Open D Tuning questions

Loren Larson · From: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA

I recently got a triple 8-string console. Up until now I had been playing a double 8 with various typical tunings (C6,A6,E13, etc). So now I have one more neck to play around with.

I was thinking of trying out some version of Open D tuning, as I have used for years for slide guitar (a delta blues thing).

I have not seen this tuning talked about for steel guitar - am I making a big mistake?

Also - I have worked with this tuning on 6 strings, but does anyone have input on adding two more strings. My initial thought was to keep my Open D as the top 6 strings and add on to the bottom end - any thoughts on which notes?

I haven't worked out the string gauges yet, but I am assuming that I should be able to start with a heavier gauge on my high end string (since I have a 0.011 or 0.012 on high D on my National with longer string length). HOWEVER, since the interval between strings in Open D is larger than most typical 8-string steel tunings, am I going to have too heavy a string guage on the lower strings?

Lots of questions, but I appreciate the expert (or at least willing) input!

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

I'm not expert. Not by a long shot, but...

How could trying out open D be a big mistake. Even if others here were to say that it wouldn't be a good tuning or that it lacks options, you may find things in it that none of us have discovered.

FWIW, Kelly Joe Phelps very frequently uses open D, though he is a 6-string acoustic lapstyle player. And open D is a common tuning for Weissenborn.

Try it out, experiment extending it to 8 strings in different ways and tell us how it works for you. We all learn from each other's experiments.

Loren Larson · From: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA

Here is some more info:
based on a standard string gauge chart I should use a 0.016 to get a D. I may end up at 0.074w or heavier for 8th string. Too heavy??

I can start there, or I can put a 0.014 on high string and have a F#.

Any thoughts...

Steinar Gregertsen · From: Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.

I would at least have added a third in the 'bass' section, going d-f#-a-d-f#-a-d.
Not sure what I would have used the 8.string for though, maybe use the first string for a 6th ('b') and/or a 7th ('c').
Could be nice to have that option on top.

Travis Bernhardt · From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Take a look at Freddie Roulette's tuning. Something like that might work (he adds a seventh on string eight).

-Travis

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Hi Loren. You might consider strings 1-6 tuned to straight open D, and then using plain steel strings for 7&8, using maybe F# and C, for a 7th sound, or F and C, for a minor option. I know Joaquin Murphey and Noel Boggs used something similar in approach.

Hope you're having fun with her!

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I'm using this D tuning on my eight string Fender Deluxe:
1=F#
2=D
3-C#
4=A
5=F#
6=D
7=A
8=D
I'm very happy with it so far. It fits perfectly with the band that I'm currently in, as many of our songs are in D, G or A.

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

[This message was edited by Brad Bechtel on 27 April 2003 at 10:23 AM.]

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

What gauges are you using for your D tuning, Brad. What advanages do the double-D strings offer? Are they an octtave apart?

Dwight Mark · From: Denver, Colorado, USA

I use the extra F# on the 1st string and like it. It also helps with the typical climb up to the 9th fret for the minor, the high kind of drops out since I only bar the bottom three strings. The extra high notes helps balance things out.

Dwight

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

I had written the bottom two strings incorrectly in my previous post. I've corrected it now. I'm using the SIT C6th string set and it's working fine so far.

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

Jesse Pearson · From: San Diego , CA

Brad, wouldn't that C# make your tuning a Dmaj7th tuning? If you didn't have the C# in there, then you would have a true D maj tuning.

[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 29 April 2003 at 10:42 AM.]

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I play D13, and I like it a lot:

 E


 F#


 D


 B


 A


 F#


 D


 C

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Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6),
Roland Handsonic, Line 6 Variax

mikey · From: New Jersey

With 8 strings I would use a D7 tuning...L-H D,F#,A,C,D,F#,A,D...least you can play a 7th chord when you want...
Mike

Loren Larson · From: Plymouth, Minnesota, USA

Thanks for all the great input - I made a selection and pieced together a set of strings.

What I used was:
L>H

D .07
D (repeated) .06
A .042
D .032
F# .026
A .022w
D .016p
F# .014

This gave me the "delta" sound I was looking for. Although I could have added C's and other notes, I decided to go with the traditional tuning used for Open D bottle neck. There may be some better economy of movement having certain tones under the bar. However, my thought is that the "feel" of this tuning relies on sliding up-down to hit certain notes.

I was happy with the High F#, but I am still deciding on the low string (which by the way had to be an electric bass string - ouch! they are pricey!)I first tried an A on this string - worked well except the string tension was too loose. I move it up to C, so I could get a D7 chord, but, to me, having the C on a low bass string was not very effective. I then moved up to a double D. This gave a nice strong bass response. I might think about changing string to one 1 octave higher - although I don't expect to ever break that 0.070 string!

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