Steel Guitar and Open Tunings

SPANISH TUNING (OPEN G OR A)

These studies are good for lap steel, dobro, and open G tuning. The tuning is high strung G (GBDGBD low to high). You can also use them for low strung, open tuning in G, also known as Spanish tuning (DGDGBD low to high). There is no difference in strings 1 through 4. Most of the exercises are on strings 1 through 4. They are also good for open A tuning. The intervals, shapes, and fingerings are identical. Only the pitch is higher.

Dobro High Strung G Tuning: Major diatonic, pentatonic, minor pentatonic, blues scales. Major and minor triads.

Dobro High Strung G Tuning: Major Diatonic exercise

page 1: three octave major diatonic scale, three octave major pentatonic scale, three octave major blues scale. identifying intervals of the scale. written in tab.

page 2: three octave minor pentatonic scale, three octave minor blues scale, major arpeggio, adding diatonic notes to the arpeggios, identifying intervals.

page 3: arpeggio and blue notes.

page 4: arpeggios and diatonic notes.

page 5: riffs using ornaments, open strings, and frets 1-5

page 6: riffs combining diatonic and blue notes centered around the first inversion voicing (mostly).

page 7: riffs combining diatonic and blue notes centered around the second inversion voicing.

page 8 and 9: The harmonized scale in the key of G (chords in the key of G).

page 10: chord shapes and intervals. There are five types of triads. A triad is the smallest form of a chord. There must be three notes to create a chord. The five types of triads are major, minor, diminished, augmented, and suspended.

page 11: chord shapes, major 6, major 7, dominant 7, and minor 7.