Anyone gone from C6th to B6th tuning??

Bob Mainwaring · From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

I was talking to my buddy today of the change down a half tone from C6th to B6th tuning.
Seeing as I'm mainly an E9th "twanger" I'd like some input on the theory of this 1/2 tone string lowering change.
The quick change in a tune or song from E9th to B6th going straight across from the front to the rear neck as explained seems to be easier to understand seeing as you are already in that particular key/fret position.
I understand that an increase in string gage is required with a railroad tie being used on the 10th string.
Surely this must be a good change???

Bob Mainwaring. Z.Bs. and other sweet things.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I think it's a good thing to do for several reasons.I think of it as training wheels for an E9/B6 universal.String gauge wise I'd just look at the gauges on a U-12 set and go by that.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I tuned to B6 for years before I ever started playing E9.....I use the standard C6 string set tuned to a C# on the first string and a B on the bottom.
www.genejones.com

David Doggett · Posted 9 Feb 2004 7:21 am

Bob, if you have never gotten used to the C neck frets, and are expanding from E9, then putting B6 on your back neck makes lots of sense. If you just shift straight across to the same fret, you will go from the I chord on E9 to the V chord on B6; and likewise, you can jump from the V chord on B6 straight across and be at the I chord on E9. If you want to shift from the I chord on E9 to the I chord on B6, you go on the B6 neck to the fret where the IV chord would be on the E9 neck. So there is a very close theoretical relationship between an E neck and a B neck that does not exist for a C neck. Another way to look at it is that playing in A on B6 uses the same frets as playing in E on E9, F is like C, G is like D, C is like G, and D is like A. So for many standard keys, your relationship to the fret markers will be very familiar.

The only disadvantage to B6 is that some tradional C6 songs using open strings would have to be played in B rather than C. That wont make any difference to you, but the rest of the band will want to kill you.

You don't really have to change string guages to drop 1/2 step. If you compare string sets from the major makers, they all use the same guages on the lower strings for C6 and E9/B6 sets. However, this appears to be a dubious cost saving practice. Putting custom guages a little bigger on the lower strings does sound better, especially on the lowest string.

Don McClellan · From: California/Thailand

I like B6th better too. Its nice to have C on the first fret instead of in the open position and of course it all matches up with the E neck. Transposing tab is no problem.

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

....and an often overlooked advantage, is that you can play "Steelin' The Blues" (if you would want to) in the key of C instead of C#!

www.genejones.com

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

It might make it easier to conceptualize, but all of the tab will be one fret off. Also, you'll lose the C tonality which I believe gives the flat keys better intonation.

I don't think that you really need to change string gauges. Use a fairly heavy set like Ricky Davis Jagwires and you should be fine.

(BTW, you can always play "Steelin' the Blues" on the E9th neck, if you have to play it in C.)

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 09 February 2004 at 01:14 PM.]

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Bob-I like B6 instead of C6, like Gene Jones, it all relates so much better with E9.
But I use E6 on my bottom neck, which makes it the same as E9 on the Frets and strings too. It is good for me as, I am used to it.

But I do not recommend it for the player that needs all the tab and lesson material, etc. that is out there for E9 and B6(C6)..........al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

....yes, he could play STB in C on the E9, but if he wanted to play it with the bar hammer-on effect like it was originally recorded, he would have to play it in Bb with A&B pedals down.

....and as Al said, if a player is dependent on tab he should probably not vary from the standard C6 and E9 set-up.

www.genejones.com

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 09 February 2004 at 04:03 PM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

?? If you lower your E strings to D#, you have a B6th on strings 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 that's exactly like Jerry Byrd's C6th lowered 1/2 step. The hammer-ons work at the first fret, and the song is in the key of C.

There's no high 5th in the tuning of the original recording of Steelin The Blues. Even if there was, you could get it from the 1st string. It's a real natural for the key of C on the E9th.

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I messed around with that a bit and found that it didn't help understanding the neck really much at all. You are going to need to learn the tuning in order to play it well and there aren't any shortcuts.
The C6 tuning is what I settled on because I found it more simple to think in terms of the white keys on a piano rather than trying to use E9 positions extrapolated onto it.

Bob

David Wright · From: Pilot Point ,Tx USA.

Bb.......one lower..........

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David's Web Page

M.S.A.

M.S.A. Millennium
S-12 9 & 6
Bb is where it's at!
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Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

.... b0b you are correct of course. When you get as old as I am it becomes increasingly difficult to remember all the options!

www.genejones.com

Rainer Hackstaette · From: Bohmte, Germany

When I bought my Sierra S-14U E9/B6 I changed the tuning on all my D-10s from C6 to B6. It's difficult enough to play in two tunings - there's no way I could handle three!

Remington Ride is now in C#. My band loves me.

Rainer

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Remington D-10 8+7, Sierra Crown D-10 gearless 8+8, Sierra Session S-14 gearless 8+5, '77 Emmons D-10 8+4, Sho~Bud Pro-I 3+5, Fender Artist D-10 8+4, Peavey Session 400 LTD, Peavey Vegas 400

Bob Mainwaring · From: Qualicum Beach Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

Thanks guys for all the great "come-backs".
It's still looking like the 6th neck of whatever "denomination" is still going through some big changes unlike the 9th one which has all the tunings more or less ironed out over the years except a miniscule of changes which come about from time to time like for instance the "Franklin pedal".

I'd like to think that in time when the dust has settled and all the certain pulls and lowers have been gone through systematicly, the Steel Guitar will eventualy find its own level of tuning abillity and acceptance.

Saying "I'd like to think" might be an easy way out of all the many combinations that our cosseted instrument possesses, not counting string diameter and structual/stress problems with the undercarriage.

In future years we might (not too soon) have the opportunity of playing a steel guitar with no strings on at all but maybe light emmited strings or even a bar that cannot be removed............the tuning technology thereby would be just a thumb dial away,
an ELECTRONIC STEEL GUITAR.. WOW!!!

Bob Mainwaring Z.Bs. and other sweet things.

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