Billy Robinson's tuning in 1949?

Nils Fliegner · Post by **Nils Fliegner** » 14 Nov 2016 10:00 am

Hi, I apologize if my question was answered before, but I DID check the forum and found nothing..,

What tuning did Billy Robinson use in 1949? (When he was in Berlin with Hank and Red)

Also, at that time, he made some super recordings with Red Foley, who, IMHO, had the bestest band ever
with Billy and Grady Martin (and later Tommy Jackson, and Bob Moore)

My guess is that it is an 8-string C6 of some sorts...

Anyone in the know? Maybe Billy himself

Thanks in advance, Nils

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 14 Nov 2016 11:39 am

Yeah its here I'm assuming this is what you are after:

F, A, C, E, G, A, C, E (Lo-Hi)

http://www.billyrobinson.net/musician.htm

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 14 Nov 2016 11:41 am

Nils Fliegner · Post by **Nils Fliegner** » 15 Nov 2016 6:18 am

Hi Stefan,
thanks for your fast reply!

So, he did not have a high G on top at that time and switched to it later?
...because the chart you posted from his website indicates A-C-E-G-A-C-E-G when using 8 strings... ':oops:'

Best, Nils

J Fletcher · Post by **J Fletcher** » 15 Nov 2016 9:36 am

From Andy Volk's interview with Billy Robinson , in "Lap Steel Guitar" , high to low E C A G E C A F# .
This is the tuning he used in the 1940's .

Nils Fliegner · Post by **Nils Fliegner** » 19 Nov 2016 10:29 am

J Fletcher wrote:From Andy Volk's interview with Billy Robinson , in "Lap Steel Guitar" , high to low E C A G E C A F# .
This is the tuning he used in the 1940's .

Okay, thank you. Case closed!

But why the F#?? ':eek:' ...the first three notes (F#-A-C) in a IV#dim7??

J Fletcher · Post by **J Fletcher** » 20 Nov 2016 8:18 am

Billy Robinson says, "To get a 9th chord , I'd tune to an F# in the bass."
A D9th without the root maybe?

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 21 Nov 2016 2:43 am

Just found out that dim7 are super important to jazz styled chords.

It gives a tritone sub for a V7
the 7b9 chord and all the inversions and also dim7 and all inversions
plus the 13thb9.

So it makes sense to have it.

Billy later relied heavily on string pulling and is probably the String pulling master so He no longer needed the F# as he would just pull a semitone up for it.

Nils Fliegner · Post by **Nils Fliegner** » 21 Nov 2016 7:15 am

Also, I might add, the dim7 makes for a good IV# passing chord, as in I-I7-IV-IV#dim7-I or the reverse IV-IV#dim7-I-I7.

If I had a nickel for every western swing tune that uses this sequence at one point in the song, I'd be a millionaire

With my simple 6-string lap steel I had good success with (hi to lo) E-C-A-G-E-Bb.
...not that different from Jerry Byrd's C6 with the C# on the bottom in that it's also a diminished triad, although "mine" has the wider interval.
(Come to think of it, my tuning would qualify for a C13. Whoa!)

Anyway, thanks to all folks that answered my question. Very helpful, indeed!