| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic Varieties of C6
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Varieties of C6
Andrew Frost


From:
Toronto, Ontario
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2020 10:36 am    
Reply with quote

Looking at 10 string pedal steel C6 as a source, been thinking about various 6 string 'cross sections' to explore on 6 string non pedal.

1 D (or G)
2 E
3 C
4 A
5 G
6 E
7 C
8 A
9 F
10 Low C


For example, the 'standard' 6 string tuning could be viewed as a cross section of string 7-2.

Anybody try this general approach to a tuning with different sections of the 10 string configuration?
I'm thinking FACEGA would be a fun, low sounding tuning to throw on a lap steel, as would ACEGAC, albeit somewhat unconventional.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 27 Sep 2020 10:20 pm    
Reply with quote

FACEGA

Seems kinda cool. Open strings for F, FM7, FM9, C, C6, Am, Am7 — all with adjacent strings.
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)

https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Gene Tani


From:
Pac NW
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 6:23 am    
Reply with quote

You can look in Andy Volk's Slide Rules book for all kinds of ideas
_________________
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 8:02 am    
Reply with quote

I wish I could extoll of the virtues of C13 Jules Ah See all in one post. Let me just say that concentrating strictly on this tuning for several years has given me insight into things I couldn’t imagine could be done, including comping chords like a guitarist on the bottom strings.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 8:55 am    
Reply with quote

Mike Neer wrote:
I wish I could extoll of the virtues of C13 Jules Ah See all in one post. Let me just say that concentrating strictly on this tuning for several years has given me insight into things I couldn’t imagine could be done, including comping chords like a guitarist on the bottom strings.


Mike, I can only find references to Jules Ah See C13 for 8 strings. How is it set up on a 6 string? Is one of the two “C” strings replaced by Bb?
Bb E G A C E or C E G A Bb E ?


Last edited by Allan Revich on 11 Oct 2020 12:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Mike Neer


From:
NJ
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 10:25 am    
Reply with quote

Allan Revich wrote:
Mike Neer wrote:
I wish I could extoll of the virtues of C13 Jules Ah See all in one post. Let me just say that concentrating strictly on this tuning for several years has given me insight into things I couldn’t imagine could be done, including comping chords like a guitarist on the bottom strings.


Mike, I can only find references to Jukes Ah See C13 for 8 strings. How is it set up on a 6 string? Is one of the two “C” strings replaced by Bb?
Bb E G A C E or C E G A Bb E ?


Sorry, I overlooked that detail, for 6 string, I think C6/A7 is very versatile. Again, it is a rabbit hole that I am sure would yield a bounty of new discoveries for years.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Nic Neufeld


From:
Kansas City, Missouri
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 11:45 am    
Reply with quote

Allan, Alan Akaka plays 8 string Jules Ah See C13 frequently (if not primarily...but also many other tunings) as do I, but when he does a tab for students he always does them in 6 string form (to appeal to the most players). He usually uses E-C-A-G-E-Bb, bottom string of normal C6 flattened. Iʻve done that when playing my tricone in C13. Works pretty well.

There are some things you donʻt have available that you normally do in 8 string C13...that big bass string for one, as well as certain slants using the lower strings, but you still have what I consider the primary advantages of C13.

Personally speaking, flattening the upper C would break my brain when playing melodies, but the lower C is out of the way for the most part so it works well to be my optional "color" string for adding in a dominant flavor.

I also agree that C6/A7 works nicely for 6 string. Something about it, its more a 6 string tuning whereas C13 feels more like an 8. Partly because I never really know where to tune my lower strings to when tuning a C13 set to C6/A7...I guess Bb to A and then low C to...well that one is tricky because the maj 3rd that low sounds weird, so sometimes Iʻve detuned it all the way to a low A (hopefully with enough string tension to avoid bottoming out the pickups. But in short I like the lower range on C13 more than I care for it on C6/A7. On a 6 string, youʻre just one string moving around a step and a half to get all three, C13, C6, C6/A7, so try them all.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Andrew Frost


From:
Toronto, Ontario
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 11:47 am    
Reply with quote

Yes 13th tunings in general seem to yeild good things. I've wondered about that Jules tuning with the low root and b7. The gap between C and Bb seems huge but I can see how it could work.
I suppose if you sacrificed the 5th chord tone, you could do something like that with E13 on 6 strings.

E
C#
G#
E
D
Low E

Could work for D13 too.

Alan, the FMA7 thing is tempting. I may give it a spin!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Scott Thomas

 

Post  Posted 29 Sep 2020 12:25 pm    
Reply with quote

Adding on to what Mike Neer posted above, he has a great post on his blog about Jazz comping on the bottom strings using Jules' C13. This could give you some idea of the kind of voicings and slants possible using the Rhythm changes as an example:

http://www.lapsteelin.com/tag/c13/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 11 Oct 2020 12:06 pm     Re: Varieties of C6
Reply with quote

Andrew Frost wrote:
Looking at 10 string pedal steel C6 as a source, been thinking about various 6 string 'cross sections' to explore on 6 string non pedal.

1 D (or G)
2 E
3 C
4 A
5 G
6 E
7 C
8 A
9 F
10 Low C


For example, the 'standard' 6 string tuning could be viewed as a cross section of string 7-2.

Anybody try this general approach to a tuning with different sections of the 10 string configuration?
I'm thinking FACEGA would be a fun, low sounding tuning to throw on a lap steel, as would ACEGAC, albeit somewhat unconventional.


Just curious, and following up.

Have you tried any of your C6 experiments yet, and if so, is one or more going to “stick” for you?
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)

https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Andrew Frost


From:
Toronto, Ontario
Post  Posted 20 Oct 2020 10:52 pm     Re: Varieties of C6
Reply with quote

Allan Revich wrote:
Andrew Frost wrote:
Looking at 10 string pedal steel C6 as a source, been thinking about various 6 string 'cross sections' to explore on 6 string non pedal.

1 D (or G)
2 E
3 C
4 A
5 G
6 E
7 C
8 A
9 F
10 Low C


For example, the 'standard' 6 string tuning could be viewed as a cross section of string 7-2.

Anybody try this general approach to a tuning with different sections of the 10 string configuration?
I'm thinking FACEGA would be a fun, low sounding tuning to throw on a lap steel, as would ACEGAC, albeit somewhat unconventional.


Just curious, and following up.

Have you tried any of your C6 experiments yet, and if so, is one or more going to “stick” for you?




Hey Allan
Yes indeed Ive been tinkering with some of these intervalic variations but none have really stuck as tunings I want to live with per se in 6 string format.
The impetus for this experiment was due to years of playing and thinking in terms of E9 pedal steel which has a B6 'backyard'. So with C6 everything is a semitone away. I've never really gotten to know proper C6 close up in any capacity. I used to use G6 alot on lapsteel so I understand the way it works but have never really gotten inside the legit C tuning headspace and am/was taking this perspective on it as a way to explore it further!
Hope you're well.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Allan Revich


From:
Victoria, BC
Post  Posted 24 Oct 2020 3:08 pm     Baritone (ish) C6?
Reply with quote

C G C A C E

Anyone ever tried this one? The low C would probably too slack on a short scale but might work on a longer scale. On the plus side you’d have a huge range over just 6 strings. On the minus side, you’d have a huge range over just 6 strings!
_________________
Current Tunings:
6 String | G – G B D G B D
7 String | G6 – e G B D G B D (re-entrant)

https://papadafoe.com/lap-steel-tuning-database
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Robert Murphy


From:
West Virginia
Post  Posted 5 Nov 2020 5:11 pm    
Reply with quote

C E G Bb CE. If you don’t wish to play Hawaiian C6 then I can’t find fault with raising the A a half step. All the Major grips are the same (avoid the third string). The major second moves from strings 4-3 to 2-3. No full minor triad but a nice root, minor 3 on strings 2-3. A full minor triad with forward slant 1-22. Same intervals as E7.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron