8 string g tuning

Alex Burns · Post by **Alex Burns** » 6 Jun 2009 3:27 pm

Hi Folks
i am getting a new 8 string lap steel soon,if i tune this to a regular G tuning,which normally on a 6 string is g b d g b d low to high,would appreciate suggestions on what to tune extra 2 bass strings to
regards alex burns

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 6 Jun 2009 5:01 pm

In my limited experience, high strings are more useful than low strings, so you might want to add high E and C.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 6 Jun 2009 10:37 pm

low to high BDEGBDEG? High G is a .012

Alex Burns · Post by **Alex Burns** » 7 Jun 2009 2:21 am

Thanks Ernest & rick
looking for string tuning that will compliment the G MAJOR TUNING, THE B D E YOU SUGGESTED RICK IS MORE ACCOCIATED WITH C#MINOR TUNING,THE C E YOU SUGGESTED Ernest,all i can see is a some kind of low g6th chord,dont know about the c ,consider in g major tuning we already have the triad in the first three strings,just not sure what to do with these extra two bass strings
thanks alex burns

John Dahms · Post by **John Dahms** » 7 Jun 2009 5:42 am

You may have already thought of this and maybe it's not what you want but, Dobro style G tuning intervals (from low to high) are 1,3,5,1,3,5. When you add 2 more strings with intervals 6,1,3,5,6,1,3,5 you have a common version of 6th tuning as in A6th or C6th with many familiar intervals and shapes intact. Without raising the pitch you could just play in G6th. It might make a good jumping off point.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 7 Jun 2009 10:11 am

Alex,

The tuning I mentioned is G6. There is a 3rd on the bottom which slants nice and a root on top which is nice for melody. It is 35613561. I used a 10 string version on a steel, I liked it. I may try to add a youtube video of me playing the tuning for you to hear. I'm not much of a player, so I have hesitated to put it on.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 7 Jun 2009 10:21 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O04Ppsu_Rg

Low to high EGBDEGBDEG

norm mcdaniel · Post by **norm mcdaniel** » 7 Jun 2009 12:16 pm

Rick Your G6th tuning looks like fun to me and I will for sure try it. Ive got the backing tracks that you used to play along with as well. Thanks

Norm in Waco Tx

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 7 Jun 2009 12:51 pm

When I went from 6-string to 8-string, I started with A6 tuning because it's similar. More recently, I tuned down a step to G6 which is EGBDEBGD from lo to hi. That tuning allows you to keep most/all of your Dobro licks with lots of A6 or C6 sounds in a lower voicing.

Alex Burns · Post by **Alex Burns** » 7 Jun 2009 2:25 pm

Thanks guys
i will give them a go,might try an f on low 2nd string also to get the big 7th chord,good for turnarounds,so many possibilities thanks again
alex burns

Dave Harmonson · Post by **Dave Harmonson** » 7 Jun 2009 2:31 pm

I use a G6 low to high EGBDEGBD on one of my 8 string tunings. When I first got an 8 string I was used to the standard Dobro tuning which I also use on my 6 string lap steel so just adding the E's seemed to make the most sense. Sometimes I'll tune the low string up to F for a low 7th, plus that can give you some interesting chord possibilities.

admin · Post by **b0b** » 7 Jun 2009 2:37 pm

I agree with the G6th crowd: E G B D E G B D

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 8 Jun 2009 7:16 am

I prefer a G9th tuning: (low to high)
G A B D G B D G

This was inspired by Jr. Martin's G tuning for cajun music.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 8 Jun 2009 9:40 am

Tom, what was Jr Martin's tuning?

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 8 Jun 2009 11:59 am

Rick . I think it is: G-D-B-G-D-B-G-D-B-G (high to low,
10 string). Also probably mentioned in Andy Volk's book.

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 8 Jun 2009 2:05 pm

Man! That's a whole lotta dobro tuning!

Jim Newberry · Post by **Jim Newberry** » 9 Jun 2009 9:27 am

My "connections" tell me that typical 8-string Cajun tuning would be G-D-B-G-D-B-G-D (hiToLo) as Tom suggests. Terry Huval gets a 6th in there somewhere. Maybe he'll chime in. He's a fine native Cajun player and has spent plenty of time with the masters.

I've been playing a 6-string tuning G-D-B-G-D-G as played by my idol Archange "Ti' Coon" Touchet who plays with the Touchet Brothers and played on those great D.L. Menard recordings in the '60s like "The Back Door".

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 9 Jun 2009 9:35 am

Alex, what kind of music do you play?

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 9 Jun 2009 1:00 pm

On the inside neck of my Stringmaster I have a regular dobro G tuning on the first 6 strings and add an E and a C for my 7th and 8th strings respectively like this hi>lo: D B G D B G E C. If the strings were in order according to pitch they would be hi>lo: D B G E D C B G. I do it the way I do to keep the core dobro tuning intact and keep the other 2 strings out of the way till needed like the chromatic strings on an E9 pedal tuning. If I had another string I'd have a tritone in there somewhere but I have all that on my other neck which is the Murphey C6/A9 tuning. I've been playing this extended electric dobro tuning for 7 or 8 years now since when I started playing with The Riders of the Purple Sage and it never fails to satisfy. It's a great blues and cowboy tuning and you can get a 6th chord,a 4 chord in root position,a 6 minor in root position,maj7ths and a bunch more - plus all the regular dobro stuff. I played this tuning a on about half the songs on a CD recorded here in my studio a few years ago by an artist named Paul Hendel called "Woman of the Wind"(think Johnny Cash does Marty Robbins). Check it out here and check out the fills and solo on "A Cowboy's Life". http://cdbaby.com/cd/paulhendel
I also play some acoustic dobro on things like "Big Iron" and "Tennesse Stud" and Cody Bryant tears it up on guitar,fiddle and banjo all the way thru. Sadly Paul passed away a year or so ago. Go to www.paulhendel.com for more about the CD. But if you like cowboy storytelling ala Marty Robins with some pretty fine picking this CD is worth a listen IMHO.

Dean Parks · Post by **Dean Parks** » 9 Jun 2009 5:42 pm

I think Earnest's tuning is like Michael's except the C and E are on top, so the scale notes (and the instant 4 chord w strings 1, 2, and 5) are all together... alternate strings for a quick scale 4231), then just keep the bar off those 2 top strings for the regular Dobro tuning.

Another possibility, if you're willing to skip strings, is top to bottom:

D
B
G
E
D
B
G
F

123 Gmaj
234 Emin
1234 G6 or Emin7
5678 G7
468 G13, or rootless C#7+9

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 10 Jun 2009 7:46 am

yikes a C natural in a G chord that's a natural 11.. kinda gross unless you play it as a Gsus4. Don't strum that chord you might lose your lunch

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 10 Jun 2009 8:03 am

It's voiced too low in the tuning to really be called an 11th. I look at it as an "accidental" so don't play it "accidently". That's why I keep it out of the way. But having a 4 chord and a 6min chord in root position really makes an otherwise kinda knucklehead tuning suddenly seem rather useful.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 10 Jun 2009 8:12 am

Michael Johnstone wrote:It's voiced too low in the tuning to really be called an 11th. I look at it as an "accidental" so don't play it "accidently". That's why I keep it out of the way. But having a 4 chord and a 6min chord in root position really makes an otherwise kinda knucklehead tuning suddenly seem rather useful.

That's a misconception it doesn't matter where an 11th is in a voicing it's still an eleventh (or call it a 4th it will still sound like an 11th tension)unless you have not third. I write horn charts and trust me even if a tuba is playing it, it's going to be heard as an 11th.

I see these naming trends with steel and it's just bad practice.
Theory doesn't change by which instrument you play it on.

Having a note there to reach to if you avoid it when it's bad is another story.

Al Collinsworth · Post by **Al Collinsworth** » 12 Jun 2009 1:14 pm

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 12 Jun 2009 1:20 pm

One more time, because it can make a difference:
"Alex, what kind of music do you play?"

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