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Topic: C diatonic tuning |
Philip Bender
From:
Palmetto FL USA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 2:28 pm |
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Is anyone working with this tuning, I have been working on it for a few years, and just wondered if there was any interest in it.
E C B A G F E Top to bottom
I understand John Ely has approached JB on wanting to publish some tabs, but nothing yet |
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Keith Grubb
From:
Petaluma, CA, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 2:45 pm
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Philip,
I've been interested in that tuning, but I am still new to steel guitar so I can't do much without tab. I would love to find tab for it. Do you know some albums that it has been used on?
Keith |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 3:35 pm
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I've never been able to get my head around diatonic tunings. Every time I tune one of my steels to C or A diatonic, I wind up abandoning it pretty quickly. Beyond melody notes laying close to one another, I haven't been able to understand why one would use the diatonic tunings other then to remove all possibility of steel guitar cliche - like JB did with Steel Guitar Romatic World.
What do you consider to be the main benefits? |
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Philip Bender
From:
Palmetto FL USA (deceased)
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 4:54 pm
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| In trying to play Estralitta, which was on a tape of JB's, I could not get the same sound that he did. Then after a friend showed me the diatonic tuning, and watching a tape of JB playing the song, I saw that tha triads he was getting on the diatonic were more complete than on a standard C6th set up. I have worked out several songs in the diatonic, including Danny boy, and E Maliu mai plus some others, and find the result very satisfying. Would be happy to share some tabs with interested parties. |
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Keith Grubb
From:
Petaluma, CA, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 5:19 pm
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| I'd be interested in tab Philip. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 5:49 pm
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| Please do share some tab, Phillip! If I can see a great tune like Estralita in tab then I can perhaps get some insight into how these diatonic tunings voice chords. |
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chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 6:07 pm
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Red Rhodes played a diatonic tuning on his 10 string Dobro and one of the necks on his pedal guitar was diatonic also, he had been playing it since 1948.
C. D. E. F. G. A. B. C. D. E. |
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Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 8:00 pm
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The diatonic tuning on the 23" scale Dekley I built him was in a flat key, Ab, Bb or mayber Eb I believe. I remember that the reason for the 23" scale was because he had a high Bb on it.
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Jim Smith jimsmith94@home.com
-=Dekley D-12 10&12=-
-=Fessenden Ext. E9/U-13 8&8=-
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 14 Nov 2001 9:38 pm
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I have by no means got this diatonic tuning mastered but during the past year I concentrated more on it at each sitting and I've begun to cut thro' some of the confusion.
I don't meant to insult the intelligence of you expert pickers ( of which I'm not one) but for those still scratching their heads about it........here are a couple of discoveries I made.
The 1-3 and 5th strings are the equivilant of the C6th's 1-3-4 strings. And now my aged old mind went blank. But the 3rd string is an EXTRA that gets in the way of what normal C6th would be like.
There's that one additional lower string that does the same thing. Just can't plan on strumming any straight barred full chords.
I like the sound when you move UP two frets from your major chord and strum the lower strings (a 7th , maybe....????) Really a pretty tuning to play with.
Memories of Maria, I believe it is, is a really nice simple format to start learning this tuning from. It's a simple tune, straight bar positioning and learning to pick over and around certain strings to make the melody.
Don't give up! It's a real challenge but that's what steel guitar is all about.
Garland Nash has done an excellent job of mastering the diatonic tuning. |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 5:59 am
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Welcome to the forum Phil! Your comments, knowledge and experience on non-pedal steel guitar will be greatly appreciated here. We look forward to your wit and wisdom.
For those of you who don't know Phil, he is an incredible non-pedal steel guitarist. His tone is beautiful and full. He makes it look so easy. He is a regular fixture at both the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association and Aloha International annual conventions.
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Gerald Ross
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
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Bill Leff
From:
Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 7:25 am
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| I'll second Gerald's comments about Phil. I had the pleasure to meet and here him play at the HSGA 2000 convention in Joliet. He is an awesome steel guitarist! |
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Philip Bender
From:
Palmetto FL USA (deceased)
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 7:42 am
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We are away from home right now, but after mid Jan. I will be able to copy some tabs for diatonic tuning, till then be patient. Remember all things good come to he who waits. I did not have tabs for Estralita, but did have for c6th, plus a video of JB playing same on beach in HI. I put it on the Aloha steel guitar club tape, and was pretty true to the original I think.
By the way Gerald i really like my RED RAJAH bar, though it is a little longer and 1/8 larger in dia. It sure is smooth, and sticks to your hand.
Does anyone have any plastic finger picks available, I used to have some, but gone now, I like them for fast pickin stuff like Chickadee.
Phil |
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Maurie Junod
From:
Oak Forest, Illinois, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 8:01 am
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Welcome aboard Phil,
Mark me down for some diatonic TABs please.
This is a great place to share and to learn
more about this incredible instrument.
regards, Maurie |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 9:21 am
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| Thanks, Phil! Any tabs would be helpful. |
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Peter Henningsen
From:
Aalborg, Denmark
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Posted 15 Nov 2001 1:02 pm
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I am also new to steel guitar. Made my first lap steel half a year ago. The cost of extra strings was small, so it ended up with 12 strings (very suitable for two 6 string pickups and two sets of dobro strings), tuned to a G-diatonic: G A B C D E F# G A B C D. With this tuning slants are very easy, not more than about 45°. Chord-grips means skipping strings, but the grips are similar over the range. I will stick to this tuning or a tuning with at least one full octave of diatonic strings.
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Peter Henningsen,
Denmark |
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2001 1:31 pm
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I've seen Bobby Black play Jerry Byrd's C Diatonic on a 8 string with a low C# added. He was playing "big band" swing music, and getting some real monster chords out of the tuning. I thought that the low C# was a brilliant addition at the time.
Last time I talked to him (in September), he said that he hadn't played that tuning in a few years, though. He switched from a triple neck back to a double and he left the diatonic behind in the change.
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 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (E7, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6) |
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Keith Grubb
From:
Petaluma, CA, USA
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Posted 16 Nov 2001 3:14 pm
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Hey Bobby Lee,
Would you happen to know what tunings Bobby Black is using on his double neck?
Keith |
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