Larsongs Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 1 hour ago, Retired said: Yep and the 12 Bar Blues. Part of my quest to learn blues was to find out, What are the 12 bar blues? I was shocked to find out the cowboy chords are the 12 bar blues and I've been playing them for decades Lol. 12 Bar Blues….. Basic Bar Chords.. E, A & B or A, D & E mostly with the Pinky finger doing hammer on & offs… Real Blues.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 12 hours ago, DanvillRob said: My issue is in my thumb.... clamping down in certain positions is painful..... Fortunately, MOST of the chords I use go from no pain to little pain. Me too. I developed osteo arthritis in both thumbs at the same time. I now play very differently than before. I don't support the neck with my thumb at all now. Yes, and some bar chords are limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Just read thru this a 2nd time. Apologies if I missed anyone's erudite expose - but I did not see G7. I even have a freekin CAPO that says 'G7' on it. How can you play in "C", with 'F' barred or not - if you don't have G7 to complete the trilogy ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 3 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said: Just read thru this a 2nd time. Apologies if I missed anyone's erudite expose - but I did not see G7. I even have a freekin CAPO that says 'G7' on it. How can you play in "C", with 'F' barred or not - if you don't have G7 to complete the trilogy ? Mine says Shubb. There is no Shubb chord I’m aware of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 57 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said: Just read thru this a 2nd time. Apologies if I missed anyone's erudite expose - but I did not see G7. I even have a freekin CAPO that says 'G7' on it. How can you play in "C", with 'F' barred or not - if you don't have G7 to complete the trilogy ? Sure. Likely an oversight by most of us. So to revise.... "Cowboy chords" are just your basic major chords and their variants(there's that nasty word again!) like minor and 7th. Them saddle tramps probably never bothered with a lot of Bach or Albeniz anyway. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 4 minutes ago, Whitefang said: Sure. Likely an oversight by most of us. So to revise.... "Cowboy chords" are just your basic major chords and their variants(there's that nasty word again!) like minor and 7th. Them saddle tramps probably never bothered with a lot of Bach or Albeniz anyway. Whitefang I hear Roy Rogers was a huge Rite Of Spring fan, and Gene Autry was partial to Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 I thought Roy was more partial to Handel's "Water Music". Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 4 hours ago, merciful-evans said: Me too. I developed osteo arthritis in both thumbs at the same time. I now play very differently than before. I don't support the neck with my thumb at all now. Yes, and some bar chords are limited. Sounds like we have exactly the same issue. The pain started on my left thumb.... and progressively got worse over time...and about 5 years later, my right thumb started and caught up with my left thumb almost immediately. Then my left middle finger started and is really bad now....my right middle finger is just starting. I can't open jars, etc. any more. But since I can still play at my age, I count myself as very lucky! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 1 hour ago, fortyearspickn said: Just read thru this a 2nd time. Apologies if I missed anyone's erudite expose - but I did not see G7. I even have a freekin CAPO that says 'G7' on it. How can you play in "C", with 'F' barred or not - if you don't have G7 to complete the trilogy ? I do see the old cowboys play a "G7"...since it can be done with 3 fingers. I also see they just slide their 3-fingered "F" up 2 frets, (but don't add the 7th). I watch the "Grand Old Opery" show from the 50's every week...and I study the way the old cowboy singers play, such as Ferlin Husky, George Morgan, Faron Young, Carl Smith, Jimmy Dickens, Ernest Tubb & others. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted March 12, 2022 Author Share Posted March 12, 2022 2 hours ago, DanvillRob said: Sounds like we have exactly the same issue. The pain started on my left thumb.... and progressively got worse over time...and about 5 years later, my right thumb started and caught up with my left thumb almost immediately. Then my left middle finger started and is really bad now....my right middle finger is just starting. I can't open jars, etc. any more. But since I can still play at my age, I count myself as very lucky! 2 hours ago, DanvillRob said: I do see the old cowboys play a "G7"...since it can be done with 3 fingers. I also see they just slide their 3-fingered "F" up 2 frets, (but don't add the 7th). I watch the "Grand Old Opery" show from the 50's every week...and I study the way the old cowboy singers play, such as Ferlin Husky, George Morgan, Faron Young, Carl Smith, Jimmy Dickens, Ernest Tubb & others. DannvilleRob, The wear and tear of goaltending has battered my hands and wrists, but the occasional pain and loss of strength doesn't yet prevent me from playing barred chords, or using my thumb in chords like D/F#. Depending on my mood, I'll play G7 either as the three-fingered chord in the bottom three frets, or as the barred chord in the third fret. I never play an F as a three-fingered chord. I always barre it. So I've got a foot in each camp. Does that make me a Rhinestone Cowboy? RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Just now, RBSinTo said: DannvilleRob, The wear and tear of goaltending has battered my hands and wrists, but the occasional pain and loss of strength doesn't yet prevent me from playing barred chords, or using my thumb in chords like D/F#. Depending on my mood, I'll play G7 either as the three-fingered chord in the bottom three frets, or as the barred chord in the third fret. I never play an F as a three-fingered chord. I always barre it. So I've got a foot in each camp. Does that make me a Rhinestone Cowboy? RBSinTo Rinestone no...but a jewel none the less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted March 12, 2022 Author Share Posted March 12, 2022 Just to stir the pot: Do Major 7ths count as cowboy chords? How about Augmented, and Diminished chords? And the dreaded fifths? Probably why singing cowboys have those big saddle bags. They need them to carry all their chord books. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Cowboy Cut - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 1 hour ago, RBSinTo said: Just to stir the pot: Do Major 7ths count as cowboy chords? How about Augmented, and Diminished chords? And the dreaded fifths? Probably why singing cowboys have those big saddle bags. They need them to carry all their chord books. RBSinTo I think only Bob Wills used those chords back then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 1 hour ago, RBSinTo said: Just to stir the pot: Do Major 7ths count as cowboy chords? How about Augmented, and Diminished chords? And the dreaded fifths? Probably why singing cowboys have those big saddle bags. They need them to carry all their chord books. RBSinTo Good heavens no! Cowboy chords are the open majors, minors and dom 7ths plus 4-note F and B I suppose, however you play them when you need 'em. And real cowboys capo up. Big Iron on his hip. However - The singer in my 1st or 2nd band had the right idea. All chords were 3 notes off the E or A string, based on the bottom 3 notes of those shapes, played with 1st and 3rd finger or for A and E, just the 1st. He never sounded wrong!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted March 12, 2022 Author Share Posted March 12, 2022 DanvilleRob, Well, I use them often. I have a hockey bud who is a very fine musician, music theory educated, and plays a number of different instruments. Whenever we discuss songs I am attempting to learn, he admonishes me because many of them contain exotic chords, and he is of the opinion that I should stick to playing songs with simpler (cowboy I assume) chords. While it is true that I may encounter some of these only once, in a particular song, I nevertheless prefer to go through the "struggle' to learn these strange beasts, rather than always sticking to simple tunes, or what I refer to as "sanitized' versions of more difficult songs. I can't play even the simplest of lead guitar parts or riffs, but I would have been a pretty decent rhythm guitarist. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 Do you have to have your cockroach killers and 10 gallon hat on while playing cowboy chords. I got the boots covered I got at Heritage Boot store in Austin, but no Stetson brim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted March 13, 2022 Author Share Posted March 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Do you have to have your cockroach killers and 10 gallon hat on while playing cowboy chords. I got the boots covered I got at Heritage Boot store in Austin, but no Stetson brim. Chief, I make do with my steel-toed work boots and my 38 litre hat. RBSinTo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 22 hours ago, Larsongs said: 12 Bar Blues….. Basic Bar Chords.. E, A & B or A, D & E mostly with the Pinky finger doing hammer on & offs… Real Blues.. Yep, but unfortunately I now have so much arthritis in my pinky fingers, I don't use them much anymore playing. Over all the years, I found ways to cheat. Number one is; try and only play songs that don't require the use of that finger, or, songs or chords that do; I limit it or play the chord & slide fast, using another finger. But that's probably why I play them so much because most of them only use 3 frets. I rarely use 4 frets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in SC Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 On 3/11/2022 at 7:42 AM, RBSinTo said: Chief, Not sure what you mean by an "open" chord. An example or two would help me to understand. RBSinTo A, C, D, E and G in the first position. You could also throw in Am, Dm and Em but that's about it. F does not qualify, because it's a quasi-barre chord, same with B. This is why so many old country standards are in the keys of G and D (my dad called it "hillbilly D"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Retired said: Yep, but unfortunately I now have so much arthritis in my pinky fingers, I don't use them much anymore playing. Over all the years, I found ways to cheat. Number one is; try and only play songs that don't require the use of that finger, or, songs or chords that do; I limit it or play the chord & slide fast, using another finger. But that's probably why I play them so much because most of them only use 3 frets. I rarely use 4 frets. A lot of Blues Players Open Tune their Guitars.. Like Open “E”.. Bar Chords are easy.. Get a Slide, a Harmonica & Neck Brace…. Start wailing all your troubles & make some noise on that Guitar, add some Slide & blow some Harmonica! Do it with Soul & that’s the Blues… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 11 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Do you have to have your cockroach killers and 10 gallon hat on while playing cowboy chords. I got the boots covered I got at Heritage Boot store in Austin, but no Stetson brim. I have the hat badge & shirt for a Texas Ranger outfit later this month. For my son's 40th, his wife decided we should have a Tarantino themed party. I'm Earl McGraw. I don't think I'll be required to play though. Though our band did play at their engagement do. No open chords in the Blown Out set though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 12 hours ago, RBSinTo said: ...my 38 litre hat. I see what you did there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 8 hours ago, Larsongs said: A lot of Blues Players Open Tune their Guitars.. Like Open “E”.. Bar Chords are easy.. Get a Slide, a Harmonica & Neck Brace…. Start wailing all your troubles & make some noise on that Guitar, add some Slide & blow some Harmonica! Do it with Soul & that’s the Blues… Ritchie Havens did that... as does Grace Potter at times, and of course Jimmy Rodgers, (the one who sang "Honeycomb" not the one who played "Waiting For A Train")....but he barred with his thumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 10 hours ago, Retired said: Yep, but unfortunately I now have so much arthritis in my pinky fingers, I don't use them much anymore playing. Over all the years, I found ways to cheat. Number one is; try and only play songs that don't require the use of that finger, or, songs or chords that do; I limit it or play the chord & slide fast, using another finger. But that's probably why I play them so much because most of them only use 3 frets. I rarely use 4 frets. Can up put a bottle on your pinkie and learn slide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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