C-9----?

Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

I had this crazy dream last night,,,,, I was playing a gig and low and behold my tunings were regular C-6 and instead of E-9, my outside neck was tuned to C-9. In my dream I was playing the livin' s^^t out of it. I even had my fret positions down with no problems.
In my mind, I got to thinking more about it today. As I played the "mind tunes", I was still at ease with it. Now, I thinking about trying it on one of my guitars for real. Hell, it might work!!!! And just think,,,,that damned little G# 3'rd would no longer be a threat. It would be a .014 guage E note that raises to F just like on regular C-6. My only wonder at this time is if the "tembre" of the tuning would be to my liking?
Has anyone tried this before and if so, what were your conclusions?
Thanks,
BB

------------------
If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Uh-oh. Now you got me thinking again.

Roy Thomson · From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada

I went to D9th for about six months this year and came back to E9.
Two reasons:
1.E9th has more sustain,
2.Pedal action is lighter
That's my comparison with D9th.
I would probably find C9th too
"sluggish" for my liking.
I could be wrong?
If you try it Bobby, let us know
how you make out.

------------------
http://www.clictab.com/royt/tabmenu.htm

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Also, all of the 12th to 17th fret stuff, that seems to be a 'mainstay' would now be from the 16th to the 21st fret.

Kenny Forbess · From: peckerwood point, w. tn.

Bobby,
go search "tuneing down E9",
1 mar 01,, pedal steel.
I posted the day set-up copedent for C9th , also string guages,,, this set-up has no chromatics tho.
But, you probably already have all this worked out.

Sure gives you a good big fat tone.

------------------
66 Emmons D-10 bolt-on

Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

Man,
I'm really tempted to try this. I am gonna' wait till after my New Years Eve gig though. I would probably like it here in my shop just fine, but to try it out in the heat of battle on the bandstand might be bitting off more than I could chew. I'm chicken I guess.
Dreams are one thing, and reality is another.
BB

------------------
If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

What you are going to miss is the voicing. Torturing that 011 to within an inch of its life is part of the sound of E9. As mentioned before, even D9 takes a lot of the life out of the tuning. I've tried D9 for a while, but C9 would be something different from E9 to the ears. Not saying better or worse -- it's something akin to a baritone guitar -- single notes are cool and fat, but chords are muddy and the sparkle is gone, compared to a Tele.

Just my prediction. Ray Price shuffles won't sound the same.

------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro

Larry Harlan · From: Hydro, Oklahoma

Bobby, would this be considered a "Universal" tuning, OR, a replacement tuning for E9th or C6th? Best regards, LBH

Perry Hansen · From: Bismarck, N.D.

Bobby, there was a Picker in Alaska in the early 60s by the name of Ray Robinson, Worked with Paul Harper and also Johnny Colingsworth. Anyway, he had a Fender 1000, sit on a stool, and his tunings were, bottom neck, C6, top neck, C9. He said this way he did't have to think when he changed necks. He was an awsome player.

Perry Hansen · From: Bismarck, N.D.

P.S. I have an Albun of Johnny Colingsworth with Ray Playing if anyone would like a copy.
Perry

Jody Sanders · From: Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.

Hi Dr. Bowman. Years ago Buddy did a song with Faron titled " Everytime I'm Kissing You" and he got a "9th" pedal sound on C6. You might check wirh The E and get some insight into the C6/9th or find out how he did it. See you down the road, Jody.

Bobby Bowman · From: Cypress, Texas, USA, R.I.P.

Hey Perry,,,how you doin'?
Larry, Not as a universal, the very same as a regular E-9'th except in the open key of C. A and B pedals would put you in F,,,and so on.
BB

------------------
If you play 'em, play 'em good!
If you build 'em, build 'em good!

rhcarden · From: Lampe,Mo / USA

I tried C-9th on my 13 string BMI. I had all my E-9th changes with C-13th and F-9th pedals. I didn't care for the feel, or the sound, so I moved up to E-9th. It would probably work if you had a long scale guitar so that you could use plain strings on the 5th and 6th. I knew a guy years ago who had one pedal on a 26" scale stringmaster that used a C-7th tuning. He had a good sound. On the right guitar, I think it would work.

------------------
Bob Carden 66 Emmons P/P 8/9
BMI 13 string 7/7

[This message was edited by rhcarden on 30 December 2002 at 10:24 PM.]

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

If you play country a lot, this would put the "popular" country keys of "G" and "A" higher up the neck, and force you to play more in the second register. On the other hand, stuff in the key of "C" and "D" (also popular country keys) would be easier, being in a lower register!

In the "real world", it might make you sound a little different, but I doubt it would actually improve your playing...you probably play pretty good already!

Gary Carriger · From: Victoria, Texas

I've been playing D#9th for several years now and love it. Took a little getting used to - as far as position marker go.
However, my reasoning had more to do with working with fiddlers who love keys of D, A, E - i.e. on the harmonic frets on steel. As I disliked playing on those frets, dropping my tuning 1/2 steps solved that problem.
Think out it for a moment, if you currently play E9th, do you enjoy playing in Eb, Bb or F?
Gary

James Winwood · From: New York, New York

I tried C9 using my low C string as the root, comparitive to the low E in E9. Pulled the E to F and G string to A. Well I didn't like it. The G string is too thick sounding for the country stuff. No snap or sparkle. I came to the conclusion that the timbre and gauge of the strings in the E9 tuning suits its changes best. I do have some country changes on my s-12 c6th, but they are on the higher strings, because they sound better there.

Paul Graupp · From: Macon Ga USA

Bobby: I had that dream for years and so when I finally got down to my last guitar, I decided to let Bud Carter set it up for me.
As Bob Carden said above, I could not get the sound I was hoping for. I worked on it for some time and even tried a different pickup to no avail. I finally went back to my Cb6th setup. I'm not trying to influence you but if you look at it closely you'll see what I was hoping for but couldn't handle. The open tuning is in the key of G without the very lowest string from a standard 6th setup.



string/note  guage  P-5   P-6   P-7   K-X





1      A     .010   


2      F     .011    G           F#


3      E     .012                       F


4      D     .014    E


5      B     .018           C


6      G     .024                A


7      E     .026                F#


8      D  


9      B                    Bb


10     G


11     E


12     C

String guages for 8 thru 12 are optional.
I did find that the front chromatic strings when used with the Bob White M7/9 P-7 pedal really had some unusual and distinctive voicings. But C9th was never there as I had known it even though the 9th ( D ) was there and it made sense theoretically. it didn't true out like I was used to hearing C6th. The whole tone raises on strings 2 and 4 were also very effective. Maybe a better mind and hands could make it work.

Regards, Paul

[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 02 January 2003 at 01:05 PM.]

[This message was edited by Paul Graupp on 02 January 2003 at 01:08 PM.]

rhcarden · From: Lampe,Mo / USA

This is the tuning I have on my BMI. It's the same as what I tried in C and didn't like. Pedal 6 gives me E-6th and pedals 6 and 7 gives me A-9th. (pedal 6 on C-6th)

    13 String Extended E-9TH / E-13th Tuning





      LKL1 LKL2 LKV1 LKV2 LKR  1   2   3   4   5   6   7  RKL RKR


1  F#            G/G#


2  D#             E                                        D/C#


3  G#                                       A           A


4  E    D#   F                                                 F#


5  B                   C    D   A       C#      Bb  C#   


6  G#                               F#      A       B   A


7  F#             G                                 G#  F 


8  E    D#   F              


9  D                                                       C#


10 B                   C                C#


11 G#                                       A       


12 F#


13 E                                            D

------------------
Bob Carden 66 Emmons P/P 8/9
BMI 13 string 7/7

[This message was edited by rhcarden on 02 January 2003 at 10:04 PM.]

MARK GILES · From: HAMILTON, TEXAS

Bobby, A great steeler from around these parts named Mitchell Smithey used to play an MSA ss classic tuned to D9. He had heavier guage strings. He liked the timbre just fine. Of being the great player that he was, certainly, I thought he sounded great. Oh yeh, no string breakage problems. Mark

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Bob Carden, I really like your ideas; a fresh approach to pedals 2, 3, & 4, with the E->F# raise on RKR. Something I might try.

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

Oh where, Oh where could that Carl Dixon be...........

Dan Keough · From: Anchorage, AK

Perry
My name is Dan Keough. I live in Anchorage, Alaska. I came to Alaska with a band in 1963. I met Paul Harper and
Johnny Collingsworth, Ray Robinson. Played many times with all of them. They were all great musicians. In regard to your C-9th tuning info. I'm pretty sure that Ray used a D-9th. The reason being his 1000 like mine would break the A flat
string. He changed to E-9th when he got his permanent Sho-bud. I had the same problem with my 1000. But when I got my 2000 it hardly ever broke strings but was a beast to play. Ray was the one that got me to reverse the top strings. Putting the E flat first then the F sharp second. Works better for me. Don't know where Ray is now. He was in Seattle. Johnny is dead and so is Paul Harper. Johnny Collingsworth sister operated the VFW club up til a few months ago when she died. I played there quit a bit for her. Nice lady.
Thanks,
Dan

Forum Index > Pedal Steel		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic