C6 Tunings

[William W Western]

Could anyone give a rundown on the pluses and minuses of going with (l-h) ACEGACEG versus GACEGACE and vice versa on an 8 string? I am currently trying both and finding pleasant aspects with each but probably am out to lunch.

[Ray Montee]

I've used C6th/A7th as my primary tuning for decades now. That's, from high to low: ECAGEC#C and whatever you choose for the lowest string.

It gives me EVERYTHING I've ever wanted or needed. JERRY BYRD used it and he too was quite satisfied with all of the options it offered him.

It works exceptionally well on six string as well, by simply leaving off that low "C" string. BUT, don't attempt to play it with the mind-set you might have for playing the C6th with PEDALS. It's a different breed........

[Don McGregor]

I'm a 8 string high C6 man. H to L = GECAGECA
For me, it's like I've got everything the high E version has, plus extra harmonic possibilities that the added high G gives me. I also just like the sound I get from this thinner string. It can really cut through a muddy mix on stage.
I'm currently using the same relevant tuning A6 (H to L) EC#AF#EC#AF# on my 2nd neck. These are my comfort tunings, the ones I've used the longest, and feel the most at home on.
It really comes down to what you want to do musically. If you've heard other steelers that you want to sound similar to, then see what tunings they use.
It's all good.

[Charlie Vegas]

I gotta have the 5 on top for any 6th tuning.

[Mike Neer]

I like both tunings but much prefer the E 1st string version. Actually, C6/A7.

[John Allison]

I keep my C6 with the high G as a main tuning. I always use the Bb instead of A on the lowest string and sometimes tune the low C to C# or D.
The high 3rd tuning I use is a cross between the Don Helms and Leon McAuliffe E13's:
G#
E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
B (or low E)

There's good reason for using a high 3rd tuning, but on a single 8 I think the high 5th C6 is the most versatile.

[Jerome Hawkes]

i think of the C6 as a basic 6 string tuning with either a chord tone, chromatic, whatever - up or down on the "surplus" strings - you know, i honestly went thru a lot of mental confusion about all this when i first started with the thinking that oh no, if i learn it one way it will be ingrained and i'll never be able to break out, which seems like a standard phobia around here as i often see this question asked.

90% of the time you are playing the straight 6 string set up (C > E) and its just a matter of whether you like to extend your voicing options higher or lower - "on paper" the hi-G looks like the winner, but in practice, i didnt use it as much as i thought i would.

one thing to keep in mind, esp with a single 8, is how many OTHER tunings you can get from this string gauge set, and the lo-C is fairly adaptable.

[Twayn Williams]

I don't really have much need for the 5th on top, though that is what I currently have on my D-8. I've tried using the 5th on the lowest string (G) and while it's ok I tended to avoid it more than use it. So I really prefer the lowest string to be the 6th (A). The high string works pretty well as a retuneable "wild-card" string. A re-entrant M7th (B) is very pretty there and allows a nice pseudo-pedal pull to the root.

[Leon Brannan]

Using the 5th on top let's you play Herb Remmington's stuff,as well as many others.If you play swing or Hawaiian, 7 frets up from the root fret the top 4 strings will give a nice rootless Major 9th chord to make a classy ending. Slide in from 1 fret up or down. Pick,strum or use harmonics for a nice ending. My addition to the 6th tuning is; top to bottom GECAGEEbC. I use 4 picks, when I grab CAGEb at the same fret I have a rootless F9th 4 chord. Two frets up and a rootless G9th 5 chord. This rootless 9th chord is moveable up or down with the sane effect as the B11 which has a b5 in it. This grip also repeats itself every 4 frets and gives the rich diminished sound.For playing rich chordal melodies,blues,swing or inspirational this rootless 9th chord is killer .

[Leon Brannan]

Using the 5th on top let's you play Herb Remmington's stuff,as well as many others.If you play swing or Hawaiian, 7 frets up from the root fret the top 4 strings will give a nice rootless Major 9th chord to make a classy ending. Slide in from 1 fret up or down. Pick,strum or use harmonics for a nice ending. My addition to the 6th tuning is; top to bottom GECAGEEbC. I use 4 picks, when I grab CAGEb at the same fret I have a rootless F9th 4 chord. Two frets up and a rootless G9th 5 chord. This rootless 9th chord is moveable up or down with the same effect as the B11 which has a b5 in it. This grip also repeats itself every 4 frets and gives the rich diminished sound.For playing rich chordal melodies,blues,swing or inspirational this rootless 9th chord is killer .

[Ryan Barwin]

If you can do a reasonably accurate backward slant at the 3rd and 4th frets on the C and E strings, I don't think you really need the high G. I find the tone of that high G string way too thin.

On my 8-string console, I tend to switch back and forth between F A C E G A C E and G Bb C E G A C E depending on the song. It's nice to have the root on the bottom for the Fmaj9 chord, like you'd have on a pedal guitar, or the Bb to get a dominant chord without losing the basic 6-string tuning like you would with the C6/A7 tuning. So that's what I'd recommend.

[Dustin Farnum]

I have settled on two tunings that seem to work for me. I Like the Jerry Bird C6/A7 tuning (E,C,A,G,E,C,C#,A). It provides a full C6 chord, a diminished C# chord, a full A minor chord, plus an A 7th chord. The 6 minor chord is played at first position and the 2 minor chord at 4th position. Makes it easy to find your 2 and 6 minor chords.

The second is the Don Helms E13:
1 – G# 12
2 – E 14
3 – C# 17
4 – B 20
5 – G# 24w
6 – E 30w
7 – C# 34w
8 – D/B/A 40w
You can tune the 8th string to what works for the song. Tuning to A gives you an A major 7th chord. D provides and E 7th option and B provides a standard E6 option. I usually tune the 8th string to A. I really like the sound of the major 7th chord.

So far I have left the third neck in a basic E7 tuning (E,B,G#,E,D,B,G#,E). That seems to be a good basic tuning for Blues and Johnny Cash style country.

I'm afraid that I am developing a steel guitar addiction.

[Danny Bates]

My current favorite is (Low to High) Bb C E G A C E Eb (the first string is 1/2 step lower than the 2nd string)

Open string chords are: C7, C6, C13, Am7, Cm

[Steve Ahola]

On my 8-string console, I tend to switch back and forth between F A C E G A C E and G Bb C E G A C E depending on the song. It's nice to have the root on the bottom for the Fmaj9 chord, like you'd have on a pedal guitar, or the Bb to get a dominant chord without losing the basic 6-string tuning like you would with the C6/A7 tuning. So that's what I'd recommend.

Ryan: I really like your version of C6, with the two alternate tunings of the bottom two notes, the first making it like a C6/FM7 and the second making it like a C13th. For the heck of it with your C13th I decided to try raising the lower C to D to add the 9th to the tuning, similar to the E9th tuning and Leon's E13th tuning but with the 3rd on the top:

Code: Select all

C6/FM7 (Ryan's)
F A C E G A C E [L-H]
4 6 R 3 5 6 R 3 (in C)
R 3 5 7 9 3 5 7 (in F)

C13th (Ryan's)
G Bb C E G A C E [L-H]
5 b7 R 3 5 6 R 3

C13(w/ 9) (My variation)
G Bb D E G A C E [L-H]
5 b7 9 3 5 6 R 3

With the b7th and 9th in there you get a nice jazzy Western Swing chord, and it is a lot simpler than trying to retune 7 strings to convert a C6th steel to E9th.

I don't know if anyone else has used that tuning but if you like E9th or Leon's E13th, it will seem very familiar. The intervals are almost identical to Leon's E13th but with a 3rd added on top. Just like the intervals in your C13th tuning are almost identical to Don Helm's E13.

Thanks!

Steve Ahola

[Dustin Farnum]

Ryan's C6/FM7 tuning is the same tuning in C that I am using on my first neck in E. I like leaving strings 1 through 6 in standard 6th tuning and changing strings 7 and 8 to fit the need.

[Mike Neer]

I use an F in the bass very often, especially for chordal playing. But the difference is, I like the 6th string tuned up to C#. This is my "go to" C6 tuning. The bass notes can always be fiddled around with. I am hoping to add a 9th string at some point.

[Steve Ahola]

I love all of those variations on C6. I think of them like altering chord tones on a regular guitar. I could not get my head around the C6/A7 tuning until I realized that it was practically the same as the "Jimi Hendrix" E#9th chord that has a major 3rd on the bottom and a minor 3rd (#2) on the top. Not that a lot of people play Jimi Hendrix on lap steel except for Junior Brown...

Steve

P.S. The funny thing about the #9th chord is that it sounds completely different when played on the I (it is used extensively in jazz but hardly ever on the I).

[Jan Viljoen]

I have asked the same question om my other thread as well.

Are there better tunings for shorter scale steels than others?
Would E7 sound better than C6, where less sustain is required, or vice versa Etc?
Which tuning is better for strumming?

Thanx

JV

[J Fletcher]

Well Leon, I use the same tuning as you, except mine is a half tone lower. Wondered if anybody else was using it. I think of it as B6/E9. A carry over from the E9 pedal steel tuning...Jerry

[Leon Brannan]

My original post was referingto the C-6 tuning. It seems to be interpreted as an E-13. GECAGECA would be a standard 2 octave 6th tuning. What I've done is include a flat 3 GECAGEEbC omitting the 6th A note. The result is the same on a C-6 Pedal Steel by lowering the E to Eb using Pedal 6. Once again a rootless F9th chord. It can be called a C minor 6th. It also is a diminished 7th. I use the flat 3rd tunings on my Quad, C on the first neck,A on the second,D on the third and E on the fourth neck. You will be amazed with this moveable,flatted dark sound.

[Steve Ahola]

My original post was referingto the C-6 tuning. It seems to be interpreted as an E-13. GECAGECA would be a standard 2 octave 6th tuning. What I've done is include a flat 3 GECAGEEbC omitting the 6th A note. The result is the same on a C-6 Pedal Steel by lowering the E to Eb using Pedal 6. Once again a rootless F9th chord. It can be called a C minor 6th. It also is a diminished 7th. I use the flat 3rd tunings on my Quad, C on the first neck,A on the second,D on the third and E on the fourth neck. You will be amazed with this moveable,flatted dark sound.

So do you use the same basic intervals on each of the four necks, moving your C6/m3 (or whatever) tuning up two and four frets for the 3rd and 4th necks and moving it down three frets for the 2nd neck?

I might try out your tuning, but I think I would switch the 7th and 8th strings around since my fumble fingers would probably keep hitting both the E and the Eb...

Steve

P.S. I don't think that the specific name of your tuning is as important as how it works, which is often the case when you have 8 or 10 strings, some of which are not played simultaneously. Thanks for sharing your tuning with us!

[Eddie Cunningham]

Leon , I use a very similar tuning to yours. I only use 7 strings placing the Eb on the bottom - >>> from hi = E C A G E C Eb . Gives that rich F 9th on 5 strings using the thumb pick to reach the bottom Eb . Works out real well for me !! Eddie "C" AKA the old geezer

[Leon Brannan]

Steve, The reason I tune the 4 necks as such is to obtain the desired root at the 8 th fret. That is the position I feel most comfortable playing. I have room to slide the diminished inversions down two or up a full octave. This also gives me room to get the 4 chord & 5 chord both ways from the 8th fret. The C neck = Ab A neck = F D neck = B and the E neck = C. These keys are the most comfortable for my talented wife of 46 years, to sing in. As for the flat 3 position, 7 or 8 th string, I believe the 8th would probably be best. I've played it in the 7th position so long,it feels clumsy to me. I have tried the 8th position before, several times. It would be easier to block the 8th string with the thumb on the bar hand if you wanted to rake that big 6th sound. So Eddie, I suppose I'm not out on a limb after all!

[James Quillian]

I just recently playing the lap steel. I do play a lot of other string instrument.

I actually took up the instrument because I liked what I had heard in the C6 tuning.

A lot of blues is played with the idea that every note should played with as much intensity as is possible. That works real well tuned to an open chord.

I belong to another camp that prefers blues that is played at an optimum intensity. I have found some but not of lot of blues played with C6. I conjecture that C6 will actually be the best tuning for playing blues when the goal is to get an optimum rather maximum intensity. (Lets say just cooking rather than totally exploding on every note.)

I am giving it a try. Before picking up the lap steel, I had already pick the tuning based on what I had heard.

[John Ed Kelly]

Geez..................I wish I could actually get my hands on an eight stringer LP.

I have seen one or two down here in Southland Oz, but that's about it. They seem to be as rare as hens teeth..............none of the guitar stores stock them......except for the occasional six stringer. And....as for specialist SG stores forget it.

I like some of the ideas presented here though, and if I happen to come across and eight, well, I'll be home and hosed...................