Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
sounds great Greg!
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Thank you, Andrew! 

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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Aloha Greg,
Sounded really nice!
Yup, you're right. Any given string has every single possible note on it.
The given tuning across multiple strings only makes it easier or more difficult to play the chords you want to achieve with a straight bar.
It's fun to hunt for other possibilities using those open strings! Love it!
Enjoy!
Sounded really nice!
Yup, you're right. Any given string has every single possible note on it.
The given tuning across multiple strings only makes it easier or more difficult to play the chords you want to achieve with a straight bar.
It's fun to hunt for other possibilities using those open strings! Love it!
Enjoy!
Aloha,
Mike K

1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
Mike K
1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Aloha, Michael!
Non-pedal life is pretty great βafter years of dragging a pedal steel around.
It certainly teaches a player to be resourceful!
-GV
Non-pedal life is pretty great βafter years of dragging a pedal steel around.
It certainly teaches a player to be resourceful!
-GV
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Oh yes. I agree.Greg Vincent wrote: 4 Aug 2025 7:46 am Aloha, Michael!![]()
Non-pedal life is pretty great βafter years of dragging a pedal steel around.![]()
It certainly teaches a player to be resourceful!
-GV
After a career in the Army with countless 75lb pack, 12-15 mile ruck marches and carrying heavy gear all over the place for no damn good reason, I absolutely refuse to carry heavy stuff without justification.
That, and I don't want to carry an 80lb case to a gig that pays $100. 15 mins of setup and 15 mins of teardown. No thank you. Wouldn't even do it for $350.
Not to mention that if you buy a used pedal steel, they're old and come with all kinds of problems and someone else's copedent. So I'd have to drop $10K+ for a new Mullen, and then have all my pedal steel buddies try to give me buyer's remorse telling me I should have bought an Emmons. Or Vice Versa.
The more that I think about it, the more it sounds like a whole lotta "Nope!".
All you need to do is listen to Kayton Roberts and realize all the sounds are right there on straight steel.
Even better when you play Hawaiian music and can just bring a lap steel. haha. I'll do a $100 gig plus a free meal for that. Sounds like a fun night out.
Enjoy!
Aloha,
Mike K

1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
Mike K
1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Iβm kinda digging Dobro life, Michael βdonβt even need an amp! 

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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
NICE!!!Greg Vincent wrote: 5 Aug 2025 11:18 am Iβm kinda digging Dobro life, Michael βdonβt even need an amp!![]()
My wife's a flute player. I'm jealous of her every time I see her case.
Aloha,
Mike K

1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
Mike K
1932 A22 Rickenbacher Frypan, 1937 7string Prewar Rickenbacher Bakelite (C Diatonic), 1937 7string Epiphone Electar (Jerry Byrd's E9), 1937 Epiphone Electar (C#m9), 1940's Post War Rickenbacher Bakelite (Feet's D), 1950 Supro (Open F), 1950's Rickenbacher ACE (C6), 1950's Rickenbacher A25 Frypan (A6), 1957 National New Yorker (Jerry's E13), 1955 Q8 Fender Stringmaster (A6, C6, Noel's E13, C Diatonic), 1961 Supro (Open A), 8string VanderDonck Frypan (Buddy Emmons's C6).
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Stacy Phillips was the master at getting additional chord voicing on standard G-tuned Dobro via use of slants and behind-the-bar pulls. His book is decades old but still useful and relevant.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Terrific stuff, Andy βnice fiddling, too! 
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
nice grab....
I've found all sorts of great stuff by not obsessing on trying to force the chord I want/need into an inversion that the tuning won't provide by remembering that your guitar player or bass player will carry the 1 and the 5 of the chord 99% of the time.
I'll frequently transpose a tune to a key that allows me to employ open notes, just like your example.
I also look for ways to get the melody note I need combined with the tritone of the chord [or one of the tritone notes with a slide in grace note to the other] That tritone will define your harmony as major, minor or dominant and give you what you're ear is seeking.
I've found all sorts of great stuff by not obsessing on trying to force the chord I want/need into an inversion that the tuning won't provide by remembering that your guitar player or bass player will carry the 1 and the 5 of the chord 99% of the time.
I'll frequently transpose a tune to a key that allows me to employ open notes, just like your example.
I also look for ways to get the melody note I need combined with the tritone of the chord [or one of the tritone notes with a slide in grace note to the other] That tritone will define your harmony as major, minor or dominant and give you what you're ear is seeking.
Bobby Wolfe Ported Reso, OMI Hound Dog, 47 National New Yorker, Emmons Mahogany Single 8 lap steel
, Supro Frankensteel, Phoenix Jazz Mandolin, John Knutsen Songbird Acoustic, 1840 Henry Schatz parlor guitar.
, Supro Frankensteel, Phoenix Jazz Mandolin, John Knutsen Songbird Acoustic, 1840 Henry Schatz parlor guitar.
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Re: Fancy, big-city chords on a bluegrass tuning?
Agreed, Joseph! The interesting stuff is in the 3rd and the extensions (7th, b7th, 9th, etc.), alterations (aug/dim), suspensions and such. In an ensemble, all you need to do is suggest these flavors.