Open E (or E7) tuning close to C6 on 6 string?

Stefan Robertson · Post by **Stefan Robertson** » 18 Oct 2017 7:35 am

David M Brown wrote:
Stefan Robertson wrote:
So why don't we use all of their knowledge plus the necessity and old recordings to analyse and find a truly universal tuning.
Stefan , for the first couple decades of the steel guitar's history there was a universal tuning - A low bass!

A low bass isn't universal as it lacks tons of inversions for tons of chords. Right?

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 18 Oct 2017 8:00 am

Doug Beaumier wrote:Jim, the E9 shown below is a good tuning, especially if you already play E9 pedal steel guitar. It's the same as strings 4 through 9 of PSG.

D E F# G# B E

How do you get a 6th chord in that tuning? By pulling the third string up a half-step behind the bar?

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 18 Oct 2017 8:31 am

There's no full 6th chord (four notes), as far as I know. You can get three notes though, root, 3rd, 6th.

[tab]
D6 (no 5th). It's also Bm

--------
B ---0---
--------
F#---0---
--------
D ---0---
[/tab]

David M Brown · Post by **David M Brown** » 18 Oct 2017 8:51 am

Stefan Robertson wrote:
So yes I think it could play Sol Hoopi/Billy hew Len or anything else as at the end of the day if the notes are there why not. That's the crucial point.
........
Plus most players play triads or less making it even more accessible if we find a universal tuning.

So my thinking is. Why can't you play ANY genre on a universal pedal steel?
Why can't you on a Universal Lap Steel Guitar seriously?

I do take the concept seriously.

For me, as a player of a number of stringed instruments, the nature of tunings, where the open strings are, how you get to those chords, etc. make a difference in terms of the same notes, chords, etc. sounding different on each instrument.

Where it shows up is phrasing, at least to me. more.....

Stefan Robertson wrote:
David M Brown wrote:
Stefan , for the first couple decades of the steel guitar's history there was a universal tuning - A low bass!

A low bass isn't universal as it lacks tons of inversions for tons of chords. Right?

I think that was why it was supplanted by A high bass, C#m, E7, and finally C6 and such.

BUT

Those guys tried to play all sorts of stuff on that early tuning and got away with a lot...but remember, bop had not been invented yet!

I wonder how much the development of jazz from early forms through swing to bop influenced steel guitar tunings over the years?