Steven Stills use of alternate tunings

Neil replies to questions from our members.
AcousticAl
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Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:14 pm

Neil,

Would like to see your material reposted for Steven Stills alternate tunings on songs such as 4 + 20 and possibly suite judy blue eyes. In your CS&N section I see only one song and at one time thought you had more advanced material on this groups acoustic guitar songs.


BigBear
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Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:44 pm

norm2 wrote:
Neil,

Would like to see your material reposted for Steven Stills alternate tunings on songs such as 4 + 20 and possibly suite judy blue eyes. In your CS&N section I see only one song and at one time thought you had more advanced material on this groups acoustic guitar songs.

Hey Norm! Welcome to the program! We're happy to have you! If you wouldn't mind, we'd like to have you introduce yourself on the Please Introduce Yourself thread. Where you hail from, what are your music tastes, where are you on your guitar learning journey etc. It's painless!

As far as Shephen Stills goes since Neil Hogan is a huge Neil Young fan we're hoping for some C,S,N & Y songs, too. I think Stills is one of the great guitarists of our time and his music fit his band perfectly.

I particular like 4+20 and its E-E-E-E-B-E tuning. It is a quintessential folk rock song! I love to play it when I'm not too lazy ro retune my guitar.

One thing you should know about requesting songs. First, Neil must like the tune. And second, it must have teaching value, ie teach some new technique or approach. It could be the greatest song of all time (well second, because Stairway to Heaven is already on TARGET!) and Neil won't do it.

Anyway, welcome again and good luck with this incredible library of songs to learn!

Cheers! :cheer:


goldleaf
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Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:42 pm

Norm, welcome. I would also like to see more on alternate tunings. I enjoyed Neil's version of Harvest Moon in drop D tuning. It is one of my favorite Neil Young songs. Hopefully you will find plenty of songs on TG to keep you busy until Neil can get around to some of your specific requests. Gary


minnich107
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Thu Aug 27, 2009 12:59 am

I am definitely going to be getting to lessons on songs in this tuning, probably starting with 4+20 then into Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. Here is my take on the tuning-

It is well known that Steve Stills used a modal tuning, meaning no 3rd in this case, so no commitment to major or minor tonality. It is also well known and documented that sometimes he was tuned to E, sometimes to Eb, and sometimes to D. The tuning is indeed EEEEBE, although I will be doing all songs 1 step lower in D as it is much easier on the guitar and strings.

The tuning I will be using is a little different, it will be DADDAD (the equivalent of EBEEBE in standard tuning), as there is no logical reason, or even reasonable reason to tune the 5th string to be in unison with the 6th string, especially if you leave it as the 5th of the scale rather than the root. Stills never uses the 5th string for anything significant (or even noticeable) in any of these songs. It is at least useful and convenient, and really even a big improvement to leave it alone for this modal tuning.

I hate to bring up a similar misguided concept but there are some guitar players who think it is a good idea to put a guitar in open G tuning and REMOVE the 6th string for the best sound, which is otherwise unobtainable. Most of my students learn to have enough control to not hit the 6th string if it is not part of the chord. Going to the trouble of removing it to improve the guitar is baffling, mind boggling, and even downright stupid. I didn't mean to turn this into a rant on anybody in particular but, trust me, you CAN play Honky Tonk Women with 6 strings.

OK, I didn't mean to rant and ramble (well, maybe I didn't), but I just wanted to clear up a problem before it arose when everybody sees all the YouTube experts saying you need to be in 'Stills' tuning to play Stills' songs. If he had only taken lessons from somebody else. As it was, Stills said he got this tuning from Bruce Palmer, an occasional bass player for the Buffalo Springfield who was already over matched with 4 strings. I'm pretty sure he put a lot of thought into the best use of 6 strings.

Oops, I tried to tie this post up a couple of times and it just kept on with a life of its own. I rest my case and will get to some Stills' songs soon, in slightly improved versions.

Neil


BigBear
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Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:10 am

Geez, Neil, awesome post!! I can't wait for 4+20 in a little different tuning and SJBE will be a blast to play that opening lick!!


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Music Junkie
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Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:41 pm

Neil,

Your rock history mojo is great - don't ever change.

norm2:)


pigpenz
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Tue Sep 01, 2009 11:53 am

poor Bruce, RIP
at least the other Neil liked him B)


BigBear
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Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:29 pm

pigpenz wrote:
poor Bruce, RIP
at least the other Neil liked him B)

?????? Did I miss a page? :lol:


BigBear
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Tue Sep 01, 2009 12:58 pm

Sorry to have inadvertently bad mouthed a significant figure in rock history. I meant it a little more generically, kind of along the lines of a little bit of knowledge can be dangerous, then it gets misinterpreted, rearranged, confused, and pretty soon the Stills army is all over it.

I certainly appreciate what Bruce Palmer brought to our musical development and education.

Neil


gaquilina51
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Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:25 pm

sorry but I cant seem to find the 4+20 link


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