Theory on C6 playing on a Carter D-10

[Tom Mikkelson]

I am new to the forum and I'm purchasing a pedal steel from a member here at the forum. I know theory very well and would appreciate any article that would help playing the C6 neck. I've looked at the Emmons and Day concept with the first three pedals on the E9 neck and it makes sense. The theory for the other 5 pedals is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

[Bill McCloskey]

Here you go : https://bb.steelguitarforum.com//viewto ... sc&start=0

[scott murray]

Herb Steiner's C6 Essay is a good place to start, just to gain a basic understanding of what the pedals do: http://www.herbsteinermusic.com/C6_essay.pdf

I'd also recommend Buddy Emmons' Basic C6 course.

there's some good free instruction on youtube too, check out Steel Picking if you haven't already: Basic Chord Study on the C6

[Richard Sinkler]

Herb Steiner's C6 Essay is a good place to start, just to gain a basic understanding of what the pedals do: http://www.herbsteinermusic.com/C6_essay.pdf

I'd also recommend Buddy Emmons' Basic C6 course.

there's some good free instruction on youtube too, check out Steel Picking if you haven't already: Basic Chord Study on the C6

That Herb Steiner link doesn't work for me.

[Bill McCloskey]

It worked for me.

[Richard Sinkler]

It worked for me.

It works on my computer, but not my phone or tablet.

[J D Sauser]

The C6th tuning could be organized as follows:

- the 7th string (C) as the root of one of the two "open" (NO pedals or levers) Major chords (C.Maj 6th)

- the 8th string (A) as the root of the relative minor of the above 7th-string rooted Major, Am7th.

- the 9th string (F) as the root to the other Major chord F.Maj9th (M7th/9th).

- I would either tune the 10th string from C up to D or at least "think" of it as "D"... because D is the relative minor of the 9th-string rooted Major 9th chord... D-min11th (b7th, 9th, 11th)

If you then spread these roots up ALONG your strings over an octave you would get the following "map"

Two Major chords a 4th or respectively a 5th apart of each other, each with their relative minor turned into the same name chord a minor third above, like so:

7th string rooted Major
+ 3 frets, 8th string rooted minor
+ 4 frets, 9th string rooted Major
+ 3 frets, "10th" string rooted minor
+ 2 frets, 7th string rooted Major again

and so on...

So if you are playing, let's say in C.Major off your 9th string rooted position, that would put you at your 7th fret. You would also have the same chord as a minor 3 frets above rooted at the "10th" string or 4 frets below rooted at your 8th string.

The same "left and right" exercise can be done from any of the 4 positions.

From these positions, you explore and build your "pockets" or as guitar players like to call them, "boxes"... they will usually grow to a fret or two above and below the root position and thus, all 4 positions will reach into each others.

Then evidently, you would want to "see" a 4th up near by... in C... where is F?

I have come to the conviction that even the pedaled C6th tuning, is a non-pedal tuning... just with pedals on them. While some players single-note solo using pedals extensively (Hal Rugg comes to mind), many followed into Buddy Emmons' footsteps and did the majority of their single note soloing without using changes at all or only "here'n'there".

Interestingly too, many C6th jammers have become known to play up a storm on non-pedal guitars. Maurice Anderson, Doug Jernigan and Bobbe Black come to mind.

Building your "pockets" will pretty much all basic and also alternate pedal changes and how they came about.

... J-D.