What tuning for 10 string?

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

A friend just got an OLD Sho-Bud 10 string that has three legs. He asked if I would tune it for him. I said sure, as soon as i find out what the tuning should be! What is standard for this?

Bill McCloskey · Posted 12 Jan 2021 11:01 am

Depends on what he wants to play but if you have followed anything I've written, I would recommend the eharp tuning.

I have a ton of tutorials on playing eharp in a drop box if your friend goes that route.

here is an example of Claude Brownell playing the tuning. https://youtu.be/9MhnfJc79Oo

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

An alternative to the Alkire tuning, Billy Robinson plays 10-string non-pedal tuned to pedal steel C6
F A C E G A C E G D

There are a number of YouTube vids of Mr. Robinson, also this one of Steve Palousek, playing non-pedal in that tuning.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mSbB8yil5dY&feature=youtu.be

Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

Based on the little research Iâ€™ve done, there doesnâ€™t seem to be a â€œstandardâ€ like we typically have for E9 with pedals. He is looking to play old style country, a la Don Helms, Billy Robinson.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 12 Jan 2021 11:31 am

If he wants to play like Billy Robinson, you have your answer: Billy Robison's tuning

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

You're going to get a lot of different opinions here, Roger... and here's mine. Either C6, A6, or E13. There is a very good non-pedal steel string gauge chart on this site --> https://www.hawaiiansteel.com/learning/gauges.php

There are also links on that page that will take you to other pages with information about the tunings.
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Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Most folks go for the pedal steel C6... the strings are progressive, unlike the EHarp which is very re-entrant and can require some nut-cutting to accomodate the string gauges.

Be aware that there are several 10-string C6's... one with high 3, one with re-entrant 2 on top (like E9), and others. Billy Robinson does an AB-like string pull so he's not like Steve Palousek's tuning in (my!) video cited above... he does it straight with no re-entrant on top. Here's Billy at TSGA RANP 2018 doing that top strings pull:

https://youtu.be/0RYiWTL9bFM?t=286

Believe it or not Wikipedia has an article about this:

"On a ten-string neck, typical of pedal steel guitars, a popular C6 tuning is C-F-A-C-E-G-A-C-E-G, adding two bass strings to the high eight-string tuning, or one string on either side of the F-bass low tuning. This is sometimes called the "Texas tuning".[1] Another frequent variant is the re-entrant C-F-A-C-E-G-A-C-E-D. Kayton Roberts, a famous steel guitar player, used a modified C6 on his steel guitar's inside neck: A(low)-A-C#-E-G-A-C-E. On the outside neck he had F-C-Eb-G-F-A-C(though sometimes D)-F. "

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C6_tuning
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Bill McCloskey · Posted 14 Jan 2021 7:03 pm

Stephen, there are no reentrent strings on the eharp tuning.

Allan Revich · From: Victoria, BC

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Bill McCloskey · Posted 16 Jan 2021 2:47 pm

Allan, the Alkire tuning is not strummable. However, you play with 4 fingers and you can arpeggiate a 6 note chord to give a similar effect. I just happened to record this quick tutorial on the major grips for major minor and 7th chords and you'll get a better idea. https://www.facebook.com/100058902304961/videos/119617266678350/

Tom Breitenfeldt · From: Germany

What I would try if I had a 10-string lap steel:
F#
E
B
G#
E
C#
A
F#
D#
B

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

If he's asking this question, he is not going to much enjoy the re-entrant stuff, and I also don't think he's going to get much whoopee out of a lot of closed intervals. A steel guitarist might look at a 1-2-3 plus, somewhere, a 5-6-1 relation and mentally pull the minors out and get a least a whiff of same-thing-only-inside-out, but somebody starting who's saddled with BOTH the 6ths and 9ths is going to wonder how come his guitar only knows one song, and a real hula one it is. 9ths OR 6ths, not both. In fact, if you think being able to find recognizable melodies - more often than by blind luck, A.K.A. "learning," something including chunks of this:
8
5
3
1
5
3
1
5
3
1
5
3
1

makes for your most best chances. Yes I KNOW you run out of string gauges but keeping your intervals wide on the higher strings would help him play MUSIC while waiting for the Angel of String-Muting to arrive.

William Gallagher · From: California, USA

Assuming no copedents I like Fred's above. Or try a straight C6 with a C on the bottom and G on top. C-F-A-C-E-G-A-C-E-G

The original Alkire tuning is a whole different animal. Like the defunct Old Mormon Deseret alphabet, you can spend a lifetime learning it but to what end? I tried it on my old Alkire E-Harp and it's an odd egg for sure.

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Willis Vanderberg · From: Petoskey Mi

For what it's worth.
I use to have a standard E9 tuning on my ten string lap.It was the tuning I was most familiar with at the time.years ago I played a tuning they called C double 6.
Earlier in the forties it was E and A 6.
I like E13 also.
It as been seventy six years since I picked up that
BR-9 Gibson and what a great ride it as been .

Bill McCloskey · Posted 3 Feb 2021 4:41 am

Well william, i play the alkire tuning exclusively, and the end is playing one of the greatest tunings ever invented. I am currently recording all of Alkireâ€™s published compositions on the eharp tuning. Both my facebook and youtube channels are devoted to those playing the eharp tuning

https://www.facebook.com/bill.mccloskey.54/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKR7dvA5bc6HMwREitVw9Og

After really getting to understand the tuning, I wouldn't play anything else.

Willis Vanderberg · From: Petoskey Mi

i said I Used to use E9 on my ten string.
Currently on my Alkire I have his tuning.
So at some point I will be talking to you about material.
I have never quit learning and look forward to the challenge.
Thank you for all you do we appreciate it.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 3 Feb 2021 5:35 am

Willis, I was responding to William Gallagher who said "The original Alkire tuning is a whole different animal. Like the defunct Old Mormon Deseret alphabet, you can spend a lifetime learning it but to what end? I tried it on my old Alkire E-Harp and it's an odd egg for sure."

But thrilled you are going to give it a go. Let me know when you start, I have a ton of Eddie's lessons I can give you access to.

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