Topic: Bo Carter Keys and Tunings

[Yves]

Hi Chezz well done

I did the same a couple of years ago... it tooks me over than a year !!!

I will compare with my list when back home for the weekend.

Great and funny job !

Yves the froggy

[Yves]

Just one thing came in mind
Banana... & pin in your cushion (same thing)
I think it's in G6 tuning using a capo on 5th fret and played in D position
probably the same for Loveless love
G6 sounds a bit better than STD tuning if you brush the strings
Do you agree ?


Yves

[Yves]

or play in G6 tuning using D position ( + 5 )

[Yves]

Just back home ...
Apart from Banana in your fruit basket I got a very few suggestions.

She's your cook but she burns my bread sometimes
Same thing the cats fight about
Times is tight like that
these 3 could be played in STD tuning key of C tuned below the step which is very usual.

My pencil won't write no more
I think it works in A std and the bass are really easy

Loveless love
Same suggestion as Banana...

Howling Tom cat blues - A std

Baby, how can it be - G std

Don't cross lay your daddy - Drop D
At one time he does a different turn around sliding in the D string (6th)

Please warm my weiner - G6


I must thank very much John Miller who helped me so much with the Bo Carter's style ...and many other styles
I was aware of putting all this material on the web in respect of John's teaching.... but now as it's done

All the best for the new year to all Weenies

Yves "the froggy"

[banjochris]

Chezztone --
Since you said over on the "Keys to the Highway" thread that you were reviewing the Bo Carter keys before they get posted there, I just want to mention a couple of things about "Santa Claus Blues" and "Country Fool" and I think it's worthwhile if for no other reason than it points out how subtle Bo's music is.

I'd like to make the case for both these tunes being in A standard, not half-Spanish tuning, although it's easy to see why (with "Country Fool" in particular) it might seem otherwise, because many of the licks are similar.

"Santa Claus" is the easiest one to hear as being in A -- right at the beginning of the tune there's an unmistakeable riff played out of a first-position D7 chord, and the instrumental break in the middle has a very obvious first position E7 chord in it.

The line-ending riff in this tune, played out of a long A, which uses the pinky covering both the first and second strings at the fifth fret, is virtually identical to the line-ending riff in "Country Fool" (recorded immediately before this tune, and sounding in the same key). This riff, while similar to the usual one he plays in the half-Spanish tunes, is subtly different -- compare it to the riff in "Five Dollar Bill," for instance, which often ends with a slide on the fifth string up to the open D string. This move is never heard in either "Country Fool" or "Santa Claus".

Also in "Country Fool," as he goes into the IV chord, you can very clearly hear the slide from the E to the F# on the D string as he slides the whole chord up -- this would have a very different sound from an open string up to the second fret rather than from second to fourth.

At the very beginning of "Country Fool," as well, you can hear the hint of a slide into the long A chord as he moves from up the neck into the first-position chord. The III chord in the tune is simply a first position D chord slid down a fret and he doesn't play the third string. And the break at the end of the tune would work just as well in A as in half-Spanish.

Also, and this is sort of nebulous, but the tune has a "tighter," more "closed" sound than any of the tunes in half-Spanish. Listen to "Country Fool" and then listen to "Five Dollar Bill" and you'll see what I mean, even if you use a slow-down program to make them the same pitch.
Let me know what you think
Chris

[Chezztone]

2/6/07 Update of Bo Carter Keys
Notes:
1) Chris -- Yes, I now agree that "Country Fool" and "Santa Claus" are A std, even before reading your latest message I had come around to that belief. Thanks!
2) Regarding "She's Your Cook...," "Same Thing the Cats...," "Times Is Tight..." and "My Pencil Won't...": Thanks for convincing me that they are not half-Spanish. However, I now believe they are in A std + 2, not B-flat as you suggest. He does a little bass slide on several of them that works much better in A.
3) I still hear "To Her Burying Ground" in E std. Carter definitely had a capo and used it regularly.
4) Yves -- Yes, I now agree with you that "Don't Cross Lay..." is in Dropped D. Thanks!
5) Regarding "Banana In Your...," "Pin In Your..." and "Loveless Love": I agree that the half-Spanish works nicely in case you touch a bass string. However, since Carter so carefully avoids the bass strings on those, I'm going with G std as the position he probably uses on those.
6) I have now included "Good Old Turnip Greens," "Bungalow Blues," "Mary Blues," "Electrocuted Blues," "Corrine Corrina" and "East Jackson Blues," even though the guitar is not fingerpicked, is just part of an ensemble, and probably is not even Bo Carter playing it. (Carter is probably on violin, with Walter Vincson on guitar.) Since those songs are on the Document, might as well include them here. I believe they are all in standard tuning and have indicated the keys.
7) I'm teaching two workshops on Bo Carter's music May 19 at Dusty Strings in Seattle; I'll post details on the Performance Corner part of this site.
And now, the updated list:

Bo Carter Keys
February 6, 2007

Good Old Turnip Greens ? C std
Bungalow Blues ? F std
Mary Blues ? D std
Electrocuted Blues ? G std
Corrine Corrina ? B-flat std
East Jackson Blues ? B-flat std
I?m an Old Bumble Bee ? Half Spanish + 1
Mean Feeling Blues ? Vestapol  + 3
I?ve Got the Whole World In My Hand ? G std + 1
She?s Your Cook But She Burns My Bread Sometime ? A std + 2
Same Thing the Cats Fight About ? A std + 2
Times Is Tight Like That ? A std + 2
My Pencil Won?t Write No More ? A std + 2
Banana In Your Fruit Basket ? G std
Pin In Your Cushion -- G std
Pussy Cat Blues ? E std
Ram Rod Daddy ? Vestapol + 2
Loveless Love ? G std
I Love that Thing ? Vestapol + 2
Backache Blues (first recording) ? Vestapol + 2
Sorry Feeling Blues ? Vestapol + 2
Baby, When You Marry ? Vestapol + 2
Boot It ? Dropped D
Twist It Babe ? Dropped D + 3
So Long Baby So Long -- Half Spanish
The Law Gonna Step on You -- Half Spanish
Pig Meat is What I Crave ? Vestapol + 3
Howling Tom Cat Blues -- Half Spanish + 1
Ants In My Pants ? Vestapol + 2
Blue Runner Blues ? Vestapol + 2
I?ve Got a Case of Mashin? It ? Vestapol + 1
New Auto Blues ? Vestapol + 1
You Don?t Love Me No More -- Half Spanish ? 1
What Kind of Scent Is That? ? E standard
Pretty Baby ? Half Spanish
I Want You to Know ? Half Spanish
Last Go Round ? A standard
I Keep On Spending My Change ? Dropped D
Baby, How Can It Be? ? A std + 1
Backache Blues (second recording)? Vestapol + 1
Nobody Knows My Baby ? A std + 2
Bo Carter Special ? Vestapol + 1
Beans ? C std + 1
Nobody?s Business ? C std + 1
Queen Bee ? A std + 2
Tellin You ?Bout It ? A std + 2
Please Don?t Drive Me From Your Door ? A std + 2
Pin In Your Cushion ? Half Spanish
Banana In the Fruit Basket ? Half Spanish
Howlin Tom Cat Blues ? A std + 1
Don?t Cross Lay Your Daddy ? Dropped D + 1
Who Broke the Latch? ? C std
Don?t Do It No More -- Half Spanish
Skin Ball Blues -- Half Spanish ?1
Old Shoe Blues -- Half Spanish
Please Warm My Weiner ? Half Spanish
She?s Gonna Crawl Back Home to You ? Dropped D
Let Me Roll Your Lemon ? E std
Mashing That Thing -- Vestapol + 1
Blue Runner Blues -- Vestapol + 1
Fifty Fifty with Me -- Vestapol + 1
To Her Burying Ground ? E std
When Your Left Eye Go to Jumping ? C std
Ride My Mule -- Half Spanish ?1
T Baby Blues -- Half Spanish ?1
I Get the Blues -- Half Spanish
Spotted Sow Blues -- Half Spanish
Rolling Blues ? D std
All Around Man ? A std
Fat Mouth Blues ? A std
You Better Know Your Business ? A std
It?s Too Wet ? Vestapol +2
Dinner Blues ? Vestapol +2
Ain?t Nobody Got It ? Vestapol +2
Cigarette Blues ? Vestapol +2
Pussy Cat Blues ? A std
The Ins and Outs of My Girl ? A std +1
All Around Man Part 2 ? A std
Bo Carter?s Advice ? A std
Doubled Up In a Knot ? Half Spanish
Worried G Blues ? Half Spanish
Your Biscuits Are Big Enough For Me ? C std
Don?t Mash My Digger So Deep ? Vestapol +1
Flea On Me ? Vestapol
Got to Work Somewhere ? Vestapol
Sue Cow ? Vestapol
Shake ?Em On Down ? Half Spanish +1
A Girl For Every Day of the Week -- Half Spanish +1
Trouble In Blues ? Half Spanish +1
World in a Jug ? Half Spanish +1
Who?s Been Here ? Half Spanish +1
Whiskey Blues ? Half Spanish +1
Shoo That Chicken ? C std +1
Let?s Get Drunk Again ? C std +1
Some Day ? C std +1
Old Devil ? E std +1
Country Fool ? A std + 1
Santa Claus ? A std + 2
Be My Salty Dog ? Half Spanish
Five Dollar Bill ? Half Spanish
Ways Like a Crawfish ? Half Spanish
Brown-Skin Woman ? Half Spanish
Lucille, Lucille ? Half Spanish
The County Farm Blues ? Half Spanish
Border of New Mexico Blues ? Half Spanish
Arrangement For Me Blues ? Half Spanish
Lock the Lock ? Half Spanish
Trouble O Trouble ? Half Spanish
Baby Ruth ? Half Spanish
My Baby ? Half Spanish
Policy Blues ? Dropped D
Tush Hog Blues ? A std
My Little Mind ? E std
Honey ? C std
What You Want Your Daddy To Do ? C std



 

[banjochris]

Chezztone --
On "Times Is Tight...", "My Pencil Won't Write" etc. Take a listen to them again and pay special attention to the IV chord in each of those tunes. The IV chord he would play in B-flat would be an E-flat chord in a C shape moved up three frets with his pinky on the 6th fret of the first string. The open G string is part of this chord. (It's especially easy to hear in "Times Is Tight.") If he were in A and played a C-shaped D chord he'd have the G note poking through or would have to play a D7, which he clearly doesn't, and he isn't playing a first-position D chord either. The bass slide in B-flat's no harder than in A, you just do it with your left thumb, and Walter Vinson does it on a bunch of Sheiks recordings.

Also, on "To Your Burying Ground," I agree that much of it wouldn't sound much different in E or F, but he goes to a VI chord quite a few times that sounds a lot like a regular 1st-position D chord to me. If he were in E he'd have to play a barred C# or a C#7 chord, and he doesn't do the latter of those.
Just some food for thought,
Chris

[Chezztone]

OK, I will check those tunes out again. Thanks, Chris!

[Johnm]

Hi Chezz and all,
I knew this had been discussed here a while ago, but as to the issue of Bo and Walter Vinson playing out of open flat keys, go to a thread on the last page of the Country Blues Licks and Lessons board entitled "Sheiks Mystique", and the subject is discussed in some detail.
All best,
Johnm

[frankie]

Good Old Turnip Greens ? C std

This is in G - the tune starts on the IV (C).

She?s Your Cook But She Burns My Bread Sometime ? A std + 2

This one is definitely played out of Bflat, maybe tuned a bit sharp.  One dead give-away is the break - the open 4th string is ringing while he rocks between the I and the IV7 up the neck.  The 4th string rings as the major 3rd of the I chord...  if he was playing in A, the 4th string would be ringing at the tonic of the IV chord.  He could only get that combination of notes playing in standard tuning, Bflat position.

The other "sheiky" songs done by Bo are very likely done out of Bflat - a most unfairly maligned key (and much more guitar friendly than I thought at first!).

[Mmaddox]

I?m in my sixties now and started playing acoustic blues in my teens. Got introduced by Jorma and Roy Bookbinder . I then went on to Stephan Grossmans books and the whole Kicking mule discography. Tried to play ? Who?s been here? by Bo but I couldn?t quite get it. Now I know why. Very interesting G6 tuning he used. Don?t like to use more than one guitar on stage so I stick to standard tuning but now I?m thinking I need one guitar for open tunings. Maybe just use my resonator for open stuff? Thanks for this list!

[Stuart]

Reminds me of the old joke, "Man, I beat my brains out for months trying to figure out how to play 'Police Dog Blues.' And then someone said, 'Didn't you ever hear of open D??!!'"

Better late than never.