Jumpin Jack Flash- What Tuning?

[TelZilla]

So, I was watching the "Shine a Light" movie this weekend (it was ok, and the cinematography was the best I've ever seen in a concert movie), and the first tune the Stones do is Jumpin Jack Flash.

Keef kicks it off with a capo at the IV fret, and it's clear he's in some sort of open tuning (he keeps doing the exaggerated "look ma, no hands" thing). Makes sense that he's playing in open G, right, since the tune is in B? But then I saw somewhere where he said in an interview that he played it in open E or D (same relationships, just tuned down).

So what do you use? How do you play the signature riff?

[Erik8]

He is in open G live yes, I dont think he uses open D or E any more, Because as he says: you only need 5 strings, 3 chords and 1 ***hole.

I think that the open G, 5-sting stuff is amazing on those 3-chord Chuck Berry rock stuff, if one does not have fingers as long as bananas (As Mr. Berry does)

[TelZilla]

Originally Posted by Erik8

He is in open G live yes, I dont think he uses open D or E any more, Because as he says: you only need 5 strings, 3 chords and 1 ***hole.

I think that the open G, 5-sting stuff is amazing on those 3-chord Chuck Berry rock stuff, if one does not have fingers as long as bananas (As Mr. Berry does)

Yeah, I've heard that quote before, but , frankly, I don't get why people remove the lowest string. I like the fullness it gives, and I've never had a problem muting it when necessary. Also, if you're playing a shuffle in D, letting that huge low D ring out sounds really cool.

And, as far as I could see, Keef agrees with me. It sure looked like he was playing with six strings to me.

[CodeBlue]

Cool site on Keith's gear, check it out kiddies!

members.tripod.com/blue_lena/guitar2.html

[Larry F]

I will never forget where I was when I first heard that song. The sound of the guitar just floored me. What a feeling it gave me, and so unusual in its effect. What a blessing it is to be able to give and receive music like that. I'm serious, way to go Keef.

[Valvey]

I read somewhere he got the overdriven sound on that record from playing an acoustic guitar into the preamp of a cassette recorder.

[elmerbumpkin]

I thought he took the high E off, not the low E?

[FMA]

Nope, Keef takes off the low E, which would be tuned down to D in open G. I think he does that so he has the tonic on the low string when you barre.

[TelZilla]

Originally Posted by Larry F

I will never forget where I was when I first heard that song. The sound of the guitar just floored me. What a feeling it gave me, and so unusual in its effect. What a blessing it is to be able to give and receive music like that. I'm serious, way to go Keef.

As, ever, a great comment Larry. JJF seems like the tune (roughly speaking) where "Keith" became "Keef". Wyman claims he wrote the riff, and, while that may be true, and while it is a GREAT riff, what makes that song for me is the performance. It's just ferocious and dark and brooding and sexy. But it's still got a great beat and you can sing along in the car.

It seems like the beginning of the golden age for the Stones (Although "It's all Over Now" and "Miss Amanda Jones" might be better choices). Mick once said something like (I'm paraphrasing) "There's no peace and love in 'Jumpin Jack Flash'"

Originally Posted by FMA

Nope, Keef takes off the low E, which would be tuned down to D in open G. I think he does that so he has the tonic on the low string when you barre.

Well, the whole idea (I guess) is that the 5th string (in concert tuning, the "A" string) is detuned a whole step to G, so it becomes the root (i.e., it's the lowest G in the open G). So when you're barring as you go up the neck, it acts as the root.

So some would say the 6th string (normally the E string, but tuned down a whole step to D) is superfluous. I don't agree, but I guess that's the thought.

[TelZilla]

Originally Posted by Valvey

I read somewhere he got the overdriven sound on that record from playing an acoustic guitar into the preamp of a cassette recorder.

Here's keith on the tune (from this site) not stying it's true, but kind of interesting:

Jumpin' Jack Flash and Street Fighting Man came about because I had become fascinated by the possibilities of playing an acoustic guitar through a cassette recorder, using it as a pick-up, really, so that I could still get the crispness of an acoustic - which you can never get off an electric guitar - but overloading this tiny little machine so the effect was that it sounded both acoustic and electric. Technology was starting to increase in sophistication, but I just wanted to reduce it back to basics. I bought one of the first cassette machines - a must for a budding songwriter - and then day in, day out recorded on it. Then I began to get interested in the actual sound of the machine, how close you could put the microphone to the guitar and what effect you could get out of it... When we were in the studio I would bring in that little Philips cassette recorder, get a wooden extension speaker, plug that into the back of the recorder, shove a microphone in front of the speaker in the middle of the studio and record it. W e would all sit back and watch this little microphone record the cassette machine in the middle of the studio at Olympic, which was the size of Salder's Wells. Then we'd go back, listen to it, play over it, mash it up and there was the track.

- Keith Richards, 2003

[elmerbumpkin]

great story.

I've got a little tabletop Craig cassette recorder (the one with the joystick control) and the original table mic. I'll have to give that a try.

[12ax7]

Tune to open G tuning (from the high-E downwards, its D B G D G). Remove "low E" string completely for easiest playability.

JJF is usually played live in the key of B... so put your capo on the 4th fret - the riff is pretty easy to figure out just by fooling around for a few minutes. With the capo installed, the signature riff always goes back to the root (open) and the 3rd fret, so try jumping between those two and you'll eventually get it (that's the great thing about Keith's riffs - timeless and classic but usually not that hard to figure out by ear).

When strumming that open B chord, fret the high d string on the 5th and the b on the 3rd, and play everything else open. Great signature "Keith"-type power chord.

[Charlesinator]

Jumpin' Jack Flash was originally played in Open E tuning, but in the key of Bb because the guitar was actually tuned to Eb according to Keef in Guitar Legends The Rolling Stones FWIW.

[cannedheat67]

Originally Posted by Valvey

I read somewhere he got the overdriven sound on that record from playing an acoustic guitar into the preamp of a cassette recorder.

I thought technique was used on "Street Fighting Man"?

[T.C. Madison]

any good video lessons or tabs for jumping jack flash?
i cant find anything i like hehe :) every tab seems to be different :)
thanx

[brewwagon]

live 68 -non tele related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47A-a...eature=related

nickolas reminds me of dan german

justin's take and comments lesson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc5Df...eature=related
bw

[T.C. Madison]

thanks :)

[TeleDrifter]

How come nobody ( me included has ever put another bass A on instead of the bassE abd tuned it down to G????????

[tyroneslothrop]

"You only need 5 strings, 3 chords and 1 ***hole."

That is quite funny.

I love this place. Just found this thread while doing a google on the tuning. Thought I'd... bounce it? Is that the word the kids use now-a'-days.

Learning more Stones.

Got me a new tele. My new favorite guitar. It is contoured in the back like a strat and has a Rosewood fretboard. A first for me. So so light... but just growls at me. It might be possessed.

(i sound so old... sorry... midlife crisis showdown... been bringing home magazines and hiding them... don't want the old lady to see the harley magazines... you know... I have read that in the last 10-12 years, HD has been making hogs of all shape and sizes that actually stay on the road)

[DaveG]

Open G is fine and fun, but, if you take the time to figure out JJF using the open E (actually I find it's easier to do it open D and capo to E > less tension) you will be rewarded with that "feeling.... so unusual in it's effect..."

Seriously, the first time I played it, it was like voodoo - THAT IS THE SOUND! Like, it couldn't be any other way. When my band plays it, I have a guitar I tune just for that song. Playing that riff just takes you over... and it never fails to get people up and pumping their fists! It's the tuning, the arrangement of the notes in that tuning that is simply unmistakable and cannot be duplicated any other way.

At the beginning of the last Stones tour when lots of people were slagging them saying they were too old, blah-blah, somebody asked Keef if he ever got tired of playing JJF. His reply was classic - something like, "are you kidding? kicking off THAT riff in front of 10,000 people, LOUD? it never gets old, what cold be better..."