Bluegrass Technique - $24.99 As with his original instructional video, Steve Kaufman: Learning to Flatpick Vol. 1, this volume features guitarist Steve Kaufman going even deeper into the field of flatpicking. This time the emphasis is on utilizing flatpicking techniques in order to produce great bluegrass riffs, and Kaufman offers further insight into his own preferred methods, techniques, and styles. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi