The Steel Guitar Forum

I'd like to play Texas swing music on my dobro but find the gbdgbd tuning limiting.
Could anyone suggest another tuning ?
Sorry for the novice question
Brad

Simplest thing's to raise that fourth string from D to E, giving you a 6th tuning.

The most popular way is from low to high: GBDEGB. When on dobro, I just tune the 4th string D up to E (GBEGBD). It's not perfect, but when you're playing in a band format it actually works quite well--better than when just playing alone. Cindy Cashdollar uses this tuning too, and she knows a little bit about Texas Swing. The nice part is that you can do it on the fly between songs without wasting any time.

The C6th tuning intervals (ECAGEC) tuned down to A works well for acoustic steel. Check out what the late Tom Morrell could do with swing music on a standard tuned Dobro - fantastic. Cindy does a great version of panhandle rag in that G6th tuning. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie5J1ODvvdE

A slightly different approach would be to tune to A6 thusly:

1. C#
2. A
3. F#
4. E
5. C#
6. A

The strings are all within a whole step of the equivalent notes in open G tuning, so you can use the same string gauges, plus it's the same intervals as C6th but pitched down to A.

Otherwise the quick and easy suggestion above works well.

Thankyou all very much for the tuning information.
Ill start playing with the new ones tonight.
Brad