8 String Non Pedal For A Dobro Player

Richard Grasty · Post by **Richard Grasty** » 21 Jun 2011 10:15 am

I know this has been gone over before but was wondering if there is anything new to add..I have played dobro in a band for a number of years..I picked up a 8 string non pedal steel and need to find the best tuning for a guy like me...Was thinking G6 with gbdegbde but is this the best was to go..Any advise would be gladly accepted...thanks rick

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 21 Jun 2011 3:55 pm

I've had good luck with G6, adding a low E and a middle E. Didn't take me much re-thinking or adjustment. Like A6 but two frets lower.

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 22 Jun 2011 12:29 pm

I have been toying with the idea of G6 like this: E-G-B-D-G-B-D-E. Just adding a low and high E and leaving the standard Dobro G tuning in the middle.
JE:-)>

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 23 Jun 2011 7:01 am

Jim, I think that your 61351356 tuning would leave you hungering for the middle E and all the "jazzy" voicings that 61356135 provides.

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 23 Jun 2011 11:02 am

D Schubert wrote:Jim, I think that your 61351356 tuning would leave you hungering for the middle E and all the "jazzy" voicings that 61356135 provides.

+1

The major 2nd (5-6) is a massively useful interval to have in a tuning.

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 23 Jun 2011 11:36 am

OK, Twayn, tell me more. I know I like having the 6th in the middle - but how is that major 2nd so important?
...as a newbie, there are still things that I completely miss the significance of...
(by the way, I'm loving the Melobar and so does the band....)

Martin Zeigler · Post by **Martin Zeigler** » 2 Jul 2011 5:55 pm

Hi, If you play in G a lot then your G6 tuning should work. Vocalists sometimes require playing in differt keys. If I were playing a lot in keys that require playing up higher on the neck or all over the fretboard, I'd concider a different tuning but it would be a 6th. The intervals between strings in a 6th tuning can be the same as for reso in GBDGBD so there would familiar ground. Hi G C6 tunings strings 321 are the same intervals as G reso.
Regards, Zig

Billy Gilbert · Post by **Billy Gilbert** » 4 Jul 2011 5:26 pm

If you use EGBDEGBD you can change to E7 by just raising your Gs a half step to G#s.

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 5 Jul 2011 9:28 am

Steve Lipsey wrote:OK, Twayn, tell me more. I know I like having the 6th in the middle - but how is that major 2nd so important?
...as a newbie, there are still things that I completely miss the significance of...
(by the way, I'm loving the Melobar and so does the band....)

Glad the Melobar working well for you!

One of the main uses of the major 2nd interval is for playing melodies. The 5th and 6th in a major chord are very often used by the melody line, so having them on a straight bar can solve a lot of playing position problems.

And of course, because you have the 6th scale degree on the straight bar for a major chord, it automatically becomes the m7 of the relative minor chord, i.e. C6 = Am7. Also, in root position, the 3-5-6 imply 6-1-9 for the dominant chord, i.e. E-G-A spells a G6/9 chord at the root C chord position. This is how you can play over a V-I resolution at the root position without sounding weird as long as you pick your note

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 5 Jul 2011 4:30 pm

Ah- hadn't spotted that G6/9 yet! Nice little pocket....Thanks!

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 6 Jul 2011 3:19 pm

Consider this G 6/9

DGAEGBD that's 7. With your 8th you can do this DEGAEGBD or BDGAEGBD (cool low notes) DGAEGBDE

you could make the high string an F or F# The you've got a Major 9/13 0r Dominant 9/13

you'd think having that A there would be yucky but, it sounds sweet.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 6 Jul 2011 5:30 pm

I'd say AJ has cracked it..

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 6 Jul 2011 6:10 pm

AJ Azure wrote:Consider this G 6/9
DGAEGBD that's 7. With your 8th you can do this DEGAEGBD or BDGAEGBD (cool low notes) DGAEGBDE.
You could make the high string an F or F#. Then you've got a Major 9/13 0r Dominant 9/13.
You'd think having that A there would be yucky but, it sounds sweet.

If you have a lap steel with adjustable tuning mechanisms you can switch between these tunings at the flick of a few levers. This particular instrument is a Framus from my collection, but you could fit a Hipshot Trilogy to most lap steels.

This is a Hipshot Trilogy just placed on top of an SX lap steel. Attaching this unit would take less time than changing the strings. They used to be available online from Stewart-MacDonalds and Musician's Friend, but they're out of stock at both places right now.

AJ Azure · Post by **AJ Azure** » 6 Jul 2011 7:05 pm

man that Framus bridge is huge!