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Topic: Tom Brumley tuning ? |
Allan Thompson
From:
Scotland.
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Posted 1 Apr 2007 10:13 am |
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| I remember reading that Tom Brumley along with the other members of the Buckaroos tuned down a half tone. Does anybody know if Tom still tunes that way ? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 1 Apr 2007 2:52 pm
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| No, he doesn't. Back in those days, the band only did that (tuned down 1/2 tone) so Buck and Don could sing the high notes more easily. |
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Emmett Roch
From:
Texas Hill Country
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Posted 1 Apr 2007 10:23 pm
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I remember reading an interview in which Buck mentioned that Tom kept breaking G# strings, so he (Buck) said "What in the hell difference does it make" and had everyone tune down a half-step.
It might have been Guitar Player Magazine, I don't remember...it was some time in the late 80's when I read that, I believe.
I played in a band some years ago wherein the singer had us all tune down to Eb so he could hit his high notes....I saved money on .11's during that gig. |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 2 Apr 2007 2:36 am
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That was really done so that when you tried to play steel along with Buck's records, none of the frets made sense...
Intellectual Property Protection (anti-copying methods) of the early '60's...  |
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Dennis Schell
From:
Shingletown, Shasta county, Kalifornia
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Posted 2 Apr 2007 11:33 am
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Seems to me that Buck's guitar was the one tuned down. If you check carefully and play along in some of the "Buck Owens Ranch" clips on YouTube, he'll be singing a tune in C# but playing a D chord down in "Cowboy's Corner"* on his own guitar. (Probably for simplicity and/or sound..)
JMO
Dennis
*first three frets
_________________
"Bucks Owin"
Last edited by Dennis Schell on 5 Apr 2007 3:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Chris Erbacher
From:
Sausalito, California, USA
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Posted 2 Apr 2007 7:02 pm
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| does anyone know how Tom sets his amp? |
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Ernie Pollock
From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
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Posted 4 Apr 2007 4:31 am Humm
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Tom probably sets his amp on the floor or on a stand?
Just kidding
Ernie  |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 4 Apr 2007 8:42 am
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| He tilts it back. |
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Mark Durante
From:
St. Pete Beach FL
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Posted 4 Apr 2007 3:09 pm
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| In the current Vintage Guitar magazine with Buck on the cover Buck tells of Jay McDonald breaking strings on his Fender 1000 so they tuned down to E flat to help out. Tom Brumley talks about those days some too. He says it was hard to get used to playing tuned up to E again after Buck. |
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Bryan Bradfield
From:
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
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Posted 4 Apr 2007 3:54 pm
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I'm having difficulty understanding why an entire band would tune down to accomodate a tuned down steel. In all of the bands that I've played in, the singer's vocal key is the determining factor for what key to play in. There are no exceptions, and no compromises. So all instrumentalists, including steel must be up to the task of playing in any key.
I can certainly understand the steel tuning down because of the string breakage problem; however, I can't comprehend why the other band members would tune down. It seems to me that a whole band tuning down is a path to confusion in the long run. |
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Dennis Schell
From:
Shingletown, Shasta county, Kalifornia
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Posted 5 Apr 2007 3:56 pm
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There is (hopefully!) an interesting clip of Tom speaking of the early days with the Buckaroos here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv7ZNVNkFPw
Tom's ride on "Together Again" is STILL one of the classics in pedal steel history IMO....
FWIW,
Dennis
_________________
"Bucks Owin" |
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