Positioning/Chop Question

[James S]

Hey all,

I had a question: If someone were to finger the G chop chord and then move that exact position up one step, for each finger, between the G and A chop chords, what would that position be? A "G flat?" I've been chopping to the Kentucky Colonels' song Memphis Special, and the song seems to be in that key. Could that be right? If so, are there many songs in that given key?
Thanks for reading!

James #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

Many times old recordings are off key because they were on tape and I think the tape could slow down or speed up. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong here. Also, some peope would tune up or down so they could still play in G position but a tune might fit their voice a little better if it were sharp or flat. bill Monroe was notoriuos for making fiddle players tune so far sharp that it would pull the neck off of their instruments. To my knowledge, there haven't been any bgrass tunes recorded in A b. Now jazz players, especially hornplayers, love Ab-but thats another story. I don't know about your particular song but they are probably playing in G or A.

[fiddler59]

Many bands back inthe old days tuned a half step sharp. It
gave there instruments more of a "high lonesome sound"
DB
PS
A half step above g is g# or Ab.