'Changing one's setup'

[Roger Rettig]

I was recently taken to task for 'constantly altering my setup'.

My E9th (Day pedals) has six knee-levers and four pedals. It is true that, since I retired from playing pro, I have tinkered with things, but I contend that all I have done is add to my basic requirements.

Those are: pedals A, B, C, Es -/+ (LL/LR), Bs to Bb on RL, and 2/9 lowered on RR.

Those fundamentals remain and are the bedrock of what - and how - I play.

The additions have come since I've been confined to my music room. They are:

LKV: raising 1,2,7
LL2: lowering 9, 6, 3 a half-step
RR: Adding a whole-tone drop on the 10th
Pedal 4 (next to my A pedal): raises the 6th to A#.

Oh yes, and I raise the 5th to a D on P7; lovely, right-footing it with pedals-down!

These are 'icing on the cake' pulls and it's how my Emmons is configured. My JCH is short a rod or two but is very close.
========
C6: (D on top)

Pedals 5-8 are standard.
P4: raises 10, 6, lowers 2 (reverse P6 - thanks, Buck!)
ML - lowers 3rd
MV - raises 4 and 8 (old P4)
MR - raises both Cs

RL - lowers both As
RR - raises both As (to A#).

So, no real 'changes', just enhancements as a result of my search for inversions.

[Frank Freniere]

Roger, that Pagliere DSP steel has your name all over it.

[Roger Rettig]

Frank:

Maybe, but I don't feel my extra KLs are excessive.

Never mind me, but there have been some really great players who have had similar options: Gary Carter, Travis Toy, John Hughey and many more have (or had) comprehensive setups.

Jimmie Crawford was an extreme example and I was lucky enough to learn a little from him face to face. He was a chord-guy, along with his exceptional technical prowess.

[Joe A. Roberts]

Are you using that C6th vertical much or was that just to keep from losing that old pedal 4 change?
Seems like a lot of guys completely get rid of it in favor of reverse pedal 6 or dropping the G to F, etc.

I think you said it best yourself, you are just adding icing to the basic cake.
It is not like you are picking up trumpet one week, then flute the next, then mandolin, then...

[Roger Rettig]

Yes, Joe: I have always liked the old P4 change. It can be argued - and it has been - that it's 'redundant' and that the major 7th is available lowering the 3rd (as well as P7) so 'why do we need P4?'

But I like moving those As up a tone, and it works beautifully with P5 (turning D9 into D13th).

You will note that my P4 is, in fact, reverse P6 - it just has the 10th raised to a D for the minor 7th on the low strings. I like having the E-F on the 6th string, too - lots of applications.

My only problem with this setup is that it needs a long 'throw' to raise the As to A sharp on RKR, but I can live with that.

[Fred Treece]

Roger, you don't need anybody’s stinking approval to make a setup change! It’s your beast; tame it any way you want.

I think the RKR string 10 lower to A on your E9 setup is a really cool addition to the 2 and 9 lowers, like adding part of the Franklin pedal change to that lever makes total sense.

[Roger Rettig]

Thank you, Fred, and, of course, criticism won't deflect me.

I fully appreciate the line-of-thought that much is available with minimal setups. Lloyd Green is often cited in this respect.

In all humility, though, and with full appreciation of his masterful - and thoroughly musical - approach, his philosophy has been based on his admiration for Jerry Byrd; simply stated melodic lines with exceptional touch-and-tone.

That has served Lloyd well and he remains an iconic player, something I will never even approach. I play for my own fulfilment these days; that means exploring chord-voicings and tackling material that challenges and sometimes defies a standard E9th configuration.

Re: that 10th lower to A - I'm currently trying to figure out if I can split the 9th and 10th lower. My JCH lowers the Bs on LKV and I discovered that lowering 10 to A on that LKV allows me to have the A and D on 10 and 9, then resolve the change by lowering the 9th moments after, a 'sus4'. It sounds lovely. Not possible with my B lower on RKL, of course. I could get it with RKL (lowering 10 to A rather than Bb) and my LL2 lowering 9, but the 6th gets lowered on that KL, spoiling the chord.

[Fred Treece]

You need a 12-string

That sus4 chord on the E9 is right there with only pedal B, resolving with RKR lowers on 2 and 9. String 11 opens up a whole new world of lower-register voicings, as you know, including that one.

[Roger Rettig]

Twice-bitten by 12-strings now, Fred!

Anyway, I like C6th too much- even if I firmly believe that E9th is by far the more adaptable tuning of the two.

But yes: I briefly had my Williams 12 string set up as an extended E9 and, of course, explored the option you describe.

[Joe A. Roberts]

What do you mean by adaptable Roger? Customization wise, or musically?

[Roger Rettig]

Musically.

Just my opinion, of course. I know many will disagree.