The Steel Guitar Forum

It seems to me that the secret of RR's popularity is NOT in his tuning, but that he throws his leg over the neck, and does not sit like a statue while playing. It is kind of appealing to see a bit of animation in playing (Buddy E, or Billy Robinson suit my taste for liveliness at the instrument).

Not much on my 14 string E69/A6/B69/13 series is not strum-able, and the chord assortment beats anything else that I have found. A few years back, just using the word "strum" would get you in trouble here.

Steve, I think you are on the right track, stick with standard tunings.

Example, I recently bought a SD-10 for speed of setup. I normally play a couple tunes in our set on C6.

With relatively little effort I found all the C6 licks I had been doing on E9, granted these do not use the lower C6 strings.

Something I have been trying to keep in mind lately is the flexibility of steel tunings can create "option anxiety". If you played sax or piano, you would just figure out the notes and the appropriate technique to get the expression, like piano players do that grace note thing to get sort of a bending vibe. <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Scott Swartz on 18 October 2006 at 08:18 AM.]</p></FONT>

althougth throwing his leg over the neck is entertaining, I have never heard anybody pick like him. It is a different style so making comparisons between him and buddy or him and paul isn't worth the effort. BUt I watched the crossroads DVD again last night and got his new CD as well and I just can't believe what he can make that thing do. I have had him on a pedastal since I first heard him, but I realized I completely underestimated him when I started to try and copy him.

As far as Sacred Steel, I listened to some Campbell Brothers stuff and now understand how much different true sacred steel stuff is from what Robert does. I don't think there would be any chance you could get a guitar to talk like Robert without having some options for a seventh or a ninth. He uses both of them frequently.

And all that being said, I'm a country steeler first and foremost and started playing steel because of Paul Franklin, so I know what great steel playing is.

The "animation" comment was not an attack upon his picking ability, just pointing that his popularity is not because of "steel players", he appeals strongly to those that appreciate the jump and sweat style of music. Showmanship seems to count more than the music does to the general show going public.

Yep, I think it always has, Ed.

I was landed with the task of programming Robert's tuners for him and his tech, Tyler, when they hit Chicago recently.
He is touring with four or five of those 13 string steels (and playing them all too!) tuned to E7, Eb7 and D7. He swaps out the different steels at random and doesn't always hold with a fixed order set-list.
Heres what I programmed into his StroboFlips for E7 tuning:

Open Strings__Cents

F#4___________+4
D#4___________-4
G#4___________-4
E4____________+8
D4____________+4
B3____________+8
G#3___________-4
E3____________+8
E3____________+8
B2____________+8
G#2___________-4
E2____________+8
B1____________+8

Knee Levers

LKL____________________Cents
6th String B3 to A#3_____-12
10th String B2 to A#2____-12
13th String B2 to A#2____-12

LKV_____________________Cents
5th String D4 to D#4_____-4

LKR_____________________Cents
5th String D4 to C#4_____-8
9th String E3 to D#3_____+4

RKL_____________________Cents
4th String E4 to F4______-24
8th String E3 to F3______-18
9th String E3 to F3______-18
12th String E2 to F2_____-18

RKR_____________________Cents
4th String E4 to F#4_____+4
8th String E3 to F#3_____+4

Pedals

Pedal #1________________Cents
3rd String G#4 to G4_____+4
7th String G#3 to A#3____-12
11th String G#2 to A#2___-12
12th String E2 to F#2____+4

Pedal #2________________Cents
6th String B3 to C#4_____-8
10th String B2 to C#3____-8

Pedal #3________________Cents
3rd String G#4 to A4_____+4
7th String G#3 to A3_____+4
11th String G#2 to A2____+4

Pedal #4________________Cents
9th String E3 to D3______+4

Pedal #5________________Cents
3rd String G#4 to G4_____+4
7th String G#3 to G3_____+4
11th String G#2 to G2____+4

Pedal #6________________Cents
4th String E4 to D4______+4
8th String E3 to D3______+4

Pedal #7________________Cents
6th String B3 to C#4_____-8
12th String E2 to F#2____+4
13th String B1 to C#2____-8



Happy Holidays everyone !


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John Norris
Peterson Strobe Tuners

<font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>
LKL LKV LKR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 RKL RKR
F#
D#
G# -G +A -G
E --D +F ++F#
D +D# -C# ++C#
B -A# ++C#
G# ++A# +A -G
E --D +F ++F#
E -D# --D +F
B -A# ++C#
G# ++A# +A -G
E ++F# ++F# +F
B -A# ++C#
</pre></font>
temperament: <font face="monospace" size="3"><pre>
E# -18 (or -24)
A# -12
D# - 4 (or +4)
G# - 4
C# - 8
F# + 4
B + 8
E + 8
A + 4
D + 4
G + 4</pre></font>

I had the privilege of playing a gig with Robert Randolph a few years back in Vegas. While not necessarily a conventional pedal steel player, he is definately a stylist and I think very underrated and possibly over criticized. Was E conventional in 58....or the original Bud in 53? (he says while ducking) BTW, on this particular gig he did not use pedals or knees, but I have seen him use them at other times.<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Scott Shipley on 23 December 2006 at 07:15 AM.]</p></FONT>

(Pardon me while I climb WAAAAAAAAAAAY under the desk...)

When you play like that... does it even have to be in tune?

;D (That's a wink and a big grin... it doesn't translate.)

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Mikey D...


<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Michael Douchette on 23 December 2006 at 09:22 AM.]</p></FONT>

Michael you are a bad boy!

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LGR

I like that Double E, that Bobby likes there . That is so close to an E6 tuning, if one dropped that D down to a C#, bingo, E6th.
Then the F# is out of the way for strumming, and can be put on a knee lever whenever you want it.
The Bb drop can be also used for your typicla P5 on C6 and he alwrady has the minor 3rd G# to G, and that can be used for the P6 on C6. You have the maj 7th on top, and you can get the D's on a knee lever pulling up the C# when you want, the Bb and G together gives E dim chord.

I use all that on my E6 tuning, been doing it on pedals since 1947, .either a 10 string or 12 string, but a 13 string would be perfect but not really needed .

I like the fact that some one like RR is making E6 tuning or E7 , call it whatever, SS ,etc that's ok too , so popular with the crowd.

Maybe more new players will try it. If they have D10's they can easily change the C6 to E6 with a double E and move into the 21st century. S12 would be fine too.
Then have their "Country" E9 on the top neck. Just a thought for what it's worth...Merry Christmas to all.....al

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My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

John,
Thanks for posting the tuning chart. Very cool insight into Robert's tuning. And a Happy Holidays to you too!

-LarryW

Al, it's cool to see your analysis of Roberts tuning.
Thanks, and happy hollidays<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 24 December 2006 at 11:29 AM.]</p></FONT>