Cma11 Tuning

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 15 Aug 2013 11:14 pm

The F# gives you a few more major and minor options.

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 15 Aug 2013 11:48 pm

Here is "Sleepwalk" on my 400 , but No Pedals, just in my G Hexatonic tuning.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200924975020574

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 16 Aug 2013 12:38 am

When I listened to your recording it didn't sound like the tuning I use? I did a search on the forums and found your tuning.

(1)=f#
(2)=d
(3)=b
(4)=G
(5)=E
(6)=D
(7)=C
(8)=B

Jay Fagerlie · Post by **Jay Fagerlie** » 16 Aug 2013 4:55 am

Best .Topic . Ever

...yet another example of the awesomeness of the Steel Guitar Forum!

Thanks to all!

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 16 Aug 2013 5:35 am

Yes, that's my 8 string tuning, No Pedals. I believe it was "bobb" that named it for me.
It is a "scale " a Hexatonic Scale .
6 notes.
Similar to. G Major scale, BUT no 2nd, no A.
When I truncate it to 6 string, the Diatonic bass notes on the 6th string D changes.
I skip the D, use a C for the 6th string, and there is no B.
I retune the 6th to a C, D, B depending on the song.
It is usually a C in the 6 string version.
The 8 string diatonic basses, strings 5-8 = High to Low = E,D,C,B really make the tuning have lots of intervals / chords.
But if I need to work with only 6 strings the = High to Low = f#, d, b, G, E, C works well most of the time.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 16 Aug 2013 5:40 am

That's cool, Michael. But without a major second interval in there, it's not really something I can use.

Cool video, Doug!

I tried coming up with tunings forever in the beginning until I just bit the bullet and learned the traditional tunings. Coming from that perspective, I feel like I have a greater understanding of what I need from a new tuning to make it work (and by the way, I spend a considerable amount of time trying to devise new tunings almost every day).

Good luck with it!

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 16 Aug 2013 5:40 am

When I play Sleepwalk on 6 String G Hexatonic I tune = High to Low =
f#
d
b
G
E
B

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 16 Aug 2013 6:12 am

If you compare my G Hexatonic 6 string tuning to the C6, and D6 tuning you will see a lot of the string to string intervals are the same. It is the relationship of the 3rd and 4th string that is the difference.

C6. D6. G Hexatonic

e. f#. f#
c. d. d
a. b. b

G. A. G
E F#. E
C. D. C ( or B, or D )

Still a minor chord on the top 3 strings
Still a Major chord on the bottom three strings

It's a split,
D6 on the top 3
C6 on the bottom 3

But, that relationship between the 3rd and 4th strings is what Roots this in "G".
The Tonic is;

(2)=d = V
(3)=b = III
(4)=G = I = Root

I can play all the C6 stuff on strings 4, 5, 6 = note for note.
All the C6 stuff on strings 1, 2, ,3 = I play 2 frets down, but the intervals between these 3 strings is the same as C6.

Again, the Relationship between the 3rd, and 4th strings is the key to the G Hexatonic tuning.

I tune my Fender 400 8 String Pedal Steel to a D9.
With the A+B Pedals locked down you get what we like to ref to as "G6".
However, if I then de-tune my 1st string from the Pedal pulled note of "g", down 1/2 step to "f#",... I now have my G Hexatonic tuning.

G6. G Hexatonic
g. Root ~> f#. maj7
d. = d
b. = b
G. Root = G. Root
E. = E
D. = D
C. = C
B. =. B

That 1/2 step change on the 1st string avoids a Lot of Bar Position Jumps.

Fred Bova · Post by **Fred Bova** » 16 Aug 2013 6:39 am

My G Hexatonic tuning has helped me understand playing Pedals a lot.
As a 6 string guitarist, G6 makes more sense to me than E9 or even D9.
I decided to learn how to play without pedals and then use pedals to enhance the 6th tuning. A lot of the "Early Cats" played C6, A6, E6, G6 straight tuning before they added pedals. Mooney only pulled one string per pedal, but used both feet, and if he don't pull his 1st string, but did pull 3, and 4, he is in the Hexatonic tuning I use.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 16 Aug 2013 9:34 am

Doug, very nice video demo. you have the harmonies my ear likes.

I agree, this is a good thread.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 16 Aug 2013 11:09 am

Thanks for the positive comments on my video. It's always fun to delve into a new tuning. I always seem to go back to C6 as my "default setting" though! Right now my main 8-string tuning is C6/A7 with high G (no A on the bottom). I'm finding that I can get most of what I need from that tuning.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 16 Aug 2013 12:54 pm

Here's a Blues Tutorial I made on "C Diatonic" tuning. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hKf5Knh4zU

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 16 Aug 2013 7:53 pm

I made a recording of the song Summertime with the C Diatonic tuning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n7bJIDov50

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 23 Aug 2013 6:07 am

Here's a recording of the jazz tune "Song For My Father" by Herbie Hancock. I played everything but the drums.
Acoustic bass, Jazz guitar "Gibson L-4", Synth Strings and Lap Steel in CEGBDF.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4pX2am ... sp=sharing

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 23 Aug 2013 6:55 am

Mike, there link shows an empty folder or no preview.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 23 Aug 2013 6:57 am

Look again. The download is below where it says no preview.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 23 Aug 2013 11:53 am

Michael, that site is not accessible to viewers. It goes the Google sign-in page... so I signed in to my Google account, as usual, and then it said I need special permission to access your file. Why don't you just post the files on your own web site? That way anyone could access them.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 23 Aug 2013 11:57 am

Hey Doug, My fault. Sorry about that. I forgot to change the share permissions to public. It's a bigger hassle to host them from my website. I'm just being lazy as usual.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4pX2am ... sp=sharing

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 23 Aug 2013 3:18 pm

there is No Preview showing again. ...I guess you click download and ignore the no preview words.

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 24 Aug 2013 8:48 am

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=644552

here is my version of Sleepwalk using this tuning. I am "playing" a 1936 Rickenbacher Model 59. ouch, I hit a wrong note.
Mr. James is playing bass and guitar.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 24 Aug 2013 4:43 pm

Sounds good Randy!

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 24 Aug 2013 5:24 pm

I missed an easy note. instead of using the slide as I had been I decided on the fly to use my finger and pick the harmonics. I half hit the note with the pick and slide.
sour. I bet I could splice in a new section. $:\$

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 24 Aug 2013 7:48 pm

Hey Randy. Don't worry about it. I decided to record Sleep Walk to see how I could do. Something is up with the chords? Anyone have any suggestions?

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4pX2am ... sp=sharing

Randy Reeves · Post by **Randy Reeves** » 25 Aug 2013 7:14 am

jazzy sounding chords there.

Michael James · Post by **Michael James** » 25 Aug 2013 8:17 am