G6 for bluegrass

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

Hi, Im a lap steel player and I play with a C6/A7 and I get a chance to play in a bluegrass band that play a lot of complex melodic fiddle tunes.

Im thinking of having a G6 tuning to have the bluegrass sound but be able to play what I know. Since I have a 6 strings I will have to sacrifice one note to add the E. I feel that the high fifth is more important than low root and I want the same interval order than a C6 or A6 tuning so I choose the A6 one full step lower and I get BDEGBD.

Any one playing this tuning? Do you miss the low G?

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

Greg Booth's tuning (I believe) is E-B-D-G-B-D and is the only bluegrass player that I know tunes to G6.

I play an 8 string G 6 with "E" in the middle and it just gets in the way in bluegrass mode. I have to grab the six string G tuned guitar.

fwiw

h
_________________
Howard Parker

03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
Many guitars by Paul Beard
Listowner Resoguit-L

Webb Kline · From: Orangeville, PA

When using a 6 tuning in bluegrass, you're going to dominate the other instruments. I occasionally tune my 4th str D to an E at bluegrass jams, like if we're doing an old Hank tune or something of that nature, and while the others like it when I do this, it has an uncanny way of taking everything over and forcing everyone into swing mode. The bass player want to start walking and the whole vibe changes. It's not a bad thing for some songs, but I've found it to be very controlling, and I'm sure the other player's approval would decline rapidly were I to use it exclusively. When I try playing alone with that tuning, the lack of having the D and E together in the middle lacks something, but in a band context it isn't nearly as noticeable.

Greg Booth · From: Anchorage, AK, USA

Howard, I do play bluegrass using my "drop E" dobro tuning (EBDGBD) but with the E on the bottom it doesn't really sound like a 6th chord like it does with the E in the middle. I use the bottom string as the root for minor, dominant 7th, minor 7th chords and other intervals, and to extend the range of the guitar below G. Somebody who is proficient on C6th/A7 would be frustrated with this tuning I'm afraid. If anybody is curious they can check out Greg Booth's YouTube Channel. There is a lot of non-bluegrass there, but a couple BG examples using EBDGBD are the recent "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down" and the often viewed OBS.

I agree with Howard and Webb's opinions that playing sweet 6th chord sounds doesn't really fit in bluegrass, but I think the right player could use that tuning appropriately. It might mean more of a melodic, single string approach or chord grips with no strumming. When I was learning to play my 12 string ext E9 pedal steel I discovered in the first few minutes you do not want to let certain strings ring!
_________________
Greg
Kathy Kallick Band
www.youtube.com/user/aksliderdobro

Mark Eaton · Posted 18 Feb 2014 1:58 pm

Greg's approach makes more sense to me than the 4th tuned to E business has pointed out by Webb, which folks like Cindy Cashdollar use when playing western swing sounding tunes.

And I also agree with Webb, when I've tuned the guitar that way, it just changes everything. I'm sort of permanently amazed how changing the tuning on one string from your normal configuration can have such a dramatic effect on the sound. As alluded to by Greg when he was learning extended E9th many years ago, you have to be really careful to avoid certain strings.

It sort of begs the question: the classic take on C6th for the lap steel guitar from the pioneer, Jerry Byrd, is that it's the best all-around tuning. Not just for Hawaiian and swing, but for many different styles of music.

But there must be a reason most dobro pickers tune to Open G, or in Greg's case, tune the G down to E on the sixth string so it's there when you want it, but it's not in danger of being caught in the "intersection" while the light turns red. If you're going to play the typical major chord bluegrass number, and you want to tune your guitar to the same intervals as C6th/A7 but in a G form to get the most out of the resonator cone with beefier string gauges, you have to be in full command of that tuning to pull it off and not occasionally hit the wrong strings. You do it once during a song - no big deal. You do it three or four times and the bandleader might be showing you the door at intermission.
_________________
Mark

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

I think will finally learn it the old school way with standard G tuning. I guess bluegrass is more about single note than harmonie.

Mark Eaton · Posted 18 Feb 2014 5:20 pm

I don't think it's a lack of harmony. Vocals aside, there's all kinds of harmony in bluegrass instrumental music. It's an ensemble form of music more than anything else. Sure, there are great instrumentalists in bluegrass that can blow you away with jaw-dropping solos, but the band is the thing.

I know I play plenty of chords and partial chords on Open G dobro, but yeah, there is a lot of single string playing, this is why some great dobro players say that they get a lot of inspiration from jazz horn players.

But you have to decide when you only have six strings on an instrument that is a member of the steel guitar family, what is the best tuning that is going to help me contribute to the song the majority of the time? It seems like high bass Open G accomplishes that consistently. Sure, there are compromises, But a guy like Rob Ickes rarely, and maybe even never ventures out of Open G and he can play a tremendous variety of music, and play it extremely well.

Back to the ensemble/band thing, Jean-Sebastien's post jogged my memory about a Frets magazine interview I read with Jerry Garcia that was published in 1985. Garcia of course came back to bluegrass and traditional acoustic music from time to time right up until his passing, and here is what he had to say about bluegrass:

Robert Allen · From: Tennessee, USA

Joel Bloom · Posted 7 Apr 2014 8:58 pm

A tuning that I got onto helps with this crossover of styles is High bass G with an E, tuned a step above the middle D, replacing the low D on the sixth string. I use a 30" or 32" gauge string for this.
Sixth tuning sounds when you need it but not in the way when you don't. Cool slants and ideas can be had as a bonus too.
Cheers

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

This is a tough one.....that one E string was the reason that the late great Dave Giegerich, a master of the dobro and various styles carried around two dobros......6&7 stringers.....I guess that trying to play everything on one didn't cut it for him.....

Mark Eaton · Posted 8 Apr 2014 9:14 am

Stephen Abruzzo · From: Philly, PA

I think Joel does the same thing that Greg Booth does......only Joel's E is an octave higher than Greg's. Joel said the E isn't in the way which would imply it's out on the edge as the 6th string.

Mark Eaton · Posted 8 Apr 2014 10:25 am

I hear what you're saying Stephen, but I guess we need Joel to check in since I'm obviously confused by the post - the low D is on the 4th string in high bass open G, not the 6th string.
_________________
Mark

Joel Bloom · Posted 8 Apr 2014 2:44 pm

Hi guys,
Sorry i meant low bass G tuning!

D 1st string (thinnest string)
B
G
D
G
D

This G6 tuning i am using is

D (1st string)
B
G
D*
G
E (using a 32 gauge-tuned a tone above the mid D marked *)

I hope this explanation makes sense.
Cheers,
Joel

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

It will be difficult, I think, to get a traditional bluegrass dobro sound on an 8 string G6 tuning. But when it comes right down to it, you can play any music in any tuning.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

It depends on how you play it. I only have the one Dobro, an 8 tuned to G6. I play it both as a swingy 6th and as a bluegrass dobro that has those classic hammer-on sounds available in other chords than just G. Lots of handy open patterns in C, D, E (but that feels weird on the brain) and A. If you hang with a Doc disciple, Black Mountain Rag comes off beautifully on the G6 in D. Just loads of fun.
Just because the E strings are there doesn't mean you have to hit them, and if you spend some time practicing (and not much, I HATE practicing even though I know I need it), you can jump over it to go straight from the G string to the D.
If I still had a 6 string, I might not have learned how to play 'grass on the 8, but I find it a ball. I may show my short-necked version of the intro to Wait A Minute. The iii and ii chords are right there.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: