The Steel Guitar Forum

Here's some basic B11 info:

B11 is a combination tuning. Part of it is A6 and the other part is B7, B9, B11.

Strings 1 through 4 are an A6 chord.

The middle strings (omit string 1) are B9 (and B, B7, B11).

Fret 2 is B6, and Open is B9. Whatever 6th chord you are playing, just drop back two frets for the 7th or 9th chord. For example, A6 on fret 12 (strings 1 through 4), drop back to fret 10 and play the middle strings (omit string 1) for A9. That big 9th chord is the basis of songs like "How D'ya Do" and "Sand".

Check out my tab below to see one way to play a I, IV, V pattern on B11.

The chart below shows some of the open chord positions, with root note A, root note F#, and root note B. There are other open chords that I left off the chart... a diminshed chord on strings 3, 4, 5. Also Am6, flat 5, Aadd2, etc.





UPDATE: Here's a demo of B11 sounds I made a couple of years ago ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0642tjWXrg

Very nice Doug!!

Mike Fried and Tony Locke both play the piss out of this tuning.

I've always been curious about this tuning, and it awesome sound. You have cleared up a lot of it's mystery for me.
thanks
Rick

Thanks guys!

Hey Doug,

Such a great thread, I wanted to bump it up.

Do you have any more tidbits for us to try in B11?

The chord thing is great- any other gems you could give us?

Thanks!

Jay

Thanks Jay, I don't have any other B11 stuff, but I'm working on a new song book that will include three B11 songs. It won't be ready for quite a while.

The Jerry Byrd Steel Guitar Course has a section devoted to four Hawaiian Songs played in B11 tuning. They are "Steelin' The Chimes", "Sand", "How Da Ya Do", and "Rainbows Over Paradise".
The book is a long method with lots of other great material in several tunings. It is a bit pricey, but you might be able to get the individual arrangements from Scotty's Music.

Hey Doug,
(or anyone, really)
Please help me make sure I got this straight....

In your chord chart, you call out a diminished on strings 3,4, and 5.....

Is that a D#dim?


...my theory has plenty of room for improvement....

thanks!!



ok, I figured it out and answered my own question!!!
..like it was that hard...

The answer is YES it is!


...I need to remember to ask questions only after I have had my second cup of coffee...

Yep, you got it!

So glad I found this, thank you! There is nothing on the YouTube for B11. I'd like to find some info written out for E13 like this is. This has helped me greatly. I'm learnin some of the stuff Tony Locke did with Wayne Hancock and this answers some critical things for me, thanks!

Thanks Michael, I'm glad you like it.