Alternate tuning structures and ethno-music
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:58 am
I don’t see any category for tunings, so I will put this under Pedal Steel.
The two main tuning structures in use today are some form of E7 (9), and C6 (B6)…in short a b7th based, and a 6th based tuning. Both have added the 9th. A6 (P1P2) can also claim a position in the hierarchy. Using the E9/B6 universal we can have the E neck(NC= the I neck), the A6 neck(P1P2 = the IV neck), and the B neck(L> = the V neck). That is convenient as most simple songs use the I, IV, V progression.
The next move is to get the VIm, IIm, and the IIIm structures. This is easy as IIm7 = C#m7 = E6 = P1…IVm7 = F#m7 = A6 = P1P2…and IIIm7 = G#m7 = B6 = L>. This gives us four tone chord roots on 6 of the 7 notes of the I scale…the seventh note four tone chord root can also be had…you solve for it.
I am using a universal structure to get rid of the middle D to allow for fewer skip grips, and put the four tone chords on adjacent strings in as many places as possible.
The A6 and B6 (IV6 and V6) chords are nice (any 6th will do that has the1,3,5,6,1,3,5,6 series of strings) because the inversions (which have uncommon names) are also on adjacent strings. The ability to change 6ths to b7ths , and the octaves to M7ths adds to our menu of desired chords for the more complex progressions using four tone chord structures. The ability to get the 7#5, and the m6b5 (dim7) chords makes our chord menu “fat”.
The “arch top” = Jazz box folk will appreciate this flexibility…there is more.
We will skip the five tone and up chords for now and limit the above illustration to emphasizing the four tone chord structure availability.
What is the point? = the more chord structures we have the more “types” of music we can play on the PSG.
Most PSG pickers are into “country”, Western Swing, Jazz etc.. There are a few like Al Vescovo and Bill Stafford that are into “orchestra” sounds. The least explored ethno music fields for PSG are the in the Latin vein such as Norteno, Afro-Cuban, Celtic, etc.
Optimizing tuning structures to best fit these styles could provide a larger pasture for musical grazing.
Any interest in exploring alternative setups?
The two main tuning structures in use today are some form of E7 (9), and C6 (B6)…in short a b7th based, and a 6th based tuning. Both have added the 9th. A6 (P1P2) can also claim a position in the hierarchy. Using the E9/B6 universal we can have the E neck(NC= the I neck), the A6 neck(P1P2 = the IV neck), and the B neck(L> = the V neck). That is convenient as most simple songs use the I, IV, V progression.
The next move is to get the VIm, IIm, and the IIIm structures. This is easy as IIm7 = C#m7 = E6 = P1…IVm7 = F#m7 = A6 = P1P2…and IIIm7 = G#m7 = B6 = L>. This gives us four tone chord roots on 6 of the 7 notes of the I scale…the seventh note four tone chord root can also be had…you solve for it.
I am using a universal structure to get rid of the middle D to allow for fewer skip grips, and put the four tone chords on adjacent strings in as many places as possible.
The A6 and B6 (IV6 and V6) chords are nice (any 6th will do that has the1,3,5,6,1,3,5,6 series of strings) because the inversions (which have uncommon names) are also on adjacent strings. The ability to change 6ths to b7ths , and the octaves to M7ths adds to our menu of desired chords for the more complex progressions using four tone chord structures. The ability to get the 7#5, and the m6b5 (dim7) chords makes our chord menu “fat”.
The “arch top” = Jazz box folk will appreciate this flexibility…there is more.
We will skip the five tone and up chords for now and limit the above illustration to emphasizing the four tone chord structure availability.
What is the point? = the more chord structures we have the more “types” of music we can play on the PSG.
Most PSG pickers are into “country”, Western Swing, Jazz etc.. There are a few like Al Vescovo and Bill Stafford that are into “orchestra” sounds. The least explored ethno music fields for PSG are the in the Latin vein such as Norteno, Afro-Cuban, Celtic, etc.
Optimizing tuning structures to best fit these styles could provide a larger pasture for musical grazing.
Any interest in exploring alternative setups?