Key Of C Too Hard To Play for GL ?

[George Doris]

HEllo Gang,

I had heard that GL wasn't playing songs in the key of "C", on the guitar that is regarless of the capo location, because he found them too hard to play on the 12 string. Anyone else heard this ?

Rick

[CRTRICK]

HEllo Gang,

I had heard that GL wasn't playing songs in the key of "C", on the guitar that is regarless of the capo location, because he found them too hard to play on the 12 string. Anyone else heard this ?

Rick

[Cathy]

Originally posted by CRTRICK:
HEllo Gang,

I had heard that GL wasn't playing songs in the key of "C", on the guitar that is regarless of the capo location, because he found them too hard to play on the 12 string. Anyone else heard this ?

Rick

I also heard that somewhere, but I don't remember where. Probably from you.

The key of C is one of the harder keys to play in because of the F chord, especially on a 12 string, because of the neck width. I know a bunch of guitarists who won't play in C.

[Minstrel Man]

That tidbit of information came from the interview that Lightfoot did with CHML, a Hamilton radio station, shortly before his comeback concert to benefit Hamilton Health Sciences. I think Cathy's comments are exactly right. Too bad though. That leaves out a few good songs.

MM

[Sydney Steve]

Minstrel Man,

For the benefit of the musical dummies , which songs would it preclude?

I think you tried to set me straight in another thread that "The House You Live In" was in "C" and therefore a problem child.
Which others are in that key - and therefore more likely a pipedream for us hopeless hopers ? Some of us have slightly less knowledge on matters technical than some of you people here.
I have a rough idea what a G-string is (only by pictures mind you )- is that something similar ?

[Ginny]

Speaking with a mid sixty year old pair of wrists, I find that there are most definitely certain chords that pose a problem for us seniors who have had a lack of wrist mercy over the years, and there are several Gord tunes that I love to play that require that extra jolt of stamina when I have to reach for a C or F chord. I prefer to leave the capo on the third fret as I find it fits my general voice range and makes it a little easier than say having it on the second or first fret. The Circle Is Small, Summerside Of Life, Summertime Dream are defifitely wrist changellers for me, but I love the tunes so much that a little pain for long time gain is sometimes worth the high feeling derived after playing those tunes. The wrist thing doesn't always happen though, as I find there are "good wrist days" and "bad wrist days," similar to "good hair" and "bad hair" days. Ron Jones.

[Ginny]

There is a correction I must make in that last post and that is of course that there is no such thing as a wrist changeller. That could be confusing even though there are times when I wish there was such a thing. It should read wrist "challenger." Just da "Newfy" comin' out in me, bye!" Ron Jones.

[Auburn Annie]

The House You Live In is played in the G chord position, with a capo on fret two. Steel Rail Blues is in the C position, either in standard or first fret position. But I wouldn't lose hope for certain songs altogether. He only said that the key of C is hard to play on the twelve-string. If he got requests for a song usually done in C on the twelve, he could just use a standard six-string guitar.
Matthew

[Matthew Bullis]

The House You Live In is played in the G chord position, with a capo on fret two. Steel Rail Blues is in the C position, either in standard or first fret position. But I wouldn't lose hope for certain songs altogether. He only said that the key of C is hard to play on the twelve-string. If he got requests for a song usually done in C on the twelve, he could just use a standard six-string guitar.
Matthew

[seafarer62]

Would someone please list the 12-strings songs that fall into the "C" key? Thanks.

[Minstrel Man]

The problem is I don't know off the top of my head and I'm too busy right now to pull out the guitar and scan the back of the Gord CDs. Here are the only ones I'm fairly certain are in C, but I could be corrected. By the way, when I mean the key of C, I mean that Gord plays the C chord formation, no matter what fret the capo is on.

Summertime Dream
It's worth believin
Dreamland
Steel Rail Blues
Sometimes I don't Mind

That's all that come to mind. Now back to my report card comments. Yes, I am doing them at 4:00 in the morning.

[Lindab]

Rick,
Dude,you mis-quoted me.What I said was that Lightfoot stoped playing songs in the key of C
because of his voice.In other words,whatever songs
he previously wrote and recorded in the key of C
he would do them now in the key of B which is one fret lower on the guitar!
For instance,"Can. Railroad Trilogy" was originally sung in "F".These days,when he plays it it's in E.(one fret lower,or 0ne half step).
What a funny topic! -Robby Lake
"If you want to know for certain what is hidden
in my soul,
where my wildest dreams unfold- like an endless steam."
-G.L.

[Robby Lake]

Rick,
Dude,you mis-quoted me.What I said was that Lightfoot stoped playing songs in the key of C
because of his voice.In other words,whatever songs
he previously wrote and recorded in the key of C
he would do them now in the key of B which is one fret lower on the guitar!
For instance,"Can. Railroad Trilogy" was originally sung in "F".These days,when he plays it it's in E.(one fret lower,or 0ne half step).
What a funny topic! -Robby Lake
"If you want to know for certain what is hidden
in my soul,
where my wildest dreams unfold- like an endless steam."
-G.L.

[Lindab]

Sydney Steve:
"The House You live in" is not in the key of "C".
With all due respect,not even close.It's in A.
He plays the open "G" chord with his capo device on the 2nd fret of his guitar,which makes it an A.
Most everything on Summertime Dream was played by Gordon with this device on the 2nd fret,with a few exceptions.
Lets see If I can remember....
The Wreck:capo 3rd
I'm Not Suppose to Care :capo 3rd.
There's one or two more,but I gotta go. -Robby

[Robby Lake]

Sydney Steve:
"The House You live in" is not in the key of "C".
With all due respect,not even close.It's in A.
He plays the open "G" chord with his capo device on the 2nd fret of his guitar,which makes it an A.
Most everything on Summertime Dream was played by Gordon with this device on the 2nd fret,with a few exceptions.
Lets see If I can remember....
The Wreck:capo 3rd
I'm Not Suppose to Care :capo 3rd.
There's one or two more,but I gotta go. -Robby

[Cathy]

Originally posted by Robby Lake:
Rick,
Dude,you mis-quoted me.What I said was that Lightfoot stoped playing songs in the key of C
because of his voice.In other words,whatever songs
he previously wrote and recorded in the key of C
he would do them now in the key of B which is one fret lower on the guitar!
For instance,"Can. Railroad Trilogy" was originally sung in "F".These days,when he plays it it's in E.(one fret lower,or 0ne half step).
What a funny topic! -Robby Lake
"If you want to know for certain what is hidden
in my soul,
where my wildest dreams unfold- like an endless steam."
-G.L.

When did he drop the capo a step down? The last time Iwas at a concert, just a year or two ago, he was still playing and singing in exactly the same key he had recorded the songs in, back in the '70s.

Has anyone else noticed this?

[Iron]

Now mind you,this is just a question??
Is "Shadow's" in "C"??
I was just wondering about this and I may very well be totally off the mark,but I seem to recall Gordon mentioning in a couple shows this year something about "I was messing round with the "C" chord,and instead of doin it like this[He strummed a C],"I'll do it like this{I could'nt see exactly what He did different],but He said "This is what I came up with", and He went on to do "Shadow's"
Go ahead,set me straight.It won't be the first, or last time......

[Lindab]

"Shadows" is played in "D" as a "C" chord,
with the capo at the second fret.
When I went to one of his concerts a few years back,I got to go back to the Holiday Inn where the band was staying in Clearwater,Fl.
Mike Hefferman the keyboardist told me that Gord may have played that keyboard part on the album.
Just 2 or three notes(Daw Wow Wa Wow Wow WoW). I thought that was pretty cool.
Another Lightfoot fun fact:
"A Lesson In Love" is the only song I Know of where Gord acually plays the guitar solo!
It's true!Unforunatly,it's only about five notes
It's right after the Sax solo and right before the line:"You look like the moonglow that follows me home,Always makes me turn around,won't leave me alone."
One of my favorite lines of all time. -R.L.

"Now he's traded off his Martin,but his troubles are not over.."

[Robby Lake]

"Shadows" is played in "D" as a "C" chord,
with the capo at the second fret.
When I went to one of his concerts a few years back,I got to go back to the Holiday Inn where the band was staying in Clearwater,Fl.
Mike Hefferman the keyboardist told me that Gord may have played that keyboard part on the album.
Just 2 or three notes(Daw Wow Wa Wow Wow WoW). I thought that was pretty cool.
Another Lightfoot fun fact:
"A Lesson In Love" is the only song I Know of where Gord acually plays the guitar solo!
It's true!Unforunatly,it's only about five notes
It's right after the Sax solo and right before the line:"You look like the moonglow that follows me home,Always makes me turn around,won't leave me alone."
One of my favorite lines of all time. -R.L.

"Now he's traded off his Martin,but his troubles are not over.."

[Lindab]

Brian,
Another thing,I amost forgot.He travis picks that song sometimes just freting the C note on the B string and the A string. It's in the Tab. books.
That's how he gets that sound and maybe that's what he was talkin' about

[Robby Lake]

Brian,
Another thing,I amost forgot.He travis picks that song sometimes just freting the C note on the B string and the A string. It's in the Tab. books.
That's how he gets that sound and maybe that's what he was talkin' about

[joveski]

he also plays the solo to let it ride at the end, doesnt he?

[Iron]

Robby,
Maybe someone else that heard this bit about the "C-chord" who happened to see either the Wolf trapp or Glenside,and I think He may have mentioned it at Reading also,not sure on that one,but maybe some else that saw one of these shows can let us know if it indeed was Shadows.
Though I have not taken the time to check out which book I was trying to learn Shadows from,I seem to recall that it was in D,drop D as I remember.Though I love the effect of drop D tuning,I have a very hard time catching the E bass with my thumb on the d-chord.the joint in my thumb starts poppin out,and that takes all the fun out of it,so I just use regular tuning for the drop-d tunes.It works for me.
That is what kinda got me thinking when Gordon mentioned about the C,I thought of my sore thumb when He started doin Shadows.

[Cathy]

Originally posted by Iron:
Robby,
Maybe someone else that heard this bit about the "C-chord" who happened to see either the Wolf trapp or Glenside,and I think He may have mentioned it at Reading also,not sure on that one,but maybe some else that saw one of these shows can let us know if it indeed was Shadows.
Though I have not taken the time to check out which book I was trying to learn Shadows from,I seem to recall that it was in D,drop D as I remember.Though I love the effect of drop D tuning,I have a very hard time catching the E bass with my thumb on the d-chord.the joint in my thumb starts poppin out,and that takes all the fun out of it,so I just use regular tuning for the drop-d tunes.It works for me.
That is what kinda got me thinking when Gordon mentioned about the C,I thought of my sore thumb when He started doin Shadows.

Shadows is played in C formation, but he capos it up to the 2nd fret, so technically it's in the key of D. They aren't you're every day chords, though. I believe there are CaddD/E, Csus4/F, C/G, D7/F#, Dm6/F and G/B chords, which give the song it's unmistakable sound.

[alinharrisburg]

I thought this is in reference to his voice changes over the years. There is certain songs he cant sing since he does not have that voice range in that particular key etc. I think thats what your refering to isnt it?
nm