Lowering 7th string F# to E? Anyone?

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 21 Jun 2002 12:45 pm

Anyone do this on the E9th neck? I tried it on my PP and really liked it. My RKL raises the 7th string to G# and 2nd string D# to E. My RKR lowers 7th and 2nd both a full tone.

30 years and still screwing around, ON THE STEEL that is.

Larry Behm

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 21 Jun 2002 1:16 pm

With the F# lowered to E on 7th string along with open E on the 8th string, it's beginning to look like the Christian tuning....al

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 21 Jun 2002 2:04 pm

Hi Larry,

I just thought it over, I am considering the lowering of F# to F, not E, but I still want to hear what you are doing with your change.

I have considered adding that change to my 78 push-pull because I have a spare bellcrank already in place on my RKL where I lower 6 to F# and raise 1 to G# and 2 to E. I first saw the idea on Buddy's site and he has tab for a way to make use of it for chromatic runs, if you lower 6 to F# at the same time.

What are you doing with it? I may have to follow through and implement it after all.

Frank

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Frank Estes - 1978 Emmons D-10 8+6 #2441D

<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Frank Estes on 21 June 2002 at 03:10 PM.]</p></FONT>

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 21 Jun 2002 2:19 pm

I just put it one today looks to me like when you come down the strings 6-7-8 you could at times go 6-7-7 to E. Sounds similiar to lowering the 10th B to A, has that same feel but this ends on the root.

Larry Behm

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 21 Jun 2002 11:22 pm

I've been using that change for many years and here are some setups: http://b0b.com/tunings/ebovine.html

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 21 Jun 2002 11:52 pm

I do also; like Earnest, lower my F# to F& E on the 7th string.
I can shed lights on a bunch of licks and chords.....but I'm on my way to a golf tournement and don't have time right now...but I will say....you can get rid of the 6th string G# lower to F#; cause that change is now done on the 7th string two frets up "B" pedal down.....and now you don't have to use that stupid ("out of tune" "drops when ever you even look at your guitar let along push a pedal or knee") Plain string and use a wound string like your supposed to.
Here is my copedant with that change and many others that are not commonly used; on my new Fulawka> Click here!!!
Oh and yes I do lower my 6th string a whole tone also on this new copedant.....but the Fulawka will lower that wound string no problem.....other guitars cannot of course; so that's why you use that "as described above" plain 6th string...

Ricky

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 22 Jun 2002 5:55 am

Lowering the 7th string from F# to and E is the same as lowering the 5th string (C6) to an F. Which some players have had for years.

It's like any other pedal or knee lever change that comes about; not as a result of novelty or frivolity. Rather, it comes about because THAT is the way music works.

The moving tones in music dictate what the song or composition does. Whether they be subtle moving tones or it "hits you in the stomach" type extravaganza.

I believe it was Buddy Emmons that said when he first came on the forum,

"Jimmy Crawford has raised (and lowered) every string on his steel to the string's mechanical limit.

I believe this. And it is also why incredible players like Paul Franklin and Buddy have come up with ever more (oft unusual sounding) changes.

What it does in essence is to totally refute the oft' and trite expression,

"Ya gotta G# on the 3rd string! Why ya wanna pull the 1st string to the same note?"

And the person saying this never realized he had a D# on the 2nd string, yet lowered the 4th string to a D# ever since he bought his axe!!

AND uses it all the time.

Why not just reach up and hit that note like ole Lloyd Bridges does?

oops I mean Greensleeve, ooops. Oh whatever his name is. We love him jes the same.

Lowering of the 7th string F# to an E is a common musical change IF one is using that 7th string in certain chordal progressions. Sure one could change grips and get that E on the 8th string. But it is NOT the same under certain conditions.

Look at it this way. From the intant the steel guitar was created by Joseph Kekuku (or whoever invented it), our beloved instrument had a built in aggravation and limitation that our bretheren (the spanish guitar players) did not have.

And that is a straight bar! The fingers "could do the walking" and they could move ANY Note to their finger's mechanical limitation. Same for a piano player!

Sadly we could not do this. So, slanting was first. Then pedals. Then knee, elbow and wrist levers, etc.

WHY?

Because players with inate and talented ears, hear a sound in their mind and want that sound to come out of their amps. Such is the case with a PF, BE, RM, or LG. So they added that change.

And even though some resisted (at first) and tried to hold on to the "horse and buggy", in time we fall in line, saying,

"I gotta have that change"

My question is, Will there come a time when the standard PSG will have every string raised AND lowered to its mechanical limit?

I don't know. But in all likelyhood, Yes!

Time will tell.

May our precious Savior Jesus Christ richly bless you all,

carl

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 22 Jun 2002 9:06 am

By lowering that F# to E, you get a nice maj E chord without that 9th in there. Also with your knee that lowers the E's to Eb and the F# to E lower, you get a nice Emaj7 chord, jazzy and modern. With the 8th string lowered on your Eb lever, and the F# to E lowered you get a dissonant, Maj7 chord, very pretty.....al

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 22 Jun 2002 9:16 am

Ricky- I just looked over your charts, and you have yourself covered with a very good setup on both E9 and C6.

Dropping the E's to D and G's to F gives you a full four chord F6. Dropping the 1st String G to F# is another good move.

Raising the G to G# on your C7th pedal gives a nice Augmented up there. I saw you playing on the Opry and I like what I saw and heard.....al

Ricky Davis · Post by **Ricky Davis** » 22 Jun 2002 11:07 pm

Hey thanks Al for your kind words and noticing that copedant. This copedant has been well thought out for my style of playing....and I can't hardly wait to get this guitar next week. Also; I will be playing it on the Grand Ole Opry with Dale Watson on Aug. 3rd and 4th; and hopefully we will get a TV spot this time again; and will be the first time a Fulawka will be on stage on TV....."I think".....Tommy am I right???
Ricky

Ernie Renn · Post by **Ernie Renn** » 23 Jun 2002 8:01 am

Buddy mentioned lowering the 7th F# to E to me in April of 2000. He said he was listening to a Celine Dion tune ("My Heart Will Go On", the theme song from Titanic) and the keyboard played a ascending run and Buddy said to get that, he'd probably have to lower the F# to E to resolve the chord.

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My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com