The Steel Guitar Forum

I was playing along to a song that is in C, and the first change is your basic I - IV - I, then it "turns around" with C - Ab - C. The bridge of the song is a V - I type thing, staying in C.

"It sounds right, so I know it's right", but I started wondering about what was happening 'theoretically'...

Ab (Ab - C - Eb) is a 'flat-six' or 'sharp-five' of C?

Ab's relative minor is an F minor, but playing an F minor chord instead of the Ab didn't work.

So, is it simply a I - IVm - I change with a substitution? I'm just curious to hear how other people conceptualize things, and the connections people see (hear). FWIW, the song is a bluegrassy/country-ish kinda thing, and the C - Ab - C sounds great!

Well I agree. If it sounds right it is.
It is common in jazz/blues to play out of the flat 6. Also the flat 3. Both of these positions have many notes of the blues scale if you are using a 6th tuning at those positions. These are my favorite positions for single note blues/jazz.

1141 4416 2-5(16)(25)
Above is a fairly common 12 bar blues/jazz progression. One can play single notes from the flat 6 and the flat 3 "over" the above progression and have a lot of of fun.
The flat6 and the flat3 appear often in rock, country and jazz.

The flat6 shows up in Hawaiian steel songs also.
Try the 1 to flat6 slide and back to 1. pretty cool.

hope this helps

Ron<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ron Randall on 23 January 2006 at 08:49 PM.]</p></FONT><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ron Randall on 23 January 2006 at 08:51 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ron,
Thanks for the reply. If my original post isn't clear, I meant to state I was playing along on an 'underarm' guitar, and was playing the chord changes, and trying to make sense of an Ab chord in the key of C.

That being said, I can remember the first time I played chords through a 1-6-2-5 and thought "how many times in how many places have I heard THAT!?"

I started setting up 'generic' changes in BIAB to play over, just dial up a key sig and a style and go to town. The 1-6-2-5 is one of my favorites!!

Being able to set up the changes in BIAB, then finding them in several different spots on the fretboard, to see which one sounds neatest. Fun for a lifetime (or several).

Now, where did I put that white jacket with the wraparound sleeves...?<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 24 January 2006 at 07:46 AM.]</p></FONT>

What song is it?

The C to Ab is a little rare. To my limited knowledge, the best (country) example is the intro and ending to "Statue of a Fool". Instead of trying to relate this to the home key, I prefer to think of it as: the key center has changed, temporarily, and for that measure you're in the key of Ab.

It's a song by Freakwater, called "Washed in the Blood" from their "Springtime" cd.

I can't post a file, but I've made a small (1.5mb) mp3 I can email.

"Bye Bye Blues." In key of "C,", is C-Ab in the first line---a real happy change!

Yeah, "bye bye blues".{though I use a 7th or 9th}.
Here's something I've been using for years.Strike a "C" chord {for pitch},then sing the "C" note and play an "Ab9th",barring across the 4th fret.you can leave it there {unresolved} or finish with a C6th or {my fav.}, a C6/9..This is the way I end "Crazy"..sounds kinda jazzy..
Messin with chords is real fun..PJ

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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body,but rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up,totally worn out,and loudly proclaiming:"WOW,what a ride!"

Trad jazz guys around here call it the Pineapple turnaround.

Pineapple turnaround? Could that be because that change is used in some famous Hawaiian songs, like "On The Beach At Waikiki"?<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 24 January 2006 at 06:20 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ab6=Fm7

Try playing it as a major 7th. AbM7 in C.

The top triad is C Eb G - a C minor chord. What is going on here?

Tuesday Afternoon, Moody Blues-Explaining all with a Sigh(C),(Ab) (C).
Doors, people are strange; When you're strange(B), faces come out of the rain(G)- same progression. Lots more! JP

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What is going on here?
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b0b, I'd say Fm9 is going on there.

-John

That makes a very nice ending for a ballad.

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Wish I'd learned lap steel when I still had a lap.

There's a great tune I found in a Dixieland fakebook with a lot of focus on the I to flat VI change called Ace in the Hole, different than the western swing one. Super fun tune in the key of G.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by John Poston on 26 January 2006 at 12:33 PM.]</p></FONT>

"Honey Don't"
From I to bVI for the verse, followed by 12 bar standard I-IV-I-V-IV-I.

Mike