E7 Tuning for Six String Lap Steel: Blue Country Delight

[John Chadwick]

First off, I want to acknowledge the great threads that already exist on this topic. I have read every single post. But most are quite old, so I hope it is okay that I am starting a new one.
I will link at the end to the previous threads.

I want to also say that I am a newbie (been playing steel 3 years) so please excuse anything in this post that is naive, uninformed, or just plain dumb.

But I am thrilled at the moment to have learned about E7 tuning, low to high: B D E G# B E, and would like to know if anyone else uses and would share ideas or feedback or tabs.
I want to thank SGF, because I would not have known about this tuning had it not been for the threads, including one with a post by the late B0b Lee, who said that this E7, and C6, were his preferred tunings for six-string lap steel. That’s quite a recommendation!

A few observations:

1) Convenience: One cool thing straight off the bat is that I can use the tuning with my C6 string set. I like classic honky-tonk, so I am putting in the time to learn C6 CEGACE. But it’s nice to have an alternative tuning that is not in the 6th realm and doesn’t require putting on a new set of stings.

2) Good for blues and good for country: I played regular guitar for a while, so I know that a 7th tuning is going to be straight-up good for blues. But I didn’t know it would work for country/folk. But this open E7 is amazingly versatile. I don’t know whether it’s because of the skinny C6 strings, or having the 7th way down deep on the fifth string, but my playing seems to have more of that classic steel guitar sound compared to when I play in straight major tunings with heavier string sets.

The E7 tuning has the same bar slants that you would find in Open D or(E) major tunings on the 1st and 3rd springs and the 2nd and 3rd strings that are great for country music, and adds another sweet reverse slant on the sixth and third strings. Having the fifth (scale tone) rather than the root, on the sixth string, was a little disorienting at first, but I think it adds something tonally that was not there before.

3) There isn’t much in the way of tabs, but I find that my knowledge of Open D major does help. In addition Greg Cutshaw has some nice tabs with audio samples. I am aware of the "Mel Bay Complete Steel Guitar Method" by Roger Filiberto that is taught in E7 and in standard notation as opposed to tab.

While I did learn a little note reading as a kid playing violin, I am now 61 and not sure that learning to read is the best use of my time. But if you have the book and find it useful, please let me know.

That’s all for now. Love to hear from y’all any tips, ideas, feedback.
Thank you.
Here are some other threads on this topic
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1396904

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... b54afdb283

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... 05e8bc9a24

[David M Brown]

B D E G# B E E7 is one tuning I use somewhat often - and I also use the related B D E G# C# E tuning.

Both can give a certain older style feel to appropriate music.

interesting link

http://www.lapsteelin.com/2014/07/30/ol ... s-tunings/