Tuning Analysis: C6 for 7 Strings

This is a versatile 7-string lap steel tuning designed for the guitar, blending the robust bass foundation of an Open C tuning with the rich, melodic qualities of a C6 chord. It offers a broad harmonic palette, making it ideal for players seeking a full, resonant sound, particularly well-suited for slide techniques and genres such as Hawaiian, Country, or Western Swing.

Technical Breakdown and Harmonic Potential

The open strings are tuned to C2, G2, C3, G3, A3, C4, E4 (from lowest to highest). This arrangement provides a complete C6 chord (C-E-G-A) spread across the instrument, enriched with multiple octaves and perfect fifths.

• The low C2 and G2 strings lay down a powerful, resonant bass foundation, giving the tuning a deep, commanding presence and ensuring clarity even at lower registers.
• Strumming all seven strings open immediately yields a full C6 chord, which serves as a comfortable home base for melodic and harmonic exploration. This makes it incredibly intuitive for playing in the key of C.
• Because the open tuning itself is a C6 chord, many other 6th chords can be easily achieved by simply barring across a higher fret. For example, barring at the 2nd fret would produce a D6 chord, while the 3rd fret yields an Eb6, and so on. This makes transposing simple.
• The arrangement of C-G-C-G on the lower strings makes it simple to form powerful root-fifth voicings or C Major chords, while the inclusion of the A (major 6th) and E (major 3rd) on the higher strings provides the characteristic C6 flavor and adds melodic brightness.
• By selectively muting or fretting certain strings, one can easily derive C Major (C-E-G) or even C dominant 7th chords by altering the E string, opening up a wide range of harmonic possibilities without complex fingerings.

How to Tune

Carefully adjust each string according to the following instructions. Always use a reliable tuner and ensure your guitar can handle the string tension changes, especially for larger tuning adjustments. When tuning strings significantly up or down, allow the instrument to settle before making final fine adjustments.

• String 7 (Lowest): Tune up 1 semitone to C2.
• String 6: Tune up 3 semitones to G2.
• String 5: Tune up 3 semitones to C3.
• String 4: Tune up 5 semitones to G3. Caution: Tuning up 5 semitones is a significant adjustment. We strongly advise using a lighter gauge string for this position to avoid excessive tension or potential string breakage.
• String 3: Tune up 2 semitones to A3.
• String 2: Tune up 1 semitone to C4.
• String 1 (Highest): Keep as is; no change (0 semitones) to E4.

String 7 (Lowest): C2

String 6: G2

String 5: C3

String 4: G3

String 3: A3

String 2: C4

String 1 (Highest): E4