Country String Pulls
I’ve been experimenting with tunings and string pulls lately. Looking for Country twang sounds. Here’s what I came up with.
Cadd9 tuning
1 D
2 C
3 G
4 E
5 D
6 C
Category Archives: Doug’s News
Chord Practice – E9 pedal steel & C6 lap steel guitar
Chord Practice – E9 pedal steel & C6 lap steel guitar
This is a basic chord exercise that I give to my students. There is a chord chart and an Audio track to play along with. The audio plays the chords three times through.
CHORDS:
4 beats per measure. Click on the image to enlarge:
AUDIO: Practice Track 2:
E9 Pedal Steel Guitar – chord positions:
The chart below shows the same chords and the chord positions on E9 pedal steel guitar. The number above the chord is the FRET you place your bar on to play that chord. The A, B indicates Pedals A, B, standard E9 tuning. Pick any combination of strings 3,4,5,6,8,10 to play the chords.
click on the image to enlarge:
C6 Lap Steel Guitar – chord positions
The chart below shows the same chords and the chord positions on C6 lap steel guitar. The number above the chord is the FRET you place your bar on to play that chord. Keep in mind… to play a major chord on the fret indicated omit the A string. To play a minor chord on the fret indicated omit the G string.
click on the image to enlarge:
The track is also handy for practicing the major scale (G major) and the harmonized scale, and licks, etc. Enjoy
Will the Circle Be Unbroken – EZ C6 lap steel guitar
Will the Circle Be Unbroken – EZ C6 lap steel guitar
Here’s an easy arrangement of an old classic. The audio is just the lap steel played to a click track and rhythm guitar. It’s a little rough, but you get the basic idea! Enjoy
click on images to enlarge:
AUDIO:
Backing Track:
Scarborough Fair – EZ C6 lap steel guitar
Scarborough Fair – EZ C6 lap steel guitar
Here’s an easy version of Scarborough Fair in the key of Am. 3/4 time. Much of it is played using the open strings. When an open string and a “barred” string are played together you need to lift the rear of the bar up to allow the open string to be heard and touch the nose of the bar to the other string. Tip the bar up and use the nose only. That happens in measures 3, 6, 11, 15, 16. No audio for this one. I think you know this tune. Enjoy
click on image to enlarge:
Akaka Falls – C6 lap steel guitar
AKAKA FALLS – C6 lap steel guitar – audio & tablature
This is a pretty Hawaiian tune in 3/4 time. I’m playing a 1940s Gibson Century 6 on the recording. Enjoy.
AUDIO:
TABLATURE:
Click on images to enlarge:
Practice Track:
E9 Pedal Steel Guitar Solo – Invitation to the Blues
E9 Pedal Steel Guitar Solo – Invitation to the Blues
This is a demo I recorded a few years ago. I’m playing an Emmons push/pull student model on the recording. I was selling the guitar at the time and I needed a quick recording to demonstrate the sound. A lot of players were interested in the solo and the ending so I tabbed them out. The Solo starts at 1:09 in the audio below. The ending starts at 2:11.
AUDIO:
TABLATURE – Solo: click on images to enlarge, E = lower E to D#
TABLATURE – Ending: click on image to enlarge
B11 Tuning – lap steel guitar
B11 Tuning for lap steel guitar
B11 is rich in 9th and 7th chords and works especially well for Hawaiian songs. It’s a combination tuning. Part of it is A6 and the other part is B7, B9, B11. There are a few variations of the tuning. The 8-string version I’m discussing here is (high to low) E, C#, A, F#, D#, C#, B, A. The 6-string version is an easy re-tune from C6 tuning. (high to low) E, C#, A, F#, D#, C# (or B).
8-string B11 tuning
Strings 1 through 4 are an A6 chord. The middle strings (omit string 1) are B9 (and B, B7, B11).
Fret 2 is B6, and Open is B9. Whatever 6th chord you are playing, just drop back two frets for the 7th or 9th chord. For example, A6 on fret 12 (strings 1 through 4), drop back to fret 10 and play the middle strings (omit string 1) for A9. That big 9th chord is the signature sound heard in Hawaiian songs like “How D’ya Do” and “Sand”.
The chart below shows some of the open chord positions, with root note A, root note F#, and root note B. There are other open chords that I left off the chart… diminished chord on strings 3, 4, 5. Also Am6, flat 5, Aadd2, etc.
CHORDS on B11 tuning
Click image to enlarge:
CHORD MOTION
Click image to enlarge:
SILENT NIGHT – EZ C6 lap steel guitar
SILENT NIGHT – EZ arrangement, C6 lap steel guitar
Yes, I know Christmas is over, but this is for next year! This is an EZ, user friendly arrangement. No audio for this one… you know how it goes! Enjoy
Click on image to enlarge:
Valco Swing – lap steel guitar, C6/A7 tuning
VALCO SWING – C6/A7 lap steel guitar
This is an original instrumental of mine. The tuning is C6/A7… a combination tuning. The tuning has a full C6 chord and a full A7 chord. (high to low) E, C, A, G, E, C# The tune features a lot of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and pick blocking. Enjoy
AUDIO:
TABLATURE: click on images to enlarge
C6 Lap Steel Guitar – Speedpicking
SPEEDPICKING on Lap Steel Guitar, C6 tuning
Below is audio and tablature for a speedpicking solo I recorded a while back. 6-string lap steel guitar, C6 tuning. Pick blocking is very important for this style of playing. Enjoy
AUDIO:
TABLATURE – PDF – Click on the link… C6LapSteelSpeedpicking