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Topic: B Bowman Hop |
Gary Mortensen
From:
Elgin, TX
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Posted 18 Dec 2010 11:25 am |
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The Wills recording of B Bowman Hop is in the key of E. Any idea what tuning Mr. Bowman was using?
Thanks,
Gary |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 18 Dec 2010 11:30 am Just my own idea but................
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My EARS told me at a very early age........
that it was most likely A6th.
That's where I learned it and played it for years.
It layed there perfectly but I'm sure it could be played in a variety of different tunings.
Back in the early days of steel guitar, A6th was a popular tuning: PLAYBOY CHIMES was another in A6th.
BOOTHEAL DRAG was another of that day, performed in C#min. |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 18 Dec 2010 2:11 pm
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Gary, I think the original used E13.
G#
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
B
I can't locate my list of his tunings right
now but I think that is pretty close to what Billy
Bowman used.
As noted above, you can also play it using A6th or
C6th but it comes out a bit different from the original. |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 19 Dec 2010 6:32 pm
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Yes,
I beleive it is E13 as I have just been getting to this tune lately. I don't here any high G# in there and most of the early Western players did not use it ( Tho I know Don Helms did but...):
Here is the tuning I would say Billy Bowman used:
E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
B
G#
The bass end could be different for Billy Bowmans tuning but not used on this tune
Todd |
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Blake Hawkins
From:
Florida
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Posted 19 Dec 2010 7:13 pm
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Todd, On the original record at the end of the first verse it sure sounds to me that he is using an open
G#. Then at the end of the bridge it's there.
I've played it both with and without the high G#
and I just can't get close to the original without
it.
I'll grant that both you and Ray have much better
ear than I. So I don't mean to contradict. I'm just puzzled.
Blake |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 19 Dec 2010 7:43 pm
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Hi Blake,
You could be right. I have not picked it completely apart. I play the last section as a fretted G# ( on string 2 or 3) with the open high E. I am mostly gereralizing , based on the common tunings of the day, and the E13 of the Wills alumni. I also am unsure of the middle E that you show.
I use a variation on Leon McAuliffe's E13 and it tends to work out naturally on it. Leon, Koeffer, Vance Terry,Remington, all used a slight variation of the same tuning so I figured Billy Bowman did too, and did not think twice on it.
Truthfully it could be played with both tunings. I just try to point people into the original forms of the tuning.
A lot of guys do it on C6th now a days too.
Todd |
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Drew Howard
From:
48854
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Posted 19 Apr 2018 7:30 am
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Whatever the tuning is, when the song (in E) goes to the II chord, Billy slides up to a unison G#. So, to my ear, the G# is the top note in the tuning.
Youtube has video of Don Helms playing the song, a natural for him because his E6 tuning had the G#.
Lots of players play verbatim on the C neck. |
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