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Topic: Are there any advantages for a D on top - C6th |
Greg Lambert
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 7:03 am |
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| I have always used a G on top. |
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John Swain
From:
Winchester, Va
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 8:56 am
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| It acts the same as 1st string on E9. Scale tones and melody notes, especially fast single string work ala Buddy Emmons. If it wasn't useful the majority of C6 players wouldn't have embraced it since the late '70s. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 9:15 am
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Herby Wallace maintained a G for the top string.
And you can't play much faster than Herby.  |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 9:18 am
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| If I were starting out, I would use the D string. But coming from lap steel I still use the G as 1st string. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 10:52 am
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I think they are available from some builders.
Or take a 12 string neck and leave one string off.  |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 11:26 am
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A Uni 12 has both. Just saying.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Jim Bates
From:
Alvin, Texas, USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 11:50 am
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I always have had G as top string - all of my chord patterns are built using it. 'D' on top ruins my style on C 6th. (Also, several years ago I used A6th, instead of C 6th, due to keys singer was using.) A 6th gives you a low baritone voicing. Yes, I keep the same chopedant as C6th.
Thanx,
Jim |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 5:19 pm
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I switched years ago to the D. It opened so much possibilities for me. From linking speed licks to grace notes using chord melodies. And a step further is raising it a half tone with a knee lever.
The only thing I miss is playing Rose City chimes.
Ron |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 25 Sep 2017 10:42 pm
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I asked Tom Morrell this years ago and he said: "Ricky; if you have a D on top; there's many things you can't do because it's not a G. OH and if you have a G on top; there's many things you can't do because it's not a D; so you decide which is more important to what your head tells you".
Ricky
_________________
Ricky Davis
Email Ricky: sshawaiian2362@gmail.com |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 26 Sep 2017 2:34 am
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I don't use the 10th string C much, but on the other hand I have never played with a high G so I don't know - but this might suite some folks (top down):-
D G E C A G E C A F
although I suppose it would be a deal of work to change an existing guitar 
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Spicewood TX 78669
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Posted 26 Sep 2017 5:53 am
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| Ian Rae wrote: |
I don't use the 10th string C much, but on the other hand I have never played with a high G so I don't know - but this might suite some folks (top down):-
D G E C A G E C A F
although I suppose it would be a deal of work to change an existing guitar |
It would be some work, but not a daunting amount as there are already raises and lowers on most of the strings. A couple of bellcranks would have to be moved, and all raises and lowers retuned and balanced. Easier on an all-pull than a PP, as usual.
That said, raising s.3 on the standard tuning gives a 5th-on-top inversion on strings 4-3-2 instead of 3-2-1, making the tuning A7 instead of C6, with the bonus of the D note becoming the 4th tone of the scale. There is no equivalent with a G on s.1
| Tab: |
C6 no peds. A7 (s.3 raise) A6 (w/p.5)
s.1 D D D
s.2 E E E
s.3 C C# C#
s.4 A A A
s.5 G G F#
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_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Rick Schmidt
From:
Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 26 Sep 2017 6:11 am
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I fought the D for at least 30 years. I loved the G and loved the G-G# raise on pedal 5 that was a common change back in the day. Then I got a D12 many years ago, so now I have both, and yes that is great! But if I had to have a D10 now, there's no question that I'd keep the D vs the G. Both for chord options, ease of single note speed and fluidity, and way less "2 footing" it... not to mention the "thinness" of the G's sound that many players have pointed out. Having the D on the outside/string 1 position is just another example of B.E.'s genius!
Since I have both the D and G on my D12, I've made a point to see if I could get ALL the same chords using one or the other on string #1? What I've found is that it is way easier to get EVERY voicing I can get with the G, but using the D on top instead... but with the D, there are way more chords possible. Most of the inversions that I use on the top 4 strings with the G on top can be found by using pedal 7 (5 frets up from open), or the C-C# KL + Pedal 5 combo (up 3 frets) Even "Almost to Tulsa" is still doable, and that tune is one of the reasons I fought the D for so long back when I thought I knew better.  |
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