E tuning Question

Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

I have numerous posts of the tuning (low to high) E D E G# B E . With only 6 strings, why tie 3 of them up with the same note? I know there must be a reason, but the logic escapes me.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Alot of the older stylists like Andy Iona, Dick McIntire and Sol Hoopii did interesting things with the octaves. It just depends on what style of playing floats your boat. For me, those are the players I draw the most from. I play in a group where I'm the primary soloist, but with the octaves on the bottom I can reinforce the rhythm section when I'm not doing horn-like stuff.

Travis Bernhardt · From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

What would you propose, instead?

-Travis

Dwight Mark · From: Denver, Colorado, USA

Because those of us with a rock and roll background, simple minds and no music theory think in barr chords up the neck.

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

I was taught...."Leave out the 3rds in the bass register, it is for 1sts and 5ths." This of course is why the following tuning was one of the very first Hawaiian guitar tunings:

E
C#
A
E
A
E

As well as the tuning I wrote about.

Many of us picked the bass notes with the thumb and the treble notes with the fingers. And of course in those days there was NO such thing as a "walking bass" line. Or at least it had not found its way into the music I was being taught.

Much has changed since then. First of all some "modernists" chose to duplicate the treble register in the bass register:

E
C#
A
E
C#
A Called "A high Bass"

or

E
B
G#
E
B
G#

And with the advent of more strings, the 3rds (bass strings) found their way into E7th, C# minor tunings and E13th tunings:

E
B
G#
E
D
B
G#
E

E
C#
G#
E
D
B
G#
E

E
C#
B
G#
F#
D
B
G#

The latter became rare and most tuned the bottom string to E instead

Then of course Jazz and the walking bass became very popular. And all the rules went out the window.

But I still love that ole "A low bass" tuning. Because it was the first tuning I ever had. So it brings a lot of nostalgia to me.

In fact it is the way I use pedal 8 on a PSG; rather than the way most use it. And oh how it fits my original learning curve

carl

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

Also years ago, this E9/13 was quite popular. I don't know if it's used much today, but; it's one of mine.
G#
E
C#
B
G#
F#, occasionally (E) when needed!
D
E

------------------
“Big John” Bechtel
Franklin PSG D–10 (9 & Cool

Fender ’49–’50 T–8 Custom
Fender ’65 Reissue Twin-Reverb Custom™ 15”
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Larry Phleger · From: DuBois, PA

Thanks for the info. I guess my background in country, honky tonk and western swing makes it hard for me to think beyond the C 6thand E13 tunings.

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