F#9 tuning as per Speedy/Buddy

[Herb Steiner]

As promised in an earlier thread, I put the "cockamamie" (as Speedy called it ) F#9 tuning on one neck of my Bigsby-style guitar. This is the tuning that Speed used to record "I'll Never Be Free," and Buddy said was also cool for "Oklahoma Stomp" and others.

To review, the tuning (with guages) is as follows:
<font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>
E C# G# E A# F# D# F#
014 018 020 030 042 054 015 013
</pre></font>

My assessment after 3 days of playing around with this thing:

Aside from a strum chord and the Speedy Octave lick with strings 6 and 8, I can't get a freakin' thing out of it, nor do I have any idea about where to start getting anything out of it!

Has anyone played this tuning and can anyone give some information as to where to begin working the positions/pockets with this thing?

IMWTK!

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

[George Keoki Lake]

Well, for one thing, F#9 sounds best in the 6 string format sans the last two of your 8 strings. I find it to be very nice in Hawaiian music and I doubt you'll get anywhere on it playing western swing...just not setup for that. Type of chords: for example, strings 12&3 on bar 8 give you a C6. Slant 10 9 8 on same strings, C9 . Strings in the bass, particularly 3456 on bar 6 will give you a deep C9. 123 on bar 6 will give you a C7th combined with the 9th. 234 on bar 8, another 6th chord. All of the 6th chords of course are also relative minor chords...(A minor in the above examples). Great for Hawaiian especially if you are using the C#m tuning. F#9 is an added enhancement over the C#m tuning IMHO.

[Herb Steiner]

Ah yes, I see these things now. Boy, my mind is really locked into the grip and scalar relationships of the C6 tuning. Having never really studied Hawaiian music in depth, I approach everything from a western swing perspective. I have lots to learn.
Thanks George.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Homesite

[George Keoki Lake]

Herb, when you've learned it all, please let me know how ya did it. I've been pickin away since 1943 and at 72, I'm still as dumb as ever! I'll agree about one thing, western music and Hawaiian music are two different cats. There's a popular saying in Hawaiian circles regarding some so-called "Hawaiian" stylists..."You can still hear the 'country' in his music". It's no beeg deal, just an observation.