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Topic: A diatonic |
Eddie Freeman
From:
Natchez Mississippi
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 12:07 pm |
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| Just getting started on non ped. steel and I read a lot about A Diatonic tuning. At present I play a double 10 console tuned to A 6th and C 6th. Can some one tell me what an A diatonic set up would, if any have over my now tuning ? thanks. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 12:25 pm
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Unlike most other tunings that are based on chord tones, Diatonic tunings are based on the major diatonic scale in a given key; A diatonic on the A scale, C diatonic on the C scale.
All diatonic tunings (including Leaveitt, Alkire E-Harp, etc.) are not generally strum tunings. They usually require you pay attention to picking the proper string groups as well as using proper blocking technique to smooth out jumps between chords and make sure that the notes you want to ring are ringing, and the notes you don’t want to ring are muted. They aren't really harder per se than most other steel tunings if you pay attention to the basic techniques of good electric steel guitar playing.
Strumming full chords happens much less in diatonic tunings but other cool possibilities open up like liquid pedal steel-like gliss effects, and ringing, chromatic single string melody runs. I did an eBook on the C-diatonic a while back that's available on my book site. Jerry Byrd used a 7-string version but here's the 6-string version I've used:
Doug Beaumier did a beautiful version of "It was a very good year" in a diatonic tuning that he shared here a few years ago but I can't find it on my computer. Perhaps you would re-post it Doug?
John Ely sometimes uses an A diatonic tuning and Bill McCloskey has posted here about his EHarp adventures. He can probably speak with a lot of recent experience about playing in a diatonic tuning.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 1:05 pm
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| Andy Volk wrote: |
| Doug Beaumier did a beautiful version of "It was a very good year" in a diatonic tuning that he shared here a few years ago but I can't find it on my computer. Perhaps you would re-post it Doug? |
Thanks for mentioning that, Andy. The recording is on my Soundcloud page ---> https://soundcloud.com/doug-beaumier/a-very-good-year-steel-guitar
It's been several years, but I think I used either John Ely's A diatonic or JB's C diatonic, tuned up or down 1/2 step. I didn't want to change the strings on my guitar, so I tuned to whatever pitch was right for the strings.
I played it on an 8-string Guyatone console. No backing, just the steel... with lots of delay to get a wide, airy sound. Like you said, Andy, diatonic tunings have a lot to offer, especially in chromatic runs. But you have to pick very selectively. Hit one wrong string and it's a "train wreck"!
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My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel
Last edited by Doug Beaumier on 6 Jan 2020 1:32 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 1:20 pm
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| Hit one wrong string and it's a "train wreck"! |
The story of my life! |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 2:24 pm
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I wouldn't describe the Alkire eharp tuning as diatonic. It certainly has chromatic elements to it though.
Please correct me if I'm wrong but a diatonic tuning would be the notes of a major scale: C D E F G A B
Eharp from the 4-9 string is chromatic: E F F# G G# A
Recently though I have been focused on my Remington Steelmaster 8-8-10 and I'm using C6 (High G) A6 and Morrells 10 string E13 tuning. After playing eharp non stop for over 3 years, I felt a need to spend time on more traditional forms of playing. I've also been playing Reeces' 12 string tuning and an 11 string version of the Morrell tuing (with both the B and the E on the bottom)
Here is my suggestion: stick with what you have for a while. You can get a lot of the basics of playing steel with those tunings and most importantly, there are a LOT of recordings, youtube videos and instructional material for those tunings which will be valuable to you as you start out.
On the other hand, I've recently decided I don't know anything and when I run across an old post of mine I'm more embarrassed than anything else, so don't listen to anything I say. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 3:03 pm
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| Quote: |
| I wouldn't describe the Alkire eharp tuning as diatonic. It certainly has chromatic elements to it though. |
The Alkire tuning has 6 of the 7 notes of the E major scale: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#. It's missing the D# (the 7th interval). Of course, there are other notes in the tuning as well.
Jerry Byrd's so-called "C diatonic" tuning is also missing a note. He omitted the D (2nd interval). He said a D just seemed to get in the way. Instead of D he chose to have two E's (octaves) in his 7-string tuning.
_________________
My Site / My YouTube Channel
25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 6 Jan 2020 3:28 pm
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"The Alkire tuning has 6 of the 7 notes of the E major scale"
Of course it also has 6 of the 7 notes of the A major scale. A B C# E F# G# Missing the 4th D. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 7 Jan 2020 5:42 am
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Thanks, Doug. I really enjoyed hearing that again.
_________________
Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Earnest Bovine
From:
Los Angeles CA USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2020 9:01 am
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| Doug Beaumier wrote: |
| Jerry Byrd's so-called "C diatonic" tuning is also missing a note. He omitted the D (2nd interval). He said a D just seemed to get in the way. |
That's because Jerry used just intonation. With all the other intervals pure, the D cannot be in tune with both the A and the G. It's like tuning the F# string on your E9. There are many solutions to this problem, and Jerry's solution was to avoid it altogether. |
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