Christmas Time Is Here on C6
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
- Niklas Winnitowy
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 16 Jan 2023 3:16 am
- Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
- Contact:
Christmas Time Is Here on C6
Transcribed this Vince Guaraldi classic as best as I could, then added a little bass guitar and snare for flavour. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WjpGVY-q2Wg
I started learning C6 this summer. Picked up a nice Fessenden 8x8 with a Jernigan change on P4, which is what inspired the cover. Happened to like how it sounded with big strummed chords instead of picking. I can post my transcription if anyone is curious!
I started learning C6 this summer. Picked up a nice Fessenden 8x8 with a Jernigan change on P4, which is what inspired the cover. Happened to like how it sounded with big strummed chords instead of picking. I can post my transcription if anyone is curious!
- Eric Henry
- Posts: 107
- Joined: 1 Dec 2007 3:08 pm
- Location: Corvallis, OR
Beautiful! I'd love the transcription. Working up a duet with my daughter on cello after seeing this version below, but love how your strum-y C6 sounds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ise6Ojh ... ndreaWhitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ise6Ojh ... ndreaWhitt
- Niklas Winnitowy
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 16 Jan 2023 3:16 am
- Location: Calgary, AB, Canada
- Contact:
Eric - sounds awesome! Love the duet.
Here's the copedant I'm using, based off Doug Jernigan's P4. It's an 8x8, so I get LKL/LKV/LKR on the E9 neck, as well as a middle LKL/LKV/LKR on the C6 neck.
The guy I bought this steel from told me to give it a try before making any changes. I learned it gives you an Eb#11/13 chord on the open strings if you strum strings 9 through 3. Couple that with the Fmaj9 chord you get from open strings 9 through 2, and you essentially have the first two chords of Christmas Time Is Here. I used a bit of creative liberty in chord naming when including melody notes (theory nerds please excuse my reckless use of both sharp and flat chords in a single key), but here's what I mapped out. It's some janky excel charting, but I think it gets the point across well enough:

Here's the copedant I'm using, based off Doug Jernigan's P4. It's an 8x8, so I get LKL/LKV/LKR on the E9 neck, as well as a middle LKL/LKV/LKR on the C6 neck.

The guy I bought this steel from told me to give it a try before making any changes. I learned it gives you an Eb#11/13 chord on the open strings if you strum strings 9 through 3. Couple that with the Fmaj9 chord you get from open strings 9 through 2, and you essentially have the first two chords of Christmas Time Is Here. I used a bit of creative liberty in chord naming when including melody notes (theory nerds please excuse my reckless use of both sharp and flat chords in a single key), but here's what I mapped out. It's some janky excel charting, but I think it gets the point across well enough:


- Joe A. Roberts
- Posts: 430
- Joined: 24 Mar 2021 6:23 pm
- Location: Seoul, South Korea
Very pretty, I subscribed and hope to hear more. Merry Christmas 
There sure are a lot of good versions of that tune...
Here is a cool arrangement in the second half of this vid from Rich Sullivan without pedals if anyone hasn't heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr0YNiiXB_I
I am sure I am missing something, but (having never actually used it) I never really understood the Jernigan pedal...
The Jernigan change just seems so close to sliding up 1 fret with P5 + C-B lever + A-Ab lever (that only lowers string 4 not 8 as well).
That's one reason for C-B and A-Ab on opposite knees. (Also for combinations with splitting P7.)
I guess coordinating those movements would be more awkward, but its such valuable floor space (e.g. reverse P6 on P4 opening up CKL for both Cs to C#.)
Are there certain combinations used along with the Jernigan change?


There sure are a lot of good versions of that tune...
Here is a cool arrangement in the second half of this vid from Rich Sullivan without pedals if anyone hasn't heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr0YNiiXB_I
I am sure I am missing something, but (having never actually used it) I never really understood the Jernigan pedal...
The Jernigan change just seems so close to sliding up 1 fret with P5 + C-B lever + A-Ab lever (that only lowers string 4 not 8 as well).
That's one reason for C-B and A-Ab on opposite knees. (Also for combinations with splitting P7.)
I guess coordinating those movements would be more awkward, but its such valuable floor space (e.g. reverse P6 on P4 opening up CKL for both Cs to C#.)
Are there certain combinations used along with the Jernigan change?

- Eric Henry
- Posts: 107
- Joined: 1 Dec 2007 3:08 pm
- Location: Corvallis, OR
Thank you so much, Niklas!
I'm woodshedding your changes now - I really liked how lush they sounded in your video.
Here's where my daughter, Helen, and I ended up:
https://youtu.be/XpR-JHsBkvo
We borrowed liberally from this lovely version we discovered with Andrea Whitt on steel and Simon Huber on cello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ise6Ojh ... ndreaWhitt
I'm woodshedding your changes now - I really liked how lush they sounded in your video.
Here's where my daughter, Helen, and I ended up:
https://youtu.be/XpR-JHsBkvo
We borrowed liberally from this lovely version we discovered with Andrea Whitt on steel and Simon Huber on cello:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ise6Ojh ... ndreaWhitt
- Larry Lenhart
- Posts: 2973
- Joined: 12 May 2000 12:01 am
- Location: Ponca City, Oklahoma
Great music by all....I enjoyed very much listening to every one of these interpretations...all the rich chords sound great on steel !
Zum Encore, Remington D8 non pedal, Hallmark Mosrite clone, Gretsch 6120 DSW, Gretsch G5210T-P90 Electromatic Jet Two 90,1976 Ibanez L5, Eastman archtop, Taylor Dreadnaught, Telonics pedal, Squire Tele, Squire Strat, Fender Tonemaster, Gold Tone 5 string banjo, Little Wonder tenor banjo, 3 Roland cubes 30s and 80, Carvin combo bass amp
- Dale Rottacker
- Posts: 3904
- Joined: 3 Aug 2010 6:49 pm
- Location: Walla Walla Washington, USA
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Niklas, that was great ... I did this one a couple years ago with a track I wrote with split timing, but never thought about doing it strumming and picking with just your thumb ... I really liked that, well done. Also admire your ability to knock out the Theory. When a chord can be given a half dozen different names, I just throw up my hands in frustration and reach for the Advil. LOL
Well done.
Well done.
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
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