Hi to Low = E, C#, A, F#, E, C#

I teach steel lessons, and most of my students gravitate towards C6(E,C,A,G,E,C) so it’s a very simple tuning change (just 3 strings) and the same string gauges work fine for either tuning.

I began playing Pedal steel in the 1970’s, with a double neck (Fender 2000) E9 and C6 tunings. But the old cable action was a mess. In 1977 at the suggestion of our record producer and steel guitar master, Al Perkins, I sold the old fender and purchased a Shobud LDG (E9 chromatic) Al said the cables were slowing me down. The new guitar was very smooth, and I did improve a lot.

I played mostly pedal steel in a lot of bands, touring and recording, but I always kept at least one other steel or Dobro tuned up to A6. And I always loved that tuning.

THEN IT HIT ME…
The A6 tuning is almost identical to the center and low strings of my E9 chromatic when my A+B pedals are pressed! Hi/low

E9= F#, Eb, A, E, C#,A, F#, E, D, C#

Hi/Low E9 open =
F#, Eb, G#, E, B, G#, F#, E, D, B)
It has taken me all this time to finally figure out why! (I am a slow learner)

Now I bet most of you “no-peddlers” who also “pedal” already knew this, but why didn’t some one tell me sooner?

I just naturally loved the tuning, but now that I can see the correlation, I am going to start playing my Shobud with that in mind (less pedaling, more bar slants)

Ok, I am ready for all the responses by those of you who already made this discovery.

Please let me know if you find this information helpful.

Sincerely;

Dom Franco

[This message was edited by Dom Franco on 24 April 2006 at 11:48 PM.]

Thats some great stuff. I love those revelations!

Thanks for sharing.

C6: C A C E G A C E
B11: B F# B D# F# A C# E
A6: F# A C# E F# A C# E

I find the top E to be a convenient pivot point. Also the A6 guitar tone is more responsive to feel and pressure due to the lower string tensions.

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