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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 4 Apr 2017 10:10 am |
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Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 5:33 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 4 Apr 2017 11:36 am
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Very interesting... I play an E6 like this (1 being the smallest string:
1 2 3 4 5 6
E B G# E C# B
It is a derivative of the E7 mentioned in the book above.
(String 5 is C# instead of D.)
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 4 Apr 2017 12:02 pm
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Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 5:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Guy Cundell
From:
More idle ramblings from South Australia
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Posted 4 Apr 2017 3:23 pm
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Thank you for those, Michael. Interesting to read Mr Bigsby's version of the history and his take on the first standard tuning.
Tuning compendiums are of great use and interest. I often consult Mr Volk's book.
Here is a 'chicken and egg' question that you might be able to help with. Below are chord compendiums firstly from the Gibson 1938 catalogue and also from Mills Hawaiian Guitar Method which, as the stamps on the cover confirm, was received at the Library of Congress in January 1938. There seems to be so much common material that it is hard to believe that one was not drawing on the other. So which came first? Is there an earlier Gibson catalogue that would indicate Gibson came first. In an earlier post on reverse slants, I noted that Alvino Ray may have had a hand in the 1937 Gibson Steel Guitar Method Book. Do you think he is involved some way?
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 5 Apr 2017 7:25 am
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Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 5:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mark Eaton
From:
Sonoma County in The Great State Of Northern California
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Posted 5 Apr 2017 1:50 pm
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Great stuff Michael and Guy- thanks for sharing!
So I guess Paul Bigsby is one of the guys we can blame for popularizing steel guitar tunings when written out on a horizontal line as high-to-low instead of the more sensible approach, low- to-high.
_________________
Mark |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 5 Apr 2017 6:49 pm
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I don't wish to start a dialogue on which way is best on "hi to low" or vice versa, but when I was taking lessons in 1948, it seems to me it was always Hi to Lo.
On the paper sleeves containing the strings, it was always 1st, 2nd etc beginning at Hi!!!!! I have the little Bigsby book which I bought when it came out.
Geo
_________________
http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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Todd Clinesmith
From:
Lone Rock Free State Oregon
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Posted 5 Apr 2017 7:59 pm
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Yes,
The first string is the high string, always has been. Case closed.
Back in the day, most folks had there own special and sometimes secret tunings,besides the standard 6th ...E6/C6/ A6 ect.
Especially when it came to adding pedals. I bet Paul Bigsby put some pretty odd tunings on his customers steels.
_________________
face book page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clinesmith-Instruments/1457245817911268?ref=bookmarks |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 6 Apr 2017 2:49 am
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Sure is neat to see all the alternatives. I think that is what makes lap / console steel so unique. Each player can choose his tuning and be himself.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Jerry Overstreet
From:
Louisville Ky
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Posted 6 Apr 2017 3:18 am
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MLA, thanks for posting. Wealth of information and valuable source for tunings. Answered a couple questions I had concerning Em7, G6 8 string tuning. Good stuff.
Thanks to you too Guy. |
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Michael James
From:
La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2017 4:52 am
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I've seen this "High Low" Debate" many times here. Here's my thoughts on it.
I teach about 55 student week and have for over 20 years. On the guitar all my students think the bass "E" (6th string) on a guitar should be string #1. Then I have to correct them so they conform to the rest of the guitar world. To be honest I wish the bass "E" was string #1. Because for some reason that is intuitive form most people and it really makes no difference.
As for the low/high debate we need to think about the nature of the tuning.
In the string world we have two different types of tuning.
1. Based in intervals. Like orchestra instruments.
2. Base on a chord. Like most all steel guitar tuning, banjo ect...
For orchestra instruments it makes sense to go from "High to Low" because they are tuned in symmetrical intervals and string #1 is the high string.
For chordal based tunings presenting the notes of the tuning from low to high is intuitive because of the way music theory chord construction is taught. 1-3-5-7-9 ect.. ascending the chord tones built on a scale.
The problem is the high string on a steel guitar is string #1. If the bass string was #1 then chordal based tuning by definition should be "low to high". And we wouldn't be having this conversation.
I am a low to high tuning person. Even on the guitar. It just feels right to me because of the chord construction perspective. I also see the guitar as a chordal based tuning. I see a G6 chord on the top four strings and an A9sus on the middle four strings.
Conclusion:
Anybody with half a brain can re-arrange the notes to an order that makes sense to them. Do what feels right to you, but be clear in your perspective and there will be no issues.
mj |
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Michael Lee Allen
From:
Portage Park / Irving Park, Chicago, Illinois
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Posted 6 Apr 2017 2:35 pm
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deleted
Last edited by Michael Lee Allen on 21 May 2018 5:34 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Stefan Robertson
From:
Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted 9 Apr 2017 11:45 am
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| Michael James wrote: |
...
I am a low to high tuning person. Even on the guitar. It just feels right to me because of the chord construction perspective. I also see the guitar as a chordal based tuning. I see a G6 chord on the top four strings and an A9sus on the middle four strings.
Conclusion:
Anybody with half a brain can re-arrange the notes to an order that makes sense to them. Do what feels right to you, but be clear in your perspective and there will be no issues.
mj |
Michael is absolutely right. It makes theoretical sense to me to name it based on the Chord - tuning. Low to High. Otherwise especially for those of use with a combination tuning it won't make sense and also that is approaching it for me at least the wrong direction. All of my voicings would sound strange if I approached building chords the other way.
_________________
Stefan
Bill Hatcher custom 12 string Lap Steel Guitar
E13#9/F secrets: https://thelapsteelguitarist.wordpress.com
"Give it up for The Lap Steel Guitarist" |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 9 Apr 2017 10:53 pm
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E
C#
A
F#
E
C#
A
F#
I gave up on the phrase "fool-proof" - people are astonishing - but this is pretty EASY, at least? |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 10 Apr 2017 7:10 am
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David,
Even a left-handed Norwegian can understand that!  |
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