The fretboard math / layout of the 6th tuning inherently stacks all the notes of all 7 "church" mode scales into VERY SIMPLE 2-fret-span boxes, ....one 2-fret-span box along the neck for each mode. Modes and their names are NOTHING more than shorthand words/labels for the 7 scales and their chords that are harmonious to each other (easier to say/write " G Aolean" rather than "G minor seven flat 6" or "Pure G minor" etc), and that we already use in our playing anyway, whether we realize it or not. For a Player that isn't familiar with modes, the concept at first APPEARS to be difficult BUT IT ISN'T; IT'S EXTREMELY SIMPLE once a quite small amount of prerequisite music theory is reviewed. MANY Players have tried to study modes but gave up because most of the teaching / learning material on modes is about the barn door to the vast abstract of Music that the modes open up to Players, with very little material published about the profound functional simplicity the modes also afford ...ESPECIALLY to Steel Guitar; And I have spent the last 7 years or-so to present the profoundly simple math and functions of the modes. The mathematical nature of modes is that any notes, scales or chords of any of the "church" modes will be harmonious to any other notes, scales or chords being played within the modal structure (and the vast majority of popular music is within the VERY SIMPLE "church" mode structure). It is indeed that congruent harmony of all notes that most Musicians sense and strive for in playing; And indeed the SIMPLE modal structure is what makes that happen, whether a Player realizes it or not. Here is a good / short / simple primer for Steel Guitar.
The inherent fretboard math / layout of the 6th tuning affords a 2-fret-span box along the neck for each mode. HOWEVER, when even one note is added to or subtracted from the 1, 3, 5, 6 sequence of the 6th tuning (such as adding the 4 note via the 6add11 tuning), ...the simple box structure of the 6th tuning's mode structure becomes fragmented and displaced from the simple 2-fret-span mode boxes (illustrated in the charts I previously linked in that discussion / message chain), ...and the simplicity of the 6th tuning mode boxes is lost to a vast abstract of both fragmented and total fretboard layout in the different tuning. Such fragmented / abstract fretboard math layout is very difficult for most folks to memorize / visualize as a whole, and thereby leaves them with fragments (we often call "Licks") as a playing inventory rather than the simple and full picture of the fretboard layout that is afforded by the 6th tuning providing the simple "church" mode structure. Even the simpler triad-only tunings popular for Resonator and Slide guitar are better understood by knowing the modal structure and what is dropped / fragmented in the boxes of the triad-only tunings. CAVEAT: Once the quite simple 6th tuning modal structure is studied and grasped, then the tunings that branch off in fragmented / displaced patterns of other tunings is MUCH easier to understand and utilize.
AND, it is not neccessary to learn the modal structure and functions of the 6th tuning, because it naturally provides the simplicity in it's fretboard layout, ...ALTHOUGH the "church" modal structure is by far the easiest and fullest template / means to visualize and navigate the Steel fretboard ....IMHO ....and apparantly in the opinion of many others.
Some Fo'Bro's have suggested that the modal structure works with any tuning, ...which is true if simple congruent layout is not a factor, ...but in a quite fragmented / displaced sense which is clearly illustrated by the 6add11 charts I've referenced in this discussion chain, which requires a pretty good intermediate to advanced level of knowledge to grasp if a Player desires the full picture rather than fragments of chords / "Licks" / etc.
I hope this helps in the search for the "silver bullet" and "R" chord.
Aloha,
DT~
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 14 August 2005 at 04:00 PM.]</p></FONT>
