Tuning a Pedal Steel
Posted: 15 Nov 2013 7:11 pm
I'am brand new to the Forum.My question is Do any Pedal Steel Players tune
Everything to 440?
Everything to 440?
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Tuning a Pedal Steel
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Posted: 15 Nov 2013 7:16 pm
Welcome Don.
Tuning!
Posted: 15 Nov 2013 7:48 pm
Don,
Yes, some do...and some don't...and some are closer than others. Larry Bell has a very good, readable explanation of our tuning options and their differences here:
http://www.larrybell.org/id29.htm
Yes, some do...and some don't...and some are closer than others. Larry Bell has a very good, readable explanation of our tuning options and their differences here:
http://www.larrybell.org/id29.htm
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 5:09 am
Welcome to the forum...
For about 20 years I chased the zillion tuning charts trying to get in-tune. About 10 years ago I gave up and started tuning straight up and no more tuning issues. I can now play with anyone and things sound as they should. As mentioned above, the steel community is divided on the whole tuning issue.
Robert
For about 20 years I chased the zillion tuning charts trying to get in-tune. About 10 years ago I gave up and started tuning straight up and no more tuning issues. I can now play with anyone and things sound as they should. As mentioned above, the steel community is divided on the whole tuning issue.
Robert
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 5:09 am
Welcome to the forum...
For about 20 years I chased the zillion tuning charts trying to get in-tune. About 10 years ago I gave up and started tuning straight up and no more tuning issues. I can now play with anyone and things sound as they should. As mentioned above, the steel community is divided on the whole tuning issue.
Robert
For about 20 years I chased the zillion tuning charts trying to get in-tune. About 10 years ago I gave up and started tuning straight up and no more tuning issues. I can now play with anyone and things sound as they should. As mentioned above, the steel community is divided on the whole tuning issue.
Robert
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 5:50 am
I use the Emmons Tempered Tuning as straight up didn't sound right. Now my steel sounds like a steel...
http://www.buddyemmons.com/ttchart.htm
http://www.buddyemmons.com/ttchart.htm
Tuning a pedal steel
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 6:04 am
Food for Thought: Why should the steel player use one of the many tempered charts out there when the other members of the band do not? Logically, it seems that all the members of the band should tune to A440. Some might say it has to do with cabinet drop, however, most manufactures of today's PSGs say cabinet drop is not a factor.
Tuning A Pedal Steel
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 8:09 am
Thanks, to all for the welcome to the Forum. thanks for the info on tuning a PSG. It looks like it's WHAT EVER WORKS. FOR YOU is the answer.Thanks again,
Don
Don
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 8:58 am
Try several and use what works and sounds the best to your taste. Welcome to the Steel world ! 
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 10:10 am
Here's some more:
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/010572.html
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/010572.html
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 11:03 am
This tuning thing is a great topic, and I respect all points of view on it, for all the various reasons behind them. No one-size fits all answer.
My experience was that I tuned "straight up" A440 for years and always thought my steel didn't sound great. I tried the preset newman and emmons presets in my pederson tuner, still didn't sound good.
One day I left my tuner on and the batteries went dead. My kids turned some of my tuning knobs...I tuned by ear with the benefit of natural string harmonics, and dialed in a tuning that makes my guitar about 3x more resonant and wayyy sweeter to the ear.
So, I tune by harmonics/ear now, and the guitar sounds like I've always hoped it would.
My experience was that I tuned "straight up" A440 for years and always thought my steel didn't sound great. I tried the preset newman and emmons presets in my pederson tuner, still didn't sound good.
One day I left my tuner on and the batteries went dead. My kids turned some of my tuning knobs...I tuned by ear with the benefit of natural string harmonics, and dialed in a tuning that makes my guitar about 3x more resonant and wayyy sweeter to the ear.
So, I tune by harmonics/ear now, and the guitar sounds like I've always hoped it would.
Posted: 16 Nov 2013 11:19 am
To go back to the initial question, which was not about tuning systems but about pitch, A440 represents a widespread preference, although standards have changed over the centuries, and you can play at any pitch you like if your instrument can take it.
The trouble starts when you want to tune the other strings. I am a newbie and a trombone player, and the possibility of naturally tuned chords is one of the things that drew me to the instrument. (Trombones playing together in a section automatically play in natural intervals because anything else is physically distressing.) So no secret which side I'm on although I've only been at it five minutes. I am sure that session players with many sophisticated changes playing with keyboard instruments have to take refuge in equal temperament, but I like the sounds of the fresh outdoors. Some chords don't work, but they're generally alternatives to more regular ones.
So tune A to 440Hz and from then on use your ears.
The trouble starts when you want to tune the other strings. I am a newbie and a trombone player, and the possibility of naturally tuned chords is one of the things that drew me to the instrument. (Trombones playing together in a section automatically play in natural intervals because anything else is physically distressing.) So no secret which side I'm on although I've only been at it five minutes. I am sure that session players with many sophisticated changes playing with keyboard instruments have to take refuge in equal temperament, but I like the sounds of the fresh outdoors. Some chords don't work, but they're generally alternatives to more regular ones.
So tune A to 440Hz and from then on use your ears.