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Topic: re-tuning for vocals |
Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 8:33 am |
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| I play an 8-string Fender Deluxe tuned to E13th (with the third of the chord on top). Recently I have been playing with a singer that plays most of his songs in Db and Eb. I find that these keys are a bit awkward for this tuning. I'm thinking of changing over to A6th or C6th to put these keys down lower on my neck. Does this make sense to you all, or should I just "tough it out" and make it work in E13th? |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 10:41 am
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| A6 with a 5th on top and a 7th on the bottom - hi to lo - E,C#,A,F#,E,C#,A,G - (actually A6/7) is a pretty good "do it all" tuning. Junior Brown uses that tuning in C and does a helluva lot with it. It has most but not all the interval combinations of a 13th tuning but with more ballz (especially in A) and better access to the keys you mentioned. What you want is a D-8 w/E13 on one neck and this tuning on the other - then you'll be loaded for bear. |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 10:55 am tune away
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| That's basically what Marty Riftkin told me as well, a number of years ago. I.e. E13th and A6th together is very handy. Marty also said to try a C nat on the bottom string of the A6th (higher than the A on the 5th string), so you have a minor chord at your beck and call. Interesting idea. I might try it. |
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Twayn Williams
From:
Portland, OR
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 11:14 am
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Maybe transpose your 13th tuning to another key? Of course you'd need to transpose all your charts...
_________________
Primitive Utility Steel |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 11:32 am
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The easiest thing would be to tune down a half step to Eb13.
(Modified to correct my error.)
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
Last edited by Brad Bechtel on 23 Feb 2009 7:45 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ulric Utsi-Åhlin
From:
Sweden
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 12:09 pm
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Guitar players have a long history of tuning down to
fit in w/ the flatted keys of horns,Hendrix did that
when he paid his dues on the Chitlin´ Circuit,and he
never returned to concert pitch...besides,there´s
no law against it...yet.McUtsi |
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Tom Wolverton
From:
Carpinteria, CA
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 12:57 pm
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Many thanks to all of you for your suggestions. Brad, isn't it 3 half steps from E to Db ? Doesn't the E13th get a bit "rubbery" down that low. I'd have to regage my strings, but I guess it could work. It might sound a bit "dark" down there.
But why the heck not. I have no charts to shift, just a reference point somewhere in my head that gets a fix off of a certain point on the fretboard. After that, it's all moveable to me. (I don't think about letter names of chords much - just numbers like I, IV and V, etc etc. I guess I never learned the alphabet well in school). : ) |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 1:13 pm
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| Quote: |
| What you want is a D-8 w/E13 on one neck and this tuning on the other - then you'll be loaded for bear. |
Michael is right - that tuning setup will enable you to cover just about anything in any key.
I have those two tunings on my T-8, with E7 on the third neck.
| Quote: |
| Doesn't the E13th get a bit "rubbery" down that low. |
The top 6 strings of high E13 are relatively the same as the top 6 strings of C6 with E on top - just moved up two whole steps.
Tunings and recommended gauges
_________________
BIG STEEL |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 23 Feb 2009 7:42 pm
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| Seems like with this guy you want to tune your E13 down a half-step to Eb13. That would be the simplest thing. Your gauges would probably be fine for that, but if you really stick with Eb13, you might want to beef them up slightly. A6 and C6 are great for playing with guitars, and they are okay for the flat keys. So they are good all around tunings. But if all you play is Eb and Db, why not tune down to Eb13 and get all those open strings. But that will still leave Db way up the neck. If you want to tune down to Db13, then move up to substantially thicker gauges. |
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