Blues tunings 8 string

Tom Margulies · From: Oregon, USA

Stefan's comment that the forum questions are cyclical and that's why the original members don't post anymore made me laugh... the thread has over 2000 views and one of the viewers was him! But if the thread is beoming tiresome, I am happy to close it. Besides I got lots of good ideas.... cheers. Play the steel and don't fret..

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

For an 8-string, you might want to take your major tuning out to a 9th, as that certainly is "bluesy" and depending on how you have your strings set-up can lead into nice areas for playing.

Ex. E9

Hi-to-low...D-E-B-G#-F#-E-B-G#

Even within something as simple as E9, you can mess around with string orders to suit your particular fancy.

I will sit and think about taking Low Bass G into 8 strings and come back later on.

Chase Brady · From: Ohio, USA

I was hoping to see more response to this, as I have the same question.
Following Mr. Abruzzo's suggestion, I retuned my Valco, hi to lo
F# E D B G# E D G#
The particular order of notes was chosen because I could retune from Don Helms' E6 without changing strings. I played around with it for an hour or so this afternoon. Thus far, I like it. Thanks!

--Chase Brady
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGB22R_hYOXh55h_zfazCPQ
pages.suddenlink.net/chasebradymusic

Paul DiMaggio · From: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

I use E7
E
B
G#
E
D/C#
B
G#
E
I change the D to C# if I need a minor.I will also change the top B to C# for Sleep Walk etc.

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

I personally think that C6 is the best for blues. Sixth arpeggio sound really good for blues licks and bass line. You have to know all you degrees, know when to flat the third or move the sixth to flat seventh or root to seventh or lowering the 5th to flat 5th ect....

You can also find a couple of blues scale pattern to help you moving around the neck from position to position.

I came from blues guitar, and are into Chicago blues but also west coast blues and jump blues. It took me a little time but now I can play all what I know on guitar with my C6 lap steel.

Its not the most natural tuning for blues but if you work I think you can play all the blues on C6. I love to go to blues jams and surprise people that I can get Elmore James sound but also horn swing riff, standard guitar licks, sacred steel ect... You can get it all with C6.

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

Jean Sebastian.....if you could do a little video showing what you mean....that would be helpful. Something that we can see/hear what strings and frets you are playing.....something to help turn on the light bulbs over our head.

Edited due to brain fart.....Sorry Jean.

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Stephen, it's all there in C6. Actually, I really enjoy playing the blues in C6 tuning--you can get some of the classic styles without relying heavily on cliches.

It's hard to do Elmore James with as much abandon as you might be able to muster in open E or D, but with careful attention to your picking hand and blocking, you can make it happen. I like the Albert Collins and Jimmie Vaughan styles of playing and their phrasing.
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David Cook · From: Florida, USA

Try tuning the top E down a step to D with the C6th tuning. This is what A.J. Ghent has used with a B6th tuning.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Paul DiMaggio · From: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada

I'm not sure I understand what the D for the E gets you. My C6 has a G on top and C# on the 7th string. I agree there is lots of the blues in that tuning but for me it lacks bottom. I like getting down and dirty on the lower E chord, just so nobody forgets that it is the blues. Smile

Tom Margulies · From: Oregon, USA

Thanks everyone... great input... gives me some good ideas.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

If you want good examples of blues in C6 check for.

jerry byrd, byrd's boogie
Benny Rogers, Steel Guitar G Boogie
all stuff from Wayne Hanckock and Jeremy Wakefield.

Classic blues like Corrina Corrina, I'm Sittin' On Top of the World, Milk Cow blues are played by various Western Swing bands and most of the time with C6 straight steel.

After that you have to use your imagination and play what you want. It can help to listen to Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Robert Johnson, Earl Hooker,

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

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Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

Thanks for the explanation Paul. A big help. so, the Elmore James is just a 1 fret forward slant on the 2nd and 3rd strings?

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

A powerful 2 notes harmony is the root and fifth, if you play blues its good to find some.

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

...
_________________
Excel D10 8&4, Supro 8, Regal resonator, Peavey Powerslide, homemade lap 12(a work in progress)

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

Chase Brady · From: Ohio, USA

Excuse me folks, but it seems to me that this thread has gotten a bit hijacked. The original question was about "good tunings" for blues. It seems to have become "How to play blues in the one true tuning".
OK, that was a little snippy. I apologize. But I have to ask. Do you really mean to suggest that C6 is a natural good choice if what you want to play mostly is blues? When I think about blues on the lap steel, the first name that comes to my mind is Bob Brozman, not Jerry Byrd. Bob did multiple CD's of blues, and a series of instructional videos specifically on lap steel blues. He talks a little bit about C6 late in his second video, but clearly he considered it more of a specialty tuning. Mostly he focused on open D and open (low) G. Alternating base with the thumb works out naturally in these tunings. It's awkward and unnatural in C6. The other problem with C6 or any other sixth tuning is that #*$&@ sixth. It makes everything sound Hawaiian. (A fellow told me this morning that every time he puts his lap steel in C6, his 7 year old daughter immediately starts dancing the hula around the room ).
For those of you who have been playing C6 for years, extending it to play blues is a perfectly natural idea. But the original post made it clear that this individual is more familiar with open D and open G. Surely there is an 8 string tuning that's going to be more natural for those of us used to playing in major chord tunings. One that is a natural extension of the open 6 string tunings commonly used in blues, just like 8-string C6 is a natural extension of 6-string C6.
Again, I apologize if I've offended anyone.
--Chase Brady

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

Hey your right Chase, sorry to try to sell the C6. Its true that if you only want to play blues (Chicago, Delta, Folk, Rock) G, D and E tunings are probably the best!

I would choose an E7 tuning and try to play like Duane Allman or G to play like Muddy Water or Robert Johnson.

Tom Margulies · From: Oregon, USA

Thanks Chase. Let me rephrase .... how would you tune 8 strings to open d or open g.

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

For Open D, I would take the E9 I posted earlier and drop the whole thing down 1 whole tone. I like that tuning because you get your chords, E, E7 and E9 as a straight chord with no string skips.

For Low Bass Open G...hi-to-lo...D-B-G-D-G-D...over 8 strings I would go with

hi-to-lo....D-B-G-F-D-B-G-E

I like the E on the bottom even if it's a 6th note. Greg Booth uses the bottom E to great advantage in his Dobro playing. Plus you get G7 in 2 different versions, one with the 7th on the bottom and one with the 7th on the top. And a Bdim on strings 4-5-6.

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

Sorry. got carried away.
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Chase Brady · From: Ohio, USA

This thread's a bit old, but I thought I would mention that I've found a tuning that seems quite natural for blues. I ran across it in another thread. It was attributed to Darick Campbell.
Low to high: E B D E G# B C# E
It does have a 6th note on the 2nd string, as well as a minor 7th on the 6th string. It also has two roots on the low strings, permitting a pretty good alternating bass for rhythm playing.
What would you call this?

--Chase

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