Alternate tunings?

Mrpeabody · #1 03-05-2007, 08:25 PM

Would anyone know if our Man used any alternate or different guitar tunings in any of his recordings with FM? Thanks!

doodyhead · #2 03-06-2007, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrpeabody

Would anyone know if our Man used any alternate or different guitar tunings in any of his recordings with FM? Thanks!

Other than when he played slide guitar for "Showbiz Blues" which was apparently tuned to a chord, the only other song I know of that he played anything in a tuning was when he recorded the original version of Albatross. I had read somewhere that Peter did the high part himself on a Stratocaster in d tuning. I hope someone has better info than me.

vinnie c

zoork_1 · #3 03-06-2007, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrpeabody

Would anyone know if our Man used any alternate or different guitar tunings in any of his recordings with FM? Thanks!

To my ears (after been listening to both studio and live recordings) PG rarely used alternate tunings. Doodyhead might be right about "Showbiz Blues". I don't know about Albatross ...

/Zoork

dansven · #4 03-06-2007, 03:52 PM

A little off topic.. but Danny used a different tuning of "Like Crying", didn't he? But I suppose Peter had regular tuning, playing lead on that song.

Wouter Vuijk · #5 03-06-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansven

A little off topic.. but Danny used a different tuning of "Like Crying", didn't he? But I suppose Peter had regular tuning, playing lead on that song.

I just took a look at The Early Years video. Apparantly Danny has his guitar tuned to open D.

dansven · #6 03-07-2007, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wouter Vuijk

I just took a look at The Early Years video. Apparantly Danny has his guitar tuned to open D.

Thanks for helping me Wouter!

bluemick · #7 03-07-2007, 06:35 AM

And you can see that Peter is retuning his high E after this song...
I think he's playing with this string tuned in D (it makes sense with the fingers position during this song).

Michael

dansven · #8 03-07-2007, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluemick

And you can see that Peter is retuning his high E after this song...
I think he's playing with this string tuned in D (it makes sense with the fingers position during this song).

Michael

Really? I hadn't noticed! Thanks, Michael!

Mrpeabody · #9 03-13-2007, 12:46 AM

Thanks for the help. I'm also wondering if a different tuning (or capo at least) was used for the soloing on Green Manalishi. That I'd definitely want to learn.

doodyhead · #10 03-13-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrpeabody

Would anyone know if our Man used any alternate or different guitar tunings in any of his recordings with FM? Thanks!

If you google peter green for images on the web, you will find in some pictures from back then peter playing a stratocaster with a capo on the first fret. It was common to a few guitar slingers to tune down a half step or sometimes a whole step with higher guage strings to have the ability to bend notes without the rubbery sound of light guage strings. Jeff Beck, does this for sure. It would appear from those capo pictures that Peter may have done the same thing. the only way to know apart froma asking him is to link a known song or concert to the picture and then play the recording to see what key he was in. Without the capo the e position wold be d# (or Eb)
Steve ray Vaughn was also one of those people.

chiliD · #11 03-13-2007, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doodyhead

If you google peter green for images on the web, you will find in some pictures from back then peter playing a stratocaster with a capo on the first fret. It was common to a few guitar slingers to tune down a half step or sometimes a whole step with higher guage strings to have the ability to bend notes without the rubbery sound of light guage strings. Jeff Beck, does this for sure. It would appear from those capo pictures that Peter may have done the same thing. the only way to know apart froma asking him is to link a known song or concert to the picture and then play the recording to see what key he was in. Without the capo the e position wold be d# (or Eb)
Steve ray Vaughn was also one of those people.

And, sometimes, guitarists will use a capo to play in the key of F# or B more comfortably.

Most guys who tune down to Eb don't capo...Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, SRV (rarely capoed).

zoork_1 · #12 03-13-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doodyhead

"[...]...to have the ability to bend notes without the rubbery sound of light guage strings"

What do you mean by "rubbery sound of light guage strings"?

Zoork

doodyhead · #13 03-13-2007, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoork_1

What do you mean by "rubbery sound of light guage strings"?

Zoork

When you play with light gauge strings the strings bend rather easily and in return for the ease they are hard to control and keep the note precise. what you end up with is a crappy trill or hammer on that never sounds in right note. by using a heavier gauuge string tuned down, you get a string that is easier to bend but thicker and as a result it doesntdeviate from the intended note. or if it does it tends to be more graceful. if you keep it in concert pitch. you have the same effect but it it is much harder to play for extended periods of time. Thats when you resort to crazy stuff like gluing the ends of your fingers to delay blistering and bleeding.

it is a little dance that guitar players do. again, the more you play the better the fingers to lessen those crazy things

doodyhead

zoork_1 · #14 03-14-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doodyhead

When you play with light gauge the strings bend rather easily and in return for the ease they are hard to control and keep the note precise. what you end up with is a ...[...]".

Thanks for answering doodyhead.
What is your guess concerning strings gauge and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apH_K6VWCPg ...

/Zoork

doodyhead · #15 03-15-2007, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoork_1

Thanks for answering doodyhead.
What is your guess concerning strings gauge and this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apH_K6VWCPg ...

/Zoork

I listened to the sample and the first thing I thought was " If I had $200000 dollars I would go to maverick music and buy Peters old guitar".

The second thing i thought was "I remember hearing a Live recorded Concert Release where in between songs Jeremy Spencer uses one of his mock voices and calls out to Peter "What kind of strings do you use?

Now to answer the question.. back in the late sixties there were not the choices of strings that we have today. The first big choice was round or flat wound, then nickel or bronze, then light medium or heavy. My inclination is that he used a light to medim gauge which would start at an 11 or 12 and go to a 49 to 54 on the other side. Since he was also a Bass player I would think his fingers were as hard as nails and he would be at home on the heavier side. You asked me to guess so I would pick the bronze for brighter sound. What did they have available in england? you got me there. In Brooklyn I used darco's light gauge. Ernie balls did not come out until very late 68 or 9. let alone the other brands.
I might suggest that you go to the vintage Les Paul forum. I bet they have whole threads devoted to this.
http://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/index.php

now that I have succeded in making a fool of myself i will say that PG had one of the sweetest guitar sounds and touch around. Where did the first sample come from?

vinnie c