10 string C6 tunings

[Gerald K. Robbins]

Thanks JD for such a detailed reply.

More there than i understand right now, but I'm working on it.

Also working on having something with 10 strings to learn on.

bkentr

[Paul Strojan]

If you don't already have a 10 string guitar might I suggest going to twelve strings. D13 D, A, C, D, E, F#, A, B, D, F#, C#, E.

[Allan Revich]

Wonderful lot of info here on just one thread.

Newby question.
Is there one of these tunings that might be considered a more "standard" choice ?

I can recognize the ACEGACEG for 8,

Then what about the lower C&F for 10 ?
Are they used or needed?

bkentr

Steel Guitar Tunings are generally a CHORD.
C6th has the root, Major third, fifth and a sixth degree (A).
Many chords share the same notes. In this case, C6th, counting from it’s 6th degree (A) on up, can also be seen as Am7th. It’s called “The Relative minor”. So it’s both, C6th or Am7th.

Adding more notes in the bass can create more chords. An F in the base (as the standard C6th PSG setup typically has) turns the whole tuning from that note on up into a now 5-note FMaj9th: Root, Maj.3rd, fifth, Maj.7th, 9th.
As FMaj also carries the shared note of it’s relative minor (Dm), EVEN when this F has no 6th degree present, most of that tuning will have “Dm11th” in it.

….

… JD.

Interestingly, the Alkyre tuning does NOT lay out as chords (C♯ E F F♯ G G♯ A B C♯ E), it’s more chromatic. Makes it great for playing melodies like a piano. That’s why earlier in the thread I suggested that a more chordal tuning might be a good compliment on the second neck. You’d have one neck for any imaginable melody, and a second neck with loads of accompaniment options.