Song Help Request go u northwestern tuning - need help - sheet music from 1913

pamelamama

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Can someone help me figure this out? The tuning is

https://jscholarship.library.jhu.ed....2/25189/028.062.001.webimage.JPEG?sequence=7

Bb Eb G C

Can I just take my regular concert uke and lower the strings until they hit these notes? I'm guessing it's got to be lower, not higher, right? (Edited to add: I tuned it higher, 'cause lower made the strings too floppy.)

I am super newbie here on this one, please be gentle.

Link to all 5 pages of sheet music: https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/25189

I accidentally stumbled on this sheet music while searching for the chords and I was SHOCKED to see that it had Uke chords right in the sheet music!

I picture a guy in a straw hat and a cane with a uke, tap dancing.

EDITED TO ADD: Me singing and playing it, with enthusiasm. On the silly side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dV_vBjoiJs
 
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Hm... I don't know. The strings still have that "my dog has fleas" sequence, just shifted.

I think my lack of music theory is hurting me here.
 
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Bb Eb G C

Can I just take my regular concert uke and lower the strings until they hit these notes? I'm guessing it's got to be lower, not higher, right? (Edited to add: I tuned it higher, 'cause lower made the strings to floppy.)

...

If want to use this tuning, you're probably going to need different strings. I'm assuming you're using a "C-Tuning" set (G-C-E-A), you'll want to get a "D-Tuning" set (A-D-F#-B). From there you just tune each string UP one-half step, that'll give you Bb-Eb-G-C

Another (easier) option would be to slap a capo on the 3rd fret and just go from there.
 
Another (easier) option would be to slap a capo on the 3rd fret and just go from there.

So -- put a capo on my regularly tuned uke and play there... that is what you're saying?
I think I can just play the tabs as illustrated with my standard setup too -- then it's just transposed automatically, right?
 
So -- put a capo on my regularly tuned uke and play there... that is what you're saying?
I think I can just play the tabs as illustrated with my standard setup too -- then it's just transposed automatically, right?

Yea, if you put a capo on the 3rd fret then the open strings are Bb-Eb-G-C.

But, if you can read the music, then there's no problem. You can keep the same tuning, omit the capo, and just play right off the sheets from standard tuning--no transposing necessary.

If you're talking about just following the chord diagrams, then yes, you can do it from standard tuning and it'll be transposed down 1-1/2 steps, so instead of playing the song in Bb, like it's written, you'll be playing in G.
 
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If you're talking about just following the chord diagrams, then yes, you can do it from standard tuning and it'll be transposed down 1-1/2 steps.

Yes, I'm talking about the chord diagrams.

Very helpful, thanks!
 
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