B11 tuning for 10-string

[Pete Knapton]

Hi all,
I've been playing B11 on a 6-string for a while now. lo-hi... B D# F# A C# E. It suits what I'm doing and I like it. That said, I have a new 10-string guitar on its way and have been trying to get my head around an extended B11. John Ely's chord programe has been a great help, but I'm still not sure. Does anyone use an extended B11 tuning? Pros/cons? Cheers

[Chris Gabriel]

Awesome. I like that tuning. For starters, I would get a C# down there, just above the low B. And a low E string would give you something similar to the F string in C6 tuning. Hmmm...u got me thinkin'.
I would string it up like this:

BEG#BC#D#F#AC#E (lo to hi)

Are you a jazz player? Just asking, lots of chords in this tuning.That low B would be pretty thick! But, hey, thought I'd suggest something.
Please let us know how it goes!
~Chris

[Earnest Bovine]

B11 tuning is a stack of intervals of 3rds. Unless you slant the bar, you can't play any 4ths or 6ths. That seems like a weak point of the B11 tuning for a single neck guitar.
Adding strings that fill the gaps in the scale would help a lot. High D would be very useful. Also B or G# in the middle.

[Roger Shackelton]

Hi Pete,

Here's The Jules Ah See version Of The 8 String B-11 Tuning.

B11 Tuning TUNING:

1. E----.014
2. C#---.018
3. A----.021
4. F#---.026
5. D#---.032
6. B----.038
7. A----.044
8. B----.068

[Mike Neer]

B11 is a very difficult tuning to expand on and still keep its characteristics. You'd mostly be expanding downward (bass notes), which is not the preference of most (I like it, though).

Are there any other tunings you feel at all comfortable with? E13 a la Tom Morrell would be a great 10 string choice. You can keep playing your 6 string B11, too.

[Jack Aldrich]

Hi Pete,

Here's The Jules Ah See version Of The 8 String B-11 Tuning.

B11 Tuning TUNING:

1. E----.014
2. C#---.018
3. A----.021
4. F#---.026
5. D#---.032
6. B----.038
7. A----.044
8. B----.068

This is the tuning I use on my 8 strings.
i agree with the others that, as you add strings with 3rd, 4th, or 5th in tervals, it starts sounding more like the A tuning that lies at the heart of the B11. - Jack

[Pete Knapton]

Thanks guys for all your help.

I probably should have mentioned that I'm after a tuning for unaccompanied jazz/blues standards, so the root note would be useful.
Also, Maj7, min7, dom7, dim, b5, #5, 6th, b9, 9th, #9, 11th.

I've looked at the B11 tuning and come up with the following extended alternatives...

(lo-hi) G# B D D# F# A C# E F# G#
E G# B D D# F# A C# D E

The chromatic interval of the D and D# gives the Maj or min of the B root, the b5 of the G# root, the Maj7 and b7 of the E root. Also works as alternative root notes to the 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th. (I hope I'm making sense).

The blues scale looks very user friendly too.

I haven't got the new guitar yet and I realise that theory vs playing is the acid test.

More thoughts and suggestions would be very welcome.
Cheers Pete

[Chris Gabriel]

How's it goin' man? I get what you are up to and would be curious to hear your progress.

In the meantime, you've got me exploring that tuning more as well. Thanks alot!

Seriously, thanks alot,
Chris

[Steve Ahola]

Not all steels can handle the low B. Even if the slots on the nut and bridge can handle the thick string sometimes the body itself doesn't handle those super low frequencies well. So if anyone was planning to use a low B it might be a good idea to have an alternate tuning in mind. And try out the low B first before putting on the other strings. (You may want to move your other strings down a notch.)

Just something I've run into...

Steve Ahola

[Chris Gabriel]

Heres a little video of the high G# in action. I liked it there so much, i thought I'd share it with you.

Shiny Stockings on a red Guitar

The exact tuning on my red guitar:

G#EC#AF#D#C#

Cheers!

Chris