Description

This is a classic E6 tuning, famously utilized by the legendary Don Helms during his iconic work with Hank Williams Sr. on the Gibson Console Grande steel guitar. It's a foundational tuning for the 'outside neck' style of playing, often associated with the golden era of country music. Its rich harmonic character also lends itself beautifully to Western Swing, Hawaiian music, and even jazz stylings, providing a distinct voice that shaped a generation of steel guitar playing. The 8-string setup provides a vast tonal palette, allowing for deep bass lines and shimmering high melodies, perfect for expressive glissandos and complex chord voicings.

Technical Analysis & Open Chord Voicings

The open strings are configured to predominantly form an E6 chord (E, G#, B, C#) with strategic octave doublings and an important bass A note. From the lowest string to highest, the notes are A1, C#3, E2, G#3, B2, C#4, E3, G#5. This arrangement immediately presents several resonant open chord possibilities:

• E6 Chord: By focusing on strings 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (C#3, E2, G#3, B2, C#4, E3, G#5), the tuning perfectly outlines an E6 chord (E-G#-B-C#) across multiple octaves, providing a rich, full sound ideal for swing and country.
• A minor 7th Chord: Including the lowest A1 string, the open tuning (A1, C#3, E2, G#3) across strings 8, 7, 6, 5 forms a clear A minor 7th chord (A-C#-E-G#). This subdominant chord offers versatile harmonic options, allowing for sophisticated progressions.
• Accessible Triads: The intervallic layout also facilitates easy access to other fundamental chords with minimal effort, such as E major (E, G#, B), A major (A, C#, E), and C# minor (C#, E, G#) through simple barres or slants characteristic of steel guitar playing.

The wide range, spanning over four octaves from A1 to G#5, offers extensive melodic and harmonic possibilities, ideal for both lead and accompaniment, enhancing the characteristic glissandos and expressive capabilities of the steel guitar.

Open Tuning Notes

The target notes for each string are as follows, from the lowest (8th) string to the highest (1st) string:

• String 8: A1
• String 7: C#3
• String 6: E2
• String 5: G#3
• String 4: B2
• String 3: C#4
• String 2: E3
• String 1: G#5

How to Tune

To achieve the Don Helms E6 8-String Steel Tuning, adjust each string as follows. Please note that "semitones" refers to half-steps on a chromatic scale.

• String 8 (A1): Tune up 3 semitones.
• String 7 (C#3): Tune up 2 semitones.
• String 6 (E2): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones).
• String 5 (G#3): Tune down 1 semitone.
• String 4 (B2): Tune down 3 semitones.
• String 3 (C#4): Tune down 6 semitones. Note: Tuning down by 6 semitones (a tritone) is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string if this causes excessive slackness, or if your current string is designed for a much higher pitch.
• String 2 (E3): Tune down 7 semitones. Note: Tuning down by 7 semitones (a perfect fifth) is a significant change. Consider using a lighter gauge string if this causes excessive slackness, or if your current string is designed for a much higher pitch.
• String 1 (G#5): Tune up 4 semitones. Note: Tuning up by 4 semitones (a major third) is a significant change. Consider using a heavier gauge string to avoid breakage and ensure proper tension, especially if your current string is designed for a much lower pitch.

Always exercise caution when making significant tuning adjustments, especially when increasing string tension, to prevent damage to the instrument or strings.