Chromatic" string help

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 12 Mar 2004 7:07 am

I've done a search for help understanding how the so-called "chromatic" strings are used. I've found that there has been some debate on the Forum about whether these string are correctly named or not, but I'd like to avoid that debate here. What I would like is to understand how to use these strings (baffling to me). Any tabs or suggestions for instructional materials that might help would be welcome. Thanks!

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 12 Mar 2004 7:22 am

The E9 tuning includes strings tuned to the notes of an E chord (E Major Triad) AND some that are 'color tones'. The 1st and 7th strings are tuned to the 9th tone of the E scale, F#. The 2nd is tuned to a natural or Major 7th tone, D#; and the 9th to a flatted 7th (dominant 7).

How do you use them? Basically in two ways.

1. To extend the E Major chord
Add the 9th string it becomes E7
Add the 2nd string it becomes EMa7
Add either the 1st or 7th to the E7 and it becomes E9 (E G# B D F#)

2. To play a scale without moving the bar
For example, to play an EMaj scale in the open position (no bar)
<pre>
1--------------------------------------------
2--------------------0-----------------------
3--------------------------------------------
4------------------------0-------------------
5------------0--0A---------------------------
6-----0--0B----------------------------------
7---0----------------------------------------
8-0------------------------------------------
</pre>
You should look at beginners' courses -- e.g., those from Jeff Newman

My website has some info you may find useful.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
[This message was edited by Larry Bell on 12 March 2004 at 07:25 AM.]

Bengt Erlandsen · Post by **Bengt Erlandsen** » 12 Mar 2004 8:17 am

Take a look at only strings 8 6 5 2 1 at the 8 fret and there is a Cmaj9 voicing.
<pre>
F#-----8------- note = D
Eb-----8------- note = B
G#-------------
E--------------
B------8------- note = G
G#-----8------- note = E
F#-------------
E------8------- note = C
D--------------
B--------------
</pre>

You might play all of those strings at the same time...
But it should not take long before you see that the position also includes the C chord, Ichord ( notes = C E G )
and the Em Chord, IIIm ( notes = E G B )
and the G chord, V chord ( notes = G B D )

Since the Dm would be a whole note down (2frets) from the Em it is at 6th fret.
The same is valid for the F chord (2 frets down from the G chord.

<pre>
C Dm Em F G
F#--------------6--8--
Eb--------6--8--6--8--
G#--------------------
E---------------------
B------8--6--8--6--8--
G#-----8--6--8--------
F#--------------------
E------8--------------
D---------------------
B---------------------
</pre>

There you have 5 positions that cover the first 5 chords in the C major scale
This is one of the ways I use those extra strings.

Or you can play a Fmajor scale harmonized in thirds like this.

<pre>
F#-----4--6--------11--13-----16-18-----
Eb-----4--6--------11--13-----16-18-----
G#--1--------6--8---------13--------18--
E---1--------6--8---------13--------18--
B---------------------------------------
G#--------------------------------------
F#--------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------
</pre>

Make sure you try this over a C chord for a C7 sound. Start on string 3&4 at 8th fret and work your way up/down before ending on a Fchord.

I also use this as part of what/where I like to play.

Bonus is you don't need to use any pedals/levers.

Bengt Erik Erlandsen

Edited for additional info.

If you want to change the minor voicing on strings 6 5 3 to a diminished voicing you need to lower the 2nd string a half-tone.
<pre>
C Dm Em F G Am Bdim C
F#----------------------------13--
Eb--------6--8--------13--15L-13--
G#--------------------------------
E---------------------------------
B------8--6--8--13-15-13--15--13--
G#-----8--6--8--13-15-13--15------
F#--------------------------------
E------8--------13-15-------------
D---------------------------------
B---------------------------------
</pre>

Let the bass play C D E F G A B C while you play the chords in the tab to hear how the major/minor/dim voicing sound.

Then let the bass play A B C D E F G A while you play the same chords.
The C chord will substitute for Am7
The Dm chord will substitute for Bm7b5
The Em chord will substitute for Cmaj7
The F chord will substitute for Dm7
The G chord will substitute for Em7
The Am chord will substitute for Fmaj7
The Bdim chord will substitute for G7
The C chord will substitute for Am7

Sounds completely different doesnt it?[This message was edited by Bengt Erlandsen on 12 March 2004 at 08:50 AM.]

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 12 Mar 2004 8:51 am

Hey Tim,
A nice little scale thing in the key of A is as follows. Go to the 8th fret with your E to F knee lever and the A pedal depressed. Play strings in this order.
5..2..4..1..3..1..4..2..5 You only need the thumb and one finger. It'll give you that middle thing in Orange Blossom Special. Have a good 'un...JH

------------------
Livin' in the Past and the Future with a 12 string Mooney Universal tuning.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 12 Mar 2004 9:03 am

The responses are indeed correct.

The "chromatic" strings do similar to what the black keys do for a piano player when playing in the Key of C.

In addition, their out of sequence position act as an aid in fast single string type of picking; while altenating the thumb and either the index or middle finger.

Probably NO player on earth has explored and discovered their awesome secrets more than Hal Rugg. If you have not heard it, try and get a copy of Loretta Lynn's recording of "One's on the Way". Hal's incredible kick-off and turnaround on this classic will tickle your patience and practice for many hours of trying to uncover his using the chromatic strings.

Hal uses these strings with various combinations of pedals and knee levers. He is truly a master in the use and getting every drop of their awesome value in the E9th tuning.

Others like Buddy Emmons' dropping of the 2nd string a whole tone; and in unison with the 5th string and A pedal; caused more than a few steel player's eyebrows to raise; when we pondered "how in this world did he do that?"

Buddy also uses an usual sliding sustain on the lower string as he reaches up and picks that F# string. He did this on a number of Ray Price classics. He still uses it and it is classic Buddy Emmons.

And appropriately called since HE is the one that came up with the "chromatic" strings.

Doug Jernigan uses these strings like crazy on songs like "Orange Blossom Special" and other fiddle tunes to get lightning fast stacatto type notes that exemplify his playing these tunes correctly.

Paul Franklin and his incredible "Pick blocking" ability affords these strings to be at their sharpest as Paul effortlessly uses them in fast micro-second blocked single note runs and/or licks.

So does Joe Wright. As well as many other greats.

Since Lloyd Green has never lowered his 4th string, he defies logic almost getting sounds; that unknowing players would swear he is using the lowered 4th string. When in reality he is using the 2nd string.

But just in a simple way, these strings provide a way to get that "passing note" melody withOUT having to move the bar. For example, you are playing at any given fret and you are on strings 4, 5 and 6 with A and B down and the melody calls for the 5th of the chord to be a quick b5 note and back; or you need a high 6th note and back.

Similarly, you can do the same with no pedals and also using various combinations of knee levers. In other words, those notes sit "in waiting" to be used sooooooooooooooooo many times in music.

Of course you can slide the bar or use the knee lever to get these notes, but they do NOT sound as good as having them there already. The secret is to move the bar up and uncover them, pick them and then just as fast slide the bar back as your ring finger mutes the string.

If you have not been doing this, you have missed ONE of the secrets of the E9th tuning.

Try it!

carl[This message was edited by C Dixon on 12 March 2004 at 09:14 AM.]

Nicholas Dedring · Post by **Nicholas Dedring** » 12 Mar 2004 9:12 am

Lloyd Green's setup does not drop the 4th string a half step... he must get all those sounds by using String 2. If your hands are as quick as his are, it seems like you can get away with it

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 12 Mar 2004 12:33 pm

My pal Carl wrote:

The "chromatic" strings do similar to what the black keys do for a piano player when playing in the Key of C.

I gotta disagree. While they can provide chromatic notes, they are more commonly used to provide notes from the current scale that aren't in the current chord. For example, at the C fret (8), the first two strings provide the D and B notes. These are white keys on the piano, but they are not part of a C major chord.

Similarly, if you're playing in C at the 3rd fret, you will almost always want to lower the second string half a step to get a scale tone (an F instead of an F#). Again, the "white key of the piano" is the more common usage of the string.

------------------
<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 12 Mar 2004 8:54 pm

"au contraire" b0b. Believe it or not I knew you were going to pounce on that. So I used the word "similar" which does not mean exact. Still I got caught!

Oh well.

The point was that these strings stay unused by most players until needed. True they ARE both in the key of E (or B).

However ONLY one of them is in the key of A or D, an neither is in the key of C#. And all 4 of these keys are rooted with given pedals and/or knee levers.

So they sit there covered up until a player needs them. Then they are uncovered only to find them covered up again when not needed. This was the "similar" analogy I was trying to make referencing the black keys while playing in the key of C on piano.

IE, it is as though the notes are not there, but oh how great when a passing note; or other need to use one or more of them arises in music.

carl

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 12 Mar 2004 11:26 pm

However ONLY one of them is in the key of A or D, an neither is in the key of C#.

"au contraire", Carl! (Who would think that I'd be learning French from a Georgian!

) Both of those notes are in the key of C# - I use them as scale tones all the time in the A+F positions. As for the keys of A and D, that's the raison d'existence for the knee lever that lowers the second string.

Diner: "Excuse me, miss. What's the soup d'jour?"
Waitress: "That's French for 'soup of the day.'"[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 12 March 2004 at 11:28 PM.]

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 13 Mar 2004 5:39 am

you are indeed observant grand master of the Steel Guitar internet

Just wanted to make sure you were awake; and ya didunt let me down.

Actually I posted that late and my eyes could not see a C# from a B squat.

But, they are still "similar" to the black keys on the piano. Now put that in your smipe and poke it!

carlo

Note: if you are from Rio Linda, that is "put that in your pipe and smoke it"

Robert Porri · Post by **Robert Porri** » 13 Mar 2004 6:46 am

Nice thread Tim.

Thankyou to all who are helping. Some really great and clear information.

Bob Porri

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 13 Mar 2004 3:30 pm

<pre>
Key of C major

1__________________3__________
2____________3________________
3______________________3___3B_
4_______________3_____________
5_____3__3A___________________
6__3B_________________________

C lydian scale
</pre>

Many musicians would argue this as the more correct sounding major scale.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 13 Mar 2004 4:19 pm

With a sharp 4?

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 13 Mar 2004 4:30 pm

How do you like your 5 chord with a major 7th? It sounds cool at the end of Lt Kije.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 13 Mar 2004 6:09 pm

What's this guy Franklin know about music anyway...will never make it in the music biz.

steve

Bengt Erlandsen · Post by **Bengt Erlandsen** » 13 Mar 2004 6:43 pm

Looks very much as a C Lydian scale to me.
Major scale it is even if it has a #4.

Correct sounding or not?
It makes sense to me as the starting point for transforming thru all the scales by only changing one note at a time.
Start with a C Lydian and "flat" the F#, B, E, A, D ,G and C one at a time and you have the B lydian as a new starting point.

<pre>
B C - D - E F - G - A - B
- o - o - o - o o - o - o Lydian (starting point)
- o - o - o o - o - o - o Ionian
- o - o - o o - o - o o - Mixolydian
- o - o o - o - o - o o - Dorian
- o - o o - o - o o - o - Phrygian
- o o - o - o - o o - o - Aeolian
- o o - o - o o - o - o - Locrian
o - o - o - o o - o - o - Lydian (half step lower)

o = notes that are part of the scale.
The B C - D .... above is for visual reference.

</pre>

Bengt Erik Erlandsen

Franklin · Post by **Franklin** » 13 Mar 2004 7:39 pm

b0b,

Were you doubting the name of that scale?

The C lydian scale is when the C note is the fourth interval of the G major scale.

G major scale is G A B C D E F# G

C lydian is the same scale from c to C

C D E F# G A B C

The F# is considered to be less of a voice leading tone than the F note is when played over a C major chord. George Russell's book, "The Lydian Chromatic Concept" goes into more depth on why it should be considered more often than not.

The Eb and F# strings allows this scale to be easily adapted.

I love the sound of the F# over a C chord. To my ears, intervals like this can spice things up

Paul

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 14 Mar 2004 10:39 am

I'm still transitioning from straight steel to PSG. I feel I've got a good grasp on the lower strings and pedals, but the E9 chromatics have stumped me so far. This thread has been a great help. Can anyone explain the evolutionary steps leading to the addition of these strings? Thanks again for all the great responses![This message was edited by Tim Whitlock on 14 March 2004 at 10:41 AM.]

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 15 Mar 2004 7:07 pm

...thanks, Paul, for laying that scale out...what a bittersweet sound, I hear it alot in my favorite classical music...

...I've never really applied the Lydian scale in my playing, but just noodling around with it now, so much comes to mind that I can use it with..

...this place is great...like going to Home Depot to get a hammer, and coming home with a bunch of new ideas (and a truckload of material!)...

..thanks for sharing, everyone..

Mike Delaney · Post by **Mike Delaney** » 16 Mar 2004 4:19 am

Thanks to all for their help in this area. Please don't let this die out...more ideas please!

Paul Franklin-Glad to hear you testify! Am a George Russell devotee myself. (I'm quoted on the second or third page of his web site)

Jerry-Thanks for the Orange Blossom thing. Hadn't thought of using strings 1&2 with A&F.

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 16 Mar 2004 9:10 am

All of the ancient sounding names for the scales makes wonder, what was the first plucked string ever? A short clothesline? 8000 years BC?

Paul, I received your E9th concepts video yesterday, watched it last nite. Many Many Thanks for explaining "counterpoint".[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 16 March 2004 at 10:02 AM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 16 Mar 2004 10:55 am

I always get those greek names mixed up.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 16 Mar 2004 6:40 pm

Ha...I had to laugh when I saw Paul's left turn on this thread!

I'm an old Lydian Chomatic Concept refugee myself...that is before I gave up music completly and took up C&W (That's a joke BTW...I Say...a JOKE!!!

) Anyway, I always thought it was my own personal secret arcane
wisdom to draw from when I needed to sound original...I guess it's not so secret anymore. Here's a tip now that all you guys are gonna go running to find this magic book... Start in the middle of the book at the "Theoretical Foundation for the LCC".
Reading just about 5 pages changed my playing forever.

That scale Paul showed us has been in my bag for years.

Sorry to take this thread even more outside.

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 17 Mar 2004 1:30 am

Tim, as far as history of these strings, Buddy Emmons was the one who introduced them on E9 tuning. He took Jimmy Day's seat in the Cherokee Cowboys in -62 and wanted to come up with something new. He thought of the scale sound and came up with those strings. But since he was using a D10 permanent changer Sho Bud and was on the road at the time, he put them on the bass string slot, on strings 9 & 10. The first session and song he used them was Ray Price's "You Took Him Off My Hands". Since the idea worked and caught on, the guitar went back to Sho Bud workshop and the strings were put on the less awkward slot; strings 1 & 2.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 17 Mar 2004 12:11 pm

The scalar things, both "fast" and "pretty" are an E9 mainstay, but as Carl mentioned, some of the real magic in the so-called Chromatics is the unison and harmony movements with lower strings. Look through any of Buddy's tabbed materials for some wonderful examples. The more modern additions of whole and half step raises on the first and second strings have added even more to that bag- check out many of Paul and Dan Dugmore's recent recordings.

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com