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Topic: Tunings for 8 String Lap Steel |
Damon Dennis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 1:59 pm |
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Hi all,
I am new to Lap Steel and have recently purchased an 8 string Gold Tone Lap Steel.
The tuning I am currently using is F6 - from Low to High: DFACDFAC.
According to the Gold Tone website, F6 is what the guitar is set up for straight out of the factory, but I would rather start off with an open major chord tuning - maybe open G?
I would like to stay within the ballpark of whats possible with the gauge of stings I have, while also keeping in mind that my ultimate goal is to eventually graduate to a Pedal Steel with the traditional E9 set up.
Any suggestions or advice you may have would be much appreciated!
Thanks |
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Mike Spieth
From:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 2:13 pm
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| I'm relatively new also, and I did agonize a bit over tunings at first. There are folks here much more qualified to suggest tuning alternatives, but strings are cheap, and I would not make my decisions based on what came with the guitar! |
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Damon Dennis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 2:33 pm
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| Very true! I've got the Steel bug pretty bad though and this F6 business just isn't doing it for me. |
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Mike Spieth
From:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Brett Lanier
From:
Madison, TN
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 3:35 pm
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If the end goal was to play double neck pedal steel, I'd recommend C6 because that's the back neck tuning. Since it sounds like you're more interested in E9 then I'd suggest an A6 tuning, which is a lot like E9 with the main 2 pedals down.
You could tune up just like Brad wrote it on his site with an F# on the bottom or you could have an A be the bottom and put something else on top. Perhaps a D.
Unfortunately, there isn't really a good tuning out there that gets you close to the sound of E9 pedal steel. Closest thing might be Jerry Byrd's chromatic tuning and that will make even the most experienced steel player's head spin.
Here's a string gauge chart to use. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/003330.html |
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Nathan Laudenbach
From:
Montana
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 4:02 pm
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| C6th. I also just picked up a Gold Tone eight string and I love it. |
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Frank Agliata
From:
Jersey Shore, USA
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Posted 9 Aug 2016 5:22 pm
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Just my 2 cents . . But I would give C6 a chance. Very versatile from traditional Hawaiian and country to blues and swing . . It's all in how you use it . . 
_________________
GFI Expo X1, Melbert 8, Rukavina 6
always learning |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2016 2:27 am
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Here's like, 12 or 15 more:
http://www.scottysmusic.com/tunings.htm
Hint: too MUCH information can fritz ya just as well as too little. Some time ago some dude said something along the lines of:
"That which does not kill me makes me stronger."
Not often pointed out, the dude died howling, barking mad in an insane asylum.
A somewhat oddball interpretation of "stronger", Fred? 
I threw this up a few weeks back:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=303746
There is, eventually down the page, a readable version. It's maybe more philosophic than anything else, just that if you start with an arbitrary 8 strings spaced more-or-less evenly from 0.014" to 0.050" or so and the 14 as a high "E", you can build the tunings down from it with the "E" being the 1st, 3rd, 5th, or 6th scale note, all on the same strings.
This is possibly the most useful chart IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE:
http://www.b0b.com/infoedu/gauges.htm
You can cut 'n' paste it and tidy it up some.
But that's all ephemera, the two big questions are:
What kind of experience and learning have you done on other instruments, transfer credits?
and simply enough:
What do you want to play? I have taught underarm guitar to a parade of hormone-crazed juvenile delinquents, and they always want the secret occult exercises us old guys hoard, the ones that will make playing all their favorite songs effortless and bypass all that tedious practice stuff. To which I say: learn to play your favorite songs. (?) 
Oh. And when you DO find that exercise.... |
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Jeff Mead
From:
London, England
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Posted 10 Aug 2016 2:27 am
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| Brett Lanier wrote: |
If the end goal was to play double neck pedal steel, I'd recommend C6 because that's the back neck tuning. Since it sounds like you're more interested in E9 then I'd suggest an A6 tuning, which is a lot like E9 with the main 2 pedals down.
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I would totally agree with this. I played A6 for many years before (about a year ago) starting on E9 pedal steel.
I found that everything I had learned on A6 was useful to me and if I find myself in deep water, I always have the option of engaging A&B and dropping my low D to a C# and I have my old familiar six string A6 tuning until I find my feet again. |
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Damon Dennis
From:
Texas, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2016 11:55 am
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Awesome! Thanks a ton guys. Your info and advice is absolutely invaluable.
Headed straight home after work to my steel to try some of this stuff out.
Cheers!
-Damon |
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Tony Lombardo
From:
Alabama, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2016 12:24 pm
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| I suggest purchasing a book called Slide Rules by Andy Volk. It's a clear concise book on many of the most popular lap steel tunings.. |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2016 9:02 am
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| The OP's stated goal is to transition to E9 PSG. Wouldn't an E based tuning make sense - E6, E13 or even E9? |
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Jack Aldrich
From:
Washington, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2016 10:36 am
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I'll add my vote for C6 to the list. I use the high G 8 string 6th for most of my playing these days. If you can find it, I recommend Jerry Byrd's Instruction Course, fi you can find it. It's worth the search. I believe you can get it through Scotty's. It goes through A, E7,C# Minor, B11 and C6. Included is a chart for a set of string sizes that will accommodate all of the tunings
_________________
Jack Aldrich
Carter & ShoBud D10's
D8 & T8 Stringmaster
Rickenbacher B6
3 Resonator guitars
Asher Alan Akaka Special SN 6
Canopus D8 |
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Hal Braun
From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2016 4:06 am
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My suggestion is that if you want to play pedal steel... Start on pedal steel. It is a pretty different beast. You can find a used E9 on the forum or even a new Stage One for under $1k..
Playing the lap steel is its own endeavor that you can spend a lifetime getting good at as well, but because you want to play it on its own merit.
Of course it is not an either/or.. But most people fall naturally into one or the other..
To get a lot of tunings, string gauge info, and a lot of lap steel related info.. Head over to John Ely's website at www.hawaiiansteel.com
Last edited by Hal Braun on 19 Aug 2016 5:30 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Frank Agliata
From:
Jersey Shore, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2016 5:55 am
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My personal experience. I ran out and bought a pedal steel some years ago, but became so frustrated after a few months of trying, just packed it up and put it away. Later I picked up a cheap 6 string lap steel. Experimented with different tunings. On a whim, slapped on a mulitbender, tuned it to E9. Started playing along with various recordings, and it all clicked into place. Pulled out the pedal steel out of mothballs, cleaned, oiled and restrung, and I've been off to the races ever since.
The lap steel is a different style of playing, and is very rewarding in it's own right. But as the PSG evolved from it, so too can you . .
_________________
GFI Expo X1, Melbert 8, Rukavina 6
always learning
Last edited by Frank Agliata on 20 Aug 2016 3:35 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Wayne D. Clark
From:
Montello Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 19 Aug 2016 3:15 pm
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I have a Melbert 8 string Console [A FINE INSTERMENT] and the tuning I use is an E7th modified. Top to bottom. E,B,G#,E,C#,B,G#,E It works for me but I have been playing Lap steel since the '50 using E7th. However the popular tuning these days in C6th. Tried it but hard to teach an old dog new Tunings.
Here are two you may try. C6thE E,C,A,G,E,C.A.G OR,
C6THG G,E,C,A,G,E,C A. |
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