Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by CaptNick on July 25, 2010 at 1:23am

Folsom Prison Blues utilizing a cbg tuned GDg. You can play the complete song and sing along by just barring C and D and of course the G is open strummed.

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Permalink Reply by non on December 13, 2010 at 3:47pm

Can someone explain how to play the chords like G(IV) and F# that have open circles on the same strings as closed circles?

Diane in Chicago said:

Here is a chord chart, just read the lines for GDg under the diagrams and you are in business.

Ballymack said:

It happened alright LOL. Anyway new string fitted and we will stick with GDG.


Thanks

Diane in Chicago said:

I'd go down first. But if the strings are too floppy you could try going up, with the caveat that the strings could break.


Can you just play in G? Watch KnotLenny and then turn him off and go at it with your instrument.

Ballymack said:

OK I like it but this is going to sound dumb. I'm in GDG so do I tune up or down to DAD


Bluesdog said:

KnotLenny does a badass version of Chuck Berry's Maybeline further up in this instructional video.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy04bkM_JSc


The song start's @ 3:52 but the lesson is good to so it might help you.

3 chord's, no pick'in ) but very cool. :)

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on December 14, 2010 at 1:37am

Now this is just my opinion, but I would suggest if you are interested in strumming chords, a GDg (major scale intervals 151) is not the best tuning. Utilizing a tuning like ADf# (Open D using a 513 interval relationship) may be a better functional tuning. This is nothing new, but applied 6 string open tuning reduced down to the essential 3 major chord notes on a 3 string CBG. Any arrangement of these three tones will work out a system of movable chords. Common ideas: gbd (135 Key of G), gec (531 Key of C), f#ad (351 Key of D). See this chart:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/13-keys?context=user

Just some food for thought. Happy Holidays. Enjoy.      

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Permalink Reply by Mark Bliss on December 14, 2010 at 8:05am

Good thread, and it lays bare a glaring need.

I have studied music theory till my head hurts. Actually remember some of it too. But......

Sometimes I just want someone to "show me a song". No theory, terminology, 7ths, 5ths, flats sharps, inversions, voicings,... I dont even want to think of the chord or note names. Just "do this". And play along.

It seems I learn best visually, and by practice. If I can hear the song in my head, (familiarity) and someone steps me through it, I have it. Usually in about 1/10th the time it takes to step through the tablature and figure it out. Oh and once I learn the basic version of a song I like and get it down, THEN I can go about souping it up a bit to suit my abilities.

Now dont get me wrong, I love lessons by Keni and others, and devour every bit I can find. I wish some of this was more centrally located and better organized here too.

But sometimes I just want someone to just give it to me simple. So heres my advise for those of you AWESOME souls who just love to help others out here.

Post some video, strike the notes of your instrument so we can hear the tuning, and show us the basic chord or note fingerings and film it from a position where we can see your hands.

I'll be practicing along with you if its a song I dont already know!Maybe even if its one I do!

And keep posting these tabs, Basic AND advanced. love it! (But can we PLEASE put it in one common location so we can find it again instead of having it buried in a long thread like this?)

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Permalink Reply by BenBob on December 14, 2010 at 9:04am

Brooks & Dunn - Neon Moon (one of my favorites)

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on December 15, 2010 at 4:24am

Keni, I have mine tuned to DAD, what would you suggest instead using the 513 interval? I like picking and strumming my frettless guitars with and without a slide. I just finger notes but not any chords other than a simple barred chord. Thanks.

Keni Lee Burgess said:

Now this is just my opinion, but I would suggest if you are interested in strumming chords, a GDg (major scale intervals 151) is not the best tuning. Utilizing a tuning like ADf# (Open D using a 513 interval relationship) may be a better functional tuning. This is nothing new, but applied 6 string open tuning reduced down to the essential 3 major chord notes on a 3 string CBG. Any arrangement of these three tones will work out a system of movable chords. Common ideas: gbd (135 Key of G), gec (531 Key of C), f#ad (351 Key of D). See this chart:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/13-keys?context=user

Just some food for thought. Happy Holidays. Enjoy.      

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Permalink Reply by CaptNick on December 15, 2010 at 10:43am

Can't open up yo?ur demo

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on December 15, 2010 at 11:12am

This was kind of my point for this thread in the first place. Should I learn all the music theory and know how to play correctly, yea. But until I reach that point, I want to be able to demonstrate my guitars, or maybe just play for my own satisfaction, even if I have no idea why I am playing the notes I am playing.

Mark Bliss said:

Good thread, and it lays bare a glaring need.

I have studied music theory till my head hurts. Actually remember some of it too. But......

Sometimes I just want someone to "show me a song". No theory, terminology, 7ths, 5ths, flats sharps, inversions, voicings,... I dont even want to think of the chord or note names. Just "do this". And play along.

It seems I learn best visually, and by practice. If I can hear the song in my head, (familiarity) and someone steps me through it, I have it. Usually in about 1/10th the time it takes to step through the tablature and figure it out. Oh and once I learn the basic version of a song I like and get it down, THEN I can go about souping it up a bit to suit my abilities.

Now dont get me wrong, I love lessons by Keni and others, and devour every bit I can find. I wish some of this was more centrally located and better organized here too.

But sometimes I just want someone to just give it to me simple. So heres my advise for those of you AWESOME souls who just love to help others out here.

Post some video, strike the notes of your instrument so we can hear the tuning, and show us the basic chord or note fingerings and film it from a position where we can see your hands.

I'll be practicing along with you if its a song I dont already know!Maybe even if its one I do!

And keep posting these tabs, Basic AND advanced. love it! (But can we PLEASE put it in one common location so we can find it again instead of having it buried in a long thread like this?)

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on December 15, 2010 at 5:20pm

There's a good book on music theory which is an easy read, called 'The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory' by Michael Miller (2nd Edition). Don't let the title put you off this one. It's $20 US and is available at most major book stores and from Amazon.com. They'll take you through all this terminology including chord inversions. A little music theory goes a long way.

 

-Rand.

Ballymack said:

Sorry but I wish i knew what the hell you were on about. It seems to me that the strumstick thing all the frets are different.
Sorry but I need a dummies guide here and what you say about
i chord: 0/0/0 or (even better) 0/0/4
iv chord: 5/2/0 or 0/2/5
v7 chord: 2/0/5 or 5/0/2

and inversions mean nothing to me.

Its no direspect to anyone but I am a complete newbie and people are talking about dulcimers as if I now what their on about, I have a standard 3 string CBG, if I was to go on about flying helicopters and started using terminology to a complete newbie then they would not now what I was on about.

Please don't think I'm being ungrateful because I'm not but sometimes people get carried away when trying to explain even the basics.

Thanks anyway, I will hopefully understand oneday and will kep perservering.
Cheers

Jef Long said:

i chord: 0/0/0 or (even better) 0/0/4
iv chord: 5/2/0 or 0/2/5
v7 chord: 2/0/5 or 5/0/2

these are the inversions you want to start with in this tuning, will make chord changes much more seamless than barring the lot, fingerpickin etc..

a few well known songs..
knockin on heavens door
wild thing
louie louie
la bamba
twist & shout
johnny b goode or anything by chuck berry
hey bo diddley or (nearly) anything by bo diddley

i think the best thing you can do for these people you are talking about is leave some frets off too..
check out the strumstick website..

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Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on December 15, 2010 at 5:31pm

I'm a picker, not a strummer. I have a few easy songs for pickers on my personal blog on CBN. Here are a couple of links:

1. Diatonic Songs (for stick dulcimers, strum sticks, or whatever you call your diatonic strummer).
2. Chromatic Songs (mostly the same songs as above, but with chromatic fret numbering)

Maybe some of you will enjoy some of these songs.

-Rand.

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Permalink Reply by BenBob on December 15, 2010 at 6:33pm

"I don't know anything about music. In my line, you don't have to."

- Elvis Presley

 

One of my favorites: Marie Laveau (actually it goes bared 0-1-2 before "a no good man" and "she wiggled and she giggled.")  The rest is all 0-5-7 frets though.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on December 15, 2010 at 6:35pm

Hello MichaelS,

I mainly play fretted CBG. Basically this allows me to apply my past 6 string knowledge to a CBG. Shane is a very experienced fretless player and may be the best person to direct this question to. He did a nice video demonstrating getting different ideas by tuning the first string differently.

I know many new players are frustrated. (Lord knows I spent years in frustration) It is quite apparent by some of the posts. I think it is important that they consider one of the problems is the unique approach needed to be able to play a non standard 3 string instrument. Especially fretless

Certainly fretting a CBG (diatonically) like a dulcimer / strum stick makes available a lot of existing instruction and music. 

Currently with my new series, I am simply teaching a method of moveable chords for 3 string CBG. Using this knowledge with any music "fake book" that contains chords to your favorite songs will make it possible to play a CBG just like a standard 6. Picking or strumming.

I am not inventing anything new. This is just the 3 notes needed to make a major chord found on  the high strings of an open C tuned guitar. CGC(GCE) I just have it tuned up to D (ADF#) so I can use GDG tuning on CBG and tune ADF# without changing strings.

 

To answer your question, the other day I was thinking about another tuning to come out of GDG tuning. I will keep you posted when I discover it. I have some ideas.  

 

I hope people understand, I am not trying to confuse anyone, but like any art, the simple fact it just doesn't happen overnight.

I know just the mention of the word "theory" makes people uneasy, but it has been very useful to me.

I use it as a tool to explore the fingerboard. In reality for the style of music I play, Blues, you don't need alot.

I think a good suggestion might be if you are a builder is: Find a local guitar / banjo teacher and give him /her a CBG. Turn them onto the Nation. Let them play around with it for awhile and ask if you can take some lessons. It might work out real well.

I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to write if I can be of any further assistance. Happy Holidays. Enjoy.      

   

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