Ramblings on E13

[mick hearn]

This E13 tuning seems very interesting to me, and it seems to me that the biggest changes between one version and another are the lower strings. The intervals of the top four strings are the same as C6 strings 3,4,5 and 6 played on the fourth fret, so a lot of what is known can easily be transferred. I am not an expert on the make up of chords but those that are could soon tell us what difference those lower strings make. What I do seem to find are repeats of the same chord along the neck but with subtle variations. As with C6 there is a choice of where you can play. Either doing 1,4,5 routine or playing around the 4 and 5 chords. I know nothing about music and just happen to be able to play a tune or two by ear and half the time I am just blundering around until I find something that suites. Oh yes, another discovery. At some time in the past I had tuned my 7th string to B instead of G#. Seems to make more sense to me so have left it. For tab purposes I have left the tuning as is to Leon's tuning.

Lets have a look at “Take it Away Leon”. Its in Bb so if we were to play the first part of the first solo he moves between the 1 chord on fret 6 for the opening rake and then moves up the fretboard to do a slant on fret 13 and sliding between frets 12 and 13 before returning to fret 6 again. Then he alternates moving up and down between frets 11 and 13 before once again returning to the 1 chord on fret 6. The rest of the song tends to follow the same type of pattern. For pedal steel purposes it's pedals up.

TAB: SELECT ALL
Part Solo "Take It Away Leon"   Bb                        
                                                                           
                                                                           
   Bb                                                                      
E |-6--6------------|-6--6-----------|-6--6------------|--6-------6-------|
C#|---r-6-----6-6---|-----6----6-6---|-----6---6-6-----|--6-------6-------|
B |----a-6--6--6--6-|------6-6--6-6--|------6-6-6-6----|--6-------6-------|
G#|-----k-6---------|-------6--------|-------6---------|--6-------6-------|
F#|------e----------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
D |-----------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
G#|-----------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
E |-----------------|----------------|-----------------|------------------|
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
   Eb                                  Bb                                  
E |------13---13--13|---13<12>13<12>13|--6------6------|-------------11-12|
C#|----12---12---12-|--12<11>12<11>12-|--6---6--6------|-------------11-12|
B |--11---11---11---|-11<10>11<10>11--|--6---6--6------|-------------11-12|
G#|10---10---10-----|10<-9>10<-9>10---|--6---6--6------|-------------11-12|
F#|-----------------|-----------------|------6---------|------------------|
D |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|------------------|
G#|-----------------|-----------------|----------------|------------------|
E |-----------------|-----------------|----------------|------------------|
     slant                                                                 
                                                                           
                                                                           
   F                                                Bb                     
E |-13----13-12-11----11-12-|13----13-12-11----11-|-6-6---6---------------|
C#|-13----13-12-11----11-12-|13----13-12-11----11-|-6-6-6-6---------------|
B |-13----13-12-11----11-12-|13----13-12-11----11-|-----6-----------------|
G#|-13-13-13-12-11-11-11-12-|13-13-13-12-11-11-11-|-6-6-6-6---------------|
F#|-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
D |-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
G#|-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
E |-------------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|

Now let us compare this with “Blue Steel Blues”. For this example I am taking Tom Morrell's version as that is the one I base my playing on. I am not sure if Leon did any stealing again but this is awfully close to “Blue Steel Guitar” and in fact I wonder if they are the same tune. Anyway, this time the key is E but instead of starting on open strings, the tune is played mainly around the 4 and 5 chord area with an occasional drop to the 1 chord on open strings therefore we are playing around frets 5 and 7 but also moving up to fret 9. Judging by what I have heard on Leon's version I can only assume he is going along the same route. Picturing this on pedal steel I would equate this to pedals down. (And before anyone starts, it's my mental picture and bears no relation to what is happening musically.)

TAB: SELECT ALL
Blue Steel Blues          Key E                        
                                                                           
                                                                           
    E                                                                      
E |----7-7-8-9----|----9-9-8-7----|----9-9-8-7-------|-----7--------------|
C#|--7------------|-7-------------|--7---------7<5---|-5>7---7<5----------|
B |---------------|---------------|---------------5--|-----------5--5-----|
G#|---------------|---------------|------------------|------------5-------|
F#|---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
D |---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
G#|---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
E |---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
    A                               E                                      
E |---------------|-7-------------|------------------|-----------------7--|
C#|---------------|-7-------------|------------------|-------------6>7----|
B |-8--7--5-------|-----8-7<5-----|-5--5~~~~---------|-0------------------|
G#|-8--7---5------|---8-------5---|-5--5~~~~----0----|-0------------------|
F#|---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
D |---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
G#|---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
E |---------------|---------------|------------------|--------------------|
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
    B7                               E                                     
E |---------------|----7-----------|--------0--0--0--|--0-----------------|
C#|-7-6----------6|>7----7---------|-----------------|--------------------|
B |----7----------|-------7--8--7--|5----------------|--------------------|
G#|----7----------|----------8--7--|5-------0--1--2--|--3-----------------|
F#|---------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
D |---------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
G#|---------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------------|
E |---------------|----------------|-----------------|--------------------|

So there we are so far. This is what I have discovered by playing about and trying different things. Don't be afraid to have a go yourselves. I hope this is of some help and as I have already stated I am by no means an expert. When I am playing around I will try the same song on both C6 and E13 necks to see which suites it.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

That was an interesting read Mick and we are so proud to have you in our group of musically ignorant though i still think you know more than most of us.......give us another tune mate....how about some Gospel or Jazz?

[mick hearn]

John thanks for that. I have several in the pipeline and it is always difficult to know what to do. Brother Can You Spare A Dime, Route 66, Right or Wrong, That Girl Who Waits on Tables all on the machine. As always, the difficult part is the arrangement during the ad lib sections and coming up with something interesting. A title suggestion is always handy.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Mick, hers a challange for you, try playing "Getting sentimental over you " I am finding it a bitch of a thing to play but am not about to give up.....