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Author Topic:  Billy Robinson's top 8 C6 tuning
Jean-Sebastien Gauthier


From:
Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 28 Nov 2014 5:16 pm    
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Anybody tried Billy Robinson's tuning on a 8 string guitars?

I think about trying the first 8 strings of is tuning. It seems great to get some pedal sound and cajun riffs.

D
G
E
C
A
G
E
C
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Don McGregor

 

From:
Memphis, Tennessee
Post  Posted 29 Nov 2014 6:11 am    
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I've considered it. I got to spend a little time with Billy in Nashville a couple of years ago, and he let me take measurements of his Derby 10. I'm planning on building one for myself at some point.
So far, though, I think 8 strings are my ideal, and I do spend much more time playing on the the higher strings than on the 8th, so sacrificing it for the re-entrant D seems like it may be a good trade off.
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George Piburn


From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
Post  Posted 29 Nov 2014 7:07 am     "D" on Top
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The "D" on Top, dates back into the 1970's when Buddy Emmons pioneered it on the C6 Pedal Neck, Paul Franklin and others adapted it - replacing the High - G note.

Many of us learned about this from Buddy E in the mid 1980's when he did a few years teaching C6 with the Jeffran College.

"D" on top is fantastic for single note Melody Action, Blues Pentatonic, Chromatic Scale goodies, the list goes on.

Billy Robinson Marice Anderson and most of the Jazzier players all use this as part of their arsenal. It lends nicely to non pedal playing in a big way.

It is less used for doing chord type slides although we all have gotten a few cool ones from it's use.

One main way to visualize it is: Example Key of C 12th fret

D=9th E=3rd C= Tonic A= 6th G= 5th Now Drop Back 2 Frets to the Dom7th area of C major, Fret 10

Now you get top down C Tonic - D=9th - Bb=Dom7 - G=5th - F= 4th - D=9th Bb=7th G=5th

All in a straight line across the neck.
Drop the F (4th) 1 fret to Flat 4 or Raise the Low D Note 1 fret to get a flat 3rd and you get all sorts of Blues Licks.


My performance Double 8 has it on my main C6 Playing neck, I use for Great American Song Book Standards, and pedal licks on tunes like Highway 40 Blues.
The outer neck is set up with the High G and a Bb on the Lowest to gain that advantage.

Hope this helps Very Happy
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier


From:
Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 30 Nov 2014 8:01 am    
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What about this?

D
B
E
C
A
G
E
C

You get a G6 and Em, mostly like E9 but 2 tones lower
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier


From:
Quebec, Canada
Post  Posted 30 Nov 2014 5:28 pm    
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I think I will stay with Billy's tuning! Very useful for the country and cajun stuff and you still have the more important C6 notes!
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Dennis Detweiler


From:
Solon, Iowa, US
Post  Posted 1 Dec 2014 3:00 pm    
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I'm using A6 tuning with 9th on top:
B
C#
A
F#
E
C#
A
F#
On my E13 tuning:
F#
G#
E
C#
B
G#
E
D
The numbers are the same on the first 7 strings on both tunings. The E tuning with the b7 on the bottom. The A tuning with the 6 on the bottom.
_________________
1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Boss 59 Fender pedal for preamp, NDR-5 Atlantic Delay & Reverb, two Quilter 201 amps, 2- 12" Eminence EPS-12C speakers, ShoBud Pedal, 1949 Epiphone D-8. Revelation preamp into a Crown XLS 1002 power amp.
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