Yes Mac,
This change I heard first in the 70's by Buddy Emmons on the "Suite Steel" Album.
Try this very common change. Pick strings 4, 5 and 6; then as the strings sustain, engage and then release the B pedal. What you heard was a Major chord followed by that major chord's suspended 4th chord back to the major chord. A very common phrase used in music forever.
However, if you were in a choir or big orchestra you would find the suspended 4th is not the only suspended used often. Rather the other suspended, suspend 9th would be used. If you had the lever lowering the G# to F# and do the above experiment; only instead of the B pedal; engage the knee lever; you would hear this suspended 9th.
But go one step further. Do the sus4, then immediately following that, engage the knee lever and do the sus9. When you do, you have emulated a choral response that is used subtly in the background of soooooo much music. Again it is used in orchestras a lot too.
Now, as good as that is, the best part of lowering that string a whole tone is how it fits in with other changes and if you split it with the B pedal (G note) it can actually become one of your major knee levers. The following lists some of the chord combinations:
(note: all except the last one assumes strings 4, 5 and 6)
1. Knee lever alone again...Esus9.
2. Knee lever with the A pedal..A6th.
3. Knee lever with A and split with the B to Bb lever...D9th. A really handy 9th.
4. Knee lever split with B...Eminor.
5. Knee lever with A and split B..A7th.
6. Knee lever with A and B split and the E lever (lowering the E's)....Eb7th.
7. Knee lever with A and B split and F knee lever...Eb9th.
8. Knee lever with the E lever..B major.
9. Knee lever with C and B split...A13th.
10. Knee lever with B split and F lever..Aaug7.
11. Strings 5, 6 and 8 and the B to Bb lever plus the knee lever gives a long needed F#7th on these strings. Now let off both changes as you bring in the E lever. A great IV to I change.
I for one could never do without the G# to F# change. It has become as necessary for my playing as ANY other pedal or knee lever and has for years.
Try it. You might 'lack' it. 
carl
[This message was edited by C Dixon on 17 April 2004 at 07:41 AM.]
[This message was edited by C Dixon on 17 April 2004 at 07:45 AM.]
