Not a blues, but....

[MikeS]

I love chords and I don't know what the second two chords in this video are....
I know that they are G Am C, but how is he fingering them?

https://www.facebook.com/RBMusicandRelax/videos/2403897996563433/

 

[Paleo]

I can't quite figure out his tuning, but it ain't quite Standard. He "re-tuned" one (or more) of the upper strings?

 

[OG_Blues]

Here is what I think he is doing.
Tuning is a hybrid: E A D F# A D
Play the G chord as 3 X 5 5 5 5
Play the Am as 5 X 5 6 7 7
Play the C chord as 8 X 10 10 10 10

It feels odd at first, and because he has the long 4 jointed thumb, he can play the bass notes wrap around
which is very difficult for me. But after playing it a few times, it gets easier.

 

[MikeS]

Here is what I think he is doing.
Tuning is a hybrid: E A D F# A D
Play the G chord as 3 X 5 5 5 5
Play the Am as 5 X 5 6 7 7
Play the C chord as 8 X 10 10 10 10

It feels odd at first, and because he has the long 4 jointed thumb, he can play the bass notes wrap around
which is very difficult for me. But after playing it a few times, it gets easier.

Interesting. That sure could be it. They don't sounds great when I play them but it still could be right. I'm not sure it's worth retuning and learning those fingerings for just one song.

 

[david moon]

Here is what I think he is doing.
Tuning is a hybrid: E A D F# A D
Play the G chord as 3 X 5 5 5 5
Play the Am as 5 X 5 6 7 7
Play the C chord as 8 X 10 10 10 10

It feels odd at first, and because he has the long 4 jointed thumb, he can play the bass notes wrap around
which is very difficult for me. But after playing it a few times, it gets easier.

"Play the Am as 5 X 5 6 7 7"

Wouldn't the 5th string, 5th fret make it Am7?

A x G C E A

Except for the 6th string, it is an open D tuning. If you tuned the 6th string to D, you could play the major chords by barring across all 6 strings. Of course you wouldn't have to play all 6. The thumb over the top technique would probably still work and could mute the 5th string. The Am7 could be played:

X 0 5 6 7 7

and the thumb over top could mute the 6th string.On the other hand, with the original tuning, the Am7 is a movable shape and could also be used for Bm7, Em7 etc.

In the original tuning, if you wanted Am without the 7, there might be a way to finger this: 5 X 7 6 7 7

 

[MikeS]

I didn't think about alternate tunings. I always try to avoid that . (Takes too much time on stage) I guess I'll just stick with standard tuning G Am C
Thanks guys.

 

[BoogieMan]

I didn't think about alternate tunings. I always try to avoid that . (Takes too much time on stage) I guess I'll just stick with standard tuning G Am C
Thanks guys.

Mike, good excuse to get another guitar for alternate tuning. Then just switch guitars on stage when you need to!

 

[ChrisGSP]

Interesting. I'm not sure it's worth retuning and learning those fingerings for just one song.

I think if you dig deep enough, you will find that Barry left his guitar tuned more or less that way ALL the time. I don't think he ever played in standard tuning.

Here they are on debut on Australian TV, 1960 - Barry's guitar is open-tuned !!! That same chord shape that he is using in "Massachusetts".

https://www.nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/bee-gees-first-national-tv-performance

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I only use my middle finger for open tuning. I have enough trouble learning to play in standard tuning.

 

[Many Moons]

That brought back a lot of memories.