Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ page has been assembled to address some of the many questions we receive. Should you have suggestions to add to this page, please send them to this address
<Gear/Equipment>
<General>
<Instructional>
<Recordings>
<Technical>
Gear/Equipment
| Q: |
What microphones do you use for recording? |
| A: |
I use a Neumann M149, and Neumann U67, and a Royer R122 (active ribbon mic). |
|
| Q: |
What microphone do you use for live performances? |
| A: |
I use a Shure KM32. |
|
| Q: |
What pickup do you use in your guitars? |
| A: |
A Fishman Resophonic Guitar Pickup. |
|
| Q: |
What about the 'tusq' used on the Aura pickup bridge? |
| A: |
It's come to my attention that there are some worries about the impact of the tusq-topped Aura pickup bridge. I did some research on this before I released the pickup and found that it actually increased sustain and hi-end without effecting the guitar's low-end. If anything the lows were cleaned up in the lower shelves to stop feedback frequencies.
Tusq was the balancing material for the pickup. Ebony was too soft and dull, ebonex was even more so. This wasn't a guess on my part. I would not be afraid to put it in any guitar I have, Scheerhorn, Guernsey, Meredith, or Beard. The guitars I recorded my new record with had pickups all the way through.
Try it, you'll like it. |
|
| Q: |
I need to know if the Fishman FRGP1 resonator pickup I have in my
dobro would be a good match for the JD Aura Resonator Pedal. I
really want to get one, but I need to know if my pickup will be a good match.
|
| A: |
Any pickup will sound better through the Aura. However the Aura was designed for use with the new bridge pickup. The Aura recognizes the pickup that the images were created with more quickly. In this case unfortunately, the new bridge pickup. I used the FRGP1 for a couple years with many feedback problems. That is what forced me to stay on the track of creating a better pickup. In the process of evolution, I believe the new bridge pickup is the answer to our problems, finally really getting proper gain with real dobro tone.
|
|
| Q: |
When it comes to amps for live performance, what are you using? |
| A: |
I am now using Fishman Loudbox and Solo amps - when I use an amp at all - for dobro.
|
|
| Q: |
What kind of straps does Jerry use? |
| A: |
"
My straps are Bobby Poffs. Paul Beard has the good Webb straps on his website, Resophonic Outfitters. I've also heard about Levi Straps being good. I have one somewhere but can't put my hands on it right now". |
|
General
| Q: |
Who is in the Jerry Douglas band? |
| A: |
Jerry is pleased to present to you the Jerry Douglas Band, 2007.
Luke Bulla - fiddle
Guthrie Trapp - guitar
Todd Parks - bass
Chad Melton - drums
Bernie Vellutti - sound and tech
We are working on bios for the band to offer you more information about some of our favorite people.
Be sure to check out Guthrie's web site. Click Here |
|
| Q: |
I notice you have a new drummer - Chad Melton - and he is fantastic.
Can you tell us what Doug Belote, your former drummer is doing these days? |
| A: |
Jerry Douglas:
Yes Chad sounds great doesn't he? The switch-off was a real trial by fire for Chad. Doug had to leave due to some family obligations. As some of you know, his father George 'Muscles' Belote was one of our favorite people, and passed away tragically after a massive heart attack. Muscles was at many of our gigs, most notable the ill fated 'VideoRanch' link-up. He was one of the first there. An avatar leaping about during the soundcheck. We're really going to miss him. He and Doug had a wonderful relationship as 'Muscles' was a pioneer in the Cajun recording and live music scene as far back as the '50's. They did many a gig together, and I know from personal experience as to what kind of bond that can produce between a father and son.
Doug is now working at times with Larry Carlton, a wonderful guitarist known widely in the Jazz world as the master of the Gibson 335. Larry's recorded with Steely Dan as well as hundreds of others.He and I were labelmates on the MCA Master Series a few years ago. I know Doug will take him to another level the same as did for me. |
|
| Q: |
Who is Jerry Douglas?
|
| A: |
Click bio on the site navigator. |
|
| Q: |
Where is Jerry from? |
| A: |
He was born in Warren, Ohio on May 28, 1956. |
|
| Q: |
But who is AKUS? |
| A: |
Alison Krauss and Union Station, a.k.a. AKUSfJD*
Alison Krauss, Barry Bales, Ron Block, Dan Tyminski, and Jerry Douglas
*featuring Jerry Douglas |
|
| Q: |
Who are some of Jerry's biggest musical influences? |
| A: |
Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, John Douglas, Eric Clapton, Earl Scruggs, Josh Graves, Albert Lee, Tony Rice, Mike Auldridge, and James Taylor. Also, El Shankar, Sonny Landreth, Derek Trucks, John Fogerty, and Erroll Garner. |
|
| Q: |
If you could play or record with anyone else, who would that be? |
| A: |
I'm still holding out for Eric Clapton. |
|
| Q: |
Where can I learn to play the dobro? |
| A: |
The DVD version of Jerry Douglas' Dobro Techniques is available from the Store at JerryDouglas.com.
An easy reference would be the Stacy Phillips tablature books. |
|
| Q: |
What is the location of the photos used on the cover of Lookout for Hope? |
| A: |
The "Lookout for Hope" cover was shot by Michael Smith at the the Neuhoff property north of downtown Nashville. Following is information ont the Neuhoff Redevelopment Project.
The original Neuhoff development began on 17 acres in Nashville in 1903 and
continued as a meat processing industry until the late 1970's. The site lay
dormant for over 20 years until acquired by the McRedmond Family. The
McRedmond Family together with the Neuhoff Trust and Nashville Cultural Arts
Project (NCAP) began a 3-year program of cleaning the site and restoring the
buildings as much as practical and economically feasible. The site has become a
focal point for the arts and a center for environmental studies through lectures,
the installation of a "Green Roof Prototype" featuring cedar glade species and the
proposed construction of a Center for Living Watershed. The site has also
become the anchor for the redevelopment of the East Germantown
Neighborhood in Nashville. |
|
Instructional
| Q: |
Does Jerry give lessons? |
| A: |
No, but you can pick up "Jerry Douglas' Dobro Techniques" DVD from the JD Store on this web site. |
|
| Q: |
Is there tablature of Jerry's music available? |
| A: |
Jerry has no tab available at the moment, but he is working on it! He has recently met with a writerand hopes to bring you tablature perhaps in late summer.
Jerry does have an instructional DVD available at the Jerry Douglas Store.
On wholenote.com
and alltabs.com
there are a few songs available. You could also check out Stacy Phillips' web page
for a selection of instructional books. |
|
Recordings
| Q: |
What is Jerry's most recent recording? |
| A: |
GLIDE will be released on August 19, 2008. |
|
| Q: |
What gear was used in making YONDER - Jerry's 1996 release with the charismatic Peter Rowan? |
| A: |
Jerry Douglas answers:
"'Yonder' was recorded in living rooms all over Nashville. Bela's was one of them. He was out of town at the time.
We brought in Bil VornDick and some recording gear. Mostly Tascam digital tapedecks and Neve mic pres and some wonderful old mics. I remember having two U-67's on my guitars, which were the Weissenborn, my old Jones, a Scheerhorn or two, and a big-bodied dobro that Ivan Guernsey had built for me. We used a pair of Sankens on Peter's guitar and a Neumann U-47 on the vocals.
Staying out of the studios made our timetable more flexible, but made the mixing a bit more of a challenge. To match the rooms we recorded in, I invented room sounds with reverbs. This was also the first time I was able to edit waveforms, which gave me chances to put takes together in ways not possible before. That way no overdubbing was needed. It would have been impossible anyway. We didn't try to baffle ourselves apart. We even mic'ed the reflections off windows to create some room ambience. There was plenty of bleed over into each other's mics. It was an editing nightmare, but I think it turned out pretty decent in the end. I still enjoy listening to that record quite a bit. |
|
| Q: |
Where can I buy Jerry's CDs? |
| A: |
Visit the Store at JerryDouglas.com for a selection of Jerry's own work.
Go to the discography page of the website for other projects on which Jerry has played. Under the pull down menu that says 'search albums by artist', you will find all sorts of CDs that Jerry has played on from his solo work to projects he has graced as a supporting musician. |
|
| Q: |
From what recording is Grant's Corner and where can I find it? |
| A: |
Grant's Corner is a track from Jerry's 1985 release Under The Wire. Originally issued on MCA's Master's Series label, the recording is now out of print. |
|
Technical
| Q: |
What tunings do you use? |
| A: |
I use open G (DBGDBG) and open D (DAF#DAD). Also I use E tuned up to D (EBAbEBE) and drop G to F (CAFCAF) |
|
| Q: |
What strings do you use? |
| A: |
I mostly use D'Addario EXP42 Phosphor's for Resophonic guitar and to a limited extent, D'Addario J-42s.
|
|
| Q: |
What gauges of strings do you like? |
| A: |
I use D'Addario EXP's gauges .016, .018, .028, .036, .045, and .056.
|
|
| Q: |
Why those particular gauges? |
| A: |
Judged by footpounds, this is an evenly spread downward weight tranfer to the cone. |
|
| Q: |
Jerry, what about using a heavy first string? |
| A: |
I do not like using anything heavier than .016 for the first string.
Heavier = more thud
Thud = less tone |
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