C6th/A6th Combo and the sounds possible

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

If you're really serious about wanting to understand this tuning, there is a great opportunity to HEAR, the many variations of sound and tone on a current tune on JERRY's Music Page at the jerrybyrdfanclub.com site.
The tonal changes are so apparent when Jerry drops down onto the 4th & 5th strings while moving his RIGHT HAND closer to the pickup. It gives a sound like he he's reaching deep down into a well for that BIG TONE. Like Jerry always said: one can fool the listener's ear and in this instance both right and left hands are used to complete this hoax, if you will.
Give it a listen and see if you can "HEAR" it.....not just as a pretty song, but rather as a learning "tool". "Song of the Hills" is the tune with Rex Allen doing vocal work.

Ron Victoria · From: New Jersey, USA

I like the C6/A6 tuning as I can retune from one to the other in a jiffy. Just my two cents worth.

Ron

I use low to high:
A6 C#,E,F#,A,C#,E
C6 C,E,G,A,C,E

[This message was edited by Ron Victoria on 08 May 2005 at 07:10 PM.]

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

You mean C6/A7 right?

Interesting that Jerry also moves his picking hand closer to the pickup when "reaching deep". I picked up this technique from listening to recordings of Billy Hew Len, who seemed to do it often in the lower A6 tuning. It seems a necessary move in order to prevent chords in the lower register from either overpowering or getting muddy--or to add clarity/separation to the harmonies.

[This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 08 May 2005 at 07:08 PM.]

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Jeff, you're quite correct. I did mean that.

The tuning I was referring to was:

(TOP to bottom)
E C A G E C#

Jeff Au Hoy · From: Honolulu, Hawai'i

By the way Ray, I think the other song posted on www.jerrybyrdfanclub.com, "Memories of Maria" is an excellent example of the left hand independence you explained in your previous topic.

Granted the hands need to work together, for me that recording says "A Study in Jerry Byrd Left Hand Technique" all over it.

...Well, that and JB volume pedal technique.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

THANK YOU Jeff..........I have to agree with you, once again. Good point!
For some who might get confused...these examples of Jerry Byrd's playing that are being aired on the jerrybyrdfanclub.com site is an attempt to not only share Jerry's fabulous playing with folks that have only heard a few of Jerry's more recent ablums; but perhaps even more importantly, to provide a solid and continuing basis for serious students of steel guitar that simply cannot get enough of the kind of instruction needed in order to become an accomplished non-pedal steel guitarist. Exposure to music such as this is an important ingrediant for learning to play the steel guitar successfully.
Listening to JB's music and then attempting to figure out what he did and exactly HOW he did it, is the manner that most of use olde timers used to get us where we are today.

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