practice practice practice

[Todd Pertll]

I'm playing with the tuning: low to high ACEGBD which there is not a lot of learning material for. But, as of now, I feel its a pretty versatile and I want to stick with it.

I'll throw in that I'm somewhat of a beginner on lap steel. Anyway, I'm looking for some practice routines that aren't tuning specific to help me get to know the fret board.

I was thinking possibly some good western swing solo transcriptions, but all I seem to find is tab.

Thanks for the help guys,

todd

[Rick Schmidt]

Todd...I use what comprises that tuning a lot on my C6 pedal steel when I just hold the "traditional" pedal #7 down. I actually do that quite a bit as if it was a non pedal tuning. Great for diatonic harmonized scales, and out of the box single note pockets.

Besides the A minor triad, C Major triad, E minor triad, and G Major triad...you also have Am7,Am9, Am11, Cmaj7, Cmaj7-add9, and E7. I also think of it as an FMaj13/b5 (omit root)....all at the open fret!

Very cool!

As versatile as it seems though, I myself would still probably tune as a straight Amin7 (ACEGAC) just because I'm more use to that on a 6 string non pedal.

I applaud your thinking out of the box!

[Rick Winfield]

This looks like the 1st six strings, of Maurice Andersons 12 string lap steel copedant.
check out Greg Cutshaws website. He's got some 12 string lap steel tabs that'll get you thinking in the right direction.
Rick

[Todd Pertll]

Rick,

Actually, Reece showed me this tuning.

I'll check out the site.

thanks,

todd

[John Burton]

I'm playing with the tuning: low to high ACEGBD which there is not a lot of learning material for. But, as of now, I feel its a pretty versatile and I want to stick with it.

I'll throw in that I'm somewhat of a beginner on lap steel. Anyway, I'm looking for some practice routines that aren't tuning specific to help me get to know the fret board.

I was thinking possibly some good western swing solo transcriptions, but all I seem to find is tab.

Thanks for the help guys,

todd

Well, I'm no expert, but this is what helped me learn the fret board on the C6 tuning: (it's just what worked for me)
1) I stopped using Tabs. In the beginning, I learned a lot from tab, but I think tab can hold you back as you never really learn the note names, scales, intervals etc.
2)I put a clip on tuner on my headstock (clip it to a tuner key, anywhere..I found the Snark to be the best so far.) That way if I get really lost, I can quickly verify where I am, and how bad my intonation is. Then I started learning scales.
3) I got a few EZ play keyboard books, the kind with the chords and standard notation (played monophonic, one note at a time) for the melody. Using these I started playing melodies all around the steel. This quickly improves your sight reading, and you start to memorize where all the notes are. (and when I start to get confused, I glance at my clip-on tuner, which is just a helpful crutch that I need less and less)
Lately, I've been using some Ukulele books (The "Jumping Jim's" series), they have good standard notation using single note melody lines for a good variety of songs. I just stumble through the melody, slowly and learn that way.
4) I started figuring where the sixth, third (and fifths) of the notes to the scales are I was using for the single line melodies I was playing. Then I started adding harmony notes, chords etc to them.

It's a slow process, and I'm still working at it, but I'm finally starting to feel like I really know the C6 layout. (and I don't have to depend on other peoples' tabs anymore)
I also recently started learning from DeWitts' "Mel Bay presents Gospel Pedal Steel Guitar". It's good because it has standard notation (and tab, but for e9 pedal, so I just ignore the tab). The arrangements are good, and MOST of the harmony etc. in it can be played almost note for note on a C6 lap, using slants etc. and what can't be played, can be played by leaving those harmony notes out, or picking something else. It's a real learning experience.
anyway, what I am doing could be done in any tuning, I would think, I just decided to focus on C6 six string.

[Mike Neer]

If this is a tuning that Reece showed you, I certainly don't want to doubt the wisdom of it, but the thing I noticed right off the bat with that tuning is the intervals: first, you only have major and minor thirds on adjacent strings, then when you skip a string you have the interval of a perfect 5th. When you skip 2 strings you have 7ths--2 min. 7ths and 1 maj. 7th. This seems very limited to me for chord work and harmony. The only benefit I can see is that you have a minor triad and a major triad, and an extended Amin9 chord, but it leaves a lot to be desired (no 4ths, 6ths, 10ths, no tritone, etc.).

It may be good for single string playing, though, but if you were looking to get deeper into harmony, I'm not sure. Perhaps with Reece's complete tuning you have more chordal possibilities--maybe Reece prescribed this as an introduction to his bigger tuning.

[Laurence Pangaro]

Hi Todd,

I've considered the possibility of a stack o' thirds tuning myself, but I think if I were going to do it I would make a point of getting a dominant chord in there (this would also get you a diminished triad). For example you could raise the C to C# or the G to G# or lower the B to Bb (or even the raise both the C and G). Other possibilities come to mind as well.

ciao,
LP

[Steve Ahola]

From Reese Anderson's post here dated June 21, 2010:

Thank you George and J.D. for your kind words about the tuning I use. In the event anyone is interested, below you will find my tuning and the chord possibilities, both with and without the bar.

Here's the tuning from the top string down:

1. D tuned 1 tone above 5th string
2. B tuned half tone below 5th string
3. G
4. E
5. C
6. A
7. G
8. E
9. C
10. A
11. F
12. D

These chords can be played WITHOUT the bar.

C major.....strings3, 4, 5, 7, and 8
C major 7th...strings 2, 7, 8, and 9
C major 7th with add 9....strings 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9
G major..strings 1, 2 and 3
G suspended....strings 1, 3 and 5
E minor....strings 2, 3 and 4
A minor ...strings 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10
A 7 ...strings 6,7 and 8
2 different F major 7ths.......strings 8, 9, 10 and 11or 4, 6 9 and 11
C suspended....strings 7, 8, 9 and 12
F major....strings 9, 10 and 11
D minor...strings 10, 11 and 12
D6th....strings 9, 10, 11 and 12

It's possible to play 3 different diminished chords, one of which can be a full 4 note diminish, and a C #9 with slants of only 1 fret. The augmented and 9th chords require a 3 fret slant, all of which can be played exceptionally well in tune on a 22 1/2 inch scale.

Todd:

The top 2 strings on Reese's tuning are pitched between the 4th and 6th strings which gives you 6 consecutive diatonic tones in a row (as Yogi Berra might say ). Is that how your steel is tuned, or is it all consecutive thirds (which is what Mike was responding to)?

With one more string you would have 7 scales tones in a row- pretty amazing! I am converting my two Morrell 8-stringers to 7 strings and I will definitely try this tuning out on one of them! However the 7 strings would span only one octave so it might be a short-lived experiment.

Steve Ahola