Reece´s 12 string tuning

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

Here´s the tuning Reece Anderson uses (and others are following suit) on 12 string lap.

DFACEGACEGBD (low to high)

Trying this out on my Carter U12 (I don´t YET have an MSA SS) leads me to suggest altering the order of the top 3 strings. Let´s go through the process.

my U12

BEG#BEF#G#BEG#D#F#

the lock lever passes it across to "the B6 side" by lowering 2 Es to D#s and the D# to C#

BEG#BD#F#G#BD#G#C#F#

transpose this up one fret to make it read easier as C6

C((FACEGACE))ADG

strings 4 to 11 are identical to Reece´s tuning. On strings 1 to 3 I have 2 out of 3 of Reece´s top strings, but in another order. OK so I can easily tune that 12th string up a tone and I change Reece´s top 3 string order

DFACEGACE ((B)) DG

Now only the 3rd string is different. So on my E9 universal 12 string I change the 3rd string from the high G# to a string that can be tuned to the B below the 5th string C.

¡¡¡¡¡Voila!!!! In the same way that many change over from CEGACE to C#EGACE depending on the song....I now have a 12 string that can slip between Reece´s C6 12 string to a variant of F9 (E9 up a half tone)

Let´s see how to go from one to the other

Reece (reordered string 2+3) DFACEGACEBDG

raise 8 E to F
raise 4 E to F
raise 3 B to D
raise 2 D to E

gives DFACFGACFDEG
or transposed 1/2 tone C#EG#BEF#G#BEC#D#F#

It´s a wonderful E6/9..or if you prefer an E9 with an extra chromatic string just as Reece´s C6 has an extra chromatic string. It´s a wonderful tuning, specially for song accompaniment and it´s just a quick 5 string retune from Reece´s wonderful tuning.

I can use a lot of my E9 PSG grips and licks, i don´t break that high 3rd string as it´s now an(other) out of order chromatic string.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain.

[This message was edited by MUSICO on 07 December 2005 at 03:42 PM.]

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

I like that tuning that Reece is using. there is a lot of stuff there, for a non pedal. Your idea of working out of B6 is good too. so many ways to play......al:

------------------
My Website..... www.cmedic.net/~almarcus/

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

I thought you would answer Al. The quick retune into F9 gives a tuning with a lot of the aspects of your E69 Universal on PSG.

Reece´s tuning is pure C6 extended to the maximum, fantastic for jazz....but if you do the quick retune to F9 it´s a song accompaniment machine. I reckon I could get through a whole one man show on just the one 12 string SS.....I´d retune the 5 strings for the changeover in the interval.

Swapping the high G# of the E9th tuning for another out-of-order chromatic gives so many possibilities for thumbpicking accompaniment and melody with the fingers.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Very interesting; and almost exactly the same as what I'm looking at (plus a lo A and E) for a 14-string tuning, based on PST13. Great minds, etc.

Reece Anderson · From: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

Jeremy....Thank you for your comments concerning the tuning I use. For those who have not seen it, you will find it below.

D tune 1 tone above the 5th string
B tune 1/2tone below the 5th string
G
E
C root
A
G
E
C
A
F
D

The following chords can be played without using the bar.

C major
G major
G suspended
E minor
C major 7th
F major 7th
A minor
1 suspended
1 major 7th add 9
1 major add 9

Because of the separation of the chromatic strings its even possible to play a 4 note diminished chord on ANY fret which tunes exceptionally well.

This can be accomplished by slanting the back of the bar to the right only one fret and playing strings 1, 2, 7 and 8.

I appreciate your interest in the tuning I use and delighted to respond to any questions.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 8 Dec 2005 10:02 am

We are just all waiting for you to put out a transcription book using this tuning Reece.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Reece, does 1 = C ?

I'm serious....I'm not sure what the 1 is.

[This message was edited by HowardR on 08 December 2005 at 01:05 PM.]

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Howard....

Bill McCloskey · Posted 8 Dec 2005 12:22 pm

I'm a bit confused here. Are we talking about changing the Universal into the same tuning as Reeces's lap steel with a new E9 tuning when you switch back to E9 mode. or are we talking about changing the 12 string tuning on the Lap Steel to a F9 variant. Or both?

Reece Anderson · From: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

Howard R....Yes "C" is the 1. (root) The tuning in intervals is............

2
7
5
3
1
6
5
3
1
6
4
2

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

Bill,
Good question......¿are we talking non pedal or adapting reece´s non pedal research/experience back into Pedal?

My answer...BOTH. Which just shows how versatile and practical Reece´s tuning is.

I at first was trying out Reece´s 12 string non pedal...and found that a quick retune would put it into a really great F9 where most of my E9 experience would work. One light MSA SS...two very different tunings. I´d take it instead of a 6 string acoustic on my one man gigs....and it would be two guitars for the weight of one.

But then I found I wanted to use that extra chromatic string concept and the low note being a 2nd instead of the tonic on Pedal.....so Im looking at going 14 string PSG. That way I can add in the extra strings..not the typical 14 string idea of extended range..but adding more melodic possibilities.

I can´t repeat enough...the more I play without pedals the better I get at playing both non pedal and pedal.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Bill McCloskey · Posted 9 Dec 2005 8:12 am

Well I'm snowed in so I'm going to try it out on both my SS and my MSA Universal Millennium.

Bill McCloskey · Posted 9 Dec 2005 10:35 am

Wow, nice tuning.

I think you just cost me money. After playing it for a while, I thought wouldn't it be cool if I had this and Reece's tuning on my SS Double. I just put a call into Kyle about having the double 8 converted into a double 12.

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

Bill,

¿Couldnt it just be a single 12 and retune between songs?...it´s only 5 strings to retune. That for me is the big advantage.

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Whew! For a moment, I thought Bill was about to order another SS......

Bill McCloskey · Posted 9 Dec 2005 8:19 pm

Well, Howard I'm tempted. I spent all day snowed in playing my SS 12 string. Boy I love that instrument and I love Reeces' tuning.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

I 4 wheeled it to midtown this morning. The snow was gone by 11am. Would have loved to have stayed home & pick.

Yes, that tuning in good hands sure is wonderful.

I sure hope Reece plays Malaguena on his SS again in Dallas this year......

hint hint

.....

Reece Anderson · From: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

HowardR....Your hint is noted, so come by the MSA room and we will take all requests.

Wow....a 4 wheeler in New York City, you are one brave guy.

HowardR · From: N.Y.C.-Fire Island-Asheville

Stanford Lane · From: Oklahoma, USA

I like this tuning. How would one adapt the F9th tuning to a 10-string?

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

Stanford,

F9, E9 basically the same.....

I only mentioned F9 because the theme started from Reece´s C6 and how to retune it to an E9th like tuning.

So if we talk E9 we are just talking about replacing the high G# 3rd string with an extra chromatic string that sits tonally between the 5th (B) and the 4th (E) string. We already have a D#, so it would be a C#.

Talking non pedal this gives you a 10 string (high to low)

F# D# C# E B G# F# E B G#

As it´s easy to do a behind the bar bend of a semitone (G# to A) on the 6th string, you have G# A B C# D# E F# to play melody on.

strings 346 are a nice minor chord.

a lovely progression is Dm Dm/C Dm/Bb A
which you can get
Dm Fret 6 strings 34 6
Dm/C Fret 6 strings 34 7
Dm/Bb Fret 6 strings 34 8
A Fret 5 56 8

To retune to a ten string "reecey" C6 (actually would be B6)

tune the 2nd down a tone
tune the third down a tone and a half
detune the 4th and 8th a semitone

F# (D#) (C#) (E) B G# F#( E) B G#
F# (C#) (Bb) (D#) B G# F#( D#) B G#

transpose it up a tone and you will recognize a very C6 tuning....with that "reecey" extra chromatic string
G D B E C A G E C A

remember 2nd string is tonally between the 4th and 5th
3rd string is tonally between the 5th and 6th

Hope this helps

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

Boy, I love this! This is the most intelligent thread I have ever seen on this forum, now I'll get out and enjoy more, keep going guys! Great Thread!

MUSICO · From: Jeremy Williams in Spain

Well Reece showed the tuning as numbers...showing where each note is in the scale. A great system because then you notice musical similarities...for instance C6 tuned up a tone is D6, looks different, but plays the same. It´s not really a different tuning...more a different capo position.

Reece´s C6 was (low to high)
DFACEGACEGBD
246135613572

My retune to F69 is (low to high)
DFACFGACFDEG
613512351672

Let´s put them in chromatic order for easier comparison

Reece´s C6 was (low to high)
DFACEGABCDEG
246135671235

My retune to F69 is (low to high)
DFACFGACDEFG
613512356712

Let´s try and line them up

ReeceC6 24(6135) (6712) 35
F69 (6135) 1235 (6712)

or alternatively

ReeceC6 24(6135) 67(1235)
F69 (6135) (1235) 6712

These tunings are very different and at the same time very similar. They have blocks of 4 strings in common, same harmonic possibilities, shared knowledge, what you learn in one will function in the other.

¿Doesn´t this make you want to be snowed in with a MSA SS 12 string?

Jeremy Williams
Barcelona Spain

Reece Anderson · From: Keller Texas USA, R.I.P.

Anytime I see a tuning in which the intervals are not shown, or it is not designated to be read from top to bottom or bottom to top, it becomes unnecessarily time consuming for me, and I suspect others as well while trying to determine the tuning presented.

For instance, the C6th tuning on a 6 string
looks like this.

TOP
G I see it as 5th
E ............3rd
C ............1 (root)
A ............6th
G ............5th
E ............3rd

yet if the root (1) is not identified one might assume the G as being the 1, if so, it would look like this.

G one might see it as 1
E ....................6
C ....................4
A ....................2
G ....................1
E ....................6

If it is not designated which is the top, one can imagine how confusing it might become because it would then be inverted.

Designating which string is the root (1) and designating how the tuning is to be read, top to bottom, or bottom to top reveals everything instantly.

I personally prefer to see the numbers vertically as I have presented them which is exactly as they would appear on the guitar, in which case it is not necessary to designate which is the top.

As this thread will attest, the similarities of tunings can much more easily be determined, scrutinized and compared when the procedures are used which is being revealed within this thread.

In the event there may be those who do not know how to convert letters to numbers there is an easy to understand procedure with which to make the determination.

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

That's why I say on my tunings page that all tunings are shown from bass to treble strings. I've been thinking about reworking that display to match what Reese says; it's more logical, but a bit of a hassle to code in HTML.

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Forum Index > Steel Without Pedals	Goto page 1, 2 Next	Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic