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Author
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Topic: Can someone help me with Cold, Cold Heart" Lick?
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Gabriel Aaron Wynne
Member From: Dallas, Texas, USA
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posted 25 March 2004 11:58 AM
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I've just recently started playing a stringmaster steel and as soon as I strung it up I started trying how to figure out some Hank Williams tunes. I've been playing pedal steel for a while but I've found out very quickly that non-pedal playing is just as challenging. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out "Cold, Cold Heart" and the signature lick is escaping me. I've figured out the entire intro except for the last 4 beats of the lick. It's the only time in the lick that 3 tones/notes are played and I can't figure out a slant or a bend that will accomplish playing all 3 together. To help you understand what I'm talking about: It's the same lick as the turn around part of the song and mimics "and melt YOUR COLD COLD HEART." "You're Cold, Cold Heart" is where the 3 tones are played. The song is in D Major and the actual notes for what I can hear from top to bottom are:G,D,B - F#,C#,A - E,B,G - D,A,F# - all quarter notes in time. . . . . .Actually, I can play the last chord because it's just a D Major chord on the 10th fret. It's a very common lick and I've played it on the pedal steel often, but if someone could point me in the right direction it would keep me from checking myself into a mental institution. Thanks in advance. Hope everyone is having a good day. By the way, I'm playing on the E13 tuning - Am I even playing the right neck? |
b0b
Sysop From: Cloverdale, California, USA
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posted 25 March 2004 09:05 PM
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According to Don Helms' book, it's two-part harmony, not three. Yes, the tuning is E13, with a high G# as the first string.AND: strings 1 & 4, 4th fret
MELT: same strings, 5th fret
YOUR: strings 2 & 5, 15th fret
COLD: strings 3 & 6, 17th fret
COLD: same strings, 15th fret
HEART: strings 2, 4 & 5, 10th fret Yes, he does actually jump down to the 4th fret for the beginning of the phrase. I found it very hard to do, so I cheated and went to the 11th fret, strings 3 & 6 instead. ------------------
 Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com
System Administrator[This message was edited by b0b on 25 March 2004 at 09:40 PM.] |
b0b
Sysop From: Cloverdale, California, USA
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posted 25 March 2004 09:28 PM
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To actually get those notes that you're hearing:YOUR: strings 2, 4, 5, 15th fret
COLD: strings 3, 5, 6, 17th fret
COLD: strings 3, 5, 6, 15th fret
HEART: strings 2, 4, 5, 10th fret
But I don't think that's what he's doing on the record. Maybe a guitarist is filling the middle harmony. It's a mono record - hard to tell what's really going on. |
Harry Williams
Member From: Duncan, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
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posted 25 March 2004 10:28 PM
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Gabriel:Doug Beaumier has a nice version on his web page for 6 string C6 tuning. Harry Doug's webpage: www.dougbsteel.com ------------------
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Scott Houston
Member From: Oakland, CA
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posted 26 March 2004 06:01 AM
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This is covered on Cindy Cashdollar's tape, but on a C6 neck. Not sure if it's a note for note version she does, but it certainly is nearly so. |
Gabriel Aaron Wynne
Member From: Dallas, Texas, USA
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posted 26 March 2004 09:25 AM
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First of all. Thanks to all who replied. Bob, while working on your 2 note version of the lick, my fingers missed and I accidentally stumbled on the 3 note version. It was then that I saw your second post that pointed out the 3rd note. Well, there it was under my nose the entire time. I was afraid I would have learn some kind of contortionist bar slant to achieve the lick, so I'm happy to find out that it's relatively simple. Again, thanks for the guidance. I really appreciate it. |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 27 March 2004 07:50 AM
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Don Helms very rarely uses bar slants. That's part of the genius in his arrangements - he knows exactly where to get all of the notes he needs without slanting the bar.------------------
 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax |
C Dixon
Member From: Duluth, GA USA
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posted 27 March 2004 09:07 AM
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b0b is correct.In all the years I have watched Don, I do not ever recall a single time I saw him slant the bar. Also, never saw him slur a note similar to what we do engaging a pedal. Every melody note is picked and usually there is at least one harmony note accompanying it. Most of the time he is muting after every picked combination. Such as what a lead guitarist often does when playing lead using chords. One of the things most players including Don did, (while using Don's tuning), is to substitute chords. IE, instead of a 7th chord they will often use the associated 7th chord's minor instead or some other substitute diad (or triad). Example; instead of E G Bb (C7 in the key of F), they will often sub D G Bb instead. Actually it is the 5th, 7th and 9th tones of the chord, but it fits as a minor sub. Since their tunings do not permit the full 7th chords (in all spellings) without slanting; which they rarely do. This is true in Cold Cold heart. "and melt" are notes in the V7 chord of the song. However Don does not play a 3 note 7th chord here. He "subs" and that is what often happens to us when one is trying to figure out how he got what he did in a given instance. Played on the E9th tuning, some players would use the B pedal and E knee lever (strings 4, 5 and 6) to get those notes as a 7th chord to "and melt" instead. Example IF you play pedals: Key of G. Place your bar at the 2nd fret and engage B and E, pick strings 4, 5 and 6. Slide up one fret. This is a D7 chord. Notes are F# D and C. This then is "and melt" Now go down on A picking strings 3, 4 and 5 and then let off on A and B, this is "your cold". Now pick string 6 and engage B, then pick the first string. this is a moving tone diad 6th to 7th chord. and it is a slurred "cold". Then release the E knee lever and the B pedal and pick strings 4, 5 and 6. this is "heart". Of course Don did not use a 7th chord here. He substituted to get the diad or triad chords to fit. As did many many players back then. Non pedal western swing players do it all the time still today. Tom Morrell like Don is a master at it. I do believe that if Don and Hank had recorded it today and Don used pedals, he would have used the 7th chord (similar to the above) instead of a substitution chord. Course, "that" signature "Helms" sound that is sooo ingrained in the song, would make pedals sound wrong on this particular tune today. carl | |
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