Transposing steel lead in family tradition

[beginnersteel]

The steel break after the fiddle part in Hank Williams Juniors Family Traditon sounds like its C6. If so, could it be transposed to e9 and still sound ok?

[Larry Bell]

That solo can be played on either neck. If you want to play it in E on E9, I would start at the 7th fret with A+B pedals and look for the 'melody' notes of the solo. You should find them between the 5th and 7th frets with A+B down. Once you've found those notes, just grab a handful of notes -- 4th through 8th strings will work best. Avoid the 9th.

Good luck
LTB

[ajm]

I've never sat down next to the tape deck and played along to try and get it note for note.

Just going from memeory and using my ear as the judge, I start at the 15th fret with the E to Eb lever held in. Keeping the lever in at all times, then go to the 10th fret, then to the 12th as the chords change. This should give you a "simulated" E6, A6 and B6 to work with. There are a couple of other little runs/licks that you'll need to fill some gaps, but this seems to me to get about 90% of it knocked out.

You should be able to hit about any string except for the 9th during this and not have it sound too out of place.

[beginnersteel]

Larry and ajm, thanks for the information! appreciate it.