It's becoming very confusing.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

After reading the posts in the SGF for more than a year and a half, I come to realize that the tunings of a steel guitar are endless and at times are very confusing; especially for a beginner. After only a little research, I have found nine different C6th tunings, four E9ths, four E13ths, only to name a few. If I hit the archive threads in the SGF I could more than likely double the above numbers.

Is there a common tuning that will cover at least 80 - 90% of the tunes normally played or backed with a steel? This goes for pedal and non pedal steel.

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(I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!)

Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

The ten string E9th "Emmons" setup is pretty standard.

Give my regards to the Terra Nova Inn next time you're in Trail!

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

Nine different C6 TUNINGS or nine different pedal setups (copedents or whatever you want to call them)?

I'm only aware of a couple of variations on the open 10-string tuning, unless you want to count 6, 7, 8, and 12 string versions of the same tuning.

You can play any tune on any tuning as a single note melody. If you must mimic something someone did on a particular tuning and pedal setup note for note, you may need to use that exact tuning and set of changes. However, a good musician can play jazz on a toy piano.

Music is just notes. They are all there, even if you only have ONE string and 12 frets.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Bill Brummett · From: Greensburg, Pennsylvania, USA

I think you're right on the almost endless varieties of tunings for steel. I think many of the "varieties" have come along with the use of pedals. With an almost infinite number of ways to change a string's( or multiple strings) pitch up or down a note of half note, it was inevitable that individuals would come up with combinations (in most cases, slight variations) of the so-called "standard" tunings.

Having played non-pedal for most of my life and taking up pedal steel in the past few years, I'm starting to feel that most tuning derivatives come from two basic parents, and that would be open E major and C6th. The dominant tuning of today for pedal steel, E9th, is a mod of E7th, wich is a mod of E6th, wich was "born" (or modified from Open E)to sound like C6th. And my favorite, A6th, is basically the same as "original C6th" with a G added on top.

Many of the notes played on today's E9th are played on the strings that correspond to OPen E Major. And if you have a "standard" E9th pedal set-up, if you keep the A and B pedals down, you basically have an A6th tuning. e.g., strings 4,5,6,7,8,10 on the E9th neck are identical to strings 1,2,3,4,5,6 on A6th.

So, in spite of all the endless variety, there are a lot of similarities and if you focus on those instead of the "tweaks", it starts getting a little easier to understand. Well, at least as easy as anything about playing steel can get.

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

Don't get caught up with all the variables. Your basic E9 tuning does not vary- pedals A B C and the lower 4 + 8 and lower 2nd have been common for many years- the raise 4 + 8 most can't do without. The rest is gravy (unless you are Paul Franklin or going for his p4); that's the meat and potatoes there.

The C6 only varies (unless you are Curly Chalker or a few select others) in whether you use high G or D. Both are great and valid, but it's only 1/10th of the open tuning- no worries, pick one and stick with it. Pedals 5-8 are your bread and butter. 3rd string lower was the only lever for years, now adding the 3rd raise and 4th raise and lowers are very popular following BE's example- I love that setup, clear and logical and if you understand jazz chord construction you can get TONS off that.

Although you see a lot of variants, these are as standard as it gets. Most teaching material is based on it- even those with different setups often default to these (well, recent stuff from Doug Jernigan and John Hughey uses their setup, but they have most of this with additional stuff).

Non pedal has a lot more variants. It depends on what you want to play...D8 with a 6th neck (C6th or A6th) and a 13th (E or D) will get you rolling. Many tunings vary just a string or two, but really, why not stick to one or two and dig in. One tuning can be more than enough

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

[This message was edited by John McGann on 07 January 2005 at 08:05 PM.]

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

>>Is there a common tuning that will cover at least 80 - 90% of the tunes normally played or backed with a steel?

Yes. The "common" 10 string E9 is, from top to bottom, F#,D#,G#,E,B,G#,F#,E,D,B including the standard A,B,C floor pedals, and 3 knee levers. One knee lever lowers strings 4,8 from E->D#. One knee lever raises strings 4,8 from E->F, and the third knee lever lowers string 2 from D# to D (with a "feel" stop), and then C#. This "standard" will allow you to play 90% of whatever has ever been played on steel guitar. If you focus on the last 10+ years of commercial country playing, you will also need a 4th knee lever to raise the 1st string from F#->G#. The "common" 10 string C6 tuning is, from top to bottom, D,E,C,A,G,E,C,A,F,C. Floor pedals 4,5,6,7,8 are standard, along with a knee lever that lowers string 3 from C->B. Almost every serious C6 player also has a knee lever that raises string 4 from A->Bb. If you focus heavily on steel instrumentals from way back in the past, you might prefer a G instread of a D for the top string, but the majority of current C6 players play with a D note. That's your answer. .. Jeff

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 08 January 2005 at 07:29 AM.]

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

Well, John beat me to it.

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

LARRY COLE · From: LANCASTER, OHIO, USA

Jeff, I think you meant F# for the first string instead of E#.

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Playing For JESUS,LC. WILLIAMS U12,SHO-BUD PRO1,CARVIN TL60,GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM,YAMAHA L-10A ACOUSTIC,ROLAND JW-50 KEYBOARD,G&L AND BC RICH BASS'S

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

Oops. Thanks Larry, I fixed it.

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Thanks guys. I think I'll just stick to my C6th and get everything down pat with then begin the adventure into fantasy land tunings.

John McGann · From: Boston, Massachusetts, USA * R.I.P.

Les- might I suggest a bit of historical approach and listen to the old Emmons, Day etc. recordings; Ricky and Rebels site has a few

mp3s and tab parts to get you rolling. Try following the chord progressions and finding the voicings and fills by ear- doing this work by ear, combined with your knowledge of what the pedals do, will ingrain the passages in your brain much better than learning everything visually by tab alone...most of that backing of the singer and fills are stuff you need to find by ear anyway, as it is not usually written out. I am learning stuff from the Ray Price "Night Life" CD as played by Buddy Emmons, and man, it is so satisfying to crack the code and play along with such great lines and ideas!

Whatever you do, don't miss Jeff's site at the link he listed- a treasure trove of C6th info to get you rolling.

There is a ton of great material available both here on the Forum, in the Instruction catalog, and on various archived threads, to keep you rolling for quite awhile.

Once you get you ears wrapped around the sound of the 7th chord voicings the pedals give you; and start to get a handle on the string-to-string interval relationships w/o and with pedals- you'll be hearing and recognizing things much faster.

Oh yeah, same goes for E9 playing. There's probably 80% more material for that up and coming newfangled tuning

!

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http://www.johnmcgann.com
Info for musicians, transcribers, technique tips and fun stuff. Joaquin Murphey transcription book, Rhythm Tuneup DVD and more...

[This message was edited by John McGann on 08 January 2005 at 11:50 AM.]

[This message was edited by John McGann on 08 January 2005 at 11:57 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Beginners often think that they need to use a certain copedent to get the same sound that they hear on a certain record. A classic example is the Mooney sound.

For years I believed that it was absolutely necessary to raise the E to F# indendently of the B to C#, if you wanted to get that Bakersfield sound of Moon's. Then JayDee came out with "Bakersfield Bound", and I suddenly realized that the sound wasn't in the pedal - it was in the hands.

There may be certain specific licks that you need a specific copedent to get, but only steel players will ever know the difference.

Another example is Hank Williams parts - some were played by Don Helms using E13th on a fairly bright Gibson. Others were played by Jerry Byrd using C6th on a much mellower Rick. I tuned a single neck guitar to D6th, splitting the difference, and played a Hank tribute show. I could tell the difference (I was at the wrong frets), but the audience and the band all commented to me that it sounded "just like the records". Does the tuning really matter?

You can play any kind of music on the E9th tuning. The so-called "E9th licks" also exist on the C6th tuning. Billy Phelps proved this to me in St. Louis last year. Ask him to show you next time you see him.

I'm coming around to the conclusion that The Tuning Doesn't Matter At All! What matters is that you understand the music and know where to find the notes on whatever tuning you're using.

To answer your question, Les: There's no doubt in my mind that 95% of what people expect to hear from a steel guitar, pedal or non, can be done on the standard 10-string E9th.

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra SD-12 (Ext E9), Williams D-12 Crossover, Sierra S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster (E13, C6, A6)

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

Thanks tons guys. I think I am getting the picture that it is the steel player who is more sensitive to the different tunings, not the other band members or, more importantly, the general audience.

I guess this is much like furnishing a house: each mind has its own version of beauty an what fits.

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(I am not right all of the time but I sure like to think I am!)

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

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