Most common uses for B->Bb change

Nick Krol · From: Rhode Island, USA

I learned how to play on an 8x4 and recently got an 8x5 with LKV having the B lower. Up until now I've gotten this change by dropping back a fret and using the B pedal and F lever together. trying to change to using the vertical lever has been weird, are there any benefits to using the lever?

I know you can also split it with the A pedal to get a minor chord with AB pedals down, but you can get the same thing by sliding up a fret and dropping the Es.

Any other thoughts?
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Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

Lots of examples on this page but may of my uses are using it a s a split with A, B pedals and E>D# knee lever to get a full sounding diminished:

https://www.gregcutshaw.com/C6th%20On%20E9th/C6th%20On%20E9th.html

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

While this has been criticized by a notable player, I too use the B-Bb lower along with A & B and the E-lower; it's a diminished across strings 8 to 3.

Apart from that there are, of course, countless applications and I consider it maybe my most important KL (it's a toss-up between that and lowering 9).

Certainly, some examples can be achieved by half-pedaling the A, but I'd rather not be doing that if multiple pulls are required.

Passing from, say, D (pedals-down 5th fret) to G (no-pedals/3rd fret), play 9,7,6,5 with the 5th lowered at the 4th fret: that's a nice tri-tone sub for a passing chord. (Keep those strings ringing as you descend to the 3rd: G7add9).

I have the B/Bb on RKL for accessibility.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

It also works well with the 6th string (half-tone) lower if you have that change where you can access it at the same time. Wink

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I only lower string 5 to Bb on pedal 4. I play Day style, so that puts it next to my 'A' pedal and I can get the minor without the root on strings 4 & 5. But I use it mostly by itself to get a partial 2-9 chord on strings 3, 4, 5. This is similar to the 5th pedal change on C6 with strings 2, 3, 5 with 5 lowered from G to F#. Great change, just didn't want to waste a knee lever on it.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I major to II 7+9, aka the Brumley lick from "Together Again" although Tom never actually had that change on his guitar

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

I have it on str 10 and 5 with a “0” pedal next to A, so AB+0 is a little impractical.

Split with A is cool though. On C#m voicings (str 10-8-6-5-4-3) you can do the chromatic walk down from the tonic to the 6th on str 10 or 5 (pedal A, then A+0, then open, then 0). Or gliss all the way there.

Not exactly what I would call a “most common” lick, but with the Bb lower, the split with A, and lowering str 2 to D, you have access to a single note whole-tone run from string 10 all the way to string 3. Good for augmented chords and altered dominants. Totally demonic. If you give it a harmonic strum back and forth it sounds like a harp doing the background music for one of those old TV show clips where the actor slips into a dream, or a recalls an ancient memory.

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

That's where the 'notable player' has it, Fred; on the floor. I considered it but, because it prevents engaging the A and B, I vetoed it.

There's always an alternative argument, though. My 'NP' claims - rightly - that there are diminished chords to be had everywhere, and he's right. I do like my six-string dim. chord, though (A/B, Es/Bs lowered) and that schools my choice.

One thing I never use the B-Bb lower for is with A and B pedals for that minor chord (D minor at the 5th); I believe that it's better to get that minor three frets up, pedals down; it puts you in the right ball-park for single-note stuff relevant to that chord. Simply using A and B pedals and lowering the Bs does not easily facilitate single note lines.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Right, Roger. And also, every 9th chord has a half-diminished and an altered dominant (#5b9) chord lurking within. So the B-Bb change adds to that.

The minor voicing AB+Bb seems superfluous to me too, and I agree with the OP on that.

Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

Another really great use is say start in the key of G at the 3rd fret, no pedals, press A and B pedals and the split tuned B to Bb knee lever at the 5th fret. Voila, a whole new pocket of notes that can be strummed, picked singly or slid into. Of course half pedaling the A pedal will accomplish the same thing.

Try it!

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Quite so, Greg: in effect, it's soloing over the 5 minor, also a partial G9th.
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Roger Rettig: Emmons D10, B-bender Teles and Martins - and, at last, a Gibson Super 400!
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Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

On one level it gives you 5 whole steps in a row which can open up quite a bit of stuff. I only lower my 5th string so I have more interval options using the 10th string with it.

I put it on my RKL and use it way more than my F lever. I like the dom7 2 frets down from open.
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Bob

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