Topic: Bo Carter's Guitar Style--Queries and Tips

[uncle bud]

Yup, I've heard quite a few folks refer to this as G6 tuning. Also "altered G", "dropped G".  It does presuppose playing in G, and that high E gives it its name.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
The tuning in question is a G6 tuning.  I think of it as "G tuning" as opposed to Spanish tuning.  I think Bo pretty much used it only to play in G.  He would use dropped D or D position, standard tuning, to play in D.  I have never been convinced that Lonnie Johnson used this tuning at all--nothing that I've heard him play could not reasonably easily be fingered in dropped D, and the V chord he plays is much more easily fingered in dropped D than in G tuning.  One person who did use the the tuning to play in D position (though tuned quite low) was Robert Pete Williams; he used it a lot on "Angola Spirituals" on Arhoolie and "Free Again" on Original Blues Classics.  It doesn't turn up as much on his later recordings. 
As Joe points out on his first post on this thread, Bo was a really wonderful player, with a great imagination for harmony, in particular.  In terms of buiding one's own harmonic knowledge, you could do a lot worse than a period of total immersion in his playing.
All best,
Johnm 

[Montgomery]

John, I've wondered about Lonnie's tuning myself.? In "Away Down in the Alley," in some cases where he moves to the G chord, what should be the A string, tuned to G, is played so softly (or a D is played) that the G chord seems only implied.? However, in other parts, such as at 2:06, when he moves into the G chord by going up to the 13th fret on the high E string, he then pulls off onto the 10th fret, and sounds the low D for the bass; but immediately after this he repeats the same thing, although this time, instead of a low D bass, you clearly hear that low G note for the bass.? In order to make that note, he either has to be thumbing the 5th fret of the low E string (since it's dropped to D) at the same time he's playing the 10th fret on the high E, which is quite a stretch, especially considering that he's probably on the 10th fret with his index finger (since he just pulled off from the 13th fret) or he's playing an open A string tuned down to G.? The other option is that the guitar is capoed up higher and the stretch between the D note on the high E and the G note on the low E isn't as far, but still pretty damn difficult.

[Richard]

Just to add that whilst wandring through one of Stacy Phillips Dobro books he gives G6 tuning as 1-6  B G E D B G   any help?

[Flatd7]

I was taught this tuning by Woody Mann as "Dropped D/G". I thought all those Lonnie Johnson / Eddie Lang Duets were played this way? The quick double bass seems almost imposible if you're not in this tuning. What I found also interesting was that while we were listening to those duets with Mike Dowling, he said "I want to set up a guitar like that". I asked what he meant and he said "a twelve string with the pairs taken off the low three strings". When you listen to those tunes with that knowledge, it seems obvious, but I never thought about why he had such a unique sound.

I've also studied this tuning with Del Rey who uses it for some of her Memphis Minnie material. Granted her arrangemnts combine both parts of the Minnie/Kansas Joe/Son Joe duets. She does a killer version of "Let's Go To Town" which I've been working on.

[uncle bud]

Hiya, FlatD7. Welcome to WC, just in case that hasn't been said yet. Del certainly has some finger-twisters for her Minnie arrangements. Very fun stuff that I can't play to save my life. I had thought of trying Drunken Barrelhouse Blues in G6 tuning after Del's classes at PT. I thought it might facilitate the third string bends by freeing up a finger so I could get the 7th in the C7 with my ring finger. Minnie does these vibrato-like bends on the 7th in the IV chord that are pretty quick and a bitch to play. The tuning didn't help me on that tune anyways. An unwound third string is probably a better solution for that one. I can't recall whether Del said she actually thought Minnie used the tuning on occasion or whether it was her solution to combining Kansas Joe and Minnie's parts. I suspect the latter.

This tuning reminds me a little of crossnote tuning. Top three strings like standard, bottom three in an open tuning.

[Flatd7]

Uncle Bud - Thanks for the welcome. I'm fairly new to the board. Seems like topics stick closer to country blues and such than some of the other forums. Lot's of discussion about Strats through Tube Blasters on some of the other "Blues" Forums.

Anyhow, I spent a good bit of the weekend listening and working on some of my Steve James and Del Rey mini discs from Fur Peace and IGS. I believe that Del said that most of the time Kansas Joe was playing those walking bass lines in standard and Minnie is taking the higher parts in a variety of Open G and Dropped D. Of course they (and Li'l Son Joe - Ernest Lawlars) had serious chops. I'm sure they each ventured into different territory.

Del is a force of nature. On her Snap Shot album she plays Do The Boogie Woogie live on a radio show while she's commenting about a dog in the studio that is chasing it's tail and doing other unmentionable "things we can't mention on the radio". ("Lick'n in Rhythm") She never misses a beat while she is laughing and talking. Amazing. Looking forward to her NY visit in March.

[Slack]

Del taught some very approchable tunes at lst years PT workshop - which is unusal as she usually teaches those finger benders!  (all the while threatenig to teach songs we'll never get ha). 

I've been working on 'Chauffer Blues' - whcih she taught in dropped D and works well there.  Also working on  'Long as I can See You Smile'  (in C) which is a fun song to play.  A very enjoyable class with not much pain.   Of course she throws in few dozen vaiations and a variety of rythms - which make it a real challenge.  (oops veered a bit off topic here - maybe we should  branch off)

cheers,
slack

[nixpix]

I'm learning this great song by ear and have learned the basic licks. I'm playing it in standard tuning with both 1st and 5th position A chords, 4th pos D7, and 1st pos E7.

I'm having a bit of trouble decifering the weird F augmented chord in the middle of the verse, mainly the lower strings. Any help is greatly appreciated! This song is in standard tuning right? The dissonant F chord is the only thing that would make me question it. Thanks.

[Slack]

Hi Nixpic, welcome to WeenieCampbell.

This song is in standard tuning right? The dissonant F chord is the only thing that would make me question it.

The song is in Bo Carter's "G-tuning" or G6 tuning.  This will make all the difference.  Here is a thread on the tuning.

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=47&topic=819.0

cheers,
slack

[chipmonk doug]

When you play in this G6 tuning you play standard chords with different fingering on the 5th and 6th strings, right?

[nixpix]

Slack,
Thanks for the heads up. And for all - I'm glad to join the forum!

[uncle bud]

Doug,

Yup, although by dropping the fifth and 6th to G and D, you are more often than not playing them open rather than fretting since that's the advantage they provide.

[Slack]

And the 4 chord (C7) is a great one in this tuning... fingering the 3rd fret of the 1st string (little finger) and 3rd fret of the 3rd string (ring finger).. eg "pulling back" leaving the 6th and 5th strings open...  just beautiful.

[GerryC]

Good thread.  I've been through the Woody Mann tuning Valley of Death myself and find G6 really works. Thanks to Johnm for that on his BC vid. Just one minor lyrical amendment I'd put forward: on the first 'middle 8'section of "Don't You Do It No More", I hear

     "Got so many women, don't know who I love
       Gang around me like the angels above,
       They cryin', 'Honey, baby,....'

Seems to me to make a little more sense than the idea of flying Native Americans......

Cheerily,

Gerry C