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Post new topic Little Roy Wiggins Tuning.
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Author Topic:  Little Roy Wiggins Tuning.
Daniel Flanigan

 

From:
Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 28 Jan 2024 6:36 pm    
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Hello.

Does anybody know what tuning Roy used to cut "I'll Hold You In My Heart"? I've always figured it was his 8 string E13 (low to high; B, D, E, G#, B, C#, E, G#), but I'm not sure if Roy was still playing 6 strings in '47, I'm sure some of you know better than I.


Thanks.
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Joe A. Roberts


From:
Seoul, South Korea
Post  Posted 29 Jan 2024 7:03 am    
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Isn’t the playing on that song something? Some of the best ever, IMO.
I think those tracks were all on a straight 6 string E major tuning!
The E13th with the C# came much later.
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Dennis Saydak


From:
Manitoba, Canada
Post  Posted 29 Jan 2024 7:37 am    
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Daniel, (FWIW) the tuning you show is exactly what is documented in the R.W. Memory Time songbook, which inclues I'll Hold You In My Heart.
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Dennis
Just when you think you're getting ahead in the rat race, the rats get faster.
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Joe A. Roberts


From:
Seoul, South Korea
Post  Posted 29 Jan 2024 8:54 am    
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The Memory Time book is a transcription of a 1972 album by Scotty, at that time Roy Wiggins did indeed play the tuning indicated.
I think he switched from a straight E to a high G# E7th tuning well before that, but didn’t add the C# string until later.
There were some great forum posts about this at the turn of the century, worth researching!
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Daniel Flanigan

 

From:
Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 4 Feb 2024 12:35 am    
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Thanks for the help, guys. Yes, I agree that it's one of the best steel guitar songs ever recorded, both the 1947 Eddy Arnold cut and the Little Roy Instrumental version.

I've always heard that Roy started to use different tunings when Eddy asked him to "change his sound" after a live show in which Eddy perceived that the audience cheered louder for Roy's "Ting-A-Ling" than they did for his singing. I'm not sure if this is true or an Urban Legend of sorts, but it's kinda interesting.
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Joe A. Roberts


From:
Seoul, South Korea
Post  Posted 4 Feb 2024 1:37 am    
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Daniel, I absolutely believe that could be the case considering everything I have ever heard about Eddy Arnold’s character.
Have you seen this thread? I think it is a must read for anyone, and Carl Dixon’s posts forever changed my opinion on Eddy Arnold.
https://www.steelguitarforum.com/Forum10/HTML/004131.html

The ruin of Vance Terry is another tragedy I encourage anyone who may not know it to read about it …
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=82286/1000
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Daniel Flanigan

 

From:
Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 4 Feb 2024 3:32 pm    
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Boy, I had forgotten a lot of the sad circumstances of Vance's death. Quite a bit of similarity to the tragic life and death of Townes Van Zandt. Vance was a great player, he should get far more recognition.
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Tony Oresteen


From:
Georgia, USA
Post  Posted 5 Feb 2024 9:42 am    
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Very sad. May he rest in peace.
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Tony
Newnan, GA

Too many guitars, not enough time to play
'72 Sho-Bud 6139, '71 Marlen 210
'78 Fender Stringmaster T8 black
PedalMaster D8
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