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Post new topic Expanded Slide Guitar tunings for the 8 string?
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Author Topic:  Expanded Slide Guitar tunings for the 8 string?
Jim Fogarty


From:
Phila, Pa, USA
Post  Posted 16 Feb 2016 9:59 pm    
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Hey,

In addition to C6 and E13 (or B11), I want to set the third neck on my T8 up with some kind of tuning that's good for blues, Lindley-esque songwriter accompaniment, and slide guitar type work. I figured I could just run it with 6 strings and do Open E (EBEG#BE) or some variation, or Open G (DGDGBD). I've done a lot of slide on straight guitar in those tunings, and it would be nice to have that available on the steel.

But, has anyone taken any of those tunings and expanded them in a way that works for 8 string? For instance, I thought of putting a low F on the bottom of that G tuning, to get a 7th, when needed. I don't want to add too much that would take away from the flavor they have already, though.

Ideas?

Thanks!
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Stefan Robertson


From:
Hertfordshire, UK
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 2:55 am    
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Yeah

Lo - Hi

C, E, G, B, D, F, A, B

Lots of chords and music that you can strum in there.

M7, m7, 7, m7b5, dim7 etc. 6th chords etc.

Enjoy. And great layout for scale work.

Or you can just tune to the sacred steel E7 tuning and do pentatonic scales up and down for days and sound like AJ/Robert Randolph. But that tuning has little chords and no other practical scale positions except for the pentatonics. But easy to learn once you get the chops. Very Happy
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Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 4:56 am    
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I think this is a question that many of us guitarists-turned-steel-players think about. I know I did.

The only thing I can suggest is if you use an A or G tuning, to put the 6th as a bass note so you can have the minor chord. Something like this:

E
C#
A
E
C#
A
F#
E

At least you'd be able to do some bass runs.
Other than that, you can explore hybrid tunings, but they tend to cause more confusion than they are worth.
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Stephen Abruzzo

 

From:
Philly, PA
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 7:50 am    
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Jim.......this is a version of E9 that I got from Mike Neer.

Lo-to-hi...E-G#-B-D-F#-G#-B-E

Very nice tuning that covers 2 octaves like an armpit guitar with easy access to Dom 7 and 9 chords with a straight bar. Good for Speedy West to Elmore James styles.
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Andy Volk


From:
Boston, MA
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 7:58 am    
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Sacred Steeler Darrick Campbell uses this cool E13th ...

E
C#
B
G#
E
B
E
B
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Ulrich Sinn


From:
California, USA
Post  Posted 17 Feb 2016 10:01 am    
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I very much like an re-entrant first string, e.g. like so:

A - C - E - G - A - C - E - D

or

C - E - G - A - C - E - G - D

Good for scales and behind the bar bend.

FWIW, I play with a high G.
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Edward Pilcer

 

From:
New Jersey, USA
Post  Posted 21 Feb 2016 9:31 am    
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For what it is worth, the following is the 8 string tuning I am currently using:
Bb
C#
E
G
A
C
E
F
I find this tuning gives me a lot of flexibility with chords.
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Jim Fogarty


From:
Phila, Pa, USA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2016 5:22 pm    
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Mike Neer wrote:
I think this is a question that many of us guitarists-turned-steel-players think about. I know I did.

The only thing I can suggest is if you use an A or G tuning, to put the 6th as a bass note so you can have the minor chord. Something like this:

E
C#
A
E
C#
A
F#
E



Yeah, I'm going to try something like this in G....and maybe swap the bottom two strings, so the 6th was on the bottom so low to high - E D G B D G B D.....and have the option of raising that E to F (maybe even put it an octave above).

Thanks!
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Stephen Abruzzo

 

From:
Philly, PA
Post  Posted 23 Feb 2016 9:11 pm    
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Jim Fogarty wrote:

Yeah, I'm going to try something like this in G....and maybe swap the bottom two strings, so the 6th was on the bottom so low to high - E D G B D G B D.....and have the option of raising that E to F (maybe even put it an octave above).

Thanks!


How about lo-to-hi...E-G-B-D-F-G-B-D

You have low and high G7 chords, your G major chords, and an Em. Plus a G6. Your low E-B and low G-D are power chords and you get the benefits of the adjacent F and G being a whole tone apart which is great for soloing. Mike Neer advocates that.
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