C#m7 vs E6 tuning

[Allan Revich]

Seems like every other m7 tuning is called by its enharmonic X6 equivalent, (ie, C6/Am7, G6/Em7) why do we call this particular E6, C#m7?
E B E G# C# E

Is it just because that’s how the first person who publicized it labeled it, or is there a reason rooted in music theory?

[Ian Rae]

With E at the bottom it's E6.
No reason to call it C#m7.
In practice the two chords are interchangeable, but when describing a tuning one should acknowledge the root.

[Allan Revich]

With E at the bottom it's E6.
No reason to call it C#m7.
In practice the two chords are interchangeable, but when describing a tuning one should acknowledge the root.

I agree...but nevertheless, this tuning is known as C#7 in the Lap Steel world. And that’s why I’ve posed the question.

http://www.scottysmusic.com/tunings.htm



Then there’s this thread
viewtopic.php?t=204049

And
https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/tunings/master.php
(Mis-named here though - C#m7 is labeled as C#m, and the chord labeled C#m7 is actually E13 I think (no D in a C#m7))

[Dave Mudgett]

To me, the tuning root is whatever you want it to be for the situation in which you're playing. I pretty routinely see these tunings referred to both ways. I think the distinction is a bit more clear on 8-string, which is where I more often see the distinction made (low-hi):

Low E6/C#m7:

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C#m7    E(b3)   G#(5)   B(b7)   C#(1)   E(b3)   G#(5)   C#(1)   E(b3)
E6-v2   E(1)    G#(3)   B(5)    C#(6)   E(1)    G#(3)   C#(6)   E(1) (same as C#m7)

High E6/C#m7:

Code: Select all

C#m7    G#(5)   B(b7)   C#(1)   E(b3)   G#(5)   C#(1)   E(b3)   G#(5)
E6-v2   G#(3)   B(5)    C#(6)   E(1)    G#(3)   C#(6)   E(1)    G#(3) (same as C#m7)

Multiple views of a tuning are also implicit with other tunings, including standard pedal steel C6:

C6/Fmaj13 (lo-hi):

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C6:           C(1)  F(4)  A(6)  C(1)  E(3)  G(5)  A(6)  C(1)  E(3)  G/D(5/2)
Fmaj9/Fmaj13: C(5)  F(1)  A(3)  C(5)  E(7)  G(9)  A(3)  C(5)  E(7)  G/D(9/13)

In fact, a lot of pedal steel C6 is played out of the F root - it's an important facet of playing that tuning.

[Guy Cundell]

Allan, I have researched and written about the tuning in two studies, 'Across the Pacific' in 2014 and more extensively in 'Across the South' Ch4, last year.

The name has historical significance rather than theoretical. Yes, it is E6, but whenever I see C#m mentioned, I expect the perfect 4th interval between strings 2 & 3 which sets the tuning apart, along with F#9, both with origins in the early 1930s.

https://guycundell.academia.edu/research

[Allan Revich]

Wow! Some great answers here.

BTW Guy, I really liked Chapter 4.4.3 of your master thesis, and 4.4.1 of your doctoral thesis, with the history of the tuning.

[Erv Niehaus]

I had this tuning on a T8 Stringmaster.
However, I put a B on the 4th string below the C#.
Erv

[Allan Revich]

I’m finding that I prefer this tuning down a step, to D6. Mostly because minor keys seem to fall more naturally on the fretboard with B as the open minor instead of C#