Perhaps, one of the most ignored and under utilized approaches to playing in just intonation is the slide guitar (lap steel guitar). One of the advantages is that an ordinary guitar can quickly be converted to play in just intonation, without any fussing and bother with fret placement. The use of a ‘guitar extension nut’ ($5-10) will raise the height of the strings temporarily and eliminate buzzing. The selection of a slide is purely an individual choice, but I like narrow elongated glass bottles. And, perhaps, 2 basic playing techniques should be mention that will greatly improve the sound of a new experimenter: first, the slide only ‘touches’ the string that is being played, or rather one tries and reduce the bar sliding on strings not being played; second, the pinky on the hand holding the slide (offhand) is used to dampen the unplayed portion of the strings.
( low to high, left to right)
E A E A C# E
D G D G B D
E B E G# B E
D A D F# A D
E A C# E A C#
E A E F# A C#
D G B D G A
E C G A C E
G B E G B D
G C E G B D
MINI MEGALYRA TUNING (Harmonics 1-4)
C G C G C C ( the last note can be D, Eb, E, that change the feel)
C G C G Bb D
D G D G Bb D
D G D F# B D
C G C G C D
D G D G C D
D A D F A D
D A D G A D
LIGHT STRINGING TUNINGS require the removal of the low E and low A, sixth and fifth string which are replaced with a fifth and fourth string from another set (traditionally). Of course, one is stuck with that stringing, but the advantage is that more complex tunings are available.
A C E G C E
E 7th
B D E G# B E
B D E G B D
C/C# E G A C E
G B D G A D
A D Bb G C E
B D# F# A C# E
B D E G# C# E
Some notes on tuning ‘just’.
It actually is counterproductive for me to give precise instructions on tuning the lap steel guitar. However, if you tune up a guitar with an ordinary chromatic tuning as given, then for all practical purposes you will be in 3 limit Pythagorean tuning. The imprecision of a slide stop totally obliterates any theoretical considerations. Also, traditionally, the pedal steel is tuned in 5 limit just intonation, although, basically, any 3rds and 6ths are tuned slightly flat till the “beats disappear”. Again, tuning theory is actually ignored and personal preferences are de rigueur.
Also, I must confess, I have little in the way of concrete suggestions for tuning in intervals of the higher harmonics and limits. But there is a vast amount of uncharted territory and room for much individual exploration.
Buzz Kimball
NOVOSONIC PRODUCTIONS Spring 2005