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Topic: E9th tuning method |
Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 22 Jan 2009 2:56 pm |
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I was going through some of my old documents files and found this E9th tuning method...i've never tried it. 
Tune most of the strings approximately up to pitch, in order to get the guitar under tension.
Press A + B pedals, and tune all the strings that are not raised (1 2 4 7 8 9) up to pitch, with the machine heads.
Release the pedals, and take particular note of the pitch of the 4th string. It will probably be sharp.
Don't alter it.
Tune the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 10th string by ear (with the machine heads) until they sound in tune with the 4th (and 8th string)
Press pedals A + B, and tune strings 3 5 6 10 up to pitch (with the nylon tuners on the endplate)
Check the 4th and 8th strings to make sure that they are still at the correct pitch
Release A + B pedals.
Press pedals B + C, and tune strings 4 + 5 up to pitch, with the nylon tuners.
Release pedals.
is this a good way to tune up the E9th neck?...
Pat C. 
_________________
Comeau SD10 4x5, Comeau S10 3x5, Peavey Session 500,Fender Telecaster,Fender Stratocaster, Fender Precision,1978 Ovation Viper electric. Alvarez 4 strings Violin electric.
Click the links to listen to my Comeau's Pedal Steel Guitars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIYiaomZx3Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GhZTN_yXI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvDTw2zNriI |
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Michael Douchette
From:
Gallatin, TN (deceased)
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Posted 22 Jan 2009 3:08 pm Re: E9th tuning method
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| Pat Comeau wrote: |
| Tune most of the strings approximately up to pitch, in order to get the guitar under tension. |
Lots of guys seem to stop right there.
Seriously, best as I can tell, that sounds pretty right on. It'll definitely get you in the game... on an all pull. P/P is completely different.
_________________
Mikey D... H.S.P.
Music hath the charm to soothe a savage beast, but I'd try a 10mm first.
http://www.steelharp.com
http://www.thesessionplayers.com/douchette.html
(other things you can ask about here)
http://s117.photobucket.com/albums/o54/Steelharp/ |
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Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 2:44 pm
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Today i tried that E9th tuning method and it really works great...my guitar is alot better in tune then it was, and i've noticed that my 6th string blends alot better with this tuning with the A pedal and F lever activate, but i'm still gonna try a 20 plain gauge for the 6th string instead of 22.
_________________
Comeau SD10 4x5, Comeau S10 3x5, Peavey Session 500,Fender Telecaster,Fender Stratocaster, Fender Precision,1978 Ovation Viper electric. Alvarez 4 strings Violin electric.
Click the links to listen to my Comeau's Pedal Steel Guitars.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIYiaomZx3Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GhZTN_yXI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvDTw2zNriI |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 5:08 pm
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The method describes how to tune your E strings (4 and 8) to a reference pitch with the A and B pedals down. Then when you release the pedals, your Es will go a little sharp on most pedal steels. Then when you tune the rest of the strings to that sharp E, your E chord will be a little sharp, but your A chord with the pedals down will drop slightly ("cabinet drop") and be on the normal reference standard of A=440 Hz. As Ricky Davis explains (here), it is usually better to be a little sharp than a little flat.
Another method is to split the difference of the cabinet drop. Tune your Es to the reference standard, press the A and B pedals and watch a meter to see how much the Es drop. Take half of that and add it to the reference standard for the Es, or subtract it from the reference standard for A. Then both the Es and the As will be as close to the reference standard as possible, and neither will be substantially flat or sharp.
It should be noted that either of these methods of dealing with cabinet drop will only matter when playing the open strings at the nut. When you use the bar at all the other frets, your bar and ears will automatically correct small amounts of cabinet drop.
The rest of the instructions in your method don't really specify whether you are tuning the strings and stops "to pitch" with your ears or a meter. The method below describes how to tune all the other strings and stops by ear to your reference string. If you use one of the methods above to tune your reference E strings, you can skip the first step.
1. Take the root note of the tuning, E (strings 4 and 8 on E9), and tune that note alone to a tuning reference (tuning fork, electronic tuner, keyboard). I use 441 Hz as the reference for my Es. Cabinet drop then puts my As about 439 with the A and B pedals down. I call that splitting the difference.
2. Now play an E chord on strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and tune all the strings so that chord sounds nice to your ears, without changing the Es on strings 4 and 8.
3. Play a B chord on strings 1, 2, 5, 7. String 5 is the reference. You have already tuned it in the previous step, so do not change it. Tune the other strings so they make a nice chord with string 5.
4. There are multiple ways to tune string 9, but the simplest is to play an E chord on strings 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and tune string 9 so it sounds nice as the 7th of the E7 chord. Or, make a Bm chord with strings 7, 9, and 10. Tune string 9 so it sounds good as the minor 3rd of that chord.
5. Press the A and B pedals to make an A chord on strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10. Strings 4 and 8 are unaffected by those pedals, and have already been established as your reference strings, so do not change them. Tune the pedal stops on the other strings to make a nice sounding A chord with the unchanged strings 4 and 8.
6. Press pedals B and C to make an F#m chord on strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Tune the C pedal stops on strings 4 and 5 to sound nice with that chord, and do not change strings 3, 6, 7.
7. If you have an F lever (raises the Es ½ step), activate it with the A pedal to make a C# chord on strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10. Tune the F lever stops on strings 4 and 8 to sound nice with that chord without changing any other strings or stops.
8. If you have an E lower lever (lowers the Es ½ step), activate it to make a G#m chord on strings 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10. Tune the stops on strings 4 and 8 so that chord sounds nice, without changing any other strings or stops.
9. Any other pedal or lever stops are tuned by the above principles. Find the most common chord the change is part of, and tune the stops to that chord without changing any other strings or stops.
Normally, you will only have to go through the first 4 steps to tune your open strings. The pedal and lever stops on most modern steels are very stable and only have to be tuned occasionally to adjust for minor slippage or string aging. If you want to create your own custom tuning chart for your instrument, tune by ear carefully with the instructions above. Then use a chromatic tuning meter to read off what each string is tuned to and write that down. This is useful in situations when you can’t hear to tune. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 5:46 pm
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I posted about the way I tuned and referred to it as straight up and allowing for cabinet drop and you would have thought I shot the Pope.
Now here it is plain as day tuning straight up allowing for cab drop and everything is warm and fuzzy.
Don't take me wrong I'm not complaining.
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Pat Comeau
From:
New Brunswick, Canada
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Bo Borland
From:
South Jersey -
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 6:55 pm
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Mikey said "Lots of guys seem to stop right there."
And then there's some that that continue on and really screw it up. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 23 Jan 2009 7:20 pm
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| David, what happened to the 438Hz? You were just pulling my legg weren't you? |
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richard burton
From:
Britain
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Posted 24 Jan 2009 1:56 am
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I recognised the tuning method that Pat has found, as I remember writing it  IN THIS THREAD discussing cabinet drop.
I've tuned by my method for years, and I'm pleased that other players are now discovering the simplicity of it  |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 24 Jan 2009 10:45 am
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I'm not sure what you are refering to, Bo. In my post above, the only Hz mentioned are for the reference string. I tune my E to 441 (+4 cents), and with cabinet drop my A comes out about 439 (-4 cents). Everything else is tuned by ear so the chords sound good. My thirds come out between 438 and 439 for my E chord (-8 to -4 cents from 440, -12 to -8 cents from my 441 root).
Notice I just say to tune everything in relation to the reference so the chord "sounds nice to your ears." Most people will think it sounds best with the major 3rds a little flat of straight up Equal Temper (ET), and minor thirds a little sharp. But anyone who is accustomed to hear thirds closer to or right at straight up ET can tune that way by ear, if that's what sounds best to them.
I'm not trying to tell anyone specific Hz or cents to tune their strings to. My numbered steps above just describe how to tune the main chords of E9 by ear to an appropriate reference string for each chord. It's important to have a logical, systematic way to do that. If you do it in the wrong order, and fiddle with the reference strings, you end up chasing your tail. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 24 Jan 2009 10:58 am
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| David, I'm glad you explained that. It looked for a little bit there you were backing down on the 3rds being 438 as/per Buddy. |
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