What Tuning to use?

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 21 Feb 2000 6:43 am

Let's say you're playing a D10 or E9/B6 universal PSG. Let's say you get a "wild hare" and decide to try to play some gigs with just a 6-string lap steel. What tuning would you put on that guitar? I'm talking about a tuning that would cover for all playing situations that you normally would experience.

This something I've been thinking about for my 1938 "Bakelite" Ric.

Keep on pickin'!
Glenn

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 21 Feb 2000 7:04 am

C6 w/C on the bottom (might retune to C# for some tunes)

LTB

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 21 Feb 2000 9:36 am

Right on, Larry!

Moon in Alaska · Post by **Moon in Alaska** » 21 Feb 2000 9:44 am

I think it might depend on your roots !! I come from a straight E major, and have never been very good with C-6th, so now when I play drobro, I use a E major with a G# on top. And BOY, it's really country with no FAKING !!!!

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<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Moon in Alaska on 21 February 2000 at 09:45 AM.]</p></FONT>

Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 21 Feb 2000 11:45 am

only 3 note chords on E maj are major chords,
is that correct, Moon? Some of us grew up "idolizing" (?) Jerry Byrd and played C6
trying to learn his "secrets" (It's in the
hands !?!) On the C6 there are maj triads,
min triads & with slants, augmented triads.
If, as Larry suggested, you raise the 6th string C to C# you have a 3 note diminished chord on 4, 5 & 6 & a dominant 7th adding
string 3. The basic C6 tuning was also called
in some old OAHU tab that I saw once, an Amin7th tuning (the 4 notes in the 2 chords
are the same 4 notes)

Bill Kennedy · Post by **Bill Kennedy** » 21 Feb 2000 12:16 pm

FIRST A"BIG HELLO TO MOON UP THERE".
gLENN,IF YOU WANT TO PLAY ALL TYPES OF
'WHAT EVER ON THAT GIG ", THE C-6TH IS YOUR
BEST CHOICE,AND SEYMORE IS RIGHT.bUT OF COURSE THIS DEPENDS ON HOW GOOD YOU KNOW THE TUNING.iT CAN BE USED FOR ANY THING FROM COUNTRY TO JAZZ. bUT USE WHAT YOU CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF. HAVE FUN WITH THAT LAP JOB--- BILL KENNEDY

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 21 Feb 2000 12:55 pm

yes,

Have to agree with:

E
C
A
G
E
C or C#

Jerry Byrd has spent a lifetime playing 17 zillion tunes on this tuning.

Try it.

go with Jesus,

carl

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 21 Feb 2000 4:58 pm

1 E
2 C#
3 B
4 A
5 G#
6 G or E

Doug--Where did that idea come from

? Joe

Moon in Alaska · Post by **Moon in Alaska** » 21 Feb 2000 5:08 pm

Doug -- No, All 6 strings are a major chord on E-major. It of course is really limited even using bar slants, almost no minors etc. If you want to check it out, just start on the 8th string on your E-9th, skip the 7th, and it reaches up and including the 3rd. It is a real good neck to chime, you can chime the whole thing!! Of course, not very good for inprovising, You just have to learn the song !!!!!!!

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Doug Seymour · Post by **Doug Seymour** » 21 Feb 2000 5:10 pm

Joe, what are you saying? Alkyre???

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 21 Feb 2000 5:40 pm

Glenn.....as a guy who played pedal steel for years before taking up lap steel, I like playing the C6 tuning from the A up (below middle C) on my 6 string Dickerson.

low to high: A C E G A C = (Am7)

I sometimes tune the low A to a Bb, making it a C13.

IMO the straight C6 (C to C)is a little too "upper register" for my taste. Plus, having the A down there seems to make playing blues & rhythm parts a little fatter sounding.