Scales on E9
This diagram shows the standard E9 Chromatic "Nashville" Tuning. The three most popular pedal changes and three most useful knee levers are included. The discussion below will describe how the pedals may be used to play major scales without moving the bar. The chord section will explain how these standard changes are used to form chords.
A, B, and C are floor pedals that are actuated by pressing with the foot. LKL and RKL are knee levers that are actuated by moving the left or right knee to the left, pressing that lever to raise or lower the indicated strings. RKR is the right knee lever actuated by pushing to the right.
Having both pedals and knee levers enables various combinations to be used.
There is a lot of music theory in that little diagram shown above. If you recall that the E Major Scale consists of
E -- F# -- G# -- A -- B -- C# -- D# -- E
it becomes clear how we may use the pedal changes, in particular those on the A and B pedals, to play this scale without even placing the steel bar on the strings. Using a diagramming technique called tablature, this is illustrated below.
To read the chart, you play the string indicated in the far left column, following the notes similar to a graph, from left to right. First play the open 8th, then the open 7th, open 6th, press the B Pedal on the 6th and play that, etc.
COOL, eh?
This is ONLY ONE way in which pedals can be used to make playing scales or other note patterns very easy.
One of the strategies of laying out the pedals in this way was to minimize use of the bar, thus getting the most out of a single fret position.
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