The Steel Guitar Forum

Does anyone know what Tommy White's C6 Copedent is?

This is Tommy White's C6 Setup, as depicted on Tab Companion Book of his "By Request" CD

Interesting...so he is using the older tuning with the first string tuned to "G".

Actually, the book states that it is a D on string one and not G on the C6th neck.

Rocky Evangelisti wrote:Actually, the book states that it is a D on string one and not G on the C6th neck.

That's correct. I thought that was a typo (never heard of this).
But definitely the book indicates D for the first string.
Sorry to have bypassed this point.
Thanks

Now I transcribed the C6th copedent of Tommy White, with the correction of the 1st string. Thanks for pointing this out and, again, apologies, for what I thought it was a typo.

Five knees on that neck - wow!

The last post is correct except for omitting the 9th floor pedal, which most all of my guitars have had since the 1970s.
The 9th floor pedal lowers 6th string one tone and lowers 9th string one half tone.

Tommy White wrote:The last post is correct except for omitting the 9th floor pedal, which most all of my guitars have had since the 1970s.
The 9th floor pedal lowers 6th string one tone and lowers 9th string one half tone.

Well, the 9th floor pedal is not on the Tab Companion Book of your "By Request" CD. Yet, I feel obliged to reflect it here as per your indication.
I hope your C6th copedent is now correct... at the third attempt
Many Thanks for your kind intervention.
P.S.: To tell you the truth, these pieces... they are difficult for me to play

Daniel,
I don't know or recall how the copedent in the tab book got by me without correction, as it was many years ago.
The most recent copedent you posted is exactly correct and how it has been for most of my career except for one tiny little change. The 8th floor pedal lowers the F, 9th string a full tone to Eb instead of the standard 1/2 tone to E.
Thank you so much for posting it!

Happy to include the tiny little change so that it stays perfect...
Thanks to you, Tommy, for your assistance and patience.

There's a reason the Big E called Tommy "Killer" !!!

Tommy White wrote:The most recent copedent you posted is exactly correct and how it has been for most of my career except for one tiny little change. The 8th floor pedal lowers the F, 9th string a full tone to Eb instead of the standard 1/2 tone to E.

I don't understand that change, Tommy. How do you use it? Is it just for diminished bass?

b0b,
I was afraid someone would ask!😂
Without getting too deep, using my change produces a 7th on grip 5, 7 & 9. It is the same sound and texture as grip 5, 7 & 10 using the standard 5th floor pedal on C6th.
My small change allows for more variety in adding hot notes and chord building when used in combination with other pedal changes that are fairly standard.
I also believe this small change has the advantage of making the 1 trick cliche pedal a more viable part of the 10 string C6th tuning. It really does open up the pedal to the tuning.
I think once you've tried it, you will never go back.😊

Just a quick example of how I used it the first time.
Standard 8th floor pedal, strings 3, 5, 7 & 10 at 5th fret. Same pedal, pick strings 5, 7 & 9 leaving the 3rd string ringing from the intitial attack, then slide backwards 1 fret.
It is sort of a blues 1 to 4 progression.

So, it's sort of like a convenience to keep you from hopping from P5 to P8 for 9th chords? What you describe is just 1 fret away from the standard P5 notes on the same strings.

It's cool, but I'm afraid that it would mess me up big time.

Thanks for responding.

b0b,
Yes! For me it started out exactly as you described so well. Then, the more I fooled with it , the more I found in just a few minutes. Finally, there really was no reason to return to the standard 8th pedal change, not just because of what I'd found, but also, I never intentionally played or included the 9th string when I used that pedal in it's standard form anyway. However, it did make me pay more attention to not flubb the 9th string into the sharp 9 chord the 8th pedal was meant for. That can be hideous.
And you are welcome! It is always my pleasure to contribute anything I know that may be of interest or helpful.

This is undoubtedly a dumb question (I should probably never post before I've finished my first cup of coffee), but why not combine LKL2 and RKR by taking string 4 to A# with a half stop then picking up the lower strings and taking 4 to a B?

Tommy White wrote:Just a quick example of how I used it the first time.
Standard 8th floor pedal, strings 3, 5, 7 & 10 at 5th fret. Same pedal, pick strings 5, 7 & 9 leaving the 3rd string ringing from the intitial attack, then slide backwards 1 fret.
It is sort of a blues 1 to 4 progression.

Wait is this the "Tommy White"

Dude you are awesome.

This Forum is insane. A legend is on here still.

Peter,
I get what your saying. Redundancy, redundancy. However, there are combinations that just won't work that way and there are certain phrases where I definately don't want to feel a halfstop on raising 4 & 8, plus, all those shiny levers hanging down are so impressive to the novice.😜😊

Stefan,
Thank you, but, I think what you meant to say is,
"This forum is awesome and dude you're insane".😀

Tommy, I'd sure like to hear said pedal in action; are you aware of any TW Ytube vids where this pedal is used?

Tommy - you are a total musician and brilliant steel player so I pondered deeply on your C6th set-up. Maybe this shows what baby steps I'm taking on C6th, but I can't see how I'd do without raising both C's to C#. There are so many chords of all kinds w/ different combinations, plus inversion-to-inversion bar moves that I just couldn't get w/out that move. You've obviously been down every road and looked under every nook and cranny for the over-all best copedant. Paul doesn't do that move either, so what do I know? Maybe if I keep at it in 20 yrs. I won't need that change either! I need to get back down to Broad and catch you in action again.

I've had that change on my steels since I first learned it here on the Forum from great Canadian musician John Steel. (F-Eb on string 9 on *the boo wah.) I wouldn't want to live without it! Thanks John and b0b!

Very cool to know that you're a proponent of that change too Tommy!

Rick,
I don't recall when I decided to use the change. I do recall, Johnny Cox being the first I'd ever seen using it many years ago.