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Topic: Yet Another Tuning Question |
Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 20 Aug 2019 2:46 pm |
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I started with open D (DADF#AD) and have mostly stuck with it. It works really well for the blues that I mostly play. The only downside is there is no true minor triad using a straight bar.
Some months ago I “invented†a new tuning for myself, G B D F# A D. Of course thanks to b0b and others here, I soon learned that my invention was far from original and was a Gmaj9 Tuning, sometimes also referred to as G over D. This tuning is super versatile, giving two major chord triads, a minor chord triad, plus a minor 7, major 7 and major 9 on every fret. Unfortunately, I found that the mental math I needed got a bit overwhelming when playing live.
Yesterday I modified my tuning to D B D F# A D, which is a D6 and/or Bm7. Also very easy to play D major or B minor (etc as you go up the neck) playing around with this tuning I’m finding it really easy to NOT screw up!
Now the question. Why are there basically zero references to this D6 tuning inversion?
My first guess is that with the 6 on the 5th string, it’s not an ideal inversion for 6th chords, but IMHO this is offset by having a really nice B minor inversion with the B root at the bottom if you skip the low D string.
Comments? Problems that you can see me having down the road?
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
Last edited by Allan Revich on 20 Aug 2019 6:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Jim Graham
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 20 Aug 2019 4:04 pm
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| I'm a bit of a rookie to be replying to this but I started out using the GBDGBD dobro tuning and had the same problem. But instead of inventing a "new" tuning I looked around and found C6 tuning (CEGACE) which also gives me a major triad and a minor triad plus most of the other chord types. It does tend to lean toward a more country, and almost jazz feel at times. I'm still experimenting with other tunings though, with the help of the "Fretboard Roadmaps For Lap Steel" book I recently bought. This book also covers E7 and D tuning as well as the GBDGBD dobro tuning which has more blues potential than I previously realized. |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 20 Aug 2019 6:32 pm
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Thanks Jim, the strange thing for me is that although 6th chord tunings are extremely common, I never see the 1-6-1-3-5-1 Variation. There’s the standard C6 with the 6th on the third string, CEGACE. D6 can be the same, DF#ABDF#, or often DADF#BD where the 6th is on the second string, but I can’t find anything about the tuning with the 6th on string 5, DBDF#AD. As a fairly new player I’m curious about why this is? I’m a bit worried that even though it’s working fine for me now, I’m gonna regret this chord inversion later.
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
Last edited by Allan Revich on 21 Aug 2019 3:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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David Knutson
From:
Cowichan Valley, Canada
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Posted 21 Aug 2019 11:08 am
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Thanks for starting this thread, Allan. I love dissecting tunings.
For me, the more common 6th tuning "stack" of 1 3 5 6 1 3 (with various extensions for more strings) does have some advantages. With chords I find that I have more options for voicing a given chord (leaving slants out of the equation) with that 6th tone in a more "middle" location. Also, for melodic playing, the major, minor, blues, etc. scales fall into some nice, tight moveable patterns up and down the neck, partly because of that extra scale tone in the treble strings.
On the other hand, your solution gives you nice minor chords, and you still have the whole top end of the tuning you already like. Win win.
And then there's the time honoured "want more tunings - have more steels" approach. 
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David K |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 12 Jan 2020 5:47 pm
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Over the past several months I’ve been experimenting with different tunings. I’ve found that my preferred “go to†tuning is the tuning I began my lap steel journey with; Open D.
DADF#Ad
All of my 6 strings are now tuned that way.
I brought this particular thread back to life because I’ve now got my 7 string Rickenbacker B7 tuned to a similar D6
DABDF#AD
It’s a bit more intuitive for me to have the other 6 strings identical to my six strings.
Edit: And still wondering why there are nearly no references to the 1-6-1-3-5-1 tuning?
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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Jerry Wagner
From:
California, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2020 8:59 am
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Hi Allan,
The short answer is that there's no instructional TAB or other charts for this tuning. Of course, lots of such info's been published for other tunings, especially C6th.
Long ago, I started on Dobro with open G, and now I play a GM6/ C7 combination tuning on 7-string guitars. Lo to Hi: Bb (re-entrant), C, E, G, B, D, G. Works for me. |
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Jonathan Scherer
From:
Stehekin, Washington
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2020 11:27 pm Re: Yet Another Tuning Question
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
| Some months ago I “invented†a new tuning for myself, G B D F# A D. Of course thanks to b0b and others here, I soon learned that my invention was far from original and was a Gmaj9 Tuning, sometimes also referred to as G over D. |
I usually call it D over G.
| Quote: |
Yesterday I modified my tuning to D B D F# A D, which is a D6 and/or Bm7. Also very easy to play D major or B minor (etc as you go up the neck) playing around with this tuning I’m finding it really easy to NOT screw up!
Now the question. Why are there basically zero references to this D6 tuning inversion? |
I don't know the answer, but I drop the 6th string G down to E for some songs. E B D F# A D
| Quote: |
| Comments? Problems that you can see me having down the road? |
Even on my D6th pedal steel, I don't use the low D a lot. Most of the time when I do, I'm using the pedal that raises it to E.
As chords go, a minor with a 3rd in the bass (your Bm inversion) isn't a common sound. If you're using the low D as a root tone, you don't have a 5th to alternate with. But raise the 6th string to E (E B D F# A D) and you have that alternating bass, plus hammer-ons at the second fret on the high strings for blues in E. Further up the neck, the 9th chord on the 4 low strings is a really nice voicing, as is the m7th on the middle 4 strings.
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 13 Jan 2020 11:34 pm
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
I brought this particular thread back to life because I’ve now got my 7 string Rickenbacker B7 tuned to a similar D6
DABDF#AD |
Try lowering your low A to G sometime.  Or F# 
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-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 30 Nov 2021 10:37 pm
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| b0b wrote: |
| Allan Revich wrote: |
I brought this particular thread back to life because I’ve now got my 7 string Rickenbacker B7 tuned to a similar D6
DABDF#AD |
Try lowering your low A to G sometime. Or F# |
It’s been a while, but I did finally get around to trying this tuning, replacing the low A with with F# — D F# B D A F# D. I like it quite a bit, and I'm going to use it for a while.
Advantages:
- A lot more intuitive for playing in minor keys
- More rational intervals between bass notes
- For reasons I don't quite understand, the 6th seems to sound better in major key blues when played next to the 3rd.
Disadvantage:
- Loss of the 1-5 bass interval for alternating and power chords
Did not try D G B D F# A D. I can see the benefits of that tuning, with major chords on top and on the bottom, and minors in the middle — including minor 7ths, major 7ths, and major 9s. Probably too much going on for my brain to send to my fingers though!
b0b, have you considered a GBDF#AD book, perhaps collaborating with Andy Volk?
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 2 Dec 2021 10:26 am Open D or Open E?
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I dont know if this is the right place to ask but is open D tuning an easy transion from open G dobro. I am working on C6 and Open G at present.
Carl a beginner
_________________
Now have a SX 6 string lap in G,.A Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic.Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider,and an Allan tailpiece.Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD,using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal,set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just got a Fender Dual 6 Stringmaster style. Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 2 Dec 2021 4:31 pm Re: Open D or Open E?
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| Carl McLaughlin wrote: |
I dont know if this is the right place to ask but is open D tuning an easy transion from open G dobro. I am working on C6 and Open G at present.
Carl a beginner |
It’s not too difficult or different, though you’ll probably need a heavier string on the bass D string. Something like a 58, 60, or 62.
If you’re already learning High Bass G (Dobro), and C6, you might consider NOT making the same mistake as I keep making… always looking for a tuning that’s just a little bit better than the one I’m using. 
Between GBDGBD and CEGACE you can cover a lot musical ground. On the other hand, if you were going to switch to D as your other tuning, it has some advantages. You have the root on top and on the bottom which makes it really easy to always know where you are. It also gives you a really nice “fat†bottom, that you don’t have in C6, and that is a lot of fun for blues and rock.
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – D G D G B D
7 String | G9 – D G B D F A D
https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 2 Dec 2021 5:18 pm Open D or Open E?
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Thanks for the tips
_________________
Now have a SX 6 string lap in G,.A Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic.Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider,and an Allan tailpiece.Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD,using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal,set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just got a Fender Dual 6 Stringmaster style. Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. |
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Carl McLaughlin
From:
St.Stephen,New Brunswick,Can
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Posted 3 Dec 2021 7:28 am Open D or Open E?
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Hey Allan,
What are the gauges of your open D tuning.
Carl
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Now have a SX 6 string lap in G,.A Tele plus telecaster, Larrivee acoustic.Also have a Fender resonator guitar with new Quarterman cone and spider,and an Allan tailpiece.Playing through a Fender Super Champ XD,using a little delay on the amp and a Harmonix Holy Grail Echo pedal,set on Hall turned to about 1pm.Just got a Fender Dual 6 Stringmaster style. Bought a Yamaha FGX5 Recently and love it. |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 3 Dec 2021 10:14 am Re: Open D or Open E?
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| Carl McLaughlin wrote: |
Hey Allan,
What are the gauges of your open D tuning.
Carl |
Carl, I suffer from “Retunitisâ€, so my string gauges aren’t consistent. But I always try to stay very close to the gauges that John Ely recommends.
https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php |
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