The world of lap steel guitar playing offers a rich tapestry of techniques and theoretical approaches. Within online communities like the Steel Guitar Forum, players often delve into advanced concepts to expand their musical horizons. One such concept, frequently discussed among enthusiasts, is modal theory, particularly its application to C6 lap steel tuning.
Modal theory, while sometimes perceived as complex, can be a powerful tool for creating unique and expressive sounds on the lap steel. Discussions within the steel guitar forum often highlight the practical application of modes, moving beyond mere theoretical understanding to real-world musical scenarios. One mode that frequently surfaces in these conversations is the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale, known as the “super locrian” or “altered scale.”
This altered scale is particularly useful when playing over dominant 7th chords with altered tensions, such as E7+9 or E7b9. As discussed in threads on the steel guitar forum, utilizing this mode allows players to instantly achieve an “outside” sound, adding a layer of sophistication and jazz-infused flavor to their playing. The beauty of modes, as often pointed out in steel guitar forum discussions, lies in their inherent chord-scale relationship. Each mode, being an inversion of a parent major scale, naturally outlines a specific chord based on its 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th degrees. This “chord/scale” concept, a staple in jazz theory, becomes highly relevant for lap steel players seeking to understand the harmony they are creating. Essentially, a mode can be viewed as a chord with all its upper extensions laid out in a scalar format.
Denny Turner, a respected teacher often referenced in steel guitar forum conversations, offers a particularly insightful approach to C6 lap steel. His method, frequently debated and praised within the steel guitar forum community, emphasizes the inherent dominant 7th (Mixolydian) nature of the C6 tuning. Turner also draws a connection between C6 and the Major 7th chord a perfect fourth above its root, which in the case of C6 or C7 would be F major 7. This concept forms the basis of chord substitution techniques often explored on the steel guitar forum. Turner suggests, for example, that a G6 chord can effectively substitute a C major 7 or major 9 chord, a substitution commonly heard in Hawaiian music and frequently analyzed in steel guitar forum discussions about different musical genres.
The idea of extensions being found two frets up or down relative to the chord quality is another practical tip often attributed to Turner and discussed in detail within the steel guitar forum. These extensions provide readily accessible harmonic colorations. Turner’s instructional materials, sometimes shared and dissected within the steel guitar forum, often utilize the 1, 4, 5 chord progression to illustrate practical applications of his approach. For instance, in the key of E (fourth fret on C6 tuning), the E6 chord can also function as E7 or E9 by moving down two frets to access the dominant chord extensions. When the progression moves to the IV chord (A), the E6 chord can still be used as it contains notes that spell out a non-root A major 7 or 9 chord. This concept of non-root chords, where the root note might be implied rather than explicitly played, is a common topic in steel guitar forum discussions on improvisation and chord voicings. Similarly, when the progression shifts to the V chord (B), moving up two frets to F#6 provides the notes for a B major 7 or 9 chord. Turner often draws parallels between these fretboard movements on the lap steel and familiar chord shapes found at the nut of a standard guitar, a connection that resonates with many players who frequent the steel guitar forum.
The real excitement, as many steel guitar forum members point out, begins when incorporating slants to navigate the neck and connect chords like A6 (9th fret) and B6 (11th fret). Utilizing the extensions two frets down from these positions allows for seamless transitions to dominant 7th sounds. Returning to the I chord (E), staying on the B6 chord (11th fret) provides an E major 7 or 9 voicing, again illustrating the perfect 4th substitution principle championed by Turner and actively discussed within the steel guitar forum. This particular E major 7 or 9 chord at the 11th fret offers further harmonic exploration, with great double-string harmonies readily available just two frets up or down. A key advantage of this approach, frequently highlighted by users on the steel guitar forum, is the manageable reach of approximately five frets required to access a wide range of harmonic possibilities. Furthermore, the diminished and Aeolian (natural minor) scales are also within easy reach at the upper end of this range, further expanding the sonic palette available to the lap steel player, as often explored in depth within the steel guitar forum community.
