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Topic: Universal 12 instruction |
Brian ONeil
From:
Minneapolis, MN USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 11:01 am |
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| I'm not sure this would be the right place to post this, but what I'm looking for is a DVD or written instruction for Universal 12. Can anyone recomend something? |
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John Roche
From:
England
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 11:46 am
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My advice:
DON'T LIMIT YOURSELF TO TAB WRITTEN FOR U-12
LEARN TO TRANSLATE E9 and C6 TAB IN YOUR HEAD -- IT'S EASY
One of the strong points of the E9/B6 Universal Tuning is the fact that it is
* E9 from string 1 to string 8 and
* B6 (identical to C6 1 fret lower) from string 12 down to string 4 -- that's the equivalent of 2 through 10 on 10 string C6. In addition you have the F# (equivalent to G on top of C6) on the first string and, if you lower 2 to C# on your E to D# lever, you have the equivalent of the D on top of C6.
Look at E9 tab - the vast majority of the notes on most tab I have is on the first 8 strings. The only string missing is the D on string 9 of 10 string E9. You can get this note when you need it by lowering 8 from E to D or by raising 9 from B to D. There are VERY FEW E9 MOVES YOU CAN'T PLAY EXACTLY LIKE 10 string E9. AND there are many things you can play in the lower register of the U-12 -- for example, licks an octave lower than standard E9 licks that really sound rich because of the low voicing.
Play E9 from the top down -- read the tab that way
Play C6 from the bottom up
It is easy to teach yourself to read standard tab on the universal. I've been doing it for almost 35 years -- there was no U-12 tab when I started. A little work learning to translate the small differences that exist will serve you well.
Good luck. You may want to take a look at my website.
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12 |
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John Sluszny
From:
Brussels, Belgium
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 11:59 am
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1) What Larry said.
2) Jeff Newman's E9/B6 course is very good too ! |
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Brian ONeil
From:
Minneapolis, MN USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 12:10 pm
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| thanks for the advice guys, looking at it now I see the E9th stuff I've played before right there! Can't wait to play with the rest of it. |
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Lynn Stafford
From:
Ridgefield, WA USA
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 12:14 pm E9-B6 Course
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Brian,
I have a copy of the Jeff Newman E9-B6 course that I don't need anymore. It's yours for the postage if you'd like it.
Let me know via email and I'll get it out to you 
Best regards,
Lynn |
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John Roche
From:
England
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Posted 26 Dec 2007 12:25 pm
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| Good man Lynn, nice to see someone help another. |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 27 Dec 2007 3:43 am
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Well said Larry. When I changed to a Universal tuning, like yourself I too found no instructional blurb available, and just got some C6th tabs and transposed  Bet us uni players will "NEVER" go to a D-10 ....it's all there on one neck ain't it
Micky Byrne |
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Brian ONeil
From:
Minneapolis, MN USA
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Posted 27 Dec 2007 1:31 pm
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| thanks guys! I think I'll go with learning for E9th and C6th stuff. I'm really excited to have this new door open up! |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 27 Dec 2007 3:53 pm
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Hi Brian, do you know a player called Ernie Teppo in Minneapolis?? When I first went there back in 1982 I met him. He was playing one of the early Williams SD-10's. When I returned home after 6 months work in 1984, he bought my Nashville 400 from me.
Micky Byrne |
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Bobbe Seymour
From:
Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Dec 2007 6:56 pm
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What Larry Bell said is my opinion also! Thank you Larry.
Bobbe |
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Brian ONeil
From:
Minneapolis, MN USA
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Posted 29 Dec 2007 6:29 pm
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Hey Micky,
I don't know Ernie, but there are a bunch of steel players here which is great! I like that i can show up at a club and see a steel player I might not have met that has a totally different take on it. It's really inspiring! Let me know if oyu find out Ernie is playing gigs, I'll go check him out!
Brian |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 29 Dec 2007 7:18 pm
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Larry Bell, my good ex-Michigan friend has got it straight. Listen to him. It is all there.Happy New Year ...al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus |
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Doug Seymour
From:
Jamestown NY USA (deceased)
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Posted 29 Dec 2007 7:51 pm
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12 string universal is all written for E9/B6 ! What about an old guy like me that wants the basic tuning to be a Bb6th or some 6th tuning....is there nothing for me.....not that I'd bother to read tab anyway!?? What happened to being a musician and reading music.....like
for example a fake book?? That ought to set some of you newbies back on your heels! Tab......smab! be a musician! The legitimate musicians think that a pedal steel isn't even a musical instrument!!! I disagree!!
I learned to read music in third grade or maybe before that......Make that an important part of your learning.
I would guess that Al Marcus learned to read before he played pedal steel?? How about that Al?? I remember reading here on this very forum about a picker who came to our shores and took all the Hollywood work because he was the only guy who could play the steel from written music! Am I right?? Bobbe & Larry......can you guys read written music and play it on your steels!?? Note for note? with chord symbols?? |
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Micky Byrne
From:
United Kingdom (deceased)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 4:31 am
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Hi again Brian, Ernie was a beginner player when we met in 1982, but by now he must be a seasoned player. I'm sure Bill Rudolph would know of his where abouts, as Ernie did play a Williams, and even had a William's pakka seat if I rightly recall. I often wonder if the Nashville 400 he bought off me when I returned to England is still being played....I can bet it is, they are super tough amps
Micky Byrne www.mickybyrne.com |
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Al Marcus
From:
Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 8:39 am
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Doug-In answer to your post. The E9/B6 tuning is not the only tuning in the world, but is getting popular. Of course the Emmons setup E9 and C6 is the usual standard. You are one of the old pros , so probably didnt use tab.
Yes, I did learn to read before I ever played a guitar. Cornet for 3 years in the School band started me out. I used to play taps on Memorial Day at the cemetary, Then Piano lessons, then I fell for the sound of the Hawaiian Guitar. I liked chords. I learned quite a few songs that I was unfamiliar with from the Fake book and sheet music. I have still got 2 fake books and other song books. But I know most of the songs now and don't need to refer to them much anymore.Except when I get stuck on the bridge of a song, then I remember it....Happy New Year...al.
_________________
Michigan (MSGC)Christmas Dinner and Jam on my 80th Birthday.
My Email.. almarcus@cmedic.net
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 30 Dec 2007 5:16 pm
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Oh Uncle Doug
You do love to stir the pot, don't you. 
I was only addressing the question which was specific to finding tab for the E9/B6 U-12 tuning.
Any player worth his salt should learn to read music enough to create an arrangement from sheet music, whether it be a fake book or other source of standard notation. It's no different doing that for the U-12 than for E9 or C6. You must get the melody from the lead sheet and flesh it out with the chords which are usually included with the std notation.
As far as the U-12 and the sixth tuning, it is the players option to tune to the sixth or ninth tuning. If you tune Bb6 the 9th tuning will be Eb9. Unless your main genre of music is jazz with a lot of horn players you may find B6 and E9 to be a better choice of key. I know several U-12 players who tune to B6 -- and of course Reece tunes to Bb6 but has mentioned also tuning to B6.
The reasons I tune to E9 as the open tuning include
* I'm a guitar player and E is more convenient for me
* I started out on E9 and am most comfortable with that tuning
* If I tuned to B6, I would have to raise the D#'s on 4 and 8 to E and hold that lever to play E9, then raise it further to F and raise the 4th to F# for the C pedal -- I like tuning to E better.
A 'native' sixth tuning player like yourself would be much more at home tuning to the sixth tuning and having to hold (or lock) a lever to get the ninth tuning . . . but then . . .
you already knew that.
Happy New Year
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12 |
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