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Re: Who thought up "harmonic-pure tone" riffs?

PostPosted: Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:13 pm
by Norm
I'd put my money on him learning the harmonic/pure tone trick from Jerry Byrd. (Jerry/Jimmy plus senior memory?)

He and Jerry had two radio shows a day in Chet's early Nashville pre-gretsch days for a while. Jerry was a top dog steeler back then.

Unfortunately, Jerry insisted all the transcriptions destroyed

Re: Who thought up "harmonic-pure tone" riffs?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:08 am
by gmoseley
Palmer, you were questioning how steel players could possibly play "pure tone" note staggered in with "harmonic notes".
When Jimmy Crawford did this he just played the "pure tone" with his metal bar, just like you use your first finger to bar across all 6 strings (et, it wasn't an open note, however it was a "pure tone" note), then he would make the harmonic just like we do, touching the string with his index finger and hitting it with his ring finger (left hand stuff). Sometimes he would play an open note for the "pure tone" just putting his metal bar half way across the strings, leaving the bass strings open. If the note needed sharping or flatting, he used one of his MANY knee pedals to correct it. Super difficult BUT, it can be done.

I can't properly address the many technical aspects that steel players used to use - sometimes they retuned various strings to play a certain song - - all their technical tricks are so foreign to me, I don't understand how in the world they played one of those monsters so well. (?) Its a mystery to me! :)

Gayle

Re: Who thought up "harmonic-pure tone" riffs?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:47 am
by Pat Kirtley
Chet originally got the harmonic + pure tone technique from steel player Tommy Covington at WNOX radio in the '40s. He told the story in a magazine interview, but on that occasion Chet mis-remembered the man's name as "Tommy Covey." Around 2003 Mark Pritcher located Covington, who has since passed away, and interviewed him. There is an article on him that year in Mister Guitar with the interview and photos. A photo is attached here with him standing next to Chet. PK

Re: Who thought up "harmonic-pure tone" riffs?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 2:24 pm
by gmoseley
Great information Pat! You got that cleared up for us all. I had no idea.

Gayle

Re: Who thought up "harmonic-pure tone" riffs?

PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 6:17 pm
by Doug Working
As soon as you mentioned Chinatown, I immediately knew what you were talking about. I always thought that sounded incredible, but had no idea how it was accomplished. Same thing he used in Bells of St Mary's?