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Topic: 8 string tuning in G help |
Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 12:58 pm |
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| Does any one know a good G tuning on a 8 string. A fellow here just had me find him a 8 string with legs. He has alwas played his 6 string tuned to G so don't want to change to much. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 1:30 pm
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Try G6th tuning. It's the same as open G tuning with the sixth of the chord added. You can play major and minor chords without having to slant the bar.
1-E
2-D
3-B
4-G
5-E
6-D
7-B
8-G
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 1:36 pm G6th
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| Thanks brad. thats kinda what I had in mind. Just was't sure how it was layed out |
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Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 1:51 pm G6th one more question
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| Brad what gauge strings would a guy need for this tuning |
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Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 1:52 pm G6th one more question
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| Brad what gauge strings would a guy need for this tuning |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 2:41 pm
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| What kind of music does he want to play? That's a very important consideration. |
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Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 2:53 pm G6th
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He plays very old country. A lot of Eddie Arnold and things like Spring Time In The Rockies.
Thats the best I can say. I've never met him or heard him. He just called out of the blue one day. One of the local music stores told him to talk to me about helping out on steel guitar stuff. |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 2:55 pm
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| Then G 6th is the one for him! |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 9 Jun 2008 10:51 pm
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I think Mike Auldridge's G6 is Leon McAulliffe's A6 a whole step down. From top to bottom (D-B-G-E-D-B-G-E). I think that would be superior to the one suggested above. You could then use the instructional materials out for high C6 and A6 as well as what is out for this version of G6.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 5:03 am
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| ,,,100%,,no,,1000% with Edward!!!!! |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 6:15 am
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Has he been playing in a G Dobro Tuning?
If so, the easiest thing and most logical would be to keep the 6-string "core" and just add at the top or bottom - or one on each end - maintaining the same tuning sequence. I've played Dobro for decades, and did that on steel for fun...it worked great and I basically had to relearn nothing (I added two low strings and it simply gave me a big low end).
Going to a 6th does let you use some instructional stuff, but if you already know how to play and are just adding two strings...why fix it if it ain't broke?
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Tobie Schalkwyk
From:
South Africa
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 8:12 am
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| Quote: |
| I added two low strings and it simply gave me a big low end |
What guages did you add on the low end, Jim? What did you tune them to?
(I simply omited 2 strings on mine and set it to open G, same as my dobro, but I'd like to go back to 8 strings) |
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David Wren
From:
Placerville, California, USA
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Posted 10 Jun 2008 9:16 am
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I have Edward's tuning on my Richenbacher S-8, and close to Brad's on my 8 string Dobro, only I opted to leave the lower 6th note off so I could add a high G:
1-E-014
2-G-013
3-D-016
4-B-018
5-G-028
6-D-036
7-B-046
8-G-056
I really like this last tuning. The high E gives a nice "chromatic" feel to the G tuning, leaving the lower strings for more typical hammer on-off kind of stuff....
However... for playing the older Western Swing,or Hawiian, I perfer having the lower 6th note in place...(like Edward suggested), think I just made the argument for a double neck 
Brad's web site is a wealth of info on tuning info... and thanks soooo much for that Brad!
_________________
Dave Wren
'96 Carter U12,7X7; 1936 7 string National; Line 6 HX Stomp; Quilter TT-15/TB202; Quilter "Steelaire"; DV Mark "GH 250"with 15" 1501 BW; Boss "Katana" 100 Head w/Line 6 Cab; Telonics VP. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2008 2:13 pm
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I just added a D and B to keep everything the same. I don't recall the string gages since I'm always messing with gage changes anyway.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 6:01 am
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This thread is getting real interesting to an old Dobro "G" player who happens to own a Deluxe 8 and has never used more than six strings.
David, I'm interested in your first "G" (second string). Is it the "G" in normal DBG Dobro tuning on the fifth fret-first string (D string)?? It seems like a pretty heavy gauge for that?? |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 7:12 am
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Charles - you meant from high-to-low, right? I'm asking only because it's usually described as "GBDGBD"; from low to high.
I don't see any problem with an .013 G. Might be a hair on the heavy side, but it'll ring like a bell. I've tuned them that high before with no problem.
It looks like the tuning would work fine; personally, the chromatic would drive me bats(one reason I don't play E9 on pedal steel), but if it works for you go for it.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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John Kavanagh
From:
Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 8:10 am
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That's the tuning I use all the time on my acoustic now - when Ihad the D8 I used that on one neck and D13 on the other. I like it because you can think of dobro tuning, open G, standard guitar tuning, or even C6 shapes on the low strings - it's easy for a part-time steeler to stay oriented. Sometimes I drop the 8th string to E.
It's also a good one for chords, especially if you do behind-the bar pulls. On the 12th fret, you can get G and Em and Em7 of course, but by pulling one string up a half-step you can also get G7, E7, C, and a bunch of partial chords. And there's all the dobro slants and the C6 slants. |
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 2:13 pm
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A G tuning that I like a lot on acoustic steel is...
1. D
2. B
3. G
4. E
5. D
6. B
7. G
8. F......032....1/2 tone higher than string 4
I like that full dom 7 chord with the higher pitched string when used with strings 5-8 and can also grab that F with the thumb and use it with the higher strings (three picks)...... |
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Norris Ashment
From:
Idaho Falls Idaho, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2008 2:49 pm
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After going thru all these tunings what he wants me to set it to is from top to bottom
G
D
B
G
E
D
B
G
This is close to what he is used to so there won't be a complete culture shock swithing from 6 to 8 standing on its own legs. He can then work it out in time. I have written down all the tunings all of you suggested so far. It been a great help
Thanks guys
Oh I might add we picked up a guitar from Danny Cormier's store.
Thanks Danny |
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Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 13 Jun 2008 5:21 am
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| Jim, I tried a first (high) string "G" once. High to low-GDBGDBG. I used a light gauge string thinking I had to and it sounded too loud and too tinny. That was my concern about the string gauge of David's tuning. I didn't know I could pull one that big up that high. I don't think I would have any problem with any of these tunings as I don't know any better. As to say, I haven't played in any other tunings enough to amount to anything and I don't think of things musically if that makes any sense. So if I try a new tuning it's like starting with a clean slate almost. I literally play by ear. |
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Gary Boyett
From:
Colorado/ Lives in Arizona
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Posted 13 Jun 2008 6:40 am
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When I had an eight string reso I used from low to high
G B D E G B D E. The high E was a 16 p and always sounded fine. I just bought a standard open G set and added an extra 34 w and a 16 p.
You can use any of the C6th tab or open G tab and just not play the e's unless you wanted to add it.
my
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David Wren
From:
Placerville, California, USA
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Posted 18 Jun 2008 12:17 pm
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Charles, years ago I used a .011 for that high G, and never liked the tone of it, so I changed to a .012. One day I was changing strings and only had a .013 laying around so I tried it. Liked it so much I've never gone back to the .012. So far I haven't broke a string, squareneck, or even my resonator.
I also just buy standard sets of the 6 string G tuning, and then add the .013 and .014.
_________________
Dave Wren
'96 Carter U12,7X7; 1936 7 string National; Line 6 HX Stomp; Quilter TT-15/TB202; Quilter "Steelaire"; DV Mark "GH 250"with 15" 1501 BW; Boss "Katana" 100 Head w/Line 6 Cab; Telonics VP. |
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