X Lever Split - Chord Scale

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I don't think I've ever seen this posted before. If you have the "X" lever with a tunable split, you get a C note on strings 5 & 10. With pedals A+B down, this gives you an Am chord on the open strings. Very handy.

Here's a way to do the complete chord scale in key of C. Pedals A+B are down throughout. The X lever is used to make the minor chords. The E lever (lowering both E's) is also used for one chord. The root of each chord is on strings 3 and 6.

Russ Wever · From: Kansas City

Ya can also have a 'chord scale' using strings 7, 5 & 2 (or 5, 2 & 1)
by using the knee lever that lowers the 2nd string a half-tone
for the minor chords and a 1/2 pedal for the diminished 7 chord.

Mickey Adams · From: Bandera Texas

VEry good tip B0B!
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b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Good one, Russ. I've never had good luck with half pedaling, though. That's why I like the tunable split. 1/2A and A+X both do the same thing: raise the 5th and 10th strings a half step from B to C.
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Scott Swartz · From: St. Louis, MO

I am addicted to the smooth sound of using ABX for minors rather than lowering the E's one fret higher.

In b0b's C scale example, for C to Dm you could play the Dm by going to fret 6 and lowering the E's but it sounds different.
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Brian McGaughey · From: Orcas Island, WA USA

I've got my X set up that way. I find more uses for the 3rd scale degree lowered a 1/2 than the 5th lowered a 1/2.

I'm real good at doing a lot of things 1/2 way except half pedaling the A pedal! Smile

Dave Van Allen · From: Souderton, PA , US , Earth

b0b... what does the X lever raise/lower?

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

The X-Lever lowers B>Bb.
I play it this way also, and have the tune-able split for the C-note.
b0b shows the Major scale in the A+B Pedals-Down mode.

The same can be done with the G#>G change for the the Pedals-Up mode.
Key of G:
1-Do - I - 3rd fret open
2-Re - ii - 5th fret with G#>G
3-Me - iii - 7th fret with G#>G
4-Fa - IV - 8th fret open
5-So - V - 10th fret open
6-La - vi - 12th fret with G#>G
7-Ti - vii - 14th fret with G#>G
8-Do - I - 15th fret open

On step 7, if you want that to be a Diminished, just add the B>Bb change.

Another one is out of the A+F position:
D Major Scale using A+F as Root (play/add the G#>G change to make step 7 a Dim instead of a minor.):

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Sam Conomo · From: Queensland, Australia

[tab]
1------------------------------------
2------------------------------------
3------------------------------------
4------------------------------------
5--3A--4A---6A---8A--9A---11A---13A--
6--3B------------8B-------------13B--
7--3---4----6--------9G---11----13---
8------4Eb--6Eb------9Eb--11Eb--13Eb-
9--3-------------8-------------------
10------------------------------------
[/tab]
here it is with the major 7 on top of the 1 and 4 chords,
and dominant 7th on the 2,3,5,and 6, and 7.
key of F major.
Fmaj7th,Gm7,Am7,Bbmaj7th,C7th,Dm7,Em7B5,

Eb you see is with the E,s on the 8th string lowered to Eb.
G ,is the 7th string raised a semi tone,

I found this to be handy voicing for old jazz standards.Of course
other extention can be layed on top of these.
this is just the basic diatonic harmony with the 7th on top.

I find this is the way that i learn the tuning,
I try and do if as many ways as possible.

Sam Conomo · From: Queensland, Australia

sorry guys ,it didnt line up ,i hope it is clear enough to understand ,I have reduced the size ,see if this is any better.
5--3A--4A---6A---8A--9A---11A---13A-
6--3B------------8B-------------13B-
7--3---4----6--------9G---11----13--
8------4Eb--6Eb------9Eb--11Eb--13Eb
9--3-------------8------------------
10-----------------------------------

Sam Conomo · From: Queensland, Australia

cant get it to line up when i copy and paste my diagrams on the forum.
help,anyone ,how do you guys do it.

Clete Ritta · From: San Antonio, Texas

Thanks b0b!
This chord progression is one of the great functions of the X lever for me. As a guitarist, I really like the way that the chords and frets line up visually in the same manner. Using the X lever with the A pedal and E lowers opens up lots of possibilities like this.

If you dont have split tuning or an extra rod to tune the lever for no pedals use, its still useful to tune the lever to C with pedal A only. I tend to use the X lever with the A pedal far more often than by itself.

There are some interesting uses of it in the no pedals mode from B to Bb, but it is also one of the more challenging moves physically, since the foot must be raised off the ground completely, or the toes repositioned behind the pedal on the floor.

I have a pedal lowering G#s to Gs on one of my guitars, and it works in a similar fashion for the no pedals chord scale.

Clete

Lynn Kasdorf · From: Waterford Virginia, USA

Interesting discussion. A few seconds ago, I tuned up the splits for my X lever, and I just happened to see this thread.

I've never thought of playing a harmonized scale like this- thanks, b0b.

one thing- since my X lever is LKV and I lower the Es on LKR, I can't get both levers for the Bdim. But if I leave off the X, it sounds fine. I guess it depends on how long that lever is on your guitar. I remember Jeff Newman always had a huge X vertical so he could get it from anywhere.

BTW- one way I think of the X lever is to get a II7 chord. I think of it as being very similar to pedal 5 on C6. And a cool sub for the V7 is to back one fret.
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Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

I tried to fix this for ya. Smile

If you hit the "Quote" button you can see where I added tab-quotes at the beginning and end of your tab.
Pete B.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Sam Conomo · From: Queensland, Australia

thanks heaps bob,i will slowly go through it,i hope i will do it better next timt,i fear i may have more questions too.
thankyou kindly,
sam

ed packard · From: Show Low AZ

Bob…good thread. Your X pedal is my L< (B to Bb = B to C when used with P1 Emmons).It has been there since the mid 80s. The main purpose was to get the minors on the IV (A, P1P2) neck. It also provided the #5 (as did 1/2 P1) for the I neck.

I add to this the F# to G on the L^ to get the b7 also. This allows the chord types for scalar harmony on the IV neck.

Because all chord types are on adjacent strings with the root note always on the same string, the chord and location may be designated as a number for the root string, a number for the root fret, and the changes (peds and levs) for the changes. Add the chord name if desired.

One desirable trait is to have the root note available as the top note.

A number of “presentations” for chords etc. are shown in my PHOTOBUCKET albums =:

http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/edpackard/SONIC%20PALETTE%20II/

http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/edpackard/SONIC%20PALETTE/

http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/edpackard/PSG%20TUNING%20STRUCTURES/4X5%20I%20IV%20V%2013%20series/

And others…they are all “public” so prowl to suit.

Here are some examples of the “alternative presentations:.

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