The Steel Guitar Forum

Why or how come Byrd's d9th tuning don't have a string tuned to "D".
1-E
2-C
3-A
4-F#
5-E
6-C#<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Hill Phillips on 06 February 2001 at 02:27 PM.]</p></FONT>

Hill,
Tune the sixth string to D and you will then recognize the tuning as D9th.

As an example, then you can play a chord progression like F Am Db9 C9 C7 Gm as such. F(FMaj6) chord on the 12th fret on strings 2,3 and 6, and the Am at the 12th fret on top three strings, Db9th at the 11th fret on top four strings, C9th at the 10th fret on top four strings, C7th back at the 12th fret on strings 2,3, and 5 and finally the Gm at the 10th fret on strings 2,3, and 5. You just keep on going up and down the fretboard with Ninth and Major 6th chords in this tuning. Henry (Hanalei) De Willigen has been playing it for over 50 years..........


John

My understanding of this is from my training
with rhythm guitar. With ninth chords the
root note, in this case "D",is omitted because it is discordant with the ninth "E"
note. Being only one full step from each other they clash.

Maurie

I bet he tuned it that way so he'd only have to retune one string from his A7/C6 tuning:
C#egac'e'. A 9th chord can have up to three whole tones depending on how it's voiced: a c d e f#, for instance, will sound funky but pretty good if it's in a highish register and there's a bass playing the D.

Without the root f#ace will sound like a D9 if the bass player and other chording instrumnets are playing D's, but in some contexts, depending on the key and the chords before and after, F#ace will sound more like a chord on F#. It can be called either an F# half-diminished chord or an F#m7b5, depending on who you hang out with.

Hill,

Your question often comes up when discussing steel tunings or chord theory in general. The root note of a chord is surprisingly unimportant to the overall sound of a chord. This is because, almost always, the bass and rhythm guitar will define the chord root, leaving the important color tones to the steel guitar. The most important notes for a D9th chord are the third (F#), the seventh (C) and the ninth (E), all present in this tuning.

This version of the D9th is great because you have the following chords available in the open position:

D9th (strings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
A6th (strings 1, 3, 4, 5, 6)
C6th/A min (strings 1, 2, 3, 5)

(Note: This tuning is not really a legitimate D9th - the sixth string C# is not part of a D9th chord. To be technically correct, you'd probably call this tuning D9th/A6th. No big deal, though; this is a fun tuning!)

John Ely

John; Welcom,it's about time we heard from you. Any plans for coming back to Texas any time soon How about another trip with Ray and the wheel. Bill

Hi, John!
It's been a while. Good to have you here.

For those of you that haven't heard John, check out his CD's with Asleep at the Wheel and his gorgeous version of "Wear a Lei" on the first Tom Morrell "No Peddlers Allowed" compilation.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 08 February 2001 at 06:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

Wow, I am impressed with the 3 Johns and Maurie that have made a post on mine. the best on the steel guitar.
Thanks, Thanks.
Hill