Pedal Steel Guitar Tuning Keys

Tuning the pedal steel guitar.

Pedal steel guitar tuning keys.

And every dominant 7th chord comes from some particular key. The tuning of the open strings more or less makes up the notes of the e9 chord an e9 chord is spelled e g b d f. Keys are explained and how to play scales in different keys on the pedal steel guitar is explained. Pedal steel guitars are played by pressing a steel bar on top of the pedal steel guitar strings with one hand while plucking them with fingerpicks on the other hand.

If none of this makes any sense to you it s ok just remember that a dominant 7th means to flat the 7th note a half tone. Pedal steel guitar tunings. A steel guitar hawaiian. The pedal steel guitar is usually tuned to either e9 or c6 or both in the case of a double neck but there are other tunings.

Every key has a natural dominant 7th chord. Keys now let s say that we want to start on a different note than c but we want to play the major pattern t t s t t t s. The pedal steel guitar is a very unique instrument. The chart below shows all the relationships.

Since january of 1997 the steel guitar forum has been bringing all steel guitarists together in a spirit of friendship and a common love of the instrument. The steel guitar is known for its portamento capabilities sliding smoothly from one note to another emulating characteristics of the human singing voice. So this tuning is called the e9 tuning. The e9 neck of the steel guitar has a range that starts with an open string b that is 2 b s below middle c.

Today non pedal and pedal steel guitarists of all skill levels share their knowledge with many other players every day. It has actually evolved over the years dating back to the early 1930 s with the electric lap steel. The pedal steel itself has four legs several foot operated pedals and often multiple knee operated levers that bend certain strings up and down. Pedal steel guitar machines 210 series this model is designed specifically for use with pedal steels.

Note range of the steel guitar. Sta tite mandolin machines 304 series.