The Steel Guitar Forum

A very good idea Andy!

I discovered my favourite tuning - G minor - thanks to the Bob Brozman interview with tuning list in your lap steel book! (I mentioned this to Bob recently, and he told me he doesn't use that tuning often, but proceeded to play a tune in that tuning at his concert a few hours later - video here! )

I think an important distinction, or at least a comment, ought to be made about tunings that lend themselves well to unaccompanied playing vs. tunings that are more beneficial to the steeler in a band. (For instance I play mainly in the D and G tunings as I need the important root and fifths in the bass, in order to "be the backing band too"). Just a thought.

Cheers,

Fred

Good point, Fred!

When I first started playing, I gathered up lists of tunings with very little clue as to why you'd pick one tuning vs another. John Ely's early '90s article in Steel Guitar World (now on his website) was the first source I saw where somebody took the time to discuss the merits and downsides of various set-ups.

Hey Fred do you use the Gm tuning on your nationals too?
I love the sound,think I might try it. What guage strings do you use for it?
Oh and I'll vote yes again for your booklet Andy to stay on subject here.
Will

Hey Fred do you use the Gm tuning on your nationals too?
I love the sound,think I might try it. What guage strings do you use for it?
Oh and I'll vote yes again for your booklet Andy to stay on subject here.
Will

I vote GO GO GO, I will help by presenting it to our local club, and I rellu could use it while studying my tuning changers, so send me one ASAP.
TKS,
Phil Bender

I think its a great idea, and lots of good suggestions here from the peanut gallery too

Yes.

Yes!

Doug B's comments are right on the money. Great idea Andy.

Spiral bound please!

Will Houston wrote:Hey Fred do you use the Gm tuning on your nationals too?
I love the sound,think I might try it. What guage strings do you use for it?
Oh and I'll vote yes again for your booklet Andy to stay on subject here.
Will

Hi Will,

Yes - on the youtube clips where I play my National lap steels I use G minor tuning too. The gauges I use are:

.015 .018 .028 .038 .049 .060

Cheerio,

Fred

Andy:

Sign me up for one please. It's a great idea. Especially the gauges plus tunings. Looking forward to it!

Michael D.

I don't see the poll… to vote.

For some reason I couldn't get the poll to display in the original post but comments and ideas are even more helpful than raw numbers.