I have just, for the first time ever, deliberately tuned my Johnson Tricone to EADGBE. One of my residents, an Iranian gentleman who was a very successful professional musician before taking up medicine and coming to the U.S., wanted to try it out and Open E confused him. I've got on light enough strings now for them to be happy in Open E or standard tuning, so I quickly retuned it. He played some really pretty stuff, just noodling around. Now I'm trying to remember some basic "open" chords and plunk around a bit.
:D
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
I like playin' slide in standard.
I'm sorry. Am I the only one who found the title of this one funny?
Might be. My Johnson's been a running joke long enough that a lot of folks just ignore it. :D
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Uh ... yeah, I just assumed Ric had made a permanent move from Bristol to Johnson City.
-=tension & release=-
yeah. he plays with his Johnson.
I'm sorry. Am I the only one who found the title of this one funny?
No.... I got it too.
Here's wishing you fun playing with your standard Johnson, Ricochet! So, has this gent taught you some cool stuff?
Jim-Bone
Haven't really had time to learn anything from him, but I was impressed with what I heard. He said he was adapting it from sitar and compensating for the lack of quarter tones (he doesn't use a slide and doesn't know about string bending) on the fretboard. He said he was going to bring in his sitar to show me. That ought to be cool!
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Yep, that should be cool! Let us know how it goes.
Jim-Bone
Haven't really had time to learn anything from him, but I was impressed with what I heard. He said he was adapting it from sitar and compensating for the lack of quarter tones (he doesn't use a slide and doesn't know about string bending) on the fretboard. He said he was going to bring in his sitar to show me. That ought to be cool!
Now that should be a really interesting meeting of cultures! Like KC said, let us know what transpires. BTW Ric, you could always try sliding in standard - you're played in open G, so it shouldn't be too big an adjustment. You might even have a go at Freebird!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
How long is your scale on that Johnson?
Sorry, just had to do that. :roll:
I used to play a lot of slide years ago, but I'm pretty lousy at it now. I liked open E and A especially. But it always threw me off on scales and how to play other chords besides Major chords. So I ended up playing in standard tuning. A little more difficult, but it can be done.
Here is a good video of Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top playing slide in standard tuning. I always thought he played the solos in an open tuning, but he does not. But it sure sounds like it to the ear. It's the 2nd song.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
What I found really interesting about the ZZ Top video - Billy seems to be wearing the slide on his middle finger. Quality isn't great, and I'm having a hard time making it out even with the reading glasses on.
What I could really do with is a tab for the bit of "la Grange" that starts around 1.37 into the video....anyone?
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
The scale's 25.5", Wes.
I watched Billy Gibbons playing "La Grange" a few years back and concluded he was in Open A, because he was playing the main riff just by fretting (looked like barring) at the 3rd and 5th frets and sliding for the solo. Could have been wrong, of course.
He does in any case slide with his middle finger.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Since we're talking about Ricochet's Johnson again :roll: , I decided to look up something that an old friend of mine used to make:
the perfect companion to your Johnson
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
