What Tuning for Rock?

[Dillon Jackson]

I printed out the thread on all the tunings. Now I am thinking that lap steel may be a versitile change from the PSG for my band which plays rock and southern rock. Mostly in A, D, and G. The lap steel I ordered happens to be in E, but I can change that. Should I?
Right now I play E9 on the PSG.

[David Doggett]

If you want to use a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs on the open strings, you need to tune in the key of the song. In your case, you would need a three neck instrument tuned in A, D, and G. However, an E neck can work to some extent for the key of A. And you can maybe try drop tunning a string or two for D.

On the other hand, on E9 pedal steel, with the A and B pedals down you have an open A6 tuning. In that position I use LKV to raise the 6ths on strings 1 and 7 to a b7th, which works good for rock. Also, for rock and blues, many of us have found it helpful to move to a 12-string extended E9 or universal, which gives great power chords (1 5 1 intervals - you finger pick it and skip the 3rd) on the low strings, just like on regular guitar. I play a uni in a blues group that works a lot in E and A. I have open strings for both those keys. I don't have the open strings in other keys, but still have the power chords and pentatonic scale in any key by moving the bar. So I can do well for rock/blues when they choose G and D, or any other key. I have the same changes on the low strings as on the strings an octave above. So in the A pedal minor position I have power chords and a lot of pentatonic stuff in any key.

You should look into the Sacred Steel tunings. Those guys have been using E7 or another 7th tuning on lap steel and pedal steel for decades to play blues/gospel.

In some ways, on lap steel you can get around faster for rock and blues than on pedal steel and you don't have the non-chord and out-of-order strings to get in the way. It also helps to use a grooved bar, like the Shubb Pearse #2. But I don't want a lap steel with multiple necks, which is how they handled the different keys before pedal steel came along. If you persevere on pedal steel, you can learn to use the pedals and levers to make up for not having open strings, and can get good at rock/blues in any key on a single neck.

Some people can do well with rock and blues on C6. But I'm an old E and A 6-string slide guitar player, and I can just work better in E9 mode on my uni. On some rock and blues songs with jazz chords (like Stormy Monday) I go back and forth between E9 and B6 mode.

[Mike Fried]

Dillon, I'd try either D (DADF#AD lo-hi)or low-bass G tuning (DGDGBD lo-hi). Both of them have strong 1s and 5s in the bottom and provide lots of opportunities for hammer-ons and pull-offs in all those keys, as well as the key of E. You can use the same strings for either tuning while you decide which one you prefer.

[b0b]

low to high: A D F# A C D

[Ron Victoria]

I like open E. This way you can tune the third E to D for 7th which is great for rock.

Ron

[HowardR]

on my 8 string neck of my SuperSlide

1. G
2. D
3. B
4. G
5. D
6. B
7. G
8. F.....034

I like having the dom7 higher gauge string as the 8th string....it's there when I want it and rings through nicely when I hit it.....I also like having the G on top

I think the D tuning is also a great recommendation

[Gary Stevenson]

I use open D on my lap and just sat in tonight with a bunch of old rockers and I did not have too much trouble.Using pull-offs and pickin the straight chords seemed to work well at least for myself and I am very much a newbie.I played bass in rock band in the late 60's so I knew most of the songs.I had a great time!

[Gary Lynch]

For rock and blues, etc. As the others have stated, Open G (both types) and Open D. You can scream rock and also blues. Did you listen to Steinar Gregertsen smoke on his new lap steel in Open G and D.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=105153