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Post new topic Splitting the dbl. lower on string 2(D#)
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Author Topic:  Splitting the dbl. lower on string 2(D#)
Gary Arnold


From:
Panhandle of Florida, USA
Post  Posted 12 Aug 2015 10:01 pm    
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I'm getting ready to order a new steel and I am trying to decide what to do about putting half of my 2nd string lower on another knee lever. I know I could add a second knee lever on my LKL for a #2 and that would be good but what if I put it on the same knee lever that raises my E's to F, would that make it in the way musically speaking ? I have a standard Emmons setup, E's on the left, B's LVK, 2nd & 9th string lower on RKR and 1,2,& 6 on RKL. WHAT DO YA'LL THINK ? Thanks,,,,,,,gary Whoa!
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 12 Aug 2015 10:28 pm    
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The F lever is used for major chords (A+F). When those chords are the I, IV and V chords, the second string D# is a scale note. You wouldn't want it to be D or C# when you're in those A+F positions. The scale note is just too darn useful.

For example in key of C:

F major at 4th fret, 2nd string is G
G major at 6th fret, 2nd string is A
C major at 11th fret, 2nd string is D

Like you, I have an aversion to the half stop. My solution is to put the 2nd string full step lower on my "0 pedal", that is, to the left of the A pedal. I don't use it much, but it's always there when I need it.
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Rich Peterson


From:
Moorhead, MN
Post  Posted 12 Aug 2015 10:34 pm    
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b0b, what about tuning the second string to C#, and raising to D on the A pedal; to D# on a knee lever. Zane King uses that concept in his copedent.
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Ian Rae


From:
Redditch, England
Post  Posted 12 Aug 2015 11:34 pm    
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b0b is right about about not losing the scale note in the A/F position and Rich seems to have the answer. I already tune 2 to C# and raise it to D# on a lever, but D is hard to find. If it was on the A pedal I could still push it on up to D# with the lever. I'll try this next time I'm making changes, which will be quite soon.
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 13 Aug 2015 7:48 am    
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Rich Peterson wrote:
b0b, what about tuning the second string to C#, and raising to D on the A pedal; to D# on a knee lever. Zane King uses that concept in his copedent.

I know that a few people do that. To me, it's inconvenient to have to use a lever to get D#, which is a scale note in 5 of the 7 major positions. D is the scale note in the other 2 positions.

We already have a C# on the A pedal. The idea of the D# is that, with the A pedal down, you have 5 consecutive scale notes on the top 5 strings. If you tune the 2nd string to C#, you have to use a lever to get that. It makes the instrument a little bit harder to play, in my opinion.

For many years I tuned the 2nd string to D, with a lever to raise and another to lower. I switched to the standard D# after doing a thorough analysis of scales and positions. I'm not going to argue with the handful of big name players who tune differently. I just don't see any big reason for it. I do see the elegant logic in the D# string. Thanks, Buddy! Mr. Green
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Greg Milton


From:
Benalla, Australia
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2015 10:03 pm    
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b0b wrote:
To me, it's inconvenient to have to use a lever to get D#, which is a scale note in 5 of the 7 major positions. D is the scale note in the other 2 positions


Hi b0b,

What are these 7 major positions you speak of? Very Happy

Greg
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Earnest Bovine


From:
Los Angeles CA USA
Post  Posted 14 Aug 2015 10:25 pm    
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b0b wrote:

For many years I tuned the 2nd string to D, with a lever to raise and another to lower.


I tried it too, after lots of thought about which combinations of notes are useful and which are not.
It is on the GFI on this page (along with some other experimental stuff that did not last)
http://b0b.com/tunings/ebovine.html
Here is the relevant part
Tab:

  LKL2  LKL  LKV  LKR   LKR2     1    2    3    4   5   RKL  RKR  RKR2
F#                                                                     
D            -C#  ..................................   +D#
G#                                         
E       
B                                                     
G#                             
F#                                                                 
E       
D             +D# .....................................-C#
B                                     
G#                                         
E         


Part of my reasoning was that I (almost) never use D on string 9 with D# on string 2. SO if there is a combination of levers that produces those 2 notes, that is wasted. And of course that's what you have on standard tuning with no pedals & levers engaged.

b0b wrote:

I switched to the standard D# after doing a thorough analysis of scales and positions.

I switched to the standard D# after playing my crazy idea for a while and never getting used to having to use RLK every time I wanted D#.
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Larry Hamilton

 

From:
Amarillo,Tx
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2015 4:05 pm    
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Hug hey used two knees on the D#. Terry Bethel showed me the Crawford D. Lowering D to C# and residing the D to D#. In about a day it was second nature to raise the D to D#. No feel stops or splitting it or anything, the best move I ever made.
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