| Author |
Topic: Open Strings |
Jody Cameron
From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
|
Posted 13 Dec 2004 2:10 pm |
|
The post by Andy G. about choosing keys for songs got me to thinking about this: How many of you like to use open strings in certain keys (my favorites for E9 are E,A,D,C and G)within chords or as inverted harmonies with barred notes? I find this to be fun on two levels. First, it keeps my intonation in check, and second, it adds things unavailable with just pedal combinations.
Anybody else out there like to play around with this idea? I've heard this on some recordings of Emmons and Lloyd G. and other great players as well. |
|
|
 |
Howard Tate
From:
Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.
|
Posted 14 Dec 2004 7:50 am
|
|
Jeff Newmans tunig charts have helped me immensely, but it keeps me from using any open strings. Am I wrong?
------------------
Howard, 'Les Paul Recording, Zum S12U, Vegas 400, Boss ME-5, Boss DM-3
http://www.Charmedmusic.com
|
|
|
|
Jody Cameron
From:
Angleton, TX,, USA
|
Posted 14 Dec 2004 8:16 am
|
|
| Hmmm...I don't know exactly what Jeff's tuning chart is like, Howard, but I tune E's to 440 pedals down, then by ear from there and I'm able to use open strings OK. |
|
|
|
David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
|
Posted 14 Dec 2004 9:42 am
|
|
If you have cabinet drop, it will help if you split the drop between the open Es and pedaled As. Here's how (if you have a chromatic tuner). Tune your open Es straight up 440. Now press the AB pedals and see how much the Es drop. Then retune your Es half of that drop above 440. Now tune everything else in the open pedal position to match the Es (either by ear for JI or by a meter for ET, adding the same amount of sharpness to everything as the Es are now tuned to). Then press the AB pedals and tune your A note pedal stops (on the B pedal) half of the drop distance below 440 (which should match the flatness of the Es while the AB pedals are down). Press the AB pedals and tune the A pedal stops to match the As on the B pedal (by ear for JI, or by a tuner for ET). That's about as good as it gets for matching your open strings to guitars and keyboards tuned straight up.
In addition, Paul Franklin, Jr. said he tunes everything about 2 Hz sharp to match the "stretch" tuning of keyboards in the upper octaves where pedal steel usually plays. If you want to do that, just add the 2 hz to everything you get above. I'm not sure how this works if the bass and guitar don't tune to the stretch of the piano. You can try your tuner on the guitars and piano to see where they are. Then you would have to choose who to match, or split the difference. [This message was edited by David Doggett on 14 December 2004 at 09:54 AM.] |
|
|
|
Wayne Franco
From:
silverdale, WA. USA
|
Posted 14 Dec 2004 10:00 am
|
|
| One of the exercises I do in the morning is play scales chromatically up the neck to a Aebersold track. Sometime I'll just put on a C track with BIAB. (I'm talking about the C-6 neck). In that open position in C there is always something interesting that comes out of it. I would think that same thing would happen with a chord up the neck with an open string usually on top. When I use to play banjo. To invent licks I would just play a chord with an open string somewhere and keep moving the chord up in 1/2 step interval until something sounded good. Usually involving a roll of some kind. [This message was edited by W Franco on 14 December 2004 at 10:02 AM.] |
|
|
|
Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
|
Posted 16 Dec 2004 4:26 am
|
|
| Just listen to my hero Ralph Mooney's playing with Waylon Jennings. Ol' Ralph was the Grand Master of Open String Playing..JH |
|
|
|
