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Topic: Zane King's Tuning Methodology |
Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 6 Dec 2011 2:04 pm |
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I've been overwhelmed over the past year or so of how many folks have found interest in my tuning concepts. I am reluctant at times to share because so many people want to criticize my concepts and defend their way of life upon the E9/C6 necks. I just can't help it because many years ago in the basement of Zane Beck's home he taught me not to worry about trying to play like anyone else. Learn the basics then create. I took him at his word and I have spent my entire musical career waking up everyday trying to live in my own musical space. I have also found that I was given a gift from him with the base of his tuning concepts. That's a partial reason why I feel that just sitting down to my guitar allows me to find some fresh ideas yet at the same time there being plenty of the familiar.
Lately, I have discovered the need to express my tuning concept as whole in two parts. One being the 12 string version that I have played and refined for the better part of 3 decades. The other being a single 10 version that encompasses most everything I would need when trying to emulate the "E9" sound. I have basically studied every 10 string copedent I could find on the internet. I have determined the most valuable and common affinity levers out there and now I have implemented those into my setup.
First off: here is a link to a You Tube video that opens up some dialogue about my E 6/9 tuning. From there, you should be able to link over to many other videos about the tuning concepts. I am currently working on a whole new set of videos and will introduce those as we go along.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxF8BZ-GN6k
Attached here are the copedents for both my E 6/9 Tuning in S10 and S12. If you want a copy emailed to you please do so at: zaneking@me.com
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Zane King
Email: zaneking@me.com |
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Whip Lashaway
From:
Monterey, Tenn, USA
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Posted 7 Dec 2011 2:44 pm
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Looks very interesting Zane. I play a S12 and I tune 2nd to C# and raise it up to D/D#. What made you put it in the 4th string position and was it difficult to make that adjustment? I'm suspecting it make some of your "across the string" runs easier to accomplish. BTW, I took the liberty of steeling that idea and incorporated it into some of the things I've put on tracks. Thanks! If I ever get rich from it I'll be sure to send you your share!!!  Pedals 2,3,4 look very interesting to me. I might do something with it on my setup. Very interesting indeed!
God Bless and Merry Christmas. Whip
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Whip Lashaway
Sierra E9/B6 12 string
Sierra E9/B6 14 string
Excel S12 8x9 blue
Excel S12 8x9 black |
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Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Jim Cinney
From:
Tehachapi California, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2011 7:51 am
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Wow Zane, that s10 tuning looks interesting. The down side for me is I am playing a Stage One. It is a good guitar but it looks like I would have to replace the changer,add 2 pedals, a verticle lever,add cross rods & re rod the complete guitar.. Maybe Santa can bring me a new guitar...  |
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Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 8 Dec 2011 9:12 am
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Jim, I will send Santa the tuning chart now. He and I are pretty tight. He told me just the other day that he is going to start sending all of his guitars with my tuning on them now.  
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Zane King
Email: zaneking@me.com |
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Jim Cinney
From:
Tehachapi California, USA
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Posted 8 Dec 2011 9:24 am
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| WAAAAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!! |
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Will Cowell
From:
Cambridgeshire, UK
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 8:48 am
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Zane, I'd like to breathe some life into this thread. I just acquired a Sierra U14 and have been thinking independently about the illogicality of having the outside two strings where they are. I recognise it's because of the history of the instrument. Then, from the 1960's, it's been "but we've always done it that way" and that doesn't seem to me to be a good enough approach.
I'm very tempted to apply this tuning to my U14 and wonder if you had any suggestions about the last two strings. I suspect I could just keep them as they are, as they seem to be consistent with what you are doing here?
Will Cowell
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Williams 700 series keyless U12,
Sierra keyless U14, Eezzee-Slide & BJS bars
Moth-eaten old Marshall 150 combo
Roland Cube 80XL, Peterson Strobo+HD,
EarthQuaker Despatch Master for reverb / delay |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 27 Feb 2014 11:10 am
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Hi Zane,
Do you regularly use two feet on the pedals?
Also, Can you post the tuning chart for those setups (+/- Cents for the open/pedal/lever notes)?
Thx,
Pete |
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Ray Thomas
From:
Goldsboro North Carolina
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 12:07 pm Tuning
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Zane, do you use a 13 on the third string in the e tuning or am I missing something
_________________
Ray Thomas
Livesteel Strings Dealer
Call 919-920-5482
Text rayssteel@gmail.com or email |
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Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 1:45 pm
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Thanks for bringing this up Will. You could just take off the 2 strings and just simply leave it at 14. Cosmetically, that might drive you crazy (it would be me) but theoretically it would be fine. I'm really not sure what you could add for the 2 extra strings to my tuning. I've been tempted to look at that in the past but just never had a 14 string guitar around to try anything. Sorry I can't be of more help there.
Pete - I don't use two feet on pedals. I can barely use the one foot now. LOL. Also, I don't really tune my guitar. I sincerely mean that. Once it is in the ballpark of where I want it to be I just let it ride. Thus, I never get into the "cents" on tuning. Maybe I should.
Ray - I have used .13 on string 3 (which is E for me). However, recently with the new Live Steel Strings I'm using a .014.
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Zane King
Email: zaneking@me.com |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 28 Feb 2014 2:42 pm
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| Will Cowell wrote: |
| I just acquired a Sierra U14 and have been thinking independently about the illogicality of having the outside two strings where they are. I recognise it's because of the history of the instrument. Then, from the 1960's, it's been "but we've always done it that way" and that doesn't seem to me to be a good enough approach. |
Having played both ways a lot, I disagree with the premise that E9th is illogical, and also that the reason for it is merely historical. There are definite advantages to having the the E major triad on consecutive strings, mostly in right hand efficiency for certain styles of playing. Certain licks and even whole styles of playing are easier when the arpeggios are grouped and the other scale notes are on the outside.
Conversely, certain scale-based styles are easier when the pentatonic notes are linear, as in Zane's tuning. My point is that both systems have the same notes, but the right hand will gravitate towards different phrasings in one system vs. the other. I daresay that Lloyd Green's classic recordings would have been quite different if he had used a linear tuning.
As for your 14-string dilemma, I suggest an extended E9th, plus a low B as string 14 and a high D (or maybe C#) as string 5 (between the B and E strings).
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-š¯•“š¯•†š¯•“- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 5:33 am
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Bob - thanks for your input. First off, that's great advice on the "2" strings for the 14 string setup. I would definitely suggest the "C#" in between the E and B on the top triad.
As for the linear argument, it is not necessarily a bad thing that the F#, D# are lying on the "outside" of the linear tuning. I just know that Emmons gets credit for doing that. He stated that it actually started out on the bottom side of his guitar for a particular tune he was recording. Obviously, these notes are just passing tones. That said he later moved them to the top. All of this because he didn't want to mess up his years of technique he had worked on with his 8 string setup.
Now, the standard E9 tuning is obviously exactly thatā€¦Standard. That said, players have done amazing things with the way it is. I'm not here to criticize that all. Being a keyboard player first obviously I prefer a more linear approach when thinking of music. Many steel players have been guitar players first, and they also relate more linear as well to music. Bottom line is, it works either way it is just a matter how you learn it. That said though there are substantial differences in the approach overall. Ultimately it is just a matter of what one prefers. Yet, let me be clear there are advantages to the linear approach that are completely amazing.
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Zane King
Email: zaneking@me.com |
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 8:11 am
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I guess I am in the linear camp also, as I run two stacks of G#,F#,E,B on the meat of my S12U tuning, strings 2-9. My 1st string is either a D# or C# as needed.
On the E9/B6 S14U strings 1 and 14, I would suggest tuning string 1 to C# (same as C6th D-on-Top), and string 14 to an A, using the same gage string as string 13-B (root of the pedals-A+B down chord).
Changing the entire Steel to accomodate a C# in the middle would be a big job.
Zane when you said Tuning Methodology, I thought you meant like how you tune-up to a tuner.
So when you play Steel with a band or a recording of a band, what is the root note you tune to?
If an E, do you tune your open E's with any pedals/levers engaged?
Do you tune the rest of the steel by ear to the E's or whatever root note you use, to get in tune with the band?
Do you tune everything Straight-Up?
What would you tell a new-bee to your tuning to do with regard to tuning all the pedals/levers?
Just curious.
Thx,
Pete |
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Zane King
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 1 Mar 2014 8:29 am
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Pete - Yes I can see where the "Tuning" might be confusing these days. Perhaps, "setup" might be a more appropriate term. Not sure.
As for how I dial in my tuning, I generally do tune my "E" notes to 440 and then just adjust by ear the rest of the way. I've tried everything in the book but it seems more and more that's just what I end up doing.
ZK
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Zane King
Email: zaneking@me.com |
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