E9 Tuning Explained | Pedal Steel Guitar Lesson
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- Опубліковано 17 чер 2018
- Hello and welcome to Steel Picking! In this video, I thought that I would give a rundown on the E9 tuning and explain some of the mechanics involved with the tuning.
Keep picking!
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Man, I'm going to be watching every day. I only just discovered this.
Make sure to subscribe and hit the notification button. That way you are alerted when we post new videos.
Thanks and keep picking!
Aaron
Same here! And yes you gotta subscribe/notification to get all the good stuff!💯
Great Lesson. Just started playing 3 Days ago (1 hr every day + watching videos constantly). I've been a pro guitarist for 20 years so I'm moving right along. Today I noticed how far up your thumb pick is. Way past the tomb nail! I've been struggling hard with the thumb and been playing with it on the nail. Moved the pick up to where yours is and BAM! WAYYYY EASIER!!! Awesome! You never know what you're gonna figure out just by putting yourself in a lesson with you. Thanks and great playing by the way.
That is the great thing about watching other players is that it may help you pick something up that might take you months or years to learn on your own. Glad to hear that you got a steel and hope you are enjoying it! If we can help out in any way, let us know!
Keep picking!
how are you fairing now as a steel player man? Just picked mine up two days ago.
3 days in here! How are y'all after 3 and 2 years? @thepushfitzyfiy @bayouboy816
Thank you for your contribution to the beginner!!! The info I have received from you is pure gold!!! I am picking up my first pedal steel tomorrow☺So happy that you explained the basics in the 2 videos that I have watched so far!!! Look forward to learning more, but will practise what I have already learned before moving on
Wonderful! Hang in there and we are glad to help. If you can send me a picture of your new guitar.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Wow, that really cleared up a ton of confusion for me! Thank you for making it easily understandable.
Mark, glad to help.
Stay safe and healthy!
Aaron
You are a good teacher. You do not speak too fast. You pick each string one at a time so we can clearly hear each string, rather than all 3 at the same time. I like your instruction.
Thomas, thanks and glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Thanks so much! I'm getting a pedal steel from my cousin and this is the most helpful video I've found.
Glad that it could help, Patrick! We are going to try to do some beginner lessons in the near future; hopefully those can continue to help!
Keep picking,
Aaron
You Sir are a master teacher! This is the best pedal lesson yet, thank you!
Thanks so much.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
This is very well explained you're a very good teacher at this particular instrument I have to say
Thank you for the kind words! Glad that the video could help out!
Keep picking!
An "up to date" demystifying of the E9th tuning. Very nice video Aaron.
Thanks so much and glad you liked it!
Aaron
always the most mysterious instrument and has always intrigued me more than any other. You sir have started to unwrap the puzzle Thank you
T Jame, glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
I'm a six string picker but this was fascinating.
Thanks!
THANK YOU SIR!!!! I played for a few years about 15 years ago and still have my Carter S-12. Looking at playing and re-learning again soon! I've been reviewing your posts and they have made me want to get back to playing steel. Problem is, I'm trying to learn Dobro, Banjo and 6 String lap steel all at once! Not good, no time and frustrated to say the least. Your channel has certainly been invaluable! I could never figure out the tuning concept until now with your video. You are a lifesaver my friend! Thanks again!
John, thank you so much for the kind words. Hope you get back into the steel and have many years of musical fun. Hope we can help you on your journey.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Just got my first steel guitar. Always wanted to learn this instrument. Been playing guitar mandolin banjo and Fiddle for many years. But this is an entirely new Beast! Love your easy-to- understand explanations! And the southern accent makes it a little easier LOL.
Doug, glad to hear you got a guitar. Hope we can help along the way. Watch the videos awhile and if you want some more one on one I am back giving Skype lesson. Keep at it and enjoy the journey. What kind of guitar did you get?
Keep Picking!
Aaron
this is great. It talks about a topic that has always confused me, and the guy sounds just like an old friend of mine from Little Rock.
best video I've ever watched on this; you're good, man, really, really good:)
Charles, thanks so much for your kind words.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
100% fabulous. Easy to undertand. Great teacher !! THANK YOU
Rick, thanks for the kind words, and glad to help.
Stay safe and healthy
Aaron
Great Lesson on the E-9 tuning I have my guitar in Open E Tuning, But I had to Change my pull Rods to work with my Tuning !
I hope the videos are helping you. If you can get the basic 2 pedals and 2 knees you will be able to play a great deal of music. A pedal should raise 5,10 a whole and B pedal should raise 3,6 a half. The knees should be raising 4,8 a half and one to lower 4,8 a half. With this you can work a lot of the videos I will post.
Keep picking!
Aaron
This is the best lesson explaining the pedal steel. A+!
Thank you very much, Gary! Glad that it could help!
Keep picking!
This was amazing. You really did demystify the tuning for me. Great lesson
Glad it was helpful!
Those "weird" open strings with the B string also give you a five chord without moving the bar. So you can play a 1, 4, and 5 chord with the bar in one position. Thanks for doing these! This beginner 71-year old is very appreciative!
Thanks for sharing and the kind words.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
WOW Thanks! A new trick! I'm 3 days in so anything like this amazes me.
You did demystify the e9 tuning very well.
Thank you very much, Willy!
Keep picking!
First time I see an instructional video with someone do something useful with strings 1 and 2! They are indeed chromatic strings added "in between" 5,4 and 4,3 but it seems very few instructors mention them.
As you get further into your playing, these strings can become very useful in finding melody lines and adding extensions to our chords such as 9ths and 7ths. I tend to work with beginner students using the major groups or grips then as we go further along I introduce the 1st and 2nd strings to show the benefits of that.
Glad that you liked it, thanks, and keep picking!
Aaron
Thank you for such great information! I’ve played guitar for 30+ years and the steel was a bit foreign to me but you’ve made me feel like this is something I can get down. Much appreciated. I will definitely be tuning in more as I progress. Cheers
Great to hear! Anything that you are doing on the guitar try and duplicate on the steel. I used an acoustic guitar to figure out chords on my steel when I first started. I could find chord books for guitar but not for a pedal steel so I improvised. Hang in there and if we can help just ask.
@@SteelPicking thanks so much! Have a great week
I appreciate this video! Excellent, well paced, clear instructions. Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Very helpful video. Thanks
Hey buddy I am glad it helped!
Keep picking!
Aaron
Easily the most helpful video for understanding the tuning, and how to use it. I wish I could just take lessons with you. Thank you for making this available for everyone.
Thank you for the kind words and we appreciate it.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Yes, just found this as I embark on learning Pedal Steel with my Carter Starter... Wonderful intro! Thank you!
@@tkdunn Glad you liked it . We are glad to promote the steel and help players along their journey.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Great teaching. Thank you.
You are very welcome
thank you so much this is incredibly helpful
David, you are welcome and glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
This is super helpful. Thank you!
Glad it could help, Tony!
Keep picking!
This is really helpful. thank you!!
No problem.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Excellent video! Thank you so much.
Abraham, thanks glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Officially the video that got me on my way.
Jedi, so glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
This helps a lot! Thank you!
No problem; glad that it can help, Colin!
Keep picking!
Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
beauty thankyou I just inherited a steel..long time guitar player..and im trying to figure this out and this helped me tons thanks
Thank you so much! It is always great to hear about new pickers playing the steel. We are in the middle of filming a beginner course currently; so hopefully we can get those videos out soon as well! You may want to subscribe to be notified when they are posted!
Keep picking!
Thanks..a great explanation!
Glad it was helpful!
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Awesome lesson, thank you
Thank you for watching!
Keep picking!
This is the best teaching video for steel I have seen anywhere. Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words! Glad that it could help!
Keep picking!
Aaron
WELL GENTLE MEN I;M 76 AND MY GOAL IS AMAZING GRACE THATS ONE OF MY BUCKET LIST I CAN PICK OUT A TUNE ON A GUITAR BUT THE STEEL HAS ATE MY DINNER IVAN FROM ILLINOIS.
That is great to hear, Ivan! We do have a melody lesson for that song available; so make sure to check it out!
Keep picking!
WoW......This video was amazing. In a matter of this video, I learned to play the music break solo in Alan Jackson "Remember When."
Is it Lloyd Greene?
LoL....I think it is him. That is the nicest, smoothest steel blend solo. Love it.
thank you Aaron
Thank you! I'll watch this again until I get all the info.
Jerrel, thanks glad to help.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
@@SteelPicking With your helpful and awesome videos, I certainly will!
Framing it around a 6-string is extremely helpful for me, thank you!
Sam, thanks!
Keep Picking!
Aaron
I do wish there was some books for beginners.
@@dawnerampersad4729 Dawne, we have been trying to get our beginner chorus out for a while now. Hopefully we can wrap it up soon and have it available for the beginners out there.
Stay tuned and Keep Picking!
Aaron
Thank you.I love the bend, hope to have one of these one day. There's a bender on thed key board st church? Thanks agsin
Thank you, Jackie!
Keep picking!
Great lesson Aaron! Thanks for showing about the 9th tone. I always had trouble with that one. Your amp sounded great with your steel...was this the Roland amp? If so,what model is it? Thanks again for an awesome lesson!
Don, thanks. The tuning is at first a little strange. I know the tuning was set up by some great players so I am going to work within the existing tuning. I would love to have known their thought process, and wish it would have been documented. The amp is the Roland Blues Cube Artist. I still like it and love the light weight
It is good to hear from you.
All the best!
Aaron
I stopped 6.5 minutes in to say you're doing a brilliant and thankfully simple job in your explanation. I would LOVE to take lessons from you! Wish yu were in California. I'm a Newby with 50 years traditional guitar exp...do you any right hand/picking basic techniques or exercises....I'm not sure how, or what order I shd be utilizing T,1, and 2 if ya kno what I'm trying to communicate...I heard Joe Wright say "Right hand is everything" or that's what he's basically saying, and I'm on agreement... thanks in advance . You're a great player, and a very mellow and patient man...its all in your aura
Thank you very much for your kind words, Kevin! We have been working on a beginner course for a while now that we are hoping to finally release that will have a lesson dealing with right hand picking. Life has been hectic; so it's been hard to get it out. Make sure to subscribe so you can be notified of when it comes out.
Sometimes the picking pattern can depend on the song or string groups being used. I have always been a proponent to do what comes natural such as "Thumb Index" or "Thumb Middle". The way I look at it is that when you are first playing, try to do what comes natural with your right hand. Then you start working on other things like blocking and then hand placement.
We're hoping to cover these things later on, but just know for now that, in our more recent videos, we have a closer camera angle of my right hand which should hopefully be able to help out. And, I try to call the fingering out for specific licks that require it.
Glad to have you as part of the steel guitar family and hope that we can help out!
I hope that helps, thank you again, and keep picking!
I'm learning
Thanks for checking out our channel. All the best to you.
Great stuff thx! Hey is there a lesson on what your playing the last 1-2 mins thx!!!!
Thanks, and as of now no lesson on that. I was just noodling glad you liked it.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Excellent video! I inherited my dad's Fender D8 Stringmaster and haven't been able to understand it yet. I need a link to 8 string tunings video like this. I'm missing 2 strings and the numbers here probably don't add up for 8 string and then I still have to figure out those 8 pedals...... BUT...you absolutely did demystify the way I need to approach this instrument, Thanks.
Appreciate it, Ed! Glad that you got your dad's guitar; I have several that belonged to my dad as well. Maybe you can find some tunings online for it. I think they used to use some form of an E on the top neck and a form of an A6 on the back. That's what my dad used for his 8 string I believe.
Keep picking!
@@SteelPicking Oh it's tuned, I just needed a different way to approach it. Your video helped a lot, especially after I went into the other room and tuned it up and gave it some more thought.
I am using the C6/E9 10 string sets. For the neck closest to me I am not using the 2 lower strings of the C6 10 string set (C/G) so from low to high, I have A,C,E,G,A,C,G,E. The other neck is B,D,E,F#,G#,B,E,G#. (that is the 8 strings from the low end of the 10 string set).
After hauling this guitar around for almost 10 years (stored and moved with no case) I had it rebuilt
and that's the way it came back to me. I told the guy to leave the tunings as they were but he failed to re connect 4 knee levers. He told me I have to figure out what I wanted. The 1st 3 pedals are for the E9 neck, the other 5 for C6. Knees are still disconnected though; I do have all brand new parts when I'm ready.
So, .... if I understand it right.... when I see 10 string tutorials I can ignore strings 1 and 2 for E9, and 10 and 9 for C6. ( I'm looking for the triads, and scales). The pedals match the tuning chart on the string set so I should be good to go as far as getting a better start this time around. I played fretted instruments for 50+ years and your video set me out on a better path this time around. Thanks again.
btw, the knee levers were built in my dads machine shop and were a prototype design by Red Rhodes. This guitar was dads personal guitar, the oldest of 3.The 2 others were 10 strings and already had knee levers. I still remember when they stripped it down and started drilling holes in the frame. I thought "Well, there went the value of that antique." Little did I know that Red Rhodes would go on to be known for more than just playing a steel guitar.
@@SteelPicking Thanks to your de-mystification of the PSG I have moved on from the D8. I found a ZB Custom D 11/10 with 9 pedals and 5 knee levers. I've only had it a week and thanks to your videos I now am ready to tackle re-connecting the 4 knee levers on the D8. Words can not express how grateful I am.
what is the pedal below your right foot? Volume? I think that is also one of the signature sounds but I can't tell what its doing
Yes, you are right; I am using a volume pedal.
Keep picking!
What are the string notes from 1 to 10 in open position in the e9 tuning? Just purchased a 10 string emmons and do not know anything about it…… just learning
Terry, just Google E9 tuning explained and my video on this should come up.
Thanks!
What brand and kind of Pick are you using
Mike, sorry for the late response. I am using Fred Kelly thumb picks and JF finger picks. I have light, medium and heavy in the finger picks but mostly I use the orange ones. I think the JF finger picks are no longer available. A good alternative would be Kyser finger picks. A buddy of mine gave me a pair of Kyser's and they work well.
Where do you teach
Right now we are just doing the channel.
I enjoy your teaching style and keeping it simple for us newbies. I have a 12 string and am wondering if all this still works or if a 12 string needs different beginner instruction. Was a 12 string a mistake? Seems everyone is playing 10 strings.
Brent don't worry. The 12 string will work fine. Normally strings 1 through 10 are exactly the same. Glad the videos are helping.
@@SteelPicking great thanks! My mind swirls when perusing the forum and seeing all kinds of copedent variations. But I get that after a certain level of skill it’s a perfect instrument to customize to one’s liking. Thanks again.
cool
Thanks!
It looks like your guitar has an extra pedal in the 0 position but you still just have 8 pedals in all. Are you sacrificing a c6th pedal? Is the first pedal the Franklin change? I was thinking you had the day pedal arrangement at first, I'm extremely curious.
DavesWorld76 I am pretty sure Aaron has the emmons setup. I'm not sure what he has on his 0 pedal exactly (I think the Franklin pedal) , but i lower 5&10 a half tone on my 0 pedal. I did have the Franklin pedal there. It's a more ideal placement for the Franklin pedal imho. I'm pretty sure fred will setup most Justice guitars with a 0 pedal and then put A,B C unless otherwise directed.
Yes sir you are correct. I did away with the first pedal on my C neck. I have had guitars in the past with 9 pedals and find I have a hard time with the volume pedal. We have an equipment and rig run down video that goes over my pedal and knee set up. The first pedal lowers 5,10 a whole.
Hope this helps.
Aaron
Thanks.
Keep picking!
Aaron
I was wondering, do any Pedal Steel players use more than the usual thumb and 2 finger picks?
It sounds beautiful, by the way; very sad too, sometimes. 🤗😊
Raymond, I have seen a few use three finger picks, but that is not the norm. Normally you would strum the strings like a guitar player if you are trying to play more than four notes at a time.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
Hi everyone, I'm new here, but I have been messing around with 6 string lap steel and a UK built 10 string pedal (can't remember the make) for a while now, but not really taken the theory side of it onboard too well. I have a couple of questions. Firstly, my pedal steel has the three pedals in reverse order, and it only has one knee leaver, do I need to try to get the pedals reversed, and do I need another knee leaver...? Maybe because of lack of theory on the instrument, but I seem to have a hard time getting minor chords. 2nd, I am thinking of buying another pedal steel but it only has 8 strings and only the three main pedals, no knee leavers, should I not bother as it might be limiting...? Cheers, Alan.
Alan, glad you found our site. The two floor pedal configurations or generally called the Emmons ABC and Day CBA set up. Yours is the Day, named after Jimmy Day. I feel like the most common or the one used the most would be the one I am using like , the Buddy Emmons arrangement. I would suggest a single ten string with 3 pedals and 2 knees at least. The E to F knee and the E to Eb knee will help give you a lot to work with. The vast majority of what you hear will be played on a 10 string guitar so stick to that. Check the steel guitar fourm for used guitars and good info. Hope this helps.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
@@SteelPicking Hi Aaron and thanks for your reply, by the way Aaron is my youngest Son's name...! anyway, the steel I have is a ZB custom, now although it's only got the 3 pedals (in reverse order) and the 1 knee leaver, it seems to have all the mechanism to take more knee leavers, would it be viable to get someone like Bennetts here in the UK to try and sort it out, or would you think this a waste of money...?
Alan, it wound not hurt to get an estimate to see what they would charge. The steel is quite specific so it would be best to have a steel player look at it. Also I am not familiar with the mechanics on a ZB, so I do not know how hard they are to work on. You might keep the ZB and try to start on it. The main thing to me would be getting it to tune up and play true. If you reach out on the fourm you might locate a steel player in your area who could help you .You can sometimes find good used beginner models for around 1k . Hope this helps.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
@@SteelPicking Hi Aaron, firstly, happy new year to you and yours. Ok, my ZB seems to tune up ok and hold it fairly well. there's some video of me playing it on my Facebook page...facebook.com/alan.hitt.77 Send a friend request as it's not a public page. then scroll down a bit and there are about 4 videos of my band from 2001 in rehearsals for a festival here in the UK, quality is ok, but shot from a static camera, but you will get a good idea of what the ZB sounds like, and my rather basic offering on it...lol. any critique will be most welcome, cheers, Alan.
Further: should you decide to take a peek at my Facebook page to check out my ZB, I've just had a look and the relevant video is on the photos and videos page, should come straight up.
hmmm- about as clear as mud - are you trying to say that the tuning is like it is because it's the best compromise for a system built on the idea of voicing different chords by pressing different pedals? just curious - i'm new to this
This is my humble attempt , and thoughts on the evolution of the tuning. The steel mechanically manipulates strings to create different voicing and chords. The strings are governed by physics vis-a-vis tension . You can only bend them so far before they break , so the tuning has a 7th D, 2nd F#, Maj7 Eb , 3rd G#, 5th B in the open E9th tuning. The F# note on top or the 1st string is the 9th. This facilitates the need to only bend mechanically one whole tone the B to C# to achieve all the notes in a Major scale in the open position. This in turn lends itself to achieving most of the common chord voicing with minimum pedal are knee manipulation.
after looking into it more (i'm a newbie to be fair) i think it would be much clearer to say that the fretting or noting bar controls the pitch - the other hand plucks - and the pedals control what are essentially the CHORDS or the harmonic or timbral relationship between the strings - the pedals move them up and knee levers move them down for a given pedal. and DONE. no need to overcomplicate it - at least as an intro. I just found myself getting really frustrated as you were going into details first without explaining the basic layout - what i think is BRILLIANT about the pedal steel is that each action does something very different - unlike playing a 'normal guitar' where the pitch control is getting all messed up with the chording - which makes it much more difficult to teach in some ways
The 3rd tone G# is raised a half tone mechanically to A. So only the G# to A, the 6 string and the 5th string B to C# are changed by mechanical means. The tuning reduces the need to bend any string more than a whole tone thus reducing string breakage.
Aaron..please please do a short video and just pluck one string at a time from low to high..for just tuning by ears sake...i cant afford a tuner right now but i can tune by ear just fine...absolutley no one on the internet is offering a video with this simple request. Just a standard E9 tuning. Picking each string a few times would be soooo appreciated Thank you for your time and consideration. Scott W.
Scott, will do. Good idea. Stay tuned.
Keep Picking!
Aaron
@@SteelPicking so cool.. You seemed like the nicest guy out of everyone that has vids up so i figured you would do it !! Thanks again .
NO disrespect at all. But "chromatic" strings on the E9th tuning is a "misnomer". The word chromatic vs diatonic means that ALL 12 notes are called "chromatic"; while using ONLY the 7 notes in the Major Key scale (Do Re Me Fa Sol la Ti Do) are diatonic.
Except for the 7th string "D", none of the other strings are chromatic on the E9th tuning..
Again NO disrespect. I know, I know, that MOST pedal steel guitar players use the term when talking about strings 1 and 2. I use it too some times. But it is still wrong.
For what it's worth.
Pat none taken. We do not have 12 notes or all the notes of a chromatic scale. Just a habit calling it that. We have an E tuning with a F# for the 9th. Again no problem. Thanks.
Keep Picking!
Aaron