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Topic: D tuning for bluegrass dobro |
Gary C. Dygert
From:
Frankfort, NY, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2003 3:59 pm |
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As an E6/E7 player (lo to hi: B,C#/D,E,G#,B,E, I was noticing now much I like dropping everything two frets for bluegrass. Does anybody else use this setup?
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No-name lap steel and reso in E6 and E7
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2003 4:24 pm
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| I've got an old 30s Bronson student Hawaiian flat top round hole squareneck (not a reso guitar)with a D tuning on it and it's quite useful. It really growls on some of the more modal and Celtic tunes in D like "Soldier's Joy" and "Whiskey Before Breakfast". I tune it Low to Hi D,A,D,F#,A,D. If I had a 2nd reso I'd put a D tuning on there. -MJ- |
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Chuck Fisher
From:
Santa Cruz, California, USA * R.I.P.
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Posted 16 Dec 2003 4:57 pm
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| I keep a lap steel with beef strings tuned to D , its nice to have that low open 5-chord in tunes that are in G. Sometimes I set it DADGAD Low D growls - love it! |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 16 Dec 2003 6:59 pm
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| Jerry Douglas uses a "D" tuning extensively. The low "D" note really sounds hi-fi! |
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Keith DeLong
From:
Dartmouth NS Canada
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Posted 18 Dec 2003 6:10 am
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| Have a listen to Travis Tritt's recording of "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde", you'll hear some nice licks with the D tuning. |
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Walter Glockler
From:
Northern New Mexico
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Posted 18 Dec 2003 9:54 am
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What string gauges do you use for the D tuning ?
Thanks. |
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Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
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Posted 18 Dec 2003 12:27 pm
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| Same ones, for me--.056, .045, .035, .027, .018, .017 |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 18 Dec 2003 12:44 pm
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Back in Feb. 2002, Pete Grant posted some sage advice about D-tuning vs G-tuning:
PETE GRANT:
Although G tuning (GBDGBD low to high) is popular with players of country and bluegrass (it seems to be "required" in bluegrass), I think you'll find that D tuning (D A D F# A D)--just like your E tuning but a whole step low--is far more versatile for country and even better for a lot of fiddle tunes in bluegrass.
For one thing, you have access to a harmonized scale in 6ths on the first and third strings with a combination of a straight bar and a forward slant of one fret (forward slant being that the nose of the bar is higer than the back of the bar). To get the same scale on G tuning you use a forward slant of one fret and a forward slant of two frets. I play far fewer two-fret slants, just 'cause they're so tricky to play in tune.
A nice thing about G tuning is that you have a sequential chord (135135) with no chord tones missing. This is also a drawback, because the overall range of the tuning is an octave and a fifth, while your tuning and D tuning have a range of two octaves (151351). I get far more use out of having the root on the first string. I hardly ever miss having a 3rd way down in the bass range. As a matter of fact, not having it is more of an advantage. Having 151 on the bottom gives me the ability to more easily fake a minor chord--or play one of the 3 minor chords possible by using an open string for the third of the chord (Bmi, F#mi, and Ebmi).
I've done lots of playing with country and bluegrass bands, and a lot of recording using D tuning. It works _very well_. The only time I will grab a G tuning dobro is if I want to get that Josh Graves sound on some classic Flatt & Scruggs tune--and if that's all you want to do, G tuning will serve you well. It's part of that sound. But I think there's a real "everybody does it that way so I guess I'd better do it too" aspect to the use of G tuning. ...
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Gary C. Dygert
From:
Frankfort, NY, USA
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Posted 20 Dec 2003 12:30 pm
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I agree with Pete on a lot of points. For me, I just don't like the bluegrass G or Os Kirby's high-bass A. I'm always looking for that top string that's not there. Instead of D-A-D-F#-A-D, I like A-B/C-D-F#-A-D. I use a regular A string on the bottom and about a .038 for the B/C. (Use b0b's guide.) The 6th gives nice minors, and the 7th works for some tunes. I should be playing a 7-string for another low string.
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No-name lap steel and reso in E6 and E7
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HowardR
From:
N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville
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Posted 20 Dec 2003 1:43 pm
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In D tuning (D A D F# AD) you can play the same G licks if you move down a string.
In other words, whatever is played begining on the 1st string in G, can be played begining on the 2nd string in D. |
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