The Steel Guitar Forum

Is it more important to have a tuning that is customized to your own mind and understanding, or to keep it generic just in case you need to play someone else's guitar? If you understand the theory behind the tuning, it would just be locating where the changes lie.

Stephen, I like the fact you are trying something innovative with the 6th tuning. You are on to something unique and good. If you want, I can send you my tuning to check out. It morphed a bunch for a while but I think it is at it's optimum. I don't know if you are into the strum/rake technique. My tuning is strictly 4 pick grips. But I'll warn you though, it might want to make you get an s-12. Or at the least, add two more knees. I found it impossibly hard to look at tunings and see their potential and practicality, only to realize my guitar was physically incapable of having it. Made me nuts. It also matters what you want to do with your playing and where you want to take it. If you don't really need all of that formulaic jazz theory in your playing, why bother confusing yourself with it on your tuning? I, personally, cannot stand to compromise and limit myself when it comes my music. But to each his own, ya know?

Right on, Jeff. Great observation. You should be able to put the theory together on paper, maybe sitting with a piano. Simply the most ideal tool because of how well the theory lies.

Stephen- You are right when you say the STANDARD Nashville C6 copedent , for jazz leaves a lot to be desired.

I could think of a few pulls that are not generally used.

However, after hearing Buddy Emmons play jazz on the old standard Nashville C6 tuning, All bets are off....al

Guys, I really appreciate all your comments. Unfortunately, extended discussions of music theory get boring pretty fast (at least to me). In the end the only thing that counts is what sounds you get out of your instrument. As Duke Ellington said, "If it sounds right, it is right."

I'd like to make a couple of points before I sign off.

First, copedant's aren't the key to playing good jazz. The best jazz steel player on the planet is Tom Morrell (and I state that as a fact) and he has no pedals and no knee levers! I have no doubt but that there are a lot of chords he can't play, but his music sure doesn't suffer from it.

Second, a copedant should support the style you want to play. If I wanted to be the Thelonius Monk or Bud Powell of steel guitar, my copedant probably wouldn't cut it. I aspire more to Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, and Count Basie and I think my copedant works for that style.

Lastly, it's true that guys such as Doug J., Buddy, John Hughey and many others are great jazz players, but from what I've seen about their setups, they don't all use the same copedant. To each his own, I guess. That's the truly interesting thing about steel guitar -- it's the most democratic instrument in the world.

Now, if I don't sit down right away at my steel guitar, I'm going to itch for the rest of the day.

Thanks and best wishes to you all!

<SMALL>Lastly, it's true that guys such as Doug J., Buddy, John Hughey and many others are great jazz players, but from what I've seen about their setups, they don't all use the same copedant</SMALL>

I know you want to end this disucssion, but as far at this comment goes, I'm pretty sure that their copedents, and the musical dynamics and harmonic capabilities inherent in them, are FAR, FAR closer to each other than yours is to theirs. But I do wish you the best in exploring yours and I'm still interested in seeing something interesting that you can do in yours that you feel can't be done in the standard C6 with a few knee levers. But if you've had enough of this thread, that's fine with me.

<SMALL>I'd be interested in any comments you might have</SMALL>

Be careful what you wish for, it may come true. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 02 May 2002 at 06:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

jeff, you're right, I take it back. I take the whole freakin' thread back. ok?<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Stephen O'Brien on 02 May 2002 at 06:08 AM.]</p></FONT>

Hey, what are you so mad about? I'm the one that was treated like chopped liver.