Robert Randolph 13 strings

Stuart Legg · Posted 8 Dec 2007 4:32 pm

This has probably been ask before. But here goes. Does anyone have the 13 string tuning with pedals and Knee levers for Robert Randolph's Pedal steel?

Bo Legg · Posted 8 Dec 2007 6:17 pm

My guess! It's one of those frozen mysteries.

Stuart Legg · Posted 8 Dec 2007 6:51 pm

Butt who nose

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Have you seen this?
http://b0b.com/tunings/sacredsteel.html
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Bob

Jerry Fessenden · From: Vermont, USA

Hey thanks Bob & B0b , I was wondering how he tuned that ol' thaing ! JF

Jim Eaton · From: Santa Susana, Ca

Jerry, he's real good friends with the boys in the band. They let him sit at the little table on stage!
JE:-)>

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Jerry,
How does he tune it anyway ? I want to know so I can get some of that big money !

I've almost got the kicking the pac a seat into the bass player lick down. I've tabbed it out and am now working on the play along CD of thousands of screaming women. Just don't try it with a steeler's choice seat with a side car and lumbar support. I broke a toe practicing on that one.

But seriously folks, is his set up close to what Bob has on the net ?
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Bob

Chris Johnson · From: USA

Bob, b0b's Sacred Steel tunings on that site are just the very basics of the tuning. The younger generation of pedal players (like myself) use more complex chords than the alot of the older pioneers.

This is what I think Robert still uses

This is the tuning that I use. Try it, you wont be disappointed Very Happy

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Chris,
Very cool set up. Do you use all those pentatonics for open voiced chords as well as scales ? Your tuning looks quite a bit like an E13 tuning. If you get around to it it would be great to hear some of that chord work you were talking about.

thanks,
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Bob

Chris Johnson · From: USA

Thanks Bob. Yes, that is a E13 tuning. Also, most of the pentatonics can be used for open voiced chords as well as scales. Another cool thing about this set up is that you can either pick or strum the strings and still get 6ths, 7ths, 9ths, augmented, diminished etc., which provides you with monster rhythm work. Its also great for runs Cool

. I am scheduled to go in the studio sometime soon. Il let you know when everything comes out.

Chuck Campbell is the King. Watch his instructional video and you will understand everything a little better. Who knows, you might even switch over Winking

Stuart Legg · Posted 12 Dec 2007 12:39 am

Thanks everyone you've been a big help.
Now if there was just someone who could help me with the spelling on the Steal Guitar Forearm. Very Happy

Chris I'm looking forward to hearing something with your tuning. b0b your tuning looks great also.
I'm going to see if I can get Bo to set up one of his sho-buds with one of those tunings. Maybe not! Profanity and a upside down Pedal steal seem to be the norm with Bo.

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

DUH-I take it you LEGG boys are related Question

Bo Legg · Posted 12 Dec 2007 3:50 am

Hi Paul Yes Stuarts my son. I had to go by Bo because people would ask my name and I would say Stuart Legg and they would say no your not. I swear I could fly to England with him and as soon as we deplaned someone would yell "Hi Stuart How Are You Doing" come over and shake hands with him and ask who I was. He goes around telling people he taught me everything I know which lately is true when it comes to E9 pedal steel. I got him hooked on Theory and I created a monster. He gets all the women. I hate him! Laughing

Paul Warnik · From: Illinois,USA

I thought I spotted a "family resemblance" Wink

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

It's rumored that this was correct at one moment in time.

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

Chris,
If one were to set this tuning up using only 12 strings, how would you set it up , and what would be missing ?....I see you set it up for a 10 string, and this is why I ask ...It looks like a monster tuning ...Thanks, Jim

Sonny Miller · From: Lino Lakes, Minnesota, USA

I called Chris Johnson tonite and had him demonstrate
sacred tuning to me, as i am working on the same ten string tuning now, (that we see above,) to see where the music takes me.
First of all Chris is 19 years old, and has a good understanding of his tuning, and plays pretty much like you hear Robert Randolph play. He has experience in drumming, and it shows , in his music, and he is wasting no time, working on his steel licks.He is wood shedding all the time.

He is very anxious to talk to other steel players and help them with the sacred tuning, and share ideas, if they are intersted! He helped me out with some questions i had!

On the phone the steel sounded a little distorted but the music came thru loud and clear.
Thank you Chris for taking the time to explain your tuning and the various licks you demonstrated.

Chris lives in Miami, Florida and we prabably have another Robert Randolph on our hands. Good Luck to a very young Chris Johnson. Very Happy

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i could tell watching robert r. rock n roll that he must be some kind of big chord music theory nerd!

Rick Nicklas · From: Verona, Mo. (deceased)

You guys can call it Sacred Tuning all day long but these guys are geared up for "The Blues"... Very Happy

Chris Johnson · From: USA

Hey Fellas

James, The 12 string variant of this tuning would be to add a low B bass string that pedal A will raise to C# in able to get a strummable 6th. I would also put a G# between the low bass E and B(Low to High B,E,G#,B,E,E etc.) which would be raised to an A with Pedal B. Similar to a Universal Setup. The lower register strings would allow you to get deeper sounding chords and also allow you to play Bass Guitar like grooves, fill-ins and licks. Hope this answered your question. If any other questions, feel free to let me know.
The open tuning would look like this....

F#
G#
E
C#
B
G#
E
E
B
G#
E
B

Sonny, I am honored by your kind and generous words. I also appreciate how open minded you are to other styles and genres of music on the pedal steel which is the only way the instrument will commercially expand to other musical genres. Next time we talk, Il show you the real stuff Very Happy

Rick, True True True. Blues and everything else one day Wink

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Chris Johnson, I notice that you use E6th and raise the C# to D with a pedal. Why did you change that string from the traditional E7th?

Chris Johnson · From: USA

B0b, I left the C# there so that I could get a doubled string effect by pressing Pedal A which would allow me to get a fuller, fatter sounding chord when I want a 6th, great sounding minor on fret 3 etc. Also, both the B and C# are so useful when playing melodies and sometimes the picking between those notes are so fast that my foot cant keep up. Their are other reasons, but i will be typing all day trying to explain them all.

I raise the C# to D in order to get a 7th on the higher strings. Pedal 3 also lowers the first double E a full step to D in order to get a 7th on the strum. To change everything to a 7th tuning, I usually just hold down Pedal 3. But I just feel alot more comfortable with the C# on my open tuning. Hope I answered your question B0b.

Chris

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Yes, you did. I read somewhere that Darick Campbell now tunes that string to C#, so you're in good company. Smile

I also notice that, while most SS players raise that string to D#, you take the more E9th approach of lowering your high E to get that note. Is there a reason for that?
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Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Chris, I'm curious as to what strings gauges you are using, for a 10 string guitar. I'm impressed by the knowledge you have at such a young age. Smile

Bill

Chris Johnson · From: USA

B0b, Yes there is. The answer is also related to why I leave a C# in the open tuning Smile

. By holding RKL and strumming slowly or picking strings 5 to 1(B-C#-Eb-G#-F#) you will get a beautiful 13th chord that goes well in R&B and Smooth/ New Jazz. The 13th would be destroyed by getting rid of the C#.

The second reason is that I wanted my top strings to resemble standard E9's top so I could have some E9 licks on the high strings. (so it not too traumatic for E9 players to adapt Laughing

). Hope I answered everything again B0b.

Thanks alot Bill. I've learned so much right here thanks to the Forum. I practice for hours everyday, read lots of tab and I'm also teaching myself music theory. It's hard work Very Happy

My gauges are a little heavier than the norm, especially on the wound strings.

F#- .014
G#- .011
E- .014
C#- .018
B- .019
G#- .026
E- .030
E- .033 or .032
B- .038
E- .058

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