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Topic: C6 variations. |
Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 23 Mar 2012 10:09 am |
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Ever since I got my first 8 string last year I have had the tuning from high to low as GECAGECA. With all of the talk of variations and so many people disliking the high G (which I like but am willing to go without for experimentation purposes) I am not sure what to do. I am thinking high to low ECAGEC#C But what would be good for the lowest string? I am very happy to experiment so let me hear some ideas please. Also, what exactly will that C# do for me? I am not far enough along in the Byrd course to know. I only periodically use the lowest A as it is. What could go there to make things interesting?
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Brian |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 23 Mar 2012 10:11 am
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Tune the lowest string to A and change to Bb when necessary. Having the C and C# together like that can be dangerous, but if you get your right hand under control, it is great. I have been playing around with this tuning, which is a Jerry Byrd tuning.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Brian Hunter
From:
Indianapolis
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Posted 23 Mar 2012 10:12 am
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Thanks, Mike. Being a southpaw, I am actually surprised with how well my right hand has taken to playing steel. I have played guitar for 33 years though sop that helped a bit. But my righty has been doing fine. I might be able to pull it off.
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Brian |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 23 Mar 2012 4:11 pm "DANGEROUS"??????????
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REMEMBER! Jerry Byrd successfully utilized the C6th tuning ECAGE C# on his six string Rickenbacher Bakelite steel guitar for decades! It was the tuning that made him the most successful session man in Nashville and also Cincinnati through-out the 1950-60's.
ECAG gives you the C6th tunings 4-major elements for melody playing. If one goes up four frets and plucks the 6,5,4,3 strings, you have the equivilant of C6th tuning all over again. So many phrasings will simply fall into place effortlessly.
That bottom 6th string (C#) is for raking or rolling a chord. |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 8 Apr 2012 10:10 pm
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What variation of a tuning a person chooses, like the basic tuning a person chooses, depends on the style of play s/he adopts. When I experimented with C6 pedal guitar, I discovered the Buddy Emmons variation of the C6. D-E-C-A-G-E-C-A. I have fallen in love with this tuning. I find it is an excellent tuning for single string play.
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Amor vincit omnia |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2012 5:12 am
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Brian, i wouldnt get to hung up on it - esp in the early years - i think of the hi-C6 as a 6th tuning that has the 5th on top - much the way i would think of hi-E13 as a 6th tuning with a b7 on the bottom (7th string).
i found the hi-C6 to be great at chord comping and why the western swing players liked that 5th on top, but it was a weak string for melody work - which is how a lot of people seem to think its there for. the melody note needs to be a good strong note and that thin G just wont stand out - but it works fine for a chord color.
the reason I use the lo-C6 (E on top) is that you can get SO many tunings from that string gauge set - you can get C6, C13, A6, 2 versions of E13, the old E9, the Byrd E9, a drop-6 D9, B11, F#9, etc, etc. - all leaving that E as is.
this may be confusing to someone starting out (it was for me) but the basic GLUE here is the standard 6th tuning as developed by Byrd - in C it would be CEGACE - that "simple" 6 string tuning is as complete as you may ever need. what you then may do is take the tuning up/down a scale degree or really whatever, as long as you have the CORE C6 there.
like Ed mentions, it all depends on the style you play. here in the south, you pretty much HAVE to use the Helms hi-E13 because thats the old Hank sound and the one they throw panties, bras, dentures and social security checks at the stage over...they go nuts over it - dont give a nickle for any of them other "hawaiian" tunings.
the Byrd C6/A7 with the C, C# i would not recommend right off - thats a powerful tuning, but not something to wrap your head around until you have a full understanding of why HE did it. thats the rub with many of these tunings, getting inside that guys head - now MY experimental C6 tuning that i love is (hi)B, C#, E, G, A, C, E, D - but I understand that tuning and why i did this or that. - and the "core" C6 is still there (except i will tune the C/C#) as needed.
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'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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