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Topic: Seeing The Light - Slowly |
Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 29 Jul 2022 11:16 am |
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It seems that I may finally be seeing the light… at least as far as my preferred tuning goes.
I was pretty happy adding a low E to the Dobro tuning for my 7 string guitars (EGBDGBD); until jamming yesterday with a friend, him playing a 12 string pedal steel. After learning a couple simple slant techniques, it became apparent that there are just too many things that just can’t be done with the 6 way down there by itself.
So, the standard 7 string G6 will be used, and I’m just gonna have to learn how to use it. GBDEGBD.
Of course, 8 string players don’t have to decide, since they get the E twice, EGBDEGBD.
_________________
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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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 24 Aug 2022 6:05 pm Light? What light?
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I decided to take a step back. Open D works great for 90% of what I actually enjoy playing. Adding a re-entrant F to my 7-string steels covers most of the other 10%.
Was GBDEGBD a “better” tuning? Probably for most people. But it made more sense to use a tuning that feels natural to me, and is just plain fun.
_________________
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 5 Sep 2022 9:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Watson
From:
Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
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Posted 25 Aug 2022 12:01 am
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| If you haven't heard the Gary Morse recording called "Resophonic Rodeo", then you should check it out. He plays a 7 string Dobro on it and really shows off the potential of the GBDEGBD tuning. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 25 Aug 2022 1:34 pm
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| I remain partial to 6th tunings. I have a couple of 6-strings set up in G6 (with a B on top), and I like -- and use -- the lower tuning alot. Same intervals as standard C6, but in a lower register. Very useful for playing in certain keys. I also have a couple of 7-strings set up in A6, with an E on top, and another 6-string in D6 (with an F# on top), but with its skinny strings, it can get a tad on the whiny side. |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 5 Sep 2022 9:51 pm
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| Jack Hanson wrote: |
| I remain partial to 6th tunings. I have a couple of 6-strings set up in G6 (with a B on top), and I like -- and use -- the lower tuning alot. Same intervals as standard C6, but in a lower register. Very useful for playing in certain keys. I also have a couple of 7-strings set up in A6, with an E on top, and another 6-string in D6 (with an F# on top), but with its skinny strings, it can get a tad on the whiny side. |
So, your A6 is A C♯ E F♯ A C♯ E, right? Is the D6 also the same intervals as C6, but tuned up a full tone?
BTW, I completely understand the advantages of 6th tunings, but apparently the connections between my brain and my fingers are defective. 
_________________
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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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 6 Sep 2022 4:21 am
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| Allan Revich wrote: |
So, your A6 is A C♯ E F♯ A C♯ E, right? Is the D6 also the same intervals as C6, but tuned up a full tone? |
Exactly. |
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Lee Gauthier
From:
Victoria, BC, Canada
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Posted 6 Sep 2022 9:28 am
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How did you arrive at the reentrant f?
My pedal steel setup is pretty complex but I often jump back to a 3x3 E9 and there is something beautiful about how it has just enough to do pretty much anything. I say play what feels good, I'm sure a plain open D has a similar simple beauty that I don't get yet because I only play A7/C6 on non-pedal. Lean into it  |
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Allan Revich
From:
Victoria, BC
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Posted 6 Sep 2022 9:18 pm
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| Lee Gauthier wrote: |
How did you arrive at the reentrant f?
My pedal steel setup is pretty complex but I often jump back to a 3x3 E9 and there is something beautiful about how it has just enough to do pretty much anything. I say play what feels good, I'm sure a plain open D has a similar simple beauty that I don't get yet because I only play A7/C6 on non-pedal. Lean into it |
That’s the plan Lee! You were my inspiration to give GBDEGBD another go. I wish it “took” for me, but fDADF#AD seems to work for me most of the time. I do miss that 6 to 7 slant on the E string though.
_________________
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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