G6 Tuning: So many tasty flavours!
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- Allan Revich
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G6 Tuning: So many tasty flavours!
Perhaps because one can tune as low as D2 on string 6 and as high as G4 on string 1 there are a myriad of playable tuning possibilities. Moving beyond six strings opens up still more possibilities.
I believe that the most common versions are;
GBEGBD
EBDGBD
But these all work too;
EGBGBD
EGDGBD
GDEGBD
DGEGBD
GBDEGB
And a couple more that might also work…
GBDGBE
DGDGBE
My current favourite is eGDGBD
On seven strings my current favourite is eGBDGBD
Anyone else using unusual versions of G6 tuning?
I believe that the most common versions are;
GBEGBD
EBDGBD
But these all work too;
EGBGBD
EGDGBD
GDEGBD
DGEGBD
GBDEGB
And a couple more that might also work…
GBDGBE
DGDGBE
My current favourite is eGDGBD
On seven strings my current favourite is eGBDGBD
Anyone else using unusual versions of G6 tuning?
Last edited by Allan Revich on 1 Jun 2023 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
Current Tunings:
6 String | D – D A D F# A D
7 String | D/f – f D A D F# A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
6 String | D – D A D F# A D
7 String | D/f – f D A D F# A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
- Lee Gillespie
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G6th
I;ve been playing G6 on my lap now for almost 15 years. The reason I went to G6 was I took up the Dobro which is tuned to G. At the time I tuned my Lap to C6. It got convusing when swapping between instuments on shows... Soooo... I decided to tune my Lap to G6 and never looked back. I think the G6 tuning has a certain mellow sound verses the C6 tuning. Lee
- Jack Hanson
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- Michael Johnstone
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I was experimenting with putting a dobro tuning on the middle neck of my Stringmaster. I knew I wanted an E in the middle but it got in the way of the core dobro tuning which I wanted to maintain. So I pulled it out of the middle and moved it down to the 8th string position but it's still in the same octave it would be as string 4. Then I put a low C as the 7th string.
So lo to high: ECGBDGBD The re-intrant E and low C makes it a G11 you could say. The addition of the G and low C gives you a G6 chord, C triad, a Cmaj7 chord and an Eminor chord in open position. There's other handy intervals too plus all your straight up dobro stuff. It really sounds great on a Stringmaster and is great for cowboy stuff and is very bluesy for pre-pedal Mooney early Bakersfield bluesy styles. I loaned it to Cindy Cashdollar when she flew to LA for a session and didn't want to fly her guitar. She plays a lot of dobro so she took right to it and said it fit right in on the Americana stuff she was called to play.
So lo to high: ECGBDGBD The re-intrant E and low C makes it a G11 you could say. The addition of the G and low C gives you a G6 chord, C triad, a Cmaj7 chord and an Eminor chord in open position. There's other handy intervals too plus all your straight up dobro stuff. It really sounds great on a Stringmaster and is great for cowboy stuff and is very bluesy for pre-pedal Mooney early Bakersfield bluesy styles. I loaned it to Cindy Cashdollar when she flew to LA for a session and didn't want to fly her guitar. She plays a lot of dobro so she took right to it and said it fit right in on the Americana stuff she was called to play.
- Robert Murphy
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- David M Brown
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Oddly, none of those were the 6th tuning I was taught many years ago!Allan Revich wrote: I believe that the most common versions are;
GBEGBD
EBDGBD
But these all work too;
EGBGBD
EGDGBD
GDEGBD
DGEGBD
GBDEGB
And a couple more that might also work…
GBDGBE
DGDGBE
My current favourite is DGEGBD
This is the tuning I learned, it's the common A6 transposed down.Robert Murphy wrote:I don’t use the low root with a band so BDEGBD.
It's also an easy retune to E7 and E13:
BDEG#BE and BDEG#C#E
- Allan Revich
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Robert Murphy wrote:I don’t use the low root with a band so BDEGBD.
I should have included the BDEGBD tuning in my initial post. It’s fairly common, and is essentially the common 7string G6 without the low root.David M Brown wrote:…This is the tuning I learned, it’s the common A6 transposed down.
Current Tunings:
6 String | D – D A D F# A D
7 String | D/f – f D A D F# A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
6 String | D – D A D F# A D
7 String | D/f – f D A D F# A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
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Can anyone on this thread recommend tabs for G6 or some tips on to think about the tuning if we know a little C6?
I have been playing for 3 years. I own one six-string lap steel, and I change out the strings every month or so because I am switching tunings, usually moving from GBDGBD to C6.
The dobro tunings are easier for me because of my experience as guitar player. But I sure love learning C6 and being able to get the classic honky tonk sound.
I am tired of changing strings and probably going to buy a second lap steel. But until then it would be nice to be able to move from GBDGBD to GBEGBD or EBDGBD.
I learned some c6 basics from Lessons With Troy, and I know enough to feel comfortable noodling around or playing through some Hank Williams songs. But when I try the GBEGBD, I am lost. Same with the Open D alternative DADF#BD.
Hopes this make sense. Thank you.
I have been playing for 3 years. I own one six-string lap steel, and I change out the strings every month or so because I am switching tunings, usually moving from GBDGBD to C6.
The dobro tunings are easier for me because of my experience as guitar player. But I sure love learning C6 and being able to get the classic honky tonk sound.
I am tired of changing strings and probably going to buy a second lap steel. But until then it would be nice to be able to move from GBDGBD to GBEGBD or EBDGBD.
I learned some c6 basics from Lessons With Troy, and I know enough to feel comfortable noodling around or playing through some Hank Williams songs. But when I try the GBEGBD, I am lost. Same with the Open D alternative DADF#BD.
Hopes this make sense. Thank you.
- David M Brown
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Thank you David. I have heard good things about that tuning. But what would the gauges be on the two low (thickest) strings? I assume I could not use the two I have now. I am using a 56-13 set that's sold as an E major set but IMHO works great for GBDGBD on my Gretsch electromatic. Thanks again!David M Brown wrote:The BDEGBD tuning may be better for youJohn Chadwick wrote:Can anyone on this thread recommend tabs for G6 or some tips on to think about the tuning if we know a little C6?
You can use A6 TAB, since it's the same pattern up a whole step.
Plus the top 3 strings still match your Dobro G tuning.
- Allan Revich
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John, 56-13 will not work for Dave’s suggestion, but a C6 set will.John Chadwick wrote:Thank you David. I have heard good things about that tuning. But what would the gauges be on the two low (thickest) strings? I assume I could not use the two I have now. I am using a 56-13 set that's sold as an E major set but IMHO works great for GBDGBD on my Gretsch electromatic. Thanks again!David M Brown wrote:The BDEGBD tuning may be better for youJohn Chadwick wrote:Can anyone on this thread recommend tabs for G6 or some tips on to think about the tuning if we know a little C6?
You can use A6 TAB, since it's the same pattern up a whole step.
Plus the top 3 strings still match your Dobro G tuning.
If you’d rather stick to 56-13s for G based tunings, you might look at
EBDGBD
EGDGBD
or take another try on
GBEGBD
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https://gregboothdobro.com/videos-and-tablature I just found this. Should keep anyone busy for a while! Greg is such a fine musician, he seems to play mostly in EBDGBD I believe.John Chadwick wrote:Can anyone on this thread recommend tabs for G6 or some tips on to think about the tuning if we know a little C6?
I have been playing for 3 years. I own one six-string lap steel, and I change out the strings every month or so because I am switching tunings, usually moving from GBDGBD to C6.
The dobro tunings are easier for me because of my experience as guitar player. But I sure love learning C6 and being able to get the classic honky tonk sound.
I am tired of changing strings and probably going to buy a second lap steel. But until then it would be nice to be able to move from GBDGBD to GBEGBD or EBDGBD.
I learned some c6 basics from Lessons With Troy, and I know enough to feel comfortable noodling around or playing through some Hank Williams songs. But when I try the GBEGBD, I am lost. Same with the Open D alternative DADF#BD.
Hopes this make sense. Thank you.
I don't know why, but it seems I will do anything to avoid playing in C6. Lately I am playing Open F and F6 ,7 string C(D)FACFAC. I just keep the bottom string light enough to tune between the 5th and the 6th, C to D in F. It is a little light when tuned down C, but still sounds fine.
Last edited by Tim Toberer on 21 May 2023 6:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
- David M Brown
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