The Steel Guitar Forum

After spending some time working with 6-string versions of C6 and A6, I still get bummed out when I go to do a full strum major seventh and just can't get it (anyone else have trouble slanting across four strings?:eek:).

The C6 pedal tuning interests me with the Fmaj7 built in. With the strings on now I tuned to a variant CEGBDE.

Does anyone else do anything to get a [full, strummable] major seventh?
(I currently play the minor triad to catch the nuance)

I don't find it important to play full Maj7 chords on a 6 string steel. If you want to play CMaj9, you simply play at the 7th fret--yes, there is no root, but that is what the bass is for. With the lap steel you have to be as judicious as possible with the limited note combinations, so knowing all of your harmonic possibilities is really the best thing you can do.

You always have that 4 string slant if you need it--I guess it is more important if it will be arpeggiated. You'd better slant in tune, though...

When you get an 8 string steel you can get the root. I often tune the 8th string to F, giving me an FMaj9 with open strings.