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Topic: Ever retune a string for one song? |
Grant Johnson
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 9:05 am |
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One of my favorite E9 instrumentals is Buckaroo.
I have been having difficulty making the sus4 runs with my current set up. A+B and RKL are ergonomically and musically challenging on my guitar. Well, for a lark I tuned my second string down to a D and wow! I can play the song much better, without cramping my hip, and it frees me up for more technical "flourishes" on the A and B pedal, plus I can throw in a dom7 note with my LKL (half step raise) on the first string. All that by dropping down a half note on one string.
It might be cheating but dang it feels good!
Does anyone else alter their tuning just for one song? |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 9:11 am
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Grant-Oh sure, we did that all the time back in the old days, even on non pedal guitars. I'm sure they do it nowdays in the recording studio, to get certain licks and effects....al 
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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/
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David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 9:25 am
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Used to be SOP, now it's a bit less.
Al has a post where he showed a base tuning and then 1 or tw note changes and he had several very different tunings. It was quite cool for lapsteel. I used it a bit before I got the Sho-Bud
I still sometimes switch between high D or higher G on my back neck. |
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Paul Graupp
From:
Macon Ga USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 9:34 am
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I remember Doug Jernigan, about three years ago at an Atlanta Steel Show, when he had been persuaded by several of us to do his version of Streets Of Laredo. He did an awful lot of retuning on his C6th neck which is probably why he was reluctant to do the number in the first place. If you have never heard it, you have a treat coming because it was not an overdub on the album and he played it the same way; live. But then, DJ has been amazing all of us for many a year...
Regards, Pau;l |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 10:35 am
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Paul,
I saw Doug do that at Saluda, the man is totaly amazing with his phrasing, and speed.
If you don't have it, you need to get "Speed Pickin and Country Ballads",,,,YeeeHaaa
Bill |
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 12:41 pm
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Yes. At our Manvel Opry shows we did some of the classic standard instrumentals. Stardust was one where I tuned the D down to C#. Gave very pretty chords. I should mention that I use the E13th and not the E9th, so some beautiful full chords can be had without any pedals.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 6:20 pm
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I tuned the 2nd and 9th string to C# on a session once, when I realized that all of the notes I played on those strings used that lever. It was easier to play the part without the lever.
I wouldn't do it on stage, though. I'd be afraid that I'd forget to tune it back.  |
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B. Greg Jones
From:
Middleport, Ohio USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 9:11 pm
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I have used the "Jim Vest" tuning trick, dropping the 10th string down to an F# for "Set em Up Joe", and "Slide Off Of Your Satin Sheets. Its a cool little lick that Jim showed me how he did it one year in St. Louis.
I have played other peoples guitars that did not have the 2nd string half tone drop and have tuned it to a D for a whole set.
Greg |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2004 11:05 pm
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| Many years ago (and i hate to admit this) i played hard rock for a while with a fuzz etc,so had to get the steel out of tune.Times sure have changed.Now they have to use computers to get many of the singers in tune.Hey.I am only serious.LOL |
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