tuning a steel---put up your soundclips

Tim Russell · Post by **Tim Russell** » 13 Jul 2015 6:13 pm

Tom Quinn wrote:Hey Jimmy can you pick this?

https://youtu.be/gsT2x1J7yJs

Cool, bouncy tune - love the B bender!

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 13 Jul 2015 6:22 pm

yeah that's fun , dick.

Jamie Mitchell · Post by **Jamie Mitchell** » 14 Jul 2015 9:44 am

https://kingcardinal.bandcamp.com/track/abraham

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 14 Jul 2015 10:11 am

What a great song! And you play very good Jamie!

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 14 Jul 2015 7:03 pm

Good topic. Seriously!
Dug everybody. Everybody!

Jamie Mitchell · Post by **Jamie Mitchell** » 15 Jul 2015 11:44 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:What a great song! And you play very good Jamie!

thanks!
here's John Macy on that same tune:
http://youtu.be/bLKrfdInzD8

Ian Worley · Post by **Ian Worley** » 15 Jul 2015 4:28 pm

Jimmy Lewis wrote:...there are some people who do not care for your self centered know it all attitude...

Then they should go somewhere else. I've grown to enjoy Chris' posts. Without Chris and a handful of the other regulars this place would be really boring. And I have it on good authority from several people who know Chris that he is a really nice guy (don't worry Chris I won't tell anyone...oops...)

(what was the original topic title?)

Billy McCombs · Post by **Billy McCombs** » 15 Jul 2015 6:29 pm

Chris has replaced Eric West as my Favorite Poster. Chris, Keep on Keeping On.

Dan Robinson · Post by **Dan Robinson** » 15 Jul 2015 7:00 pm

chris ivey wrote: i rarely use a tuner anymore.

Same for me, except to tune my Es. Then I use my ears.

I've played plenty of tonks and joints, and never been told "hit the road, Jack, your ET/TT is all QRSTUV'ed."

On the other hand, I don't know what to do with all the pedals 'n knees some guys have, but I respect those who do.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 16 Jul 2015 8:24 am

Dick Wood wrote:Here's something I posted maybe 7 years ago where I used Jeff Newman's backing track. I tune using a Peterson and I think it sounds ok and the bands never complain.

I'm not smart enough to know if Peterson uses ET or JI or whatever.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jaffe/01%20Track%201.mp3

That's great picking there Dick. I heard something else you played on and I thought your tone and intonation was perfect. It was a girl singing and the tune was Invitation to the Blues I think.
I just can't get that true with my bar. I think my steel is in tune,lol.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 16 Jul 2015 10:06 am

Thanks so much Henry. I will add that I recently tried the straight up 440 tuning just to see what I thought and it sounded fine against the bands tuning. I think I actually liked 440 better when I use the BC pedals and the first string together. Maybe it's just my guitar.

Jamie Mitchell · Post by **Jamie Mitchell** » 16 Jul 2015 10:48 am

Dick Wood wrote:I think I actually liked 440 better when I use the BC pedals and the first string together. Maybe it's just my guitar.

there's a reason for that, but I'm no longer sure if I'm allowed to say what it is.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 Jul 2015 10:56 am

your opinion is welcome!

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 16 Jul 2015 12:25 pm

Then I'll say it. If you tune "straight up" then the F# you get on the C pedal is the same as on the 1st string. I tune a different way and they're not the same, but I don't require them to be.

steve takacs · Post by **steve takacs** » 17 Jul 2015 3:48 am

Dick Wood, your rendition of "Heartaches by the Number" was outstanding. Now I'm going to my room a shed a few tears since I can't play that well or that in tune. :,( stevet

admin · Post by **b0b** » 17 Jul 2015 4:31 am

I spent a lot of time tuning to get this one just right: http://soundhost.net/2013/06/fuse-blue-revisited/

Where's your clip, chris ivey?

Craig Schwartz · Post by **Craig Schwartz** » 17 Jul 2015 5:40 am

Wow Bob thats a most unusual tune , it starts off sounding out of tune and then reality tells you its in tune and sets the mood for a mysterious journey, great job making the mood swing happen, kinda like staring at a painting, most unusual feeling. Its cool how that happens. And yes it was in tune with everything

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 17 Jul 2015 6:18 am

Jamie wrote:

thanks!
here's John Macy on that same tune:
http://youtu.be/bLKrfdInzD8

I actually like you solo a little better.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Jul 2015 6:54 am

b0b wrote:I spent a lot of time tuning to get this one just right: http://soundhost.net/2013/06/fuse-blue-revisited/

Where's your clip, chris ivey?

that's quite different, b0b! obviously you're not just another pretty face.

Jon Alexander · Post by **Jon Alexander** » 17 Jul 2015 7:47 am

Chris ,it can be fun when people are requested to post the racket they make.You should be thanked for asking.However, proceed at your own risk.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVlamik ... e=youtu.be

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Jul 2015 9:23 am

no pitch problems there, jon. that sho-bud sounds nice and clear.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 17 Jul 2015 12:39 pm

I'm kind've a reprobate in the tuning deptartment. $:\$ Pretty much straight up... but I have to say that my overbuilt and overly heavy Dekley has almost zero to no cabinet drop.

Here's a track I did on steel and dobro with Kiki Ebsen, ("Uncle Jed's" extremely talented daughter) awhile back...

http://kikiebsen.bandcamp.com/track/stronger

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Jul 2015 6:04 pm

i like that too, rick. that reminds me of different types of tunes i've had to play on. the singer/songwriter stuff that's a little unorthodox.

Larry Robbins · Post by **Larry Robbins** » 19 Jul 2015 2:43 pm

Tom Quinn wrote:I'm convinced of two things, maybe three after a couple glasses of Zin:

1. 90 percent of steel owners cannot pick.

2. And a huge number of steel owners would rather discuss inane topics instead of practice so they could -- see above.

I was out of the pedal steel scene for -- let's see, stopped playing the tonks in 1986, so that makes 30 years almost -- but nothing has changed. The hottest arguments are about the most petty things and people will get really upset if you disagree with them, especially the bedroom types.

Kind of fun to watch but not really educational. Plus it has pretty much run off the great pickers although a few remain holding on for dear life in a tide of keyless, centless, E#-less folderol...

YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV YMMV

Mr. Quinn, you are my hero for saying what so many of us think but don't say. My hat is off to you sir!

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 20 Jul 2015 10:24 am

I have used one of these since the seventies when I bought my first pedal steel. The first one was an "E 329.6 Hz" from Japan. When I graduated to a double-neck, I bought another one, a "C 522 Hz." When I got my tri-cone and settled into an A tuning, I purchased an "A 440 Hz."

I used the forks to tune the tonic notes to pitch, and then tuned the rest of the strings and their raises and lowers to harmonics or to open strings.

For tuning electric steels on the bandstand, I used a Tom Scholz Rockman and a set of cheap headphones.

I'm certain that this tried and true tuning method was more helpful in developing my ear than using any of the much more expensive electric devices ever would have been.

About a year or so ago I bought one of these:

I use it for tuning the tonics only. All the other strings and changes are tuned the same as if I was using a tuning fork. The only negative with the Go-Go is the need to carry a pack of these:

Really no big whoop. And the forks are always stashed away in the bag and readily available for backup.

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tuning a steel---put up your soundclips

Re: tuning a steel---put up your soundclips

Nice playing Mr Wood