@CoffeeHouseBoys - you mean you think the song was recorded on gear that was too slow, resulting in playback that's sharp? We'll never know what the real pitch should have been, but both the fiddle and the guitar are playing in E-flat position... If the fiddle was tuned to concert pitch and playing in D, the low riff played over the return to the I chord would be impossible, as the lowest note of that riff is the third below the tonic (F# in the key of D)
@CoffeeHouseBoys - and the lowest string of the fiddle would be tuned to G. This all works out nicely in E-flat - lowest string is G, and G is the third below the tonic. Based on this, and that the guitar is also playing out of E-flat (no capo), it's reasonable to assume that they were tuned at or close to concert pitch. In other words, if you're assuming that the pitch must be closer to D because you're also assuming that they must be playing in D, you're wrong. :-)
@frankie12string thanks Stringed instruments are tuned low. Please more feel and learn . We have been made to hear an high speed play performance. yes not 78rpm. It is difficult to receive this fact. However, much 10'records proves it.
@CoffeeHouseBoys - what I'm saying is that the melody of the song as played by Lonnie Chatmon CAN"T be played in the key of D on the fiddle - the lowest note of the melody is F-sharp below G - lower than the lowest string of the fiddle in std tuning. Sure, the instruments might be tuned low, but then the key is still E-flat (relative to the lower tuning). Frankly, the 78 rpm recording sounds better - Walter's voice and guitar sound unnatural played back at the slower speed.
haha
The turntable at the time of the recording turned slowly. Please feel it.
CoffeeHouseBoys 11 months ago
@CoffeeHouseBoys - you mean you think the song was recorded on gear that was too slow, resulting in playback that's sharp? We'll never know what the real pitch should have been, but both the fiddle and the guitar are playing in E-flat position... If the fiddle was tuned to concert pitch and playing in D, the low riff played over the return to the I chord would be impossible, as the lowest note of that riff is the third below the tonic (F# in the key of D)
frankie12string 1 month ago
@CoffeeHouseBoys - and the lowest string of the fiddle would be tuned to G. This all works out nicely in E-flat - lowest string is G, and G is the third below the tonic. Based on this, and that the guitar is also playing out of E-flat (no capo), it's reasonable to assume that they were tuned at or close to concert pitch. In other words, if you're assuming that the pitch must be closer to D because you're also assuming that they must be playing in D, you're wrong. :-)
frankie12string 1 month ago
@frankie12string thanks Stringed instruments are tuned low. Please more feel and learn . We have been made to hear an high speed play performance. yes not 78rpm. It is difficult to receive this fact. However, much 10'records proves it.
CoffeeHouseBoys 1 month ago
@CoffeeHouseBoys - what I'm saying is that the melody of the song as played by Lonnie Chatmon CAN"T be played in the key of D on the fiddle - the lowest note of the melody is F-sharp below G - lower than the lowest string of the fiddle in std tuning. Sure, the instruments might be tuned low, but then the key is still E-flat (relative to the lower tuning). Frankly, the 78 rpm recording sounds better - Walter's voice and guitar sound unnatural played back at the slower speed.
frankie12string 1 month ago
not sure what the point is, but the fiddle and guitar are both playing in E-flat.
frankie12string 11 months ago