The Steel Guitar Forum

I have a pretty good grasp of the basic food group of tunings for 6 and 8 string lap steel (C6, E13, A6, G E, etc.), but since I've started teaching again, I've found that with the small number of students I have at this point in time, still every one is using a different tuning, or at least a different version of it. I don't have enough necks to go around!

I keep an open mind about these things, because I understand coming from the perspective of having many years on another instrument and trying to find a tuning to connect with, but it is definitely a challenge and I feel it takes me out of my game somewhat, which in turn may not be beneficial for the student.

Anyone else faced a similar challenge?

Hi Mike its your student Brad awash in a sea of tunings as well. E13 and C6 on my Fender Dual Pro and (see post) and really out of my league with a C#m6 on my 7 string Beard dobro. Ill keep trouncing around till it all makes sense, I hope.
Brad

I don't teach. And maybe I should be taught, but my thoughts are that to settle on a certain tuning is like "what do I want to be when I grow up." So many do not go to college to train for a certain career. But to learn basics that prepare you to learn a profession, generally speaking. To learn to play lap or console steel, I think you should learn on the most basic tuning there is, which is C6. And then explore the other tunings based on what is learned in C6. Just the other day I was thinking about trying A6, and found that if I retuned my E6 neck with F# in top, it opened up a whole new thing for me. Before that I didn't play the E6 neck hardly at all. Oh well, I'm not a smart person and my ideas are not usually good ones, but they are ideas none the less.

I start all beginners on C6. After much time, usually a few months, I will show them how to re-tune to A6 and we explore that tuning. Occasionally a student/player comes along who already plays some other tuning, like E (blues), D (blues), or David Gilmour's tuning. If the player is really into that tuning and into one style, I tell him that I can teach him a few lessons on his tuning, mostly technique, slants, etc, but I do not play the tuning much and I can only give him a few lessons on it. I also point out to him the advantages of a 6th tuning, and sometimes they change over to C6 or A6, but sometimes not.

So it depends on who you are teaching. With beginners, you tell them what the tuning will be and they stick with that tuning for quite a while. With experienced players, if their tuning doesn't match yours or if it is foreign to you, emphasize techniques, or maybe theory as applied to their tuning. Most of my steel guitar teaching experience is with beginners, so I rarely encounter tuning mismatches with students or different variations. I've been teaching steel and regular guitar at my local music store for 35 years.

There is a fine line to walk as a teacher between teaching to your strengths, and teaching to the student's needs/desires. When they don't coincide, it can be a difficult balance. Since the teacher has the greater knowledge and experience, his preferences should usually rule. With that said, here is an experience I had. I undertook a two-day intense study with Maurice Anderson years ago with the intent of learning as much as I could about his improvisational technique on non-pedal steel - what his thought process was, patterns, pockets, etc. He was renowned as a great teacher as well as player. I can play a number of tunings, but I am far and away most comfortable on E6 (high G#), identical to C6 with an E first string, tuned up four half-steps. When we started the lesson and he saw my tuning, he pretty much would not teach me on it. He wanted me to change to a tuning with the fifth on top, which is the tuning he always favored. He explained the advantages of tuning that way, and I decided to try it, instead of pushing back. Changing my E6 to C6 with a high G is an easy change, so I spent the weekend that way. But it took me completely out of my comfort zone, and left me struggling with recognizing positions and strings, instead of concentrating on the ideas I was hoping to learn.

Rich, that is really the point for me. I feel it's important for me to at least be flexible, and if I have to just find some commonality between tunings, I'll go with that. But the tough part is that getting to really know a tuning is so nuanced, and if you are not completely fluent, you overlook things.

I wish I was the regimented, organized type of instructor, but alas, I'm not. I've always had a habit of going off-topic. Thanks for the thoughtful replies.