A6 tuning advice

[Cliff Scholle]

I've played mostly open E lap steel on a 6-string (Allman Bros influence). I have some experience with C6, but a guy I met pointed out the advantages of A6, the main thing being the major triad on strings 1,2, and 3 instead of 4, 5, and 6. So, I've been working on that a while. But, now I see the advantage of an 8-string so that I can have two roots. So, my question is: how do you guys suggest I tune the 8th string? Should I use another 6th, or something else? I imagine there are a lot of options, but I'm not getting younger, so I'd like to use something not-too-exotic, if you know what I mean. Thanks for your help.

[Allan Revich]

I can’t answer your question directly, but I can point you to my favorite tuning resources.

https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/tunings/master.php

https://steelc6th.com/tunings.htm

I hope you find them useful.

[David Matzenik]

A lot of players will put G on the bottom for a flat 7th. You have a full enough chord above it.

[Jeff Mead]

I tend to use A6 as my main tuning on all my single necks (I retune a couple of strings for the odd song).

I also use a few other tunings a couple of variations of - E13, D9 etc. But only use these on multi neck guitars where I still have A6 on my main neck (the one closest to me).

I find A6 to be the most versatile tuning for all the styles I play so I always need that.

[Jack Hanson]

If you're comfortable having the root on the bottom string like I was, A6 sets up quite nicely on a 7-sting guitar with a high E and a low A. I have two instruments set up as such, and like the setup a lot.

[Morgan Scoggins]

I have ben playing A6 tuning since 2007 when I bought my first 8 string Remington Stringmaster. To be honest about it, I have almost never used the low F# 8th string except when I play Herb Remington's "Boot Heel Drag". I tune it down to an E for that song.
I love the way A6 tuning is set up for such good harmony playing. Strings 2 and 5 (C# and E) provide a nice 6th harmony
Strings 3 and 6 ( A and C#) gives me a third interval. Strings 4 and 7 ( F# and A) gives me another 6th interval.
The low F# just doesn't seem to fit in anywhere.
I did however use the low F# string on some Hawaiian songs. The A6 tuning is also F# minor 7 and it could be useful there.

[D Schubert]

You can also consider C13 -- which is C6 with a high G on top and a Bb on the bottom. This gives you the major triad on first three strings. Coming from dobro and bottleneck tunings, this seemed more natural to me.

[Nic Neufeld]

I'm a C6/C13 guy, but if I was an 8 string A6 player, I would definitely tune the bottom to G, for an "A13" tuning. The low 6 is borderline useless I think, when I used it for a while as my 7th string on C6, the only advantage was full across-the-strings strummability when you didn't want to sound a seventh chord, but that was when, as a beginner, I didn't have a lot of control. Now I really love having the Bb (in C6) down there for great chordal additions, and when in A6, it would be on the 8th string, so even easier to separate from a strum if desired. Just my opinion though, find what works for you!

[Glenn Wilde]

I've been liking it alot on my Magnatone 8, i use the low F# and like playing minor stuff like that. It really works well on that guitar. I've been thinking to drop it down to G6 with some heavier strings but have yet to order some, its such a commitment

[Cliff Scholle]

You guys have been a ton of help. Thanks so much. My issue with changing from C6 to A6 (on a 6-string) was having the major triad on the higher strings. Now, I understand with my new 8-string, I can add a high G on the first string, and viola....major triad in C6 on strings 1, 2, and 3. Sheesh, I'm slow. I like the idea of using the B flat on the 8th string...what you guys are calling C13 (I know that the B flat is a 7th, but why it makes the tuning C13 is beyond my knowledge).

Anyway, I would like opinions which is more useful on my 8-string....C6 tuning or A6, as I now realize I can have the major triad on the high strings in both tunings. Are there more instructional videos available for C6? Does it just depend upon what key I play in most of the time? Is it simply personal taste? How do I make the decision?

[David Matzenik]

As Basil H once said, the choice of A6th or C6th depends on the tonal centre of the piece you are playing. And as Billy Hew Len said, if you are playing in the key of C, A6th gives you something lower than the straight bar C position. The other thing to consider also, is that when you add that G on top of C6th, you change the voice of the tuning. There is a ton of C6th stuff out there, not so much in A6th. You have to learn to transcribe your own tabs. You'll learn a lot that way.

[Nic Neufeld]

I like the idea of using the B flat on the 8th string...what you guys are calling C13 (I know that the B flat is a 7th, but why it makes the tuning C13 is beyond my knowledge).

It's considered a 13th because of how the chord is built...1, 3, 5, b7...and then the 6th is considered above that as a 13th. Just like how a 9th chord isn't considered 1-2-3-5-b7, its 1-3-5-b7-9. So the "6th" becomes the 13th in this case, although functionally its basically still a normal 6th, just with an optional b7. The chords you can get with that tuning are very "Hawaii Calls" sounding, particularly when used on the dominant chord. Guys like Mike Neer and Flavio Pasquetto on here are doing some real nice jazz with C13 (high E for Mike, and high G for Flavio). Honestly I can't speak authoritatively for chord theory, so that's just my general idea of why it is C13.

As for what to pick regarding teaching/tablature...high E C13, high G C13, "A13/A6"...you'll find most Hawaiian stuff in high E C13, and probably most Western Swing stuff in A6. But plenty of crossover stuff across the board. One reason I like high E C13 is that you can retune to a lot of commonly used tunings, including A6, and B11, which is a lot of fun too. But lots of people like the high G C13 too (aforementioned Flavio, and Junior Brown a famous exponent).

Honestly they are all pretty similar, so it becomes a personal preference ultimately I think!

[Paul Strojan]

Tone wise, I prefer to have an E on top. I have found that a high G string sounds shrill and wears out prematurely.

[Joshua Clements]

I agree with Paul. I prefer the E on top too. An option I use mostly instead of the low F# in 8-string A6 is to tune it down to E. It gives me the ability to palm mute and thumb thump the low E and A, creating a Luther Perkins/Johnny Cash-style boom-chicka-boom rhythm (I can fake Folsom Prison Blues easily that way). Also with A6, you have the C chord under the bar at the 3rd fret. That's more convenient to me than it being open on C6. It ultimately depends on your ear preference and the music you wish to play.