Dumb copendent question...

Tom Quinn · Posted 12 Apr 2006 6:01 pm

I have a terrific six-string lap steel in Tokyo, tuned as a dobro = 135135. But there must be a better tuning for playing old C&W.

Any advice appreciated, because I play pedal steel and dobro, and know squat about where, and even if, the 6th and 7th tones go on a six string steel.

thanks!

Tq

Stephan Miller · From: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

E6 is a classic country tuning: LO-HI E G# B C# E G#. If the sound of that high G# doesn't agree with you, you could move to E13: D E G# B C# E. The E13 would easily convert to A6: C# E F# A C# E if you want to keep that familiar 1-3-5 on top as an option.
Met any Japanese steelers? I bet there are some who know the non-pedal country stuff inside out...Good luck!!

--Steve

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

My teacher Stan Remick tunes his (and mine) in E7 for some of the old stuff.
Hi to Lo it goes E B G# E D B . When he's not looking I tune the D down to C# and you can get a lot of swing-y stuff that way. Plus it's easy to visualize because it is so closely related to the E chord strummed on a 6 string guitar.
Before I took lessons from him I tuned
E B G# E B E and I could never get around on those wide interval at the bottom very easily.
The E7 forms a natural IV chord with a slant
starting on the D string. But the E6 gives you minor chords in straight bar.

Best of luck. Do you ever go look at all the guitar stores in Ochanomizu (sp?) ? There are a couple stores there that might have a lap steeler hanging out.

Tom Quinn · Posted 21 Apr 2006 5:57 pm

Thanks! I just remembered this post. I go to Ochanomizu all the time. I have a bad guitar habit as well... -L-

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

It's not a copedent, it's a tuning.

So far you've got E6:
1. G#
2. E
3. C#
4. B
5. G#
6. E

E13:
1. E
2. C#
3. B
4. G#
5. E
6. D

A6:
1. E
2. C#
3. A
4. F#
5. E
6. C#

E7:
1. E
2. B
3. G#
4. E
5. D
6. B

I hope this makes the discussion somewhat clearer since people were referring to these tunings both as high to low and low to high.

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