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Adventures in EAEGBE tuning

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uncle bud:
I've been fooling around with this tuning, which has been discussed in the Clifford Gibson lyrics thread, and elsewhere on Weenie in discussing Furry Lewis and others. Given the number of songs we've been uncovering that likely use this tuning (and by 'we' I mean mostly JohnM), I thought it was time to start a thread.

I use the word 'likely' since there are songs that could be played either in standard tuning or EAEGBE tuning, and are just easier in the latter. There are other tunes, like the Clifford Gibson songs that JohnM has identified, where it is unlikely, IMO, that they were played in standard tuning. I am convinced that Furry Lewis used this tuning as well, though one can play songs like Mistreatin' Mamma out of standard easily enough.

Here is what JohnM has to say about the tuning in the Clifford Gibson thread, which he has described as a modified cross-note tuning:

"The modified cross-note tuning preserves every aspect of E position in standard tuning on the first through third strings and the fifth and sixth strings. The primary difference is that you have an octave bass on the fourth string that does not need to be fretted, freeing up the left hand a great deal, and because you have that octave on the open fourth string, you can not voice the V7 chord with its third on the fourth string."

Here is a list of songs (listed by artist) that likely employ this tuning (updated 03/04/12):

Ed Bell
From Now On
Mamlish Blues
Mean Conductor Blues
My Crime Blues
Squabblin' Blues

Tom Bell
Corrina
Cross E Shimmy Dance Tune

Clifford Gibson
Blues Without a Dime
Don't Put That Thing On Me
Drayman Blues
Jive Me Blues
Keep Your Windows Pinned
Sunshine Moan
Whiskey Moan Blues

Guitar Shorty
Jessie Jones (and all other recorded works)

Son House
Clarksdale Moan

Furry Lewis
Creeper's Blues
Mistreatin' Mamma
Mean Old Bedbug Blues
Jelly Roll

Henry Spaulding
Cairo Blues

George Torey
Lonesome Man Blues

Henry Townsend
No Home Blues

Lane Hardin
California Desert Blues
Hard Time Blues

I have been listening a lot to Ed Bell recently and am starting to wonder whether he played some of his E position material out of this tuning. When I play in this tuning, there is a certain distinct sonority to it, which I think comes from having more open strings. The E played on the open 4th string has a tone that differs slightly from an E played on the 2nd fret in standard. I wonder if there is also a little sympathetic vibration coming off the open string as well, and in some cases perhaps a little accidental striking of the 4th string occurs when playing the open 5th string.

The Ed Bell material in question can be played out of standard tuning and there is no decisive advantage I can find to playing it in EAEGBE tuning, the way there is in Clifford Gibson material. But it is more comfortable and easier, and Bell has a very "open string" sound to his playing. He also knew, played with and recorded with Clifford Gibson, who almost certainly used the tuning. I have not been able to identify the fourth-string third in the V7 chord in any of the Ed Bell songs in question so far. I am still exploring this and am curious about other opinions, but here are the songs that I think might use this tuning. They all fall into the Mamlish Blues model, using essentially the same accompaniment:

Mamlish Blues
My Crime Blues
From Now On
Squabblin' Blues

Frisco Whistle Blues is also played out of E position using a different accompaniment, but there is definitely a spot at the end where he walks into the fourth string E playing a D#. So I would stick with standard tuning there.

I'll be listening more to Ed Bell to see if I hear more clues, in particular to Squabblin' Blues, which has a lot of ringing strings.

One additional minor point - when I play in this tuning, I have usually been tuned down below concert pitch and capo as needed. Not essential but a precaution some might want to take if trying this stuff out.

Johnm:
Thanks for starting this topic, uncle bud.  The EAEGBE tuning has long merited a thread of its own, like the "Adventures in Spanish", "Adventures in Vestapol", et al.

I agree with you concerning the possibility of the Ed Bell tunes you named as being likely candidates for having been played in the EAEGBE tuning.  One other that I would add to your list is "Mean Conductor Blues".  In the course of playing it, Ed Bell does not once hit the major third of his V7 chord (first fret fourth string D# in standard tuning, E position), and in fact, avoids his fourth string altogether against his V7 chord, as did Clifford Gibson on all of his songs played in this tuning.  One Ed Bell song that I believe is conclusively played in E position standard tuning and not in the EAEGBE tuning is his "Hambone Blues".  Had he used the EAEGBE tuning for the song, he would have had to finger his V7 chord using the very awkward and reachy 2-4-4-7 position on his top four strings, in addition to ending up with a wonky left hand for the descending boogie bass line under his IV chord, which sits easily in standard tuning.

One player who was known to use the EAEGBE tuning exclusively was the North Carolina player Guitar Shorty, who recorded albums for Flyright and Trix.  Shorty used the tuning for conventionally fretted and slide playing, and was equally expert at both.  If I had to select a particular favorite of Shorty's tunes, I think I would go with "Jessie Jones", from his Trix album, which is a rocking strong number.

I'm reasonably certain that the recently discovered Son House cut, "Clarksdale Moan" was played out of this tuning, and believe that Henry Spaulding's "Cairo Blues" was played out of the EAEGBE tuning, too.

For any of you who have not fooled around with this tuning, I strongly encourage you to do so.  If you're not concerned with raising the pitch of your wound strings, the easiest way to get there from standard tuning is to raise the pitch of your fourth string one whole step, from D to E.  If you would prefer not to do that you may alternatively lower the pitch of every string except the fourth string one whole step, so that you end up with your guitar tuned DGDFAD.  If your experience is anything like mine has been, you may find that the more you play in the tuning, the more it starts to reveal unique aural and fingering possibilities distinct from either E position standard tuning or cross-note tuning, its other closest relative, and develop a distinctive character of its own.

All best,
Johnm

Chezztone:
Very interesting...never tried this tuning before but it does make "Mamlish" and "Cairo" easier and truer-sounding. What about "Keep it Clean"? That also might be in this tuning.

Chezztone:
Oh yes. I think we can safely add "Keep It Clean" to the list.
Also I propose a name for this tuning: Raised E.

Johnm:
Hi chezz,
"Keep It Clean", as played by Charley Jordan, has the third of the V7 chord struck on the fourth string in the ninth and tenth bars, and so must have been played by him in E position, standard tuning.  I think that all of Charley's E-sounding tunes were played out of E position in standard tuning.  In addition to "Keep It Clean", "Hunkie Tunkie" and Big Four" definitely were. 
All best,
Johnm

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