The Steel Guitar Forum

I know this subject has been beat to death,but what do members think the best all round tuning for 6 string lap steel.

There is no “best” all around tuning. Every tuning is a compromise. The best tuning for YOU will depend on what you want to play and where you want to go with the instrument.

Allan Revich wrote:There is no “best” all around tuning. Every tuning is a compromise. The best tuning for YOU will depend on what you want to play and where you want to go with the instrument.

In the event that my response above was not very helpful, I’ll try to elaborate on it with examples.
Two of the most common tuning families are open major chords;
151351 (ie/Open E, EBEG#BE)
135135 (ie/Open G, GBDGBD)
These are really easy for beginners to get playing quickly, but they are not versatile. Every chord that isn’t a major triad requires some sort of “trickery” to play. Slants, partials, bar movements, etc,
Probably the most popular tuning these days is C6, CEGACE (which is also Am7). This tuning gives you major triads on the low 3, minor triads on the high 3, minor 7, and major 6s. It is super versatile. But it too has disadvantages. There are no low notes. It takes a lot of practice to avoid playing unwanted 6ths or minor 7ths.

There are also a couple of older tunings that are more versatile than the open major chords, like E7 EDEG#BE and C#m7 (E6) EBEG#C#E. The E7 is good for blues and remains popular for some gospel musicians. I personally like C#m7, but tuned down to Bm7/D6. Both these tunings will have lots of older learning material, but are no longer common with modern players. You won’t find it easy to find a teacher, or even YouTube lessons.

Then there are some versatile tunings that might be considered “all ‘rounders”, but that don’t have a big player base. For example G major 9 (GBDF#AD), and G9 (GBDFAD). These tunings have nearly every kind of chord under straight bars, but only a handful of people use them. As a beginner there would be virtually no lessons, no learning materials, and no help from other players.

If you want a good idea of your options, you can look here, https://steelc6th.com/tunings.htm
Or get Forum member, Andy Volk’s book, “Slide Rules”
http://www.volkmediabooks.com/products- ... lide-rules[/b]

The one that makes you want to practice.

The simplest answer is of course there is no one all around best tuning, universally...

But you can still come close to answering the question in a few ways, based on musical style.

If you're playing bluegrass dobro, it isn't even close. The tuning is GBDGBD (low to high). Basically a standard.

If you're playing Hawaiian music...particularly Hawaiian music of the "electric" era (vs earlier acoustic Hawaiian music), the most common tuning is going to be CEGACE (low to high) C6. It's what a lot of teachers start their students out in, and its perfect for Hawaiian. It's used for a lot more than Hawaiian, and its not nearly as standardized within Hawaiian music as open G dobro tuning seems to be within bluegrass, but I'd still say it is the most common 6 string tuning in that genre.

So that's my attempt to partially answer a somewhat unanswerable question, but I do agree with the guys above in that there is no universal best or most versatile tuning, just like there is no best single tool in your toolbox...each is good for accomplishing different things. Depends what you want to get done, which one you pick up.

Best all around six-string tuning?

It's like asking which of your children you like the best.

A6th

I played the Leavitt tuning C# E G Bb C D (lo-hi) exclusively for 10+ years, but it’s probably not the best. (Also an eight string version F# C# E G Bb C D F)

Never played Hawaiian, Western swing or country. Mostly folk, rock and blues.

Dom Franco wrote:A6th

A6, C# E F# A C# E, is my #1 tuning too - but set of A6 strings can also be tuned to:

C6

C E G A C E

C6/A7

C# E G A C E

B11

B D# F# A C# E

E7

B D E G# B E

E13

B D E G# C# E

Thus, it's a very versatile place to start.

Since I prefer having the root note on the lowest bass string, I have A6 on both of my 7-string guitars. On my 6-string instruments (I have lots of 'em), I prefer C6. Mostly for the same reasons stated by David. But I also have instruments set up in D, high bass G and A, and one dedicated to Doug Beaumier's special "Penetration" tuning.

On 6-string, I've gravitated almost exclusively to open D, because when I'm playing six string, it's mostly blues and rock and americana (whatever that is) with my pals.

I like 6th tunings on my 8-string. Which I rarely have the opportunity to play with my friends.

Open D has the familiarity of bluegrass G, but only has the one third to keep aware of. Power chords, belly, and intuitive places to go for those climatic up the neck notes.

And it's really familiar guitar ground to capo 2 to open E tuning.

Unless you specifically want to play hawaiian music, the best 6 string tuning is good old G tuning: GBDGBD.

There is an ocean of teaching materials.

Some of the most exciting music today is being played by Jerry Douglas and Rob Ickes. There is a vibrant online community and community meetups, get togethers and teach ins. If you want to play acoustically, G tuning and a resonator are not only common, but welcome in a jam setting. If you want to plug in, lots of great options.

I spent over a decade playing G tuning exclusively. I now play a 10 string eharp tuning exclusively, but if you are staying with 6 strings: G tuning hands down in the best.

Bill McCloskey wrote:Unless you specifically want to play hawaiian music, the best 6 string tuning is good old G tuning: GBDGBD.

...... but if you are staying with 6 strings: G tuning hands down in the best.

If you have no desire to play Hawaiian music, Western Swing, or anything "jazzier" that needs a non-triad tuning, you may have a good point.

For Hawaiian and such, a 6th tuning is pretty essential.

Historical note:

GBDGBD is just the whole-step lower version of A high bass, AC#EAC#E, one of the oldest Hawaiian and steel guitar tunings.

I played a lot on G high bass but moved to 6th tunings some decades ago as it just did not have enough chordal options.

But if you are playing music that doesn't make much use of more complex harmonies, then you will find a lot of material for learning the most common Dobro tuning.

Carl, what genres of music do you play?

David,

I would suggest listening to some of Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas's more jazzy stuff if you don't think you can do jazz on G tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkAk9Cbw-uM

Bill McCloskey wrote:David,

I would suggest listening to some of Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas's more jazzy stuff if you don't think you can do jazz on G tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkAk9Cbw-uM

Any genre can be played on any tuning. Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas aren’t exactly beginners.

For someone just starting out it makes sense to start with a tuning that will make it as easy as possible to play whatever music they are most interested in playing. Without knowing what the OP wants to play, and where they’re coming from musically, the “best” tuning is an open question without a definitive answer.

Bill McCloskey wrote:David,

I would suggest listening to some of Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas's more jazzy stuff if you don't think you can do jazz on G tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkAk9Cbw-uM

and if it's blues you're after, check out Jerry Douglas playing in open D (capo'd 2 for E)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFU-efgM03g

Bob Dunn got pretty far with high bass A tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC0cK1GLVYk

what a cool photo!

Bill McCloskey wrote:David,

I would suggest listening to some of Rob Ickes and Jerry Douglas's more jazzy stuff if you don't think you can do jazz on G tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkAk9Cbw-uM

It's true that you can play almost anything on a GBDGBD tuning, especially if one is a fine player.

The Gypsy jazz music was wonderful.

My point was more about other tunings - like C6 - being very popular, versatile, and have lots of teaching materials, as does "dobro" tuning.

Mostly, though, about style and genre. If you want to sound like one of the great Hawaiian players of the electric "nahenahe" styles, a more complex tuning is needed for the harmonies on steel.

Brooks Montgomery wrote:what a cool photo!

It sure is! Is that the great Moon Mullican at the piano?

"NO TAGGING" ???

Did they have aerosol paint cans back in Dunn's heyday?

"My point was more about other tunings - like C6 - being very popular, versatile, and have lots of teaching materials, as does "dobro" tuning."

C6 is a great tuning.

But who is recording cool stuff on C6 (other than Mike Neer) compared to G tuning. There is something about being able to see world class cutting edge musicians playing your tuning. If nothing else, to steal modern sounding licks. And creating NEW music on your tuning. It keeps you inspired. Nothing wrong with C6 and Jerry Byrd and certainly not Mike Neer, but there is a whole lot more to be inspired by currently in the world of G tuning.

Jouni Karvonen wrote:Bob Dunn got pretty far with high bass A tuning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC0cK1GLVYk

What are the round gourd looking drums above the bass drum?
I can’t make them out on my phone.

Brooks Montgomery wrote: What are the round gourd looking drums above the bass drum?
I can’t make them out on my phone.

Chinese temple blocks - semi-tuned woodblocks. They were common in the 20's and into the 30's on trap sets.

Bill McCloskey wrote:If nothing else, to steal modern sounding licks. And creating NEW music on your tuning.

Not to be argumentative, but the Gypsy jazz examples you posted were NOT new licks nor new music as that style was developed in the 1930's and has been popular for decades. I've been playing Gypsy jazz for some time now, along with other styles of jazz too.

Perhaps it's the novelty of hearing the music on Dobro that makes it seem new.

I'm sure that G tuning players have much to offer - but so do modern players on other tunings.

I do admire your loyalty to open G, though.