The Steel Guitar Forum

Before I became addicted to steel guitar, I spent a lot more time with regular six-string guitars than I have lately. Tuning with harmonics was a snap, and gave good results. Lately, I've been noticing people on the forum talking about tuning their steels this way. How is this accomplished? Are there instructions someplace, or some kind of a chart for tuning with harmonics?
Thanks - John

Buddy Emmons had a course on harmonic tuning. Since he closed down his on-line sales I don't think it's available, unless somone has a used one to sell.

Then again, I was told by a major "name" steeler that tuning that way was wrong when he heard me tuning up.

Thanks, Jack. I wouldn't be surprised to find that this is another area where people have strong opinions. I'd be interested in knowing why that 'name' steeler had that opinion... and why Buddy Emmons would disagree.

- john -

I have new Emmons Harmonic Tune Up courses at the shop for sale.

The other steeler had his way of tuning. As both are successful and respected in the steel community, neither is wrong.

Buddy Emmons hasn't tuned with harmonics in decades. Several times, he's said he tunes as close to 'straight up' on a tuner as possible (also known as Equal Temperament).

Funny thing -- I can't hear much difference in his intonation comparing his early work (before electronic tuners) with more recent recordings. It's much more important to PLAY in tune. Buddy has proven that can be done within a pretty wide range of tuning techniques.

AL.Brisco has a very good site on tuning

tuning by harmonics :

Open/no pedals for starters -
(pedals & levers will follow)

all notes are picked in harmonics

on left reference tone / on right string to tune
you'll be using frets 5 7 & 12 mostly
you will also need a harmonic on the 4th fret - certainly not as easy as on frets 5,7 & 12
look for it, it's there

lever E lowers Es a half
lever F raises Es a half
lever G raises F#s a whole
lever D lowers Eb a half
lever V lowers Bs a half

E : string 8 fret 5 / string 4 fret 12

B : string 10 fret 5 / string 5 fret 12

F# : string 5 fret 7 / String 1 fret 12 - string
F# : string 1 fret 12 / string 7 fret 5

G# : string 8 fret 4 ( yep 4) / string 6 fret 5
G# : string 4 ( yep 4 ) / string 3 fret 5

Eb : string 5 fret 4 / string 2 fret 5

E : string 8 w: A&B fret 5 / string 6 w: A&B fret 7

A : string 6 w: A&B fret 5 / string 3 w: A&B fret 12
A : string 6 w: A&B fret 12 / string 9 fret 7

C# : string 5 w: A&B fret 12 / string 10 w: A&B fret 5
C# : string 6 w: B&C fret 4 / string 4 w: B&C fret 7
C# : string 6 w: B&C fret 4 / string 5 w: B&C fret 5

Eb : string 2 fret 12 / string 4 w lever E fret 12
Eb : string 2 fret 12 / string 8 w: lever E fret 5

B(G# lever): string 5 fret 5 / string 7 w: lever G fret 4
G# : string 3 fret 12 / string 1 w: lever G fret 12

F : string 5 w: A&B fret 4 / string 4 w: lever F fret 5
F : string 4 w: lever F fret 12 / string 8 w: lever F fret 5

Bb : string 7 fret 4 / string 5 w: lever V fret 5
Bb : string 5 w: lever V fret 12 / string 10 w: lever V fret 5

D : string 9 fret 5 / string 2 w: lever D fret 12

Last but not least, Compromise is inevitable when tuning certain strings & combinations of levers &/or pedals since we are tuning to 3 chords or keys : E - B - F#

I quote myself from this recent thread:

...From the E on string 4:
1. Tune the low E on 8 to 4.
2. Then tune your fifths to B on 5 and 10 with 4 and 8.
3. Then tune your thirds to G# on 6 and 3 so your E major triad sounds sweet with 8/4 and 5/10.
...4. Now tune 1 and 7 with 10, 5 and 2 so your B major triad sounds good.
...5. Bruce recommends tuning 9 to D with string 6 raised to A with the B pedal.
...Clete

Follow this same order of string tuning, and use the harmonics on fret 12, 7 and 5 that CrowBear posted. It's just like you do on 6 string or mandolin and fiddle too for that matter.
This is why tuning by ear with harmonics is a little more accurate. The higher frequency of the two harmonics will "beat" more pronounced than the open strings. If you add a small amount of distortion, the harmonics are increased even more. Look at a strobe (if you have one) and you'll be watching exactly what you're hearing. Kinda like those old vinyl turntables with adjustable speed. Or like a wagon wheel that appears to be spinning the wrong direction. Is it an illusion, or are you really out of tune!

Clete

If I tune the E's to 441, the G#'s will be at 435 using harmonics, and the B's at 443.5. But I like the G#'s at 437.5, and the B's at 441.

After you learn the procedure, look at the tuner while you do it. Make sure things aren't too squirrely.

If I remember right Tom Brumley had a procedure published in one of the 5 or 6 editions of "The Steel Guitarist" magazines.
Does not b0b here have them for sale?

... J-D.

CrowBear, Clete - Thanks for going to the trouble of laying the whole thing out.
Thanks, everyone. This is great; a whole bunch of new stuff to play with!
- John -