mooney tuning

Roger Davis · Post by **Roger Davis** » 4 Sep 2014 5:08 pm

This is my first post. I want to say Thank You to all the knowledgeable folks on this Forum. I read an old Herb Steiner comment that Mooney did not use e9 chromatic tuning. I have a dream of replicating those sonic memories that have been such a part of my life. Any help understanding this difference would be greatly appreciated. PS I have had my GFI 3x4 for a total of 8 days.Does anyone know the first record Mooney played on?

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 4 Sep 2014 5:54 pm

Hi Rodger, Welcome to the world of steel guitar. Their is someone on this forum that can answer any question you have. I can't do that but have a little information. I am a Mooney fan but do not know his first recording. The early day recordings of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard at Capital Records in LA is where I first heard him. Also Wynn Steward and Carl Butler and many others I am sure. His tuning has been talked about here in the past and I know their was a chart posted. I would contact www.mikeheadrick.com. He has CD's, information on him and tabs. Best of luck, J.R.

J R Rose · Post by **J R Rose** » 4 Sep 2014 6:38 pm

Rodger, I just looked at Mike's site and seems to be having trouble. It locked my computer up, twice.
I hope he is aware of this issuse. I ordered his Ray Price Rhythm Tracks two or three weeks ago and had no promble. I saw on some other posts some others were having a promble. By the way the Ray Price CD is very good if you like Price. It is Vol One. J.R.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 4 Sep 2014 10:48 pm

Ralph used both feet on the pedals.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 4:51 am

Here's a neat interview, transcript, w/the Legend...
http://www.ntsga.com/id89.html

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 4:52 am

*edit*

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 4:57 am

*edit*

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 4:58 am

*edit*

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 5 Sep 2014 6:06 am

Using two feet is really key to getting the crisp transitions. Try playing with two feet on your 1st 3 pedals with your right foot actuating the 3rd pedal. The sound gets more Mooney like in a hurry!

My favorite Mooney cut and I've got it tabbed out on my web site:

House Down The Block

Tab is on this page:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Tab20.html

Greg Cutshaw · Post by **Greg Cutshaw** » 5 Sep 2014 6:13 am

I've got a bunch of similar tabs but here's a few mroe pages:

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Tab11.html

http://www.gregcutshaw.com/Tab/Tab3.html

You can easily find all of them by using the Google custom search bar at the top of my main web page.

I played all of these with only one foot on the pedals and you can hear that the pedal actuations are not as crips as they could be.

David Nugent · Post by **David Nugent** » 5 Sep 2014 6:36 am

Seem to recall reading that he first recorded with Wynn Stewart, circa 1947...Another distinctive thing concerning Ralph if you observe him playing, he has his 'E' tuning on the rear neck (ala Chalker), the front neck I believe he stated was tuned to an open 'G' resonator tuning which he rarely used.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Sep 2014 7:42 am

Hi Roger,
Are you in the Portland area?
Myself or one of the other local Steelers could show you how to play some Mooney licks on your steel.
I would probably start with Rainy Day Woman.
Shoot me an email or PM in interested.
You should also come to our local Steel Jam on Dec 7th (see details in Events and Announcements section).
Pete

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Sep 2014 7:47 am

Though some may think otherwise, about 98% of everything Moon ever did can be easily replicated on a standard E9th setup.

(It's not necessary to have his tuning to play like him.) You really have to get into the "Mooney mindset" to play his stuff. His unique sound was due to his mindset and his style, not his tuning.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Sep 2014 7:54 am

Donny Hinson wrote:Though some may think otherwise, about 98% of everything Moon ever did can be easily replicated on a standard E9th setup. (It's not necessary to have his tuning to play like him.) You really have to get into the "Mooney mindset" to play his stuff. His unique sound was due to his mindset and his style, not his tuning.

I agree with what Donny is saying on this topic.
fwiw, I would never recommend putting that tuning posted above on a Steel.

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 7:58 am

I apologize for the multiple posts. Don't want to upset anyone...in particular?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 5 Sep 2014 8:56 am

for the fourth time...

Edward Rhea · Post by **Edward Rhea** » 5 Sep 2014 9:22 am

There ya go! Keep smiling

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 5 Sep 2014 9:44 am

Do you remember the interview with Mooney where he said he didn't know the notes in his tuning? I think the interviewer wrote down what was on the guitar and the low strings didn't make any sense, because they were out of tune, because Mooney never played them.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 11 Dec 2014 4:43 am

That copedant is a real head scratcher. It worked wonders for the Moon though.

John Bresler · Post by **John Bresler** » 11 Dec 2014 7:32 am

I agree with Donny, you don't need Ralph's tuning to play Mooney style. Just go to Mike Headrick's web page and listen to Mike play Mooney on E9th. Jeff Newman also did it on E9th although Jeff mostly played 'west coast style' rather than 'Mooney' style.

Mike also has quite a collection of Mooney stuff to help get you started playing "Mooney".

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 11 Dec 2014 8:25 am

I play what I call a "Mooney Universal" on my old BMI S-12 guitar, mostly because of some of his changes I have. I think the most important of them is my pedal 8 which is used with the right foot only and just raises the 4th string E to F#. I think you need that sound of raising the E without the B going along with it. Also on pedal one I have the 7th string F# to G# raise which is a Brumley change but also on the topside it lowers the 3rd string G# to G which is a "Mooney" change. Ralph was a genius as he could play things that weren't on his guitar. My tuning is basically an extended E9 with the 2nd and 9th strings tuned to C#.....JH in Va.

Willie Sims · Post by **Willie Sims** » 15 Dec 2014 1:49 pm

Do you guys remember Rodney Crowell,s above and beyond? Paul Franklin played the mooney ride exactly the same way Ralph played it. And to the best of my knowledge he use the regular E9 tuning. I believe Paul did a better version than Mooney did on the original. Willie sims.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 16 Dec 2014 4:29 am

I strongly recommend the standard E9 tuning for Mooney songs. It's all there.

Here's proof - Al Brisco playing that style on both a vintage Fender and a modern Carter, both with the standard E9 setup:
http://youtu.be/gSWzeh7uYgU

http://youtu.be/y14CKpmv3qU

Les Cargill · Post by **Les Cargill** » 16 Dec 2014 12:08 pm

Quentin Hickey wrote:That copedant is a real head scratcher. It worked wonders for the Moon though.

It's not that odd, really. I'd guess it's pre-Emmons. Or peri ( during ) Emmons.

A & B are on 3 & 4; F on RKR & E lever is on 1, 2. No lower pull on that 6 string E.

He never went for the two diatonic strings on strings 1 & 2. Haven't we all thought about that?

His A/B/F/E don't use one pedal to pull octave strings except RKR ( F lever ).

It's in the thread here, but I'd have guessed he doesn't use the bottom strings much because there are nearly no pulls on 'em.

Loves me some Mooney.

Dave Zirbel · Post by **Dave Zirbel** » 16 Dec 2014 1:02 pm

It's not that odd, really. I'd guess it's pre-Emmons. Or peri ( during ) Emmons.

I think it's pre-Emmons (but I wasn't around back then

)

My research tells me Ralph was the first to use the high G#-A pull, and Buddy added the C pedal, E to F# after hearing Ralph's recordings.

There is a good thread somewhere that mapped out the evolution of today's "standard" E9 tuning....wish I could find it. Emmons, Day and Mooney were mentioned, maybe some others.

Dave