Twelve-String Guitars

Subject: RE: TWELVE-STRING GUITARS
From: Jaxon
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 09:15 AM

The general rule of thumb for harps is to play a mojor key in the same key,eg key of A use a A harmonica. If the song is in a minor key go up two steps to the major key, eg Song in Am, harp should be C. Most blues stuff is usually, but not always in E or A. Most performers carry 5 or 6 different harps with them to cover the most popular keys.

Jack Murray

Subject: RE: TWELVE-STRING GUITARS
From: Dan Keding
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 01:40 AM

Most of the newer twelve string guitars are built to take concert pitch. With oler models many players kept them tuned down a half or full step. Not so nowadays.

Subject: RE: TWELVE-STRING GUITARS
From: Will
Date: 21 Mar 98 - 12:19 AM

'dunno about concert pitch tuning, but I tune my 12-string Seagull to the same EADGBE tuning as my six strings. The 12 and 6 make more or less the same noise, except the 12 string sounds better.

I've got an old Ibanez 12-string that I tune down and then capo up, to keep the strings from pulling the neck out of line, but that's a work-around, not a concert.

Subject: TWELVE-STRING GUITARS
From: Keith Rawlings
Date: 20 Mar 98 - 11:24 PM

Does anyone know the concert pitch tuning of a twelve-string guitar? Is it a lower pitch than the six-string guitar? I notice that if I play from the same chord diagrams for songs that use a twelve-string guitar on a six-string guitar, they don’t sound right. In other words, a C chord on a six-string becomes (hypothetically) an A chord on a twelve-string.This has always bothered me. Another thing: what is the preferred key for harmonica to play folk and blues? I used to have a harmonica in the key of C, but couldn’t seem to get the right sound for blues. THANKS!