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Topic: C6 Blues for the curious |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 9:21 am |
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I sat down and played a little Chicago style blues on my Clinesmith last night. C6 is good for blues, and this is an example of how tuning the E string down to D sounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGp9zzj3egA
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 11:04 am
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It's true, Doug. It's extremely useful for single note playing, especially to get more into guitaristic territory, which is what I'm into. It is excellent for many styles, especially Rock. It also has its value in chord work. Both of my necks are variations or extensions of C6, so lowering the E to D on one neck is a no-brainer for me, especially since I've been messing with it for a long time.
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 11:18 am
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| Yeah! Nice playing and tone! |
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 11:32 am
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Hi Doug.
Nice playing.
Is your C6 E top string or C6 with high G?
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Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Rick Stratton
From:
Tujunga, California, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 11:59 am
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Hi Mike, nice work (as usual)!
I've been playing similar stuff on the C6 neck of my PSG. (no pedals) I don't lower the E, though, I just reach for it. I use a high G, but try to avoid it most of the time, although it does come in handy.
What are you using for your overdrive?
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Jackson Pro-IV D-10, Fender Dual-Pro 8, Epiphone Zephyr-6 |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 12:02 pm
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| Jim Mckay wrote: |
| Is your C6 E top string or C6 with high G? |
I don't use a high G in any of my C6 tunings, so the 1st string is always an E, or in this case, D.
| Rick Stratton wrote: |
What are you using for your overdrive? |
That is a Digitech RP1000 into my Sano amp. That particular patch is a '59 Bassman with a Tube Screamer (all on board).
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 1:33 pm
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| Quote: |
Hi Doug.
Nice playing.
Is your C6 E top string or C6 with high G? |
It's not me playing, it's Mike Neer, and yes, it is nice playing.
BTW this D on top has been stock in trade for a lot of C6 pedal steel players since the 1970s. Many PSG players changed the high G to D to facilitate more and easier scale patterns. So their first 4 strings would be D, E, C, A, unlike a re-tuned C6 lap steel that would be D, C, A, G (first 4 strings). The PSG players don't have to lose the high E to get the high D.
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 1:53 pm
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That was great Mike. Thanks so very much for posting that. Very inspirational and gives much food for thought and stuff to practice.
Am I correct in that you did no slanting? Hard to tell looking perpendicularly.
That could turn into a great lesson on your website/blog with tab and all. I'd pay to get that.
Last edited by Stephen Abruzzo on 6 Apr 2014 5:44 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Knetzger
From:
Kirkland, WA USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 2:01 pm
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Very cool, MIke, thanks for that.
What effects pedal or amp are you suing for the nice hairy tone?
No volume pedal?-- I see some right leg toe tappin' action.... |
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Steve Cunningham
From:
Atlanta, GA
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Jim Mckay
From:
New Zealand
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Posted 6 Apr 2014 6:28 pm
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Hi to Doug and Mike.
Sorry got the names mixed up, I meant Mike of course.
Thanks for your reply anyhow. My C6 is also E high so I will now experiment.
Had you been using a High G I could have used my other neck that is tuned to A6 and tuned second string to B. "Think that's correct"
Keep the good work up guys, these bits of information you post are a huge help to most of us out here.
Regards to you all.
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Canopus d-8
Excel Jerry Byrd frypan
T-8 Stringmaster |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 7 Apr 2014 4:07 am
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| Stephen Abruzzo wrote: |
Am I correct in that you did no slanting? Hard to tell looking perpendicularly.
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No slanting at all, Steven. Actually, there was another thread about tuning for blues and I wanted to just give a plug to C6 and found this backing track, so this was just a first time through improvisation. I cut it short because I went a little overboard and lost the BB King/Duane vibe. 
| Bob Knetzger wrote: |
What effects pedal or amp are you suing for the nice hairy tone?
No volume pedal?-- I see some right leg toe tappin' action.... |
Like I said, Bob, just using a Digitech RP1000 through a real tube amp. The RP1000 has several cool amp models that I like, and in this case I also used the 808 Tube Screamer patch.
No volume pedal--I pretty much never practice with a volume pedal.
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 7 Apr 2014 7:18 am
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I wanted to just give a plug to C6 and found this backing track, so this was just a first time through improvisation. I cut it short because I went a little overboard and lost the BB King/Duane vibe. |
Well, it was fantastic. I can't stop watching it. It's one thing someone to say they can do Blues using C6. But showing it takes it all to a different level.
Like I said, if you did this as a "lesson" with tab, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. |
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Paul Arntson
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2014 11:51 am
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Very tasty, Mike!
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 8 Apr 2014 9:25 am
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| Stephen Abruzzo wrote: |
| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I wanted to just give a plug to C6 and found this backing track, so this was just a first time through improvisation. I cut it short because I went a little overboard and lost the BB King/Duane vibe. |
Well, it was fantastic. I can't stop watching it. It's one thing someone to say they can do Blues using C6. But showing it takes it all to a different level.
Like I said, if you did this as a "lesson" with tab, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. |
Stephen, thanks. It's all about phrasing, and a lot of subtle stuff that would be lost in the translation of tab. If you can hear it, you can play it! I never considered myself a blues player, but have come to realize that it is the thread that seems to run through everything I do.
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Chuck S. Lettes
From:
Denver, Colorado
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Posted 8 Apr 2014 9:36 am
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Very cool, Mike. You sure can play some different styles. Like you mentioned, "everything I touch turns to blues."
Chuck |
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John Ed Kelly
From:
Victoria, Australia
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Posted 8 Apr 2014 10:01 pm
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Pretty good stuff Mike.
As a part time sax and clarinet player, I'm sure I can hear soprano sax tones coming from your (I think) 1st and 2nd strings! |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 11:44 am
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great mike! i think you have as good or better a feel for the blues than anything i've heard you do.
how much of that could have been done on a 6 string? |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 13 Apr 2014 12:13 pm
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Great to hear you play Mike, and I dig the blues vibe. Keep em coming.
Lenny |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 5:27 pm
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I just want to thank you guys for the kind words. This was really nothing but an attempt to show how versatile C6 is for blues and other genres. I like playing the blues when I get the chance, but have always shied away from doing it on a regular basis. Maybe I should work on that a bit.
Chris, I didn't use anything beyond 6 strings here, so to answer your question: yes, you can play it on 6 strings.
I always thought Jimmy Day was a great bluesy player, although I never heard him play straight blues.
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Ron Bednar
From:
Rancho Cordova, California, USA
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Posted 14 Apr 2014 6:07 pm
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That was really good Mike!
Always love watching and listening to you play!
And Doug too...and...I could go on and on here.
Unbelievable how much talent is here!! |
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 15 Apr 2014 4:55 pm
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Mike or Doug:
What are the 8 strings high to low for the C6th with the D or E on top?
May try this on my Super Slide.
Mike: Nice bluesy vibe on the tune. Getting a nice buzz at a low volume can be a challenge. |
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Rob Munn
From:
British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 17 Apr 2014 5:34 am
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Great Mike,
I close my eyes and I see Duane and the boys doing "Statesboro Blues". Beautiful tone on your low end as Len mentioned. Then the high stuff. Nicely done. Inspirational. Trying similar stuff on my B6 in open D (or E). I'm working on a couple of Allman tunes. Can't land on the sweet spot consistently like you do always. Darn! I think it's the unmarked fretboard of the oldest Ricks. Good thing is with blues, and BB is one of the masters of, you can feel your way into the tune with your ears, probably in the dark for that matter. Phrasing is very personal and that could be hard to teach. |
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Stephen Abruzzo
From:
Philly, PA
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Posted 20 Apr 2014 5:48 pm
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| Len Amaral wrote: |
Mike or Doug:
What are the 8 strings high to low for the C6th with the D or E on top?
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Mike and Doug haven't chimed in so I will.
Len, Mike did his with the top E tuned down to D....as in lo-to-hi....C-E-G-A-C-D
Doug used a re-entrant D on top....as in
lo-to-hi....C-E-G-A-C-E-D
I use a Bb on the bottom to give me a C7 on the bottom. |
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