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Post by Dessery on Jul 23, 2017 18:44:57 GMT
Hi all
I was hoping for some advice. I have gotten really into vestapool tuning recently, particularly open E and have been putting in a lot of time mapping back stuff I know in standard tuning into it and really getting a better understanding of the fret board and different chord voicings. It's been great and I'm having a lot of fun!!
The one area I'm still struggling with though is knowing what to do with my thumb when on the fourth chord. I'm so used to be going to the open A string in standard tuning and I'm missing not having it.
I could just bar the 5th fret and use the 6th string but that gets boring fast, especially when there are so many other nice 7th chord options. There are some options around the 10th fret on the 5th string but you don't get that really deep note that I'm looking for.
How do other people deal with this? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
All the best
David
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2017 19:11:48 GMT
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rothko
MM Forum Member
Posts: 17 
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Post by rothko on Jul 23, 2017 20:05:17 GMT
Just to second that I find this a real problem too, as a recent convert to open tunings.
I find open G has two almost equally strong chord centres of G and D: so you could use D as your I chord with a barre at the 7th fret, and G as your corresponding IV chord. Or if using G as your I chord, you can at least thunb-fret the second fret on the bottom string for part of your IV chord.
Open D, like DADGAD, has an almost overpoweringly strong I chord, and a weak IV. It's just the way of that tuning.
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Post by Michael Messer on Jul 23, 2017 20:40:05 GMT
Hi David
I am not sure that I understand your question.
Are you looking for an A chord using the open strings, rather than barring at the 5th fret?
A major
E - X
B - 2
E - 0
G# - 1
B - 2
E - X
A 7th (7th at bottom, very Miss'ippi)
E - 3
B - 2
E - 0
G# - 1
B - 2
E - X
A7th (7th in middle)
E - X
B - 2
E - 3
G# - 1
B - 2
E - X
Or break those shapes up and only use half chords. I do this a lot in Vestapol tuning because if picked in a certain way it sounds like standard tuning chords
A7th for example
G# - 1
B - 2
E - 3
A major
G# - 1
B - 2
E - X
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Dessery on Jul 23, 2017 21:28:33 GMT
Hi all
Thank you so much for your comments. It's great to know in not alone in this. Thank you so much Michael for the list of chords!! I'll run through them properly tomorrow. Thank you peet for the links. That book and site both look really useful!!
I'm trying to think of an example to illustrate the problem. I think one would be something like Robert Johnson's Me and the Devil blues where he plays the A7 chord up at the 8/9th frets on the top 3 strings but he keeps the open A string chugging away with his thumb behind it. That A7 chord shape is easy as pie in open E but you don't have the open A string to keep the base going because the 5th string is a B. You might be able to get away with the 10th fret on the 5th string but it's too high an octave to get the same feel.
I hope that helps clarify things.
Many thanks all for your input!!
All the best
David
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rothko
MM Forum Member
Posts: 17
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Post by rothko on Jul 23, 2017 21:40:13 GMT
Michael's partial chords above are excellent.
I like it in earlier country blues, when the IV chord is more implied or modal. Whereas in a lot of electric blues, the whole band tends to jump in with both feet on the tonic of the IV chord, making it much more an abrupt shift in tonality.
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Post by Michael Messer on Jul 23, 2017 22:02:32 GMT
David, I would use the top 3 strings A chord and damp my bass note to a thud. Sometimes I do play the root bass note, but syncopated and only accenting the bars, rather than every beat.
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Michael Messer on Jul 23, 2017 22:11:34 GMT
Rothko, thank you! I also use those 3 string chords when I play electric blues. If played right it can sound as much Earl Hooker as it can Robert Johnson. I use similar 3 string 5 chords too.
If there is an easy way to play something that creates the right sound, use it! It doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, it just has to sound right
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Michael Messer on Jul 23, 2017 22:27:09 GMT
....sometimes my 4 chord in Vestapol is just one note, the 7th, with occasional damped thud bass notes accenting the bars
E - X
B - X
E - X
G# - X
B - X
E - 3 bend to the blue note.
5 chord... B7
E - X
B - X
E - 2
G# - 1
B - 0
E - 2
...or just this, strummed up, Fred McDowell style
E - X
B - X
E - X
G# - 1
B - 0
E - 2
Shine On
Michael
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Post by Dessery on Jul 24, 2017 6:49:58 GMT
Hi Michael Thank you so much, it never even occurred to me to just mute it and play it anyway, I'll give that a go!! I have tried playing it open as it's the 5th note in the A chord anyway but you don't get the right feel. I really appreciate everyone's input on this. As always Michael, I'm grateful for this amazing platform you offer us  All the best David |
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