More on 6th tuning neck navigation.

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 23 May 2005 6:35 pm

With some recent questions on the SGF about the "best" Steel tunings, I thought it opportune to remind folks, particularly newer folks, about the 6th tuning modal / substitution / navigation work I've done ...and recent additions I've made to make it all easier to invision.

If you are not familiar with my work you can enter the charts here and lesson text here.

If you are familiar with my methods, ...might have had some difficulty envisioning it, ...and/or might desire some additional views into what's going on, you can click here for new charts I've made for each scale / mode charted separately and a brief single-chart overview of how / why it all works.

A short / basic music theory refresher can be found here should anyone desire it.

Aloha,
DT~

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 23 May 2005 10:32 pm

Worth every minute hour full day
or year you spend digesting it, y'all.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 23 May 2005 10:59 pm

Denny,

This is good work, which many of us ought to use to increase our knowledge.

I know that this took a lot of work to produce. So many thanks for all your work.

It is a nice contribution for SGF'ers.

Aloha,

Don

Mark Vinbury · Post by **Mark Vinbury** » 23 May 2005 11:36 pm

Great idea to repost the links to this information.
Many folks I have talked to mention your site and I find this work very helpful and an incredible contribution to the steel world.
I drift off to other tunings but keep coming back to C6th and Denny's discussion and charts.I was always getting into a tailspin about somthing when it came to modal improvising. This info ,more than any other, has helped me sort things out.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 24 May 2005 4:59 am

just last night I retuned to C6. I discovered I had a few questions.
this morning, thanks to Denny, they were answered.
I love this place!

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 24 May 2005 5:31 am

The new charts are great Denny. Thanks for all of your valuable input. You've helped many here.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 24 May 2005 6:33 am

Gee, Denny, I should have given you the case just for posting this stuff. C6 demystified! Except there's still a lot of mist in front of my eyes. I'll keep pursuing this until I grasp it.

Meanwhile, the basic theory you present is good reading matter for all guitarists.
And i thought Ionic and Doric were Greek column capitals! When I tire of hunting and pecking in Lydian, I'll probably return to C6, as one thing it has going for it is, it swings.
Charlie

Dwayne Martineau · Post by **Dwayne Martineau** » 24 May 2005 9:11 am

I agree-- the new charts are great. Very digestible.

Bob Stone · Post by **Bob Stone** » 24 May 2005 9:39 am

Thanks Denny. Well done and mighty handy.

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 24 May 2005 9:53 am

Many thanks, Denny. Guess it was genius and NOT madman!

Denny Turner · Post by **Denny Turner** » 25 May 2005 4:11 pm

Guess it was genius and NOT madman!

You know better than that, Andy. As I sit here in my leather WWI tank helmet, goggles, tie-died scarf, da-glo orange jump-suit, silver combat boots and "millenium falcon commando" joy stick, ....you sound more confident about "the insanity" thang than I am!

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Thank you all for the kind words. But it's really pretty easy to create and publish the charts and info now that I understand it reasonably well. I'll never be able to return to the cosmos anywhere near what has been so generously shared by other Musicians over the last 47 years and given me such joy.

....although it don't hurt to try in the little bit I know.

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With several years of using this stuff now, I find that the brain and muscle-motor thang translates it remarkable well; Glissing right up to the fret where the ear & brain knows or recongizes a passage and/or chord context (most of the time anyway); Which makes sense since with moderate woodshedding the bar will inevidably reach a fret where the voicing matches the musical context; And the mistakes in woodshedding train the brain, eye and hands as much as success does in harmonious context. I find it quite amazing and rewarding that the brain and muscles train so easily and rather seamlessly to the modal template and playing intent ...by the repetition inherent in woodshedding.

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In context with this discussion chain's original question and answers: NOT TO DEVALUE ANYONE ELSE'S LIKING / SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER TUNINGS; But regarding other simple triad tunings, don't forget that the 6th tuning IS a triad tuning in all but the 6th note, ...not only in it's 1 3 5 voicing but also affords 3 5 1 and 5 1 3 voicing as well; So most 1 octave licks of triad tunings are sitting right on the 6th tuning as well ...just not with the range of 2 octave triad tunings; ...although 2 octaves are on the Steel neck 12 frets distance, making some of even the 2-octave licks of simpler triad tunings possible. Add the benefits afforded by the modal structure, inversions, substitutions and voicings of the 6th tuning ...I just can't find that a few ver-batum "blues" type licks in 2 octave triad tunings, are an "economical" trade for most other triad licks available in the 6th tuning and the vast additional benefits the 6th tuning affords. BUT familiarity / habits of already known tunings / formats DOES INDEED justify having a neck tuned to a familiar tuning sitting ready to use when desired. I do that myself.

If folks desire Blues licks, try working all the strings of the 6th tuning, on both sides of the min7 / Dorian signature fret where the blues scale and allot of related voicings sit ready to mud-slide yer collards, cornbread, poi and scruples away. The Dorian signature fret and box is also great for minor(7) rythms and colorful substitution voicings for IV chord (it's the same box as the IV7 box). And the Dominant 7 voicings of the Mixolydian box is also chocked full of blues licks and fills, ...with the extension fret having 9 / 11 voicings of many if not most blues and funk rythms.

With more than 6 strings on a neck, lower octave triad notes can be added on the bottom to make old familiar funky licks even more available.

Aloha,
DT~
[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 25 May 2005 at 05:45 PM.]