Nashville Tuning

[TelePaul]

I'm not talking about lap-steel tuning, or E9 tuning...i'm talking about using a 12 string set on 2 six strings...although I'm a little fuzzy about the details. Anyone know how this works?

 

[Light]

The way most people seem to do it (and the way I do it) is to use the octave strings for the four lowest strings (E, A, D, and G), but some people use a normal G string and only go up an octave on the E, A, and D strings. I have a guitar that I keep setup as a high strung (which is another name for it) guitar (actually, the first acoustic I built, but that is neither here nor there). I find I get better results with a high strung guitar if I use the gauges from a 12 string medium gauge set, as opposed to a light set, because 12 string sets are a bit lighter than six string sets normally anyway. There is one pretty major issue with it if you want to record with it, however: Intonation. If your guitar is setup for a normal six string set, it will NOT play in tune up the neck. So, the thing to do is try it and see if you like it. If like it enough that you are going to use it a lot, you should probably get a guitar setup just to be high strung, including getting the saddle slot filled and recut, possibly with a wider compensated saddle. It just will not play in tune other wise, and you will all but have to retune and punch in every chord, at least if you move around the neck the way I do. No fun that.

However, an in-tune high strung guitar can be a thing of beauty. They layer into a production, adding some really nice shimmer and depth to the track, while not getting in the way of the "main" guitar parts, or really any of the parts. Also, if you have ever had trouble getting a 12 string part to sound in tune, double track the part with a six string and a high strung guitar. If you can play the double well, it will be the best sounding 12 string you have ever heard.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[mikey@thecave]

funny you should mention it cause i just got interested.I ordered two sets one for electric and acoustic.
https://www.suncreekmusic.com/create_account_success.php
This company had both
D'addario
EJ38h
EXL150H

 

[mikey@thecave]

http://www.bothner.co.za/articles/nashville.shtml
there is a sample on this page

 

[TelePaul]

The way most people seem to do it (and the way I do it) is to use the octave strings for the four lowest strings (E, A, D, and G), but some people use a normal G string and only go up an octave on the E, A, and D strings. I have a guitar that I keep setup as a high strung (which is another name for it) guitar (actually, the first acoustic I built, but that is neither here nor there). I find I get better results with a high strung guitar if I use the gauges from a 12 string medium gauge set, as opposed to a light set, because 12 string sets are a bit lighter than six string sets normally anyway. There is one pretty major issue with it if you want to record with it, however: Intonation. If your guitar is setup for a normal six string set, it will NOT play in tune up the neck. So, the thing to do is try it and see if you like it. If like it enough that you are going to use it a lot, you should probably get a guitar setup just to be high strung, including getting the saddle slot filled and recut, possibly with a wider compensated saddle. It just will not play in tune other wise, and you will all but have to retune and punch in every chord, at least if you move around the neck the way I do. No fun that.

However, an in-tune high strung guitar can be a thing of beauty. They layer into a production, adding some really nice shimmer and depth to the track, while not getting in the way of the "main" guitar parts, or really any of the parts. Also, if you have ever had trouble getting a 12 string part to sound in tune, double track the part with a six string and a high strung guitar. If you can play the double well, it will be the best sounding 12 string you have ever heard.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

Thanks Light, I was under the impression it required two guitars to be restrung. It'll probably only be a day-long experiment, but thanks for that.

 

[Light]

Thanks Light, I was under the impression it required two guitars to be restrung. It'll probably only be a day-long experiment, but thanks for that.

No, it's just that if you buy a full 12 string set you have 6 extra strings laying around. Personally, I just buy single strings, though I think that GHS and/or D'Addario are making Nashville sets these days.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[scrubs]

D'Addario definitely makes a set, but not everyone carries them.

I like these guys: http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/dejphbracgus1.html

 

[ausrock]

Odd that my other (main) username 'round the www is HiString .

I've had my '69 Maton 12 strung in a form of Nashville tuning for some years.............E, A, D, G all high or octave, with the B and top E as per a normal 12 string.

'Tis a beautiful thang.



Edited to correct the "E A D G" thing.

 

[mrface2112]

I've had my '69 Maton 12 strung

i got to play a couple Matons when i was in Sydney a few years back and i *really* wished i'd been able to take one home to the states with me. I forget which models i played, but i really liked em. tone and feel was very reminiscent of a Martin, which i suspect was largely the point.....but it seemed to have a little bit of a gibson vibe thing going on too.

on topic, i've got an old Yammerhammer pawnshop special strung for Nashville, and it does quite nicely at the layering thing. i've also got a "real bonafide" 12 string, too, which is a LOT of fun to stereo mic for those times when i want a really wide chorusy flavor. but in all, +1 to what Light said.


cheers,
wade

 

[andyhix]

I used Nashville Tuning on this song. It's quite obvious in the song. Ignore the drunken vocals (no that's not me) - this whole project was just a big goof off. I really like the sound of it for certain applications, though - country, folky stuff, etc.

If I remember correctly, I used the DGBE(high) strings from a standard guitar set in the E(low)ADG spots, and tuned them to EADG - an octave higher than std. tuning. The B and E(high) remain unchanged.

 

[ausrock]

mrface,

Maton do have resellers in the US but I don't know that they carry much of a range, anyways you could check out their website...... http://www.maton.com.au/

 

[Zetajazz44]

I've used "high strung" acoustic guitars before... My cousin showed me this several years ago. Back then they were using certain pedal steel guitar strings on an acoustic to achieve this effect. My main genre is country and bluegrass, and it seems to work well with those 2 genres, can't speak for any others though.

There are 3 companies that I'm aware of that makes "Nashville Tuning" string sets: S.I.T., G.H.S. and D'Addario. I typically order all the strings for my band online at JustStrings.com. They carry these sets by all 3 of these manufacturers.

 

[bubbagump]

Don't rule out a Nashville strung for on stage either. A really simple strummy part can add really nice texture.

 

[faderbug]

first song up,little something has a guitar in nashville too, it's the electric.

i have one guitar in that tuning all the time. the octave jump makes it really cool for solo's too - surprising results!

 

[cannabis]

i keep a nashville tuned guitar around too

i fingerpick, and find that playing this guitar

gives a completely different sonic feel to a song

because instead of playing

chords or arpeggios in root position

or the usual inversions

i am playing various different inversions

though picking exactly the same



also, the melodic line

jumps around a lot more



for these reasons

i find it helpful in writing songs/music too

 

[philboyd studge]

I have a little '54 Maccaferri G-40 plastic archtop I've always had strung that way. It's extremely useful in recording.