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  #1  
Old 02-22-2012, 05:37 PM
jwmtele jwmtele is offline
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Default How do I tune to this tunning?Please help

I got my Mississippi John Hurt song/tab book today,the way is tabbed is differnt than what i am used to,but getting used to it,,i was trying to
play ain't nobody but you babe,,It says to tune down 4 frets [2 tones},,what is this tunning?what notes do i tune to?Also how do you tune down a half
step?Thanks for your help,Cheers,
James
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Old 02-22-2012, 06:04 PM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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I think you may be misunderstanding the instructions. The version of that tune that I know is played in key of E (concert), but with capo on fret 4; so he's playing C shapes. No need to tune any different.

I only found one version on youtube, of someone else playing it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO89lurP95E
You can't see his fret hand, but he's playing without a capo. Same shapes as the original, but in key of C.

You can put the capo where you like - or play without one (like the above guy) - but the tab should be showing you C chord shapes (with partial F and G shapes too).
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Old 02-23-2012, 03:55 AM
jwmtele jwmtele is offline
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Default So do i need to capo at the 4th fret?

JonPR,so I need to capo at the 4th fret?And yes the song is in the key a C.
Thanks,
James
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Old 02-23-2012, 05:45 AM
Howard Emerson Howard Emerson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwmtele View Post
I got my Mississippi John Hurt song/tab book today,the way is tabbed is differnt than what i am used to,but getting used to it,,i was trying to
play ain't nobody but you babe,,It says to tune down 4 frets [2 tones},,what is this tunning?what notes do i tune to?Also how do you tune down a half
step?Thanks for your help,Cheers,
James
James,
If that is the book by Stefan Grossman I suggest that you go over to The Woodshed forum and ask there. Either Stefan will answer directly or one their forum members will know.

HE
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Old 02-23-2012, 05:57 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jwmtele View Post
JonPR,so I need to capo at the 4th fret?And yes the song is in the key a C.
Thanks,
James
Yes, the shapes are as for key of C, but the actual key (the key it sounds in) depends on where you put the capo. MJH used capo on 4, probably because it suited his voice (making the sounding key E). You'd only need to put the capo there if you wanted to play along with MJH's version. (And of course the fingering may be more comfortable with capo on 4 or thereabouts than in open position.)

As Howard says, Stefan Grossman is a big authority on MJH, and has his own site and forum, where you may get more tips:
http://stefangrossmansguitarworkshop.yuku.com/forums/1
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