More Minor Questions from a new guy

Thomas Butler · From: Robbinsdale, MN

I am also a new guy wondering about minor chords - my guitar has the standard set up with the addition of a Left Knee Vertical Lever. This lever currently changes the 6th string from a G# to an F# - why can't I change it to lower the 3rd and 6th strings from G# to G (which would keep the grips the same and give me 3 minor inversions) or raise the 1st and 7th strings from an F# to a G which would also give me minor chords.

I suspect that this is because of the ease of use factor -

Thanks
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LDG and a Twin Reverb - what more does a guy need?

Chris Brooks · From: Providence, Rhode Island

Thomas: I'd recommend instead adding your G# to G change on an extra pedal to the left of your current A pedal.

This new pedal can then be used alone or together with the A pedal to make a minor 6th.

The vertical could then raise the F#s to G, if you don't have this already. This is useful in pedals-down position to make a 7th.

Chris

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Without adding G# to G you have THREE ways to get a minor triad.
C#m = A pedal on 3,4,5,6,8,10
G#m = E to D# lever same strings
F#m = B+C pedals on 1,3,4,5,6,7

Why the current obsession on the Forum with minor chords? There are plenty of ways to get many minor chord variations without it.

I have G# to G on my 8th knee lever. It would be the first one to go if I ditched one. One of my three guitars doesn't have that change and I RARELY miss it when I take that one to a gig.

I've had it on the '0' pedal before, as Chris suggests. That works fine too, but is really pretty redundant considering the other ways to do essentially the same thing. There are some things Jimmie Crawford and Ralph Mooney did that may require G# to G but they are certainly optional for most players. Ask players how many have G# to G -- I'll bet it's less than 10% who actually have a dedicated lever or pedal for that change. Many do split the B pedal with a second lever that lowers 6 to F# -- giving you a tunable half step lower but a lot of the cool stuff you can do with G# to G involves the 3rd string which is usually not lowered to F# and not available for the split.

If what you're REALLY after is a seamless transition via a pedal or lever from a IMaj --> Im then I would suggest the pedals down position where you have AMajor open. To get Am you may either learn to 'half pedal' the A pedal OR split the B to C# with the lever that lowers B to A# (a VERY common and useful lever for other purposes). If your guitar can tune the splits, either with a separate pull rod or with splits drilled out at the end of the changer, you will have a seamless A to Am transition at the same fret.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12

Thomas Butler · From: Robbinsdale, MN

It's not really an obsession. I live in Minnesota - at this time of year our lives are minor chords.

Thanks
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LDG and a Twin Reverb - what more does a guy need?

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Yeah -- I lived in Michigan for 32 years -- I can commiserate -- HOWEVER . . .
Do you really need more ways to play a minor triad than you have to play a major triad?

You can certainly tune the vertical to G# to G on 6 and just leave out the third string. Why not try that and see if it is as useful as you thought?

You can leave the G# to F# change and split it with the B pedal to G, depending on the design of your guitar. If you find the G# to G change is what you need you can add a bellcrank and pullrod to pull both 3 and 6 from G# to G. Do you know what the G# to F# is used for? I would hesitate to change anything before understanding how the changes that are there are typically used. G# to F# is a very common change with several useful applications.

Try not thinking like a guitar player and thinking more like a pedal steel player. (As a guitar player myself I can say that) Very Happy

When you play GMaj or the 3rd fret (e.g., strings 8,6,5), rather than flatting the third (G# to G) directly (like a guitarist would just move one finger back a fret), if you go back 2 frets to the 1st fret and play B+C using the 7th string as the root (strings 7,6,5), that same Gm is right there.

I've just been surprised how many folks have been so interested in more positions to find minor chords on E9. I've never shared that need -- three different ways up and down the neck has been more than enough for me for more than 35 years.
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12

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