An Introduction to the Dobro with Laura Carrivick

One of the most rewarding new year's resolutions we can think of is to take up a new instrument or spend some more time with the one you already play, so for every Sunday in January we'll be posting an instructional video on an instrument one of us plays.
First up, Laura will introduce you to the dobro. In this video she'll take you through the basics of how the instrument works, how to get started on a budget and a very quick lesson at the end. Feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments!

[@richardsanislo1686]

Laura Carrivics’ dobro sounds beautiful and looks as beautiful. And L.C. Speaks and plays very fluently.

[@dangeoopatrick2593]

The concept of the dobro has always been a difficult one for me and this is a great beginners video. Thanks Laura, you made it very clear and easy to follow.

[@JohnSims3]

WOW! The most beautiful resonator I have ever seen! Congratulations!

[@Lion126TSE]

Thank you!! I JUST got my first dobro, and i've wanted one for FOREVER. So you're my very first instructional video for it. Well thought out and explained. Great job!

[@redempteurqc584]

Very well explained! I just started Dobro and I really enjoyed playing along to your video. You really made it easy to learn. Please keep doing tutorials like this one. 😊✨🎶

[@xxYetterxx]

awesome! I just ordered my first Dobro today. I've been playing bluegrass on Guitar for just under 5 years now and this short intro made perfect sense. Can't wait to start playing around with it

[@midnightskyracer2974]

That is so great to hear!

[@johnhipp604]

​can I ask you something

[@xxYetterxx]

Sure, whats up?@@johnhipp604

[@xxYetterxx]

@@johnhipp604 yep. What's up?

[@johnhipp604]

Can you be my friend

[@JWemm]

Great intro to playing the dobro, Laura! Just what I was looking for. Well thought out and delivered presentation!

[@grekiely6245]

Thanks, Ms Laura. Amazing to know how many hits that go with that tune. Magic work here, have tuned into a few of the Band's songs, like my blue grass - top stuff.

[@johnlammin4968]

Very well explained and demonstrated Laura.

[@jonsnell4751]

Very nice to see a Lapson Ressophonic Slide Guitar explaned and played so well.🎸

[@EngPheniks]

beautiful instrument demonstrated by a beautiful player 👍

[@kevinforde2555]

Thanks, great explanation

[@nitelite78]

Lovely sounding instrument. Also the wood on the front is beautiful. Like the boiling surface of a star made of creamy coffee.

[@Gerkozielman]

Very nice explanation, and what a wonderful idea to transform a standard guitar to a dobro style, i'm gonna dive a bit into that, thanks!

[@superdeluxesmell]

Terrific work. Many thanks.

[@dean8842]

Excellent intro, Laura! Very well done, indeed.

[@davidwaldner8841]

Wow Laura great job so simple keep it coming Love it I'm just starting out on my Paul Paul beard dobro thank you 🌹👍

[@calbackk]

This was very informative. I learned a lot. Greetings from Sweden.

[@nellayema2455]

Excellent introduction to the instrument!

[@kleverich]

I've been thinking of picking up the guitar or some sort of stringed instrument for years. I've been leaning towards a Dobro because I've always liked slide guitar. I think you've encouraged me to actually go out and buy one.

[@monto39]

Pretty crazy figuring on that guitar - mad quilting all over the top and sides. Beautiful!

[@fododude]

It's amazing how my tolerance for dull instructional videos increases proportionally to the youth and beauty of the instructor.

[@srm8866]

Absolutely beautiful - and the Dobro and playing wasn't bad either! 🤍😜✌

[@marccarter1350]

As a guitar player who learnt to plays in an open tuning, i also slide, loved the sound of that. Sure thats something i could take to.

[@jeffsiegwart]

Thank you for sharing. Good presentation. 🎸🎸🎸

[@ronaldl9085]

Cool. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@charleschamberlain53]

Love it maybe someday after the ukelele and ubass I will learn that one too

[@InterestingWorldLove]

"So you can see why we just call it a Dobro" Classic Oh Guitar at the end Amazing

[@pwk22]

The name "dobro" comes from a contraction/corruption of the Dopyera Brothers, the original makers of the guitar.

[@TomMarvan]

And that contraction/corruption means “good” in nearly every Slavic language (for example, in Czech, “dobro” means “good” in English!).

[@mickmathieson8266]

Brilliant!

[@Mundproductionfunkhaus]

very helpful and nicely presented

[@frankcoffey]

I have one of those extension nuts and a parlor guitar, I think I'll try the D tuning like yours is that sounds good.

[@powerfulsamuel1565]

rhanks so much, after watching your review I bought a round neck, it is great!

[@JosMorn1]

Lovely!

[@ivorbiggen9599]

Waw, very interesting and informative, I shall look at your other stuff

[@RobKandell]

I didn’t know the dobro made it back across the pond. You’re pretty handy with that thing.

[@235buz]

Love them Blue Chip thumbpicks and Tipton bars.

[@PaffordHomestead]

Great picking ❤

[@squirrel3310]

Nice musical instrument !!!

[@WarrenFloyd-xr2js]

Also i put slick stainless steel strings on mine love the sound, so close to a pedal steel

[@beauhanister9318]

Excellent

[@gregdavis9207]

Thanks

[@scottemmonsmusic6001]

Well explained! Is that quilted Mahogany? 😮 Or stained quilted Maple? Either way, that is a gorgeous instrument! Where can we hear you playing?

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Thanks! It's maple, but stained darker. It is lovely and I'm very lucky to have it. Lots of videos of me playing it on this channel

[@rectify2003]

Very interesting Subscribed

[@johnpulwers680]

That's a gorgeous instrument. Is that Fire Maple? What does it cost?

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Quilted maple, yes. It's was made by Rayco resophonics in Canada nearly 15 years ago now - I'm not sure what their current pricing is but they make beautiful instruments!

[@scottsweet501]

The bar is generally referred to as a steel in my experience. I prefer the one with a rounded tip end.

[@cliffjones40]

very good cliff jones lesson to be learned you tube

[@oliveroneill1388]

Well done with the video. Ive played guitar for 40 years . Always wanted to come around to playing lap steel . Hope i get around to it soon .. take care

[@MrSwanley]

Aha... thanks for this. I've heard people mention the Dobro and thought maybe it was the same as a National guitar (e.g. made famous by Dire Straits Brothers in Arms album cover). So I guess they both have metal resonators, but the signature National is all metal, while the Dobro has a wooden body.

[@wadedeeds1738]

Cool.

[@fredriebel6176]

I always wanted to play a dobro but have never tried. I do play a regular guitar

[@tedscott1478]

Is that an old Harmony behind your shoulder on the viewers right?

[@petercbenedict]

What specifically is Open D tuning for dobro?

[@donfromal3592]

Very nice resonator

[@pragmatica1032]

Dobro is good!

[@TRICK-OR-TREAT236]

WHAT BRAND IS THE FIRST ONE LAURA ?

[@clawhammer704]

Who built that dobro...beautiful wood. You made me nervous holding that bar over that guitar top. Iv seen too many dobros with dents on the tops.

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Rayco resophonics in Canada. I had it custom made over 10 years ago now and couldn't be happier with it. Such a beautiful, responsive instrument. I'm very lucky! So far it's pretty much free of bar dings, which is amazing considering how much of a butter fingers I am 😄rayco.ca/

[@TheMKEWERBY]

@@midnightskyracer2974 Really!? I thought it was a Regal.

[@rayh.7757]

If you wish to experience a master at work playing the dobro, watch The Pedersens.

[@electricelephant7471]

How can you play non major chords? Looks like the bar only allows you to move between major chords.

[@midnightskyracer2974]

There are few places on the neck where you can find partial chords, a couple of full minor chords available too. It isn't always possible though, so often you just have to work around it and imply the chord with a choice note or two rather than play full chords. Maybe I''ll do another video on it when I get the time. Thanks for the idea!

[@jamesfarganne528]

How adorable.

[@joex9865]

Why do they put frets on these guitars?

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Good question! I'm not a guitar maker, so I don't know whether an inlay for a guide or a standard fret is simpler, but they are just there as a rough visual guide.

[@strydyrhellzrydyr1345]

What a lovely Queeny

[@strydyrhellzrydyr1345]

Ohhh hiw i would love to have a dobro yo

[@Mundproductionfunkhaus]

Can you setup a round neck by raising the strings?

[@libbysommer8412]

It’s not recommended because of the immense pressure on the neck once you raise the strings.

[@stephengilley6836]

Yes. You can but a nut extender. It’ll give you an idea if you want to purchase a dobro. You’ll want thicker strings if you really want to use your regular guitar as a lap guitar. But you can “test drive” the dobro style that way for $10

[@adrianobastardi]

Beautiful instrument, does it have an only fans page?

[@GrasslandsG81]

Are you looking to see the Bullet Bar in action?

[@etsurofuruta6714]

What name is this song?

[@tomrudd1118]

Thanks! Honky Tonk Angel!

[@williamhoward8319]

is that a dobro or a mosorite

[@davidfarmer2049]

Good lord, i bet your pleased with that.

[@StrayDogVideos]

A 25 pound slide sounds very heavy…. Sorry ;) Great video! You have inspired me to pull mine out of the closet.

[@krisclark8619]

That's beautiful! The instrument isn't bad either 😊

[@bofilen-ii4fs]

Dobro also mean "Yes" in Jugoslavia....

[@michaelr.williams8176]

In the old days it was called a steal guitar

[@ivannio8519]

Its called a resonator guitar, not a dobro. (Dobro comes from Dopero Brothers, who made these instruments and only instruments from their brand is called Dobros. So if Fender made your resonator its called a Fender resonator guitar, not a Dobro. Got it? :)

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Yep, that's another name commonly used which can apply to many different types of resonator guitar (round or square neck, dobro or national style etc.) Most players of this particular style of resonator that I know tend to call it a dobro even though as you say, that's actually a brand name owned by Gibson - much like how most people call a vacuum cleaner a hoover! Thanks for watching :)

[@karlstanc4444]

Interesting name: Dobro. - In Polish language Dobro means: Goodness.

[@biber021]

Just for the record, Dobro means Good in Serbian. :)

[@MartinRimas1]

:)

[@ImaOkie]

We just call it a Square Neck .

[@basiclawprof]

Nice. But too much talking and not enough playing. We want to know the sound. Give us a hint up front.

[@guillermo3564]

I would think that most of us who know about the name actually call this a resonator.

[@edgarcook9607]

But don't forget the Dopyera Brothers, Do, Bro...their company way back when...

[@midnightskyracer2974]

Yep, that's another name commonly used which can apply to many different types of resonator guitar (round or square neck, dobro or national style etc.) Most players of this particular style of resonator that I know tend to call it a dobro even though as you say, that's actually a brand name owned by Gibson - much like how most people call a vacuum cleaner a hoover! Thanks for watching :)

[@audioa41]

Somehow I could tell she had accent just by the thumbnail

[@comentando2437]

Pretty 😍

[@shobud7561]

Slow it down and teach more 😊

[@lauraadam3230]

Can’t understand a word she says

[@walterkersting9922]

I liked the cheap guitar tuned to D, I thought it sounded better. You sound like that English girl that went viral for a Videos it say stuff like “this is what a girl who is sorry but not sorry sounds like” or whatever…

[@brianmcwhorter1682]

Boring as heck. Just play aleady. Very time consuming until the end. Good luck next time.

[@jeffreyenglehart268]

I have the steel bar, brass slide, and glass slide from Amazon. They were sold together for cheap. My mom gifted me one of these by Fender. I am learning on it now. Thank you for posting this

[@chasbodaniels1744]

Good for you on playing a new instrument. Enjoy the experience!

[@katherinejarvis7302]

I got my Dobro at 15 I learned by Josh Graves.. the father of the dobro guitar.. he was not only teacher but a dear friend. He took a young girl and me a gift of the love of this instrument. My guitar is signed by EE DOPERA. Signed 1973.. on my guitar on the wood.. I met him in 1972 he was 85.. what a wonderful man. He was happy to see a young girl play his dobro guitar.. I am grateful for also my daddy who started us kids in a bluegrass singing family band.. Watkins family... I'm one of the girls.. Kate.. i play bass too .. i play guitar and sing. I love this music.. it was my daddies dream❤. Thank you Kate Watkins Jarvis

[@katherinejarvis7302]

I've played this Wonderful Dobro guitar over 50 years.. what a blessing ❣️🌹🌹💓💯

[@shobud7561]

Josh is the uncle Knoxville Tennessee own Ted Graves. Ted brother is a well-known Dobro player in Nashville.

[@shobud7561]

How can I take lesson from you?

[@faisaldhariwal1510]

It's nice to hear someone speak so beautifully and explain so concisely exactly what the dobro does . I play bass but I'm learning steel guitar now. Great video

[@richardprutz6458]

THANK YOU- I don't know if I enjoy building guitars or playing them.

[@AA-69]

GREAT... you've created ONE new Dobro enthusiast , and FIFTY SICK AS A PIG 😭😭😭😭

[@lowellirish]

Rushed...by 100% usable! I watched your ring finger on your string hand and get how you incorporated the single plucking in conjunction with the strumming! 😉 TY...I play guitar, fiddle, Irish flute/whistle, Native flutes, bodhran, appalachian dulcimer/strumstick, etc. TY

[@Adrian_Real]

Okay I found this by accident... SO FUCKIN' HAPPY! I have an injury on my finger that makes it very painful to play with my left hand. Thought I'd have to switch to a left-handed guitar, but THIS defeats the problem!! Thank you for making this-- I'm getting a dobro.

[@shobud7561]

You don't need an instrument. You need a bar of soap stuck in your filthy mouth 😮

[@Conquistadoom]

Just bought one. Started out on a slide cigar box, next logical step.

[@INDYOSKARS]

I´ve got many steels, most of them that I have made myself (well fixed rather sawed of the ends and such) and I bought a steel like you have got there but its the one I like the least the reason being are the ends, makes it pretty hard to do forwards slants and backwards slant, it can easily fly out of ones hand doing that. That round green steel bar looks cool though, bakelight ?

[@brettday1278]

I play the Dobro and it's a great instrument!

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

I suppose anyone can call anything whatever they want and maybe I'm wrong but I don't hear many underhand blues resonator guitarists calling it a dobro. It's really more about the technique and tuning more than it is about the sound but in GENERAL, dobros are overhand played. And they're used for country, bluegrass, folk etc. Resonator guitars are in GENERAL, played underhand and used for blues. They're also more likely to use a spider bridge but from what I hear, some dobros do have a biscuit bridge. Also, I'm only just learning about dobro style but from what I gather, they use a tuning they call open G and it's tuned to a G chord. But blues also uses a tuning that they call open G, also a G chord, but it's a different tuning. So G B D G B D for dobro and for blues it's D G D G B D. The first is easier for melodies and major keys and the latter makes a driving sound easier and is bluesey.

[@gnarmarmounts]

Pretty cool

[@duncan1249]

Thanks for that introductory video :) what is the open d tuning you use at the end? I want to try a bit of dobro style on my acoustic to see if I like it before splashing out on an actual dobro. Can I use D,G,D,G,B,D like banjo g tuning?

[@isaach5489]

Do you ever get confused mentally switching back from regular guitar tuning to the dobro tuning?