The Steel Guitar Forum

In another topic, Ian Rae wrote:

If you flatten your 9th string until the beats with 8 go away, you'll get an unbelievably sonorous 7th chord. No use for anything else, though!

This got me wondering how people typically tune their 9th string. I often use it as the root of a pedals-down Maj7 chord, so I tune it harmonically to the 6th string A note with pedals A+B down. When I release the pedals, the open tuning is about +5 cents above center.

ET +5 cents is also where I tune my E strings, so as a 7th note it sounds good enough. Do you all agree, or do you tune your 9th string higher or lower than I do?

What I described is more of an acoustical experiment than a practical tip. The 9th string is way more use as a root, and at that pitch is quite acceptable as a (minor) 7th.

I tune it a 5th below the A, and if I engage the A pedal the 7th string flattens slightly to give an in-tune triad.

I tune my 9th string to the A note of the 6th string(a+b pedals down). So my A note pedals down is straight up 440...so the 9th string is 440 also and my E's are straight up also on the pedal down A chord. So when I let my pedals off...yes the E's now are sharp but only a few cents; not 5 cents...and 9th string doesn't move from straight up....and BTW; it really does depend on the amount of drop you are tuning to; when you push your pedals down...and I also use a wound 6th string....
Ricky

I use the 9th string as root a whole lot so I match that note to be in tune with the A note (B pedal)

There is a b7 D note (E beeing the root) both below and above the D note that would be heard on a "in tune" piano. The D note that is 31cents flat or 18 cents sharp. Easily found on the steel-guitar but can also easily sound way out of tune with others if not beeing careful.

B.Erlandsen

Same as you b0b.

It seems we're all in agreement.

That's a first - how disappointing!

I'm with B0b!

I also follow b0b’s +5/-5/0 temperament scheme to an extent. I bump the F# strings up to about +2 though, because of their function as a perfect 5th to the B’s. The root B at +5 and the 5th F# at 0 was too much wobble. It throws off the F# major 3rd function (to the D’s), but not enough to sneeze at. The D works very well at +5, as a root, b7, and b3.

Fred Treece wrote:I also follow b0b’s +5/-5/0 temperament scheme to an extent.

For those not familiar with it, here's my "Fault Tolerant" E9th chart. The open string tuning is easy to memorize. I sometimes tweak the pedals a bit by ear for sweetness but I stick with the +5/-5/0 scheme on the open strings for simplicity's sake. Not perfect, but not bad either.

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I bump the F# strings up to about +2 though, because of their function as a perfect 5th to the B’s. The root B at +5 and the 5th F# at 0 was too much wobble. It throws off the F# major 3rd function (to the D’s), but not enough to sneeze at.

I never noticed that problem. I think that the cabinet raise caused by the "E" lever might be greater on the 7th string than on the 5th (and 10th). I rarely play F# and B strings together without lowering my E's. Something to measure.

Cabinet drop/ raise can work to advantage, but it's easy to add a compensating lower on string 7, operated by the A pedal. Then that string can do both its jobs in a controlled circumstance.

I used to tune the 7th string flat for the DMaj7, with a compensator to raise it a few cents on the E lever. I'm not so picky about tuning anymore.

b0b wrote:I used to tune the 7th string flat for the DMaj7, with a compensator to raise it a few cents on the E lever.

That would be the equal and opposite way of doing it.

b0b also wrote:I'm not so picky about tuning anymore.

That's yet another way, which I wish I'd thought of.

I use the Peterson tuner with the U-12 preset. I changed things around on my U-12 Jeff Newman setup. Usually, the 9th string B with a LKL raising a tone and a half to D. I now have my 6th string G# to Bd on the LKL and using my vertical 8th string E to D. I have to dial in the D note by ear on this change rather than depending on the Peterson.

I’ve got my D string equal to my E’s, as Bob.
I’m on a hybrid tuning of ET, Bob’s Meantone, and Just. But all at 441, so 4 cents above 440. Close to Bob.
All open strings straight up, except G#s at -11 and D# at -10.
D string based chords sound fine to me. The F# strings sag -4 cents due to AB cabinet drop, so you get slightly sweetened major 3rd.
My (B)C pedal is equal to the cabinet drop on string 7, about 5 cents below the Es. The F#minor chord is great.
If string 6 didn’t sag different than Str 3, I’d be quite satisfied with this system.
John

I used to use a modified Newman tuning on my Franklin for many years. When I got a new Peterson StrobOPlus HD I started using the sweetend Newman tuning and its worked for the last two years. I don't know where the Newman D tuning sits but it works for me.

Hi Jack, on the Newman tuning the the 9th string B is 442 raised to a D 442. Lowering the 8th string E 442 to D if you tune that to 442 it sounds a bit off so I tweak it by ear.

I tune straight up. Everything on zero. Works great!

b0b, I get my 6th string in tune with B pedal down, which will be an A.
Then I tune the 9th string to that, with all the beats gone.
As for the 7th string, I tune it in tune open, and I have a comp. on the A pedal to lower it in tune with pedals down.
Hope some of this makes since.