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Topic: 8 String D6 Tuning? |
John Viterito
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 25 May 2021 5:31 am |
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| Does anybody have an idea for a D6 eight string tuning? I'm setting out to learn open D, but would like eight strings for expanded possibilities, notably Hawaiian sound/music. Thanks. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 25 May 2021 6:25 am
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I would say...depends what kind of Hawaiian music you want. This is an oversimplification but you could broadly classify it into three eras...the early acoustic stuff (Sol Hoopii et al) which tended to be more open tunings (eg open A) so a 6th tuning is less required there, the "middle era" of 1940 or so through the 60s, and then the 1960s/70s Sons of Hawaii / Hawaiian Renaissance / slack key era.
As luck would have it, Feet Rogers (Sons of Hawaii) used a D tuning on his six string Rickenbacker. However...it was a straight open tuning, no sixth:
3 F#
1 D
5 A
3 F#
1 D
1 D (low)
With an extra string you could adapt that tuning pretty easily to a C6 shape:
3 F#
1 D
6 B
5 A
3 F#
1 D
1 D (low)
The "middle era" is where a lot of hapa-haole music lives with Barney Isaacs, Jules Ah See, Billy Hew Len, and many others as examples. To get some of the sounds they used you could use the final extra string on an 8 string to make a D13 (equivalent to Jules' C13 tuning):
3 F#
1 D
6 B
5 A
3 F#
1 D
b7 C
1 D (low)
There are string sets for the above C13 readily available but I'd be a bit scared to take them up a whole step, so you might have to buy strings a la carte...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 25 May 2021 6:35 am
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Low-High
A-B-D-F#-A-B-D-F#
D-A-D-F#-A-B-D-F#
F#-A-B-D-F#-A-B-D
A-C-D-F#-A-B-D-F# (D7/6)
A-C-D-F#-A-B-D-E (D13) |
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Joe A. Roberts
From:
Seoul, South Korea
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Posted 25 May 2021 8:27 am
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Like as open G tuning being shifted up to A in Hawaiian music, the open D was in E.
Open E. That is to say that though the intervals were the same, they were pitched up a step.
(All tunings listed high-to-low.)
1 5 3 1 5 1
E B G# E B E
(D A F# D A D)
This developed into E7th tunings:
1 5 3 b7 5 1
E B G# D B E
(D A F# C A D)
In your open D, try tuning your 4th string D down to C like the tuning above! Beginning on page 9, play through the E7th tab Dick Mcintire’s Hot Licks folio. Your tuning will be in D, but the tab is the same position-wise.
https://www.yumpu.com/xx/document/read/57583078/dick-mcintires-hot-licks-folio
Open E also developed into the C# minor tunings, which are, despite their name, in practice more like E6th tunings. These are largely characterized by beautiful slants on the top 3 strings, most famously employed in the tune “Paradise Isle.â€
C#minor (E6th)
1 6 3 1 5 1
E C# G# E B E
(D B F# D A D)
Now tune your second string A of your open D up to B like here and try the first couple pages of the above link!
This evolved into C#minor9th (Hawaiian E13th) which is perhaps the most sophisticated prewar tuning. My favorite 6 string tuning! Beautiful!
1 6 3 1 b7 5
E C# G# E D B
(D B F# D C A)
Here is one way to extend that 6 string Hawaiian E13th out to 8 strings. You get this beautiful E13th full of the vintage Sol Hoopii and Andy Iona sounds, plus many more harmonic opportunities (thanks to the addition of the 9th interval).
1 6 3 9 1 b7 5 1
E C# G# F# E D B E
(D B F# E D C A D)
I know I did not answer your question as you asked but these are worth investigating IMHO and I encourage you to at least think about what I wrote. A lot of these tunings are neglected in what is often a blind favor of C6th.
Last edited by Joe A. Roberts on 25 May 2021 9:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 25 May 2021 9:22 am
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Easy adaptations of open D to D6 would be
D F# A D F# A B D or D A B D F# A B D
Or maybe D13
D A B D F# A C D for D6, D7, and Bm7
Or slight modification to one of Fred’s suggestions (A-C-D-F#-A-B-D-F#)
Loses the skinny F# on top and gives you some more thunder on the bottom.
D-A-C-D-F#-A-B-D
Before you begin, I think you’ll want to decide how far you’re willing to stray from established tunings. Using a tried and true tuning will give you more options for help and online resources. Experimenting with your own custom tunings can be very rewarding though, if you don’t mind charting your own path—without many opportunities for guidance.
_________________
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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John Viterito
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 26 May 2021 7:05 pm
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| Thanks to all for these suggestions; lots to chew on and think about! |
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Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
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Posted 26 May 2021 7:49 pm
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Some great suggestions here.
A lot of 6th tunings have a 4th on the bottom.
You might want to consider D6 over G.
Here's a straightforward version.
F#
D
B
A
F#
D
B
G |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 27 May 2021 2:24 am
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Why not just use the old tried and tested C6 tuning (but everything one note higher, with appropriate string gauges?
All C6 instruction materials and TAB will work (you'll just be playing in a different key so any accompanyist will need to capo at the 2nd fret)
Low to high:
A B D F# A B D F#
https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php |
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Rich Sullivan
From:
Nelson, NH 03457
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Posted 27 May 2021 3:12 pm
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| I agree with Jeff. I play an E6 which is the equivalent a whole tone higher to the tuning Jeff spelled out, and also equivalent to the the standard C6 tuning. I also agree with Andrew. Take this same tuning and drop the 8th string to G, then you have his suggestion, which is equivalent to Don Helms' "E6" tuning. Easy to tune back and forth between these two, as needed. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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John Viterito
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 28 May 2021 5:25 am
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| Thanks, b0b! Thanks to everyone else, also, for their insights. Will let you know what I settle on. |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 7 Jun 2021 9:02 pm
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I’ve spent the last few days on a 7 string D6 which I quite like,
D-A-D-F#-A-B-D
I think if I had an 8 string I would add a “C†somewhere to get flatted 7 major chords as well minor 7th chords for a D13 tuning, Possibly this one,
D-A-C-D-F#-A-B-D
_________________
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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Joe A. Roberts
From:
Seoul, South Korea
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Posted 7 Jun 2021 11:36 pm
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
I think if I had an 8 string I would add a “C†somewhere to get flatted 7 major chords as well minor 7th chords for a D13 tuning, Possibly this one,
D-A-C-D-F#-A-B-D |
In C that would be::
C A G E C Bb G C
Very similar to the Jules Ah See C13th tuning...
E C A G E C Bb C
I think that root position minor triad on the top of C6th is one of its big selling points, I would not give that up for a low 5th!
If you want the root on top, the various E13th tunings are perhaps the best.
EDIT: Well, I actually tried the tuning in question and it is actually pretty cool! Not just a gimped C6th. A good reminder for me to try things before judging them on paper!  |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 8 Jun 2021 1:52 pm
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| Joe A. Roberts wrote: |
| Allan Revich wrote: |
I think if I had an 8 string I would add a “C†somewhere to get flatted 7 major chords as well minor 7th chords for a D13 tuning, Possibly this one,
D-A-C-D-F#-A-B-D |
In C that would be::
C A G E C Bb G C
Very similar to the Jules Ah See C13th tuning...
E C A G E C Bb C
I think that root position minor triad on the top of C6th is one of its big selling points, I would not give that up for a low 5th!
If you want the root on top, the various E13th tunings are perhaps the best.
EDIT: Well, I actually tried the tuning in question and it is actually pretty cool! Not just a gimped C6th. A good reminder for me to try things before judging them on paper! |
Did you try it in C or in D?
I think it works better in D because the low C on the bottom might get floppy, and the C on top is a bit low for a top open note. |
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Joe A. Roberts
From:
Seoul, South Korea
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Posted 9 Jun 2021 3:14 am
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
Did you try it in C or in D?
I think it works better in D because the low C on the bottom might get floppy, and the C on top is a bit low for a top open note. |
I tried it in D! Even then the D was on the flabby side because I did not have an adequately thick string.
I think I know why I like the tuning so much!
In E it would be:
E C# B G# E D B E
Try tuning the middle D string up a step to E for the 9th!
D B A F# E C A D |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2021 7:26 am
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High-to-low inline always confuses me because that's not how chords are spelled.  So that would make it like the standard E13th, but in D, right?
I still like having G B D on the low strings. Makes a real purty Maj7.
G B D F# A B D F#
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 9 Jun 2021 8:34 am
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| b0b wrote: |
High-to-low inline always confuses me because that's not how chords are spelled. So that would make it like the standard E13th, but in D, right?
I still like having G B D on the low strings. Makes a real purty Maj7.
G B D F# A B D F# |
My tuning posts and comments are always low to high when posted in line. This thread starts to get more interesting if we’re not all singing from the same song sheets!
_________________
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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