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The Pedal Steel Pages

Steel Guitar Tunings

There are nearly as many ways of tuning a steel guitar as there are steel guitarists. Most tunings are minor variations of the "standard" E9th or C6th, but some are radically different. Just adding a knee lever with an unusual change on it can open a wide range of new musical possibilities to the adventurous player.

Of the many tunings listed below, I recommend Bob Shilling's 10-string E9th as a good starting point for the beginner. It includes the most standard pedal and knee changes, and can serve as a baseline reference for studying the other tunings. Also, I've written an article on E9th theory to help get you started.

I've written an overview of the Sacred Steel E7th tuning. This tuning is rapidly gaining popularity among blues and rock players.

"Nashville" E9th

The E9th copedent is used on most single neck instruments and on the front neck of most double neck pedal steels. The basic string tuning doesn't change much, but people have personal preferences when it comes to extra pedals and knee levers.

Jimmy Day Johan Jansen
Michael Douchette Mike Jones
Carl Dvorcek (12) Bobby Lee (12)
Buddy Emmons Jim Lindsey
Paul Franklin John McClung (12)
Mike Fried Bob Shilling
Jerry Gleason Jack Stoner
Lloyd Green Tommy White
Earnest Bovine (12)

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"Texas" C6th

The C6th copedent is commonly applied to the back neck of a double neck pedal steel.

Jimmy Day Mike Jones
Carl Dvorcek (12 string) Jim Lindsey
Buddy Emmons Bobby Lee (12 string) (8 string)
Paul Franklin Jack Stoner
Mike Fried Earnest Bovine (12 string)
Jerry Gleason Joaquin Murphey (9 string)

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Universal E9/B6

These tunings combine the string pulls of the C6th and E9th copedents.

Reece Anderson's 12-string universal Joe "Mac" McHam's 12-string universal
Lee Baucum's push-pull universal Danny Naccarato's 12-string universal
Carl Dixon's ultimate universal Michael Perlowin's 12-string universal
Thijs Kappen's 10-string universal Sierra Instruments for 12 or 14 strings

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Unusual Tunings
Reece Anderson's 12-string Bb6th Joe Murray's universal B6th
Ed Bierly's 12-string D13th Ed Packard's 14-string "13 Series"
Raybob Bowman's 12-string A6/D9 Herb Remington's 10-string A6th
Billy Jones' 12-string A6th Alvino Rey's big band E6th
Sneaky Pete Kleinow's 8-string B6th Roy Thomson's 10-string E Diatonic
Bobby Lee's F Diatonic 10-string, 12-string Sacred Steel E7th (8 to 14 strings)
Bobby Lee's 8-string D6/G David Wright's 12-string Bb6th

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Hawaiian, Lap Steel, et cetera
Brad's Page of Steel non-pedal tunings. Bobby Lee's double 8
Reece Anderson's 12 string lap steel Andy Volk's favorite tunings
Jeff Mead's Fender triple 8 Mike Fried's double 8 and dobro tunings

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