Newbie tuning

Steve Huddleston · From: Arizona, USA

After a few months a piece of advice I got from a pro friend was "play the d**ed thing in tune". Easier said than done, I know. I have a stroboplus hd to hopefully help. I've tried tuning both straight and with the SE9 and SP9 sweeteners and I'm not real happy with any of them. It seems I can get major chording to sound ok but minors don't. Or I can get the other way round.

Also it doesn't really help that I don't really know how to use the sweeteners or even if I should. The SE9 seems pretty obvious, set it in there and tune the strings open. But the SP9, do you tune only the strings that a pedal changes?

I've had the guitar looked at and pronounced in excellent condition, and a guy who knew what he was doing tuned it, played it and sounded great so the instrument can do it.

Free advice?

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

The SP9 is for tuning the pedals only. You shouldn't have to tune the pedals very often - usually only when you change strings.

SP9 exists because some of the pedal changes are tuned differently from the same notes on open strings. High F#, for example, is typically tuned flatter on the 3rd pedal (4th string) than it is on the open 1st string.
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richard burton · From: Britain

If the guitar is out of tune when the pedals / levers are activated, then this is what's known as 'cabinet drop'.

All pedal steels suffer with cabinet drop, some more than others.

I always change the 6th string from a .022 plain to a .022 wound, that helps enormously.

The other thing that I do is I tune the 4th string with the A and B pedals down, even though they are not connected to the 4th string, and I listen to how much the string raises in pitch when I release the pedals.

I then tune the remaining open strings, by ear, to the 4th string (with its slightly raised pitch)

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I found the interlinking offsets a never-ending rabbit hole to venture down, and eventually hit upon a compromise between ET and JI.
I tune everything to 0 on an ET tuner, with the following exceptions going 4 cents flat: A#, C#, D# E# and G#.
To minimize cabinet drop, stop applying pressure to the pedals when they reach the stops.
Use your ears more than your eyes to guide the bar: that's the real key to playing this infernal machine.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

With the StroboPlus HD, you can't see how many cents sharp or flat you are. You just have to trust the "Sweeteners".

If SE9 open plus SP9 pedals doesn't work for you, you might want to try the one I designed for my students. It's not "perfect" but it seems to work well on every guitar I've tried. It's called BE9. You can download it into your tuner at www.petersontuners.com/sweeteners/shared.
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Yeah, I consider it to be a design flaw. On the other hand, if you know your offsets you can design a sweetener that's perfect. There's also a way to measure your current tuning but it's pretty awkward. It should just display your cents offset when you pick a string.

I have my D6th meantone in my tuner, and it tunes perfectly every time. You can read my initial review of the tuner on The b0bletter.
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Jonathan Mitguard · From: San Rafael, California, USA

On my SU-12 I only "sweeten the G# and C#. everything else is straight up, Though I tune the E strings with the B pedal pressed to compensate for Cabinet drop between AB ped down or not, which makes the Es slightly sharp.

With the steel Lane's point is key, you are essentially tuning with your ears as you play, slight movement with your bar to dial it in. As this indicates it is always a compromise on which notes or strings are in tune, then you have to trust your ears to get it in. Some combinations of pedals and knees may never be perfect and you'll just use those for passing chords or licks.

It is advisable in the beginning to tune your instrument by ear starting with the Es from the tuner. Everything else tune by ear from there. There are techniques using harmonics that can apply to all the strings. And just as you tune the "beats" out while tuning strings you need to listen to who you are playing with very carefully to play in tune with them.

Tuners are wonderful, I use a Peterson strobe stomp, but they are not a substitute for knowing how to tune your instrument by ear.
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Mullen and Williams SU12, Owens Square neck dobro. Amps evolving Princeton II reverb w/ eminence Double T 12"

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

Before I got my Petersen Strobo Flip I tuned with a regular tuner, then tweaked what sounded out of tune until it sounded good to my ear. I guess I did alright because no one ever complained. I got the Strobo Flip simply because it makes tuning easier on stage. The sweetwened E9 setting works fine for me. If you can hear that you are out of tune that's half the battle. Start tweaking until it sounds reasonable no matter what you play. Tuning is a compromise for most stringed instruments. You will get the hang of pedal steel tuning.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,

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