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Topic: Tickling The Strings..King Benny !!.some thoughts on Key!! |
Kev Conlon
From:
Leeds, England
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Posted 30 Jun 2013 5:46 am |
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OK....trying to get to the bottom of something that's been bugging me for years here!!
It seems to be acknowledged that King Benny used High A Bass tuning, and performed this number in the Key of F.
So he is thought to have played in the Key of "the (major triad at the) 8th fret position"!!
Having now messed with this (on and off) for some years now, I can see how open strings also present themselves fortuitously in the Keys of both (Major triads at the) 7th and 9th frets....do you get my drift?
So what do afficionadoes think out there??
Hoping that someone has a more 'definitive' answer....but opinions will do 
I tend to play in High G Bass tuning...so my query isn't about overall pitch.....more about pitch relative to open tuning used!!  |
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Michael Kienhofer
From:
Goulais River,Ontario,Canada
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Posted 7 Jul 2013 4:45 am
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The one to ask would be Mike Neer.
I too would like someones insight to his playing. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 8 Jul 2013 12:32 pm
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It is my belief that Benny played with a tuning unlike any previously used--I believe he is using an Ami7 tuning with a high G:
G
E
C
A
E
?
I cannot confirm with absolute certainty, but I strongly believe it. The reason I believe this is because at app. 0:41 you can hear 2 high G notes in unison, one being an open string and the other played with the bar sliding up to it.
It is possible that he is using a form of high bass A with some type of capo, just tuning the 4th string up to get the 6th (F#). That string is essential to playing this tune--there is no other way to achieve that fluidity.
Also, many of the runs in the tune incorporate open strings (you'd have to listen very hard to hear them). I would tab it out, but it would be very time-consuming and I would use F#mi7 tuning. I always played the tune in D anyway.
Here's one lick, right at the very end of the first chorus:
| Tab: |
E-----5--4--3---0-------------------------------
C#-----------------------0--1-----------------
A------------------2--3----------------------
F#--------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------
?---------------------------------------------
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For the beginning of the 2nd chorus:
| Tab: |
E----5--5------------------------------------0-------------------------0--0
C#---------4--5-----------------------5--4------------------------0-------
A----------------5-----------0-----5-----------x------------0--3----------
F#------------------5----------5-----------------5---0--1-------------------
E----------------------4--5------------------------4-----------------------
?---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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The "x' is a ghost note.
Anyway, that's how I see it.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 9 Jul 2013 3:43 am
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I am 100% certain that he is capo'ing on this tune.
See this thread for the beginning of a deeper discussion (which will hopefully at some point include a transcription or video demonstration): http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=248896
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Kev Conlon
From:
Leeds, England
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Posted 9 Jul 2013 3:52 am
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| Mike Neer wrote: |
| I am 100% certain that he is capo'ing on this tune........ |
...wouldn't tuning to a higher pitch have the same effect as capo-ing up??! |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 9 Jul 2013 4:22 am
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Yes, but I wouldn't recommend tuning up to a B or C tuning, unless you are using very thin strings.
The best way to deal with this is to either a) capo or b) play it in the key of D using high bass A (modified). I played it in D for several years (which is essentially what Bennie did). If you have a good transcription program, you can change the pitch of the recording without altering the speed.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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