The Steel Guitar Forum

I've just uploaded a revised (42-minute) instructional video showing 10 different ways to play 2-5-1 chords on C6 PSG. This video was re-shot to provide a better view of the fretboard and the pedals and replaces the earlier video.

The 2-5-1 pattern is a cornerstone of playing jazz, swing and standards, as it occurs everywhere in this music (except perhaps for modal jazz or free jazz).

The video explains what a 2-5-1 means, how to determine what those chords are for any given key, and also touches on more advanced topics like extensions, color tones, and tritone substitutions.

The revised video is here: https://youtu.be/TvP-p20dLWM?t=1s. The old one has now been removed from YouTube.

If you enjoy it and learn something from it, please let me know, either here or at the YouTube page. I would also request that you make a small donation to b0b and the Forum that brings us so much great information and community. Thank you.

Jimbeaux

Thanks!

I just started on C6, so this is very timely.

It would be really helpful to know the full diatonic chords in C, both major and minor (do re mi, do re me, etc), in the 3 most common combinations.

C Dm Em F G7 Am Bo
Cm Do Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb

Obviously the 9, #11, and 13 are available on the C, the 9, 11, and 13 on the Dm, etc.

I think it's easier to think in triads for the base harmony, except for the dominant chord which is special since it can take any and all available tensions...

The 4 major chord or b7 major are the only two majors that can take a #11...

Also I'd like to know a couple of common patterns for the most common scales, e.g., major, minor, pentatonic, and blues.

Thanks for putting in the time!

Now you're scaring people, Jay...

Jim Cohen wrote:Now you're scaring people, Jay...

LOL!

I love C6, there are so many beautiful chords just right there...

I'm still a beginner on steel, but I have a good understanding of diatonic harmony.

Seriously, I want to learn some common ways to play diatonic major and minor sequences, as well as common scale patterns.

You might try looking for an old book by Doug Jernigan that shows how to play through all the modes. I don't see it on his website but someone might have an old copy to sell... or just work it out yourself, one note at a time, deciding along the way whether you want to use Pedals/KLs or not and in which positions it flows best for you.

Great post, Jim! Super clear, and very helpful - keep them coming, please!

Nice work my friend!

Hey Jim, Nice video on the C6 neck.
However it would be nice if we could see your pedal action while you are picking.
Mickey Adams does a good job of this on his videos.
Keep it up!!

Thanks, Gaylen. Yes, Mickey has great video shots. I'm not set up to mount my camera that way right now. Maybe in the future. In the meantime, hopefully it's sufficient that I provide the full tab, since the pedals in use are clearly shown on the tab, plus I'm describing the pedals and KLs in the video itself, so you're really not missing anything by not being able to see my shoes.

Thanks again,

Jim

By the way, a Danish steeler named Leif Bruun, has posted a series of great sounding 2-5-1 licks on YouTube. Here's the first one, from which you can find the rest of them:

https://youtu.be/t1US5vYeKMA

Jim, the tab you provided will keep me busy for the rest of my life, well hopefully not quite that long. Very well thought out, thanks.
What kind of shoes?

Thanks for the trip to C6 school, Jimbeaux...very well done!

Thanks for the insights into the C6th world, Jim. Always enjoy your style and musical choices.

I'd appreciate more chunks of wisdom like that...when you find the time.

I decided to re-shoot the 10 examples tonight, with a much better camera angle, so you can now see the fretboard and my hands much better, plus see a bit of the pedal action too. (Next time I might wear white sneakers so my feet show up better!)

The video came out a little longer this time (42 minutes vs 36) so I guess I was a little more long-winded in my explanations. Hope it's not too tedious and you get something helpful from it.

The new video is here: https://youtu.be/TvP-p20dLWM?t=1s

To avoid confusion, I am removing the old video from YouTube.

Thanks for all the nice comments and the interest.

What other subjects would you like me to cover in a future video?

Jimbeaux

Thanks Jim,
Really appreciate your generosity!!! Ray

I would love to see more instruction videos on those big beautiful chord progressions on C6th from someone as familiar with C6 as you are. Being fairly inexperienced on C6th, finding them blindly is a real challenge with so many combinations and places to look. Your video was extremely helpful and most appreciated by many of our fellow SGF members. Thanks for your contributions. Best Regards and Thanks.

Thank you Jim for sharing!

Jim you asked what else may be of interest......
Some examples of where to used your info in songs as you hear them would be a "GOLD MINE" in my opinion. Thanks again, Ray

Great Stuff Jim. An intelligent approach!

Jim,

This is the kind of stuff we just don't see a lot of sharing of on the Forum, so thank you. I've had a D10 for some time but just in the past few weeks decided to get far more serious on the C6 neck; in part because I think there's so much there to explore and also because in my neck of the woods there's not a lot of country being played so expanding into jazz may open some doors. I have not yet watched your video but it's on my list of things to do later today!

Rick

Hi Jim,
Im new to the C6 neck and having a little trouble with some of the changes.
I dont seem to have the same copedant as you and I end up playing a bunch of 7th chords.
You wouldnt have a copy of your setup that you could post, would you. I could then make changes to the TAB and get rid of the unwelcome 7th's. Not that I have anything against them

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing your C6 knowledge, Jim.