Gimme Some Lovin' in F# ??

[Eric Iverson]

As a guitarist, it seems weird that a guitarist would deliberately pick the key of F#. Does he tune down a half-step, in which case he'd be using G fingerings?

 

Although I used to work with a singer who loved the key B... it was a standing joke in the band. We just played in that key... it was the kind of material where it was just a matter of playing a barre chord a fret higher or lower.

[JeffLearman]

G is an insanely high key in which to sing that song. I'm surprised it's not being lowered more that a half tone.

JP

We were playing it in E, so this is a whole step up. But if I used the transpose key, I'd play it in G and transpose down.

 

In any case, he's not calling for the shift due to vocal range, and he's currently playing in standard tuning. He just likes how it sounds on his guitar in that key (or something).

 

As to songs I sing, he's vetoed every one except for "Born under a Bad Sign", and I think he wants to ditch that too. Won't even go for "Leave your Hat On"; he thinks it would be a crowd snoozer.

[Gismo Recording]

Won't even go for "Leave your Hat On"; he thinks it would be a crowd snoozer.

 

He's obviously never seen the movie 9-1/2 Weeks.

[darc68]

Think about poor Reese Wynans playing all that blues in completely #$%ked-up keys...

 

Take your medicine and learn it in F#

So true. I don`t think many people are even aware Reese was having to do this.

 

I play both the Organ and the piano parts as well when I "have" to play the song in question. There`s really 2 choices here, use the transposer or learn a few licks in F# and move on. It shouldn`t be that big a deal.

[Edgar Summers]

 

And thanks for the support, you bastids. All I needed was a little guitarist hate speech. C'mon already! ;-)

 

 

I'm just here for the hate speech.

 

Anyone know how to get my gutarist friend to quit calling me an hour after I go to sleep? He averaging twice a week....grrrrr!

 

Oh yeah! just learn it F#. You can do some odd sounding kalimbaesque solos to pay him back.

 

 

[Eric Iverson]

How to get your guitarist friend not to call you after you go to bed?

 

Tell him, "hey, Joe, I usually go to bed at about ...... please don't call me after that unless it's really important, like the sky is falling or something...." It just might work.

 

If you have an answering machine, you can just ignore the call and call him back later, can't you?

[HammondDave]

Transpose switches should be outlawed... What's next? Keys that light up to tell you what to play? Learn it in F# and stop crying about it... You will be a become a better musician.

[Edgar Summers]

How to get your guitarist friend not to call you after you go to bed?

 

Tell him, "hey, Joe, I usually go to bed at about ...... please don't call me after that unless it's really important, like the sky is falling or something...." It just might work.

 

If you have an answering machine, you can just ignore the call and call him back later, can't you?

 

I'm mostly joking, but usually I just let the machine pick up the call.

 

We have this thing where I seem to call too early and him too late. In fact we've called each other 6-8 times in the last three weeks and have yet to have a conversation!

[StanC]

I think this was mentioned before in this post, but I think it's not about being able to learn a tune in a weird key. At least to me, it's more about technique. i.e. much easier to slide (grace) off of a black key than up on to one.

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

As a guitarist, it seems weird that a guitarist would deliberately pick the key of F#.

 

Guitar player for the last 33 years here. Love playing in F#.

 

That having been said, as a singer, even if he can't hit that B (assuming you were doing it in G as you should), he should be willing to accommodate you by shifting down to F instead of F#. It's a LOT easier for us guitar players to transpose scale than it is for our keyboard friends.

 

Anyway, I wouldn't make you do it in F#, if that makes you feel better.