How to use B to Bb lower LKV

Robby Osenton · Post by **Robby Osenton** » 11 Mar 2011 8:52 am

I did some searching but couldn't find an answer.

I am wondering what this one is used for. Ive been playing a few months, and am feeling really great about the other 4 knee levers. Each one was a big lightbulb in my head when I figured out how to use them, but this one just escapes me.

Any tips?

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 11 Mar 2011 9:16 am

Robby,If you have pedals A+B down adding the vertical will give you a minor chord.

Robby Osenton · Post by **Robby Osenton** » 11 Mar 2011 9:26 am

ah cool!

DUH! I should've seen that, thanks for the help!

I had been using The A pedal with the LKL to get a major, and then losing the knee lever to get the minor when I wanted to do a major to minor change.

This one will be useful too!

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 11 Mar 2011 9:52 am

First, In my opinion, the B-Bb change does not belong on the vertical. I always say that knee lever placement is a matter of personal preference, with one exception. I believe the vertical should raise the 2 F# strings to G (natural.)

That however is another subject for another thread.

The B-Bb change has more uses than just making the pedals down chord minor. It gives you a 9th for the G# minor chord, a Major 7th for the C# minor chord, the interval of a 5th when played with the E string raised to F, and a diminished 5th on what would otherwise be a major chord. This last chord functions as a II9 chord.

Try this. Make a G chord on the 3rd fret, pedals up, and kick in the knee lever. This essentially will give you an A9 chord, which you can then resolve to a D or D7.

The song "Something's coming" on my West Side Story CD use this change a lot. If anybody wants to hear it, send me an E-mail, and I'll send you an MP3 file.

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 11 Mar 2011 10:05 am

As for using the Bb lower to make the pedals down chord minor: Unless the guitar has a tunable split for that--which can be done a couple of different ways--and you know how to tune it, it's a matter of luck whether the split will be in tune for the minor.

And in any case, the minor of the pedals down major chord is found one fret up with E lowers only, which, in addition to requiring only one lever instead of two pedals and a lever, has the minor seventh available on the 7th and 1st strings.
D major: 5th fret, pedals A & B
D minor: 6th fret, E lowers

John Gould · Post by **John Gould** » 11 Mar 2011 10:19 am

I use the vertical together with the F# raise to get a diminished. playing the 10,8,7 together gives you a diminished 1,4,5, strings etc. gives you the same

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 11 Mar 2011 10:53 am

Try this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LV6BD3zHzo

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 11 Mar 2011 11:04 am

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=198370

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 11 Mar 2011 9:17 pm

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 12 Mar 2011 11:26 am

And in any case, the minor of the pedals down major chord is found one fret up with E lowers only, which, in addition to requiring only one lever instead of two pedals and a lever, has the minor seventh available on the 7th and 1st strings.
D major: 5th fret, pedals A & B
D minor: 6th fret, E lowers

That's what I do for that minor also. But I see that players use the lever for several other things. I used to have it, but never really got into it. I opted to get rid of it for something I would use more in my playing.

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 12 Mar 2011 6:27 pm

I use the B to Bb a lot like the following three tabs. On reflex I have learned to us it to get full sounding diminished chords and full sounding C6 sweeps. S = split tuning on string 5 in tab 14.

Hear Tab 14

Hear Tab 85

Hear Tab 94

Greg

Whip Lashaway · Post by **Whip Lashaway** » 13 Mar 2011 6:05 pm

I totally agree with Mike P on the vertical. I've tried the B to Bb there and just hated it. I MUST have the F# to G on the vertical. The B to Bb is on my RKL and I use it all over the place. It's function is such that you can throw it in there just about anytime you want for "flavor". On the vertical is way to limiting for me. JMO

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 12 Sep 2011 8:38 am

Although I have the B to Bb lever on my LKV, I think I'd like it better on another lever as I use it by itself a lot. My E to F lever is used mostly with the A pedal and with the A & B pedals so it'd make sense to swap places with that one but I'll probably just leave it where it's at 'cause it's been there so long...........

.....JH in Va.

The Steel Guitar Forum

How to use B to Bb lower LKV

How to use B to Bb lower LKV

Diminished