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Pedal steel guitar is often associated with the shimmering sounds of the E9 tuning, but the C6 tuning is just as expressive—and in many ways, even more versatile.
It offers a different side of the instrument: wider chord voicings, richer harmonic textures, and a sound that’s often associated with swing, jazz, and more harmonically complex playing.
If you’ve ever been curious about the “other neck” on a double-neck pedal steel, this is where it starts to make sense.
What the C6 Tuning Is (and Why It Exists)
The C6 tuning developed from earlier lap steel tunings, where players needed a way to access fuller chords and more harmonic movement without changing instruments.
As pedal steel evolved, the tuning expanded into what we now know as the modern C6 setup.
Today, you’ll typically find:
- E9 tuning → front neck (closer to audience)
- C6 tuning → back neck (closer to player)
While E9 is often used for more “Nashville-style” playing, C6 provides:
- wider chord voicings
- extended harmonies
- more natural access to certain single-note lines
How C6 Is Different from E9
The biggest difference is how the tuning is laid out.
On E9:
- more reliance on pedals/levers for movement
- more characteristic “pedal sound”
On C6:
- more built-in chord structure
- more movement available without pedals
- intervals that make single-note lines easier to connect
This makes the C6 tuning feel more “horizontal” across the fretboard, while E9 often feels more “mechanical” through pedal movement.
If you’re still getting oriented with the E9 neck, it helps to understand how positions are organized there as well.
The C6 String Layout
For a standard 10-string C6 tuning, the open strings are typically tuned like this:
| String # | Note Name (At Open String) |
| 1 | G or D |
| 2 | E |
| 3 | C |
| 4 | A |
| 5 | G |
| 6 | E |
| 7 | C |
| 8 | A |
| 9 | F |
| 10 | C |
Sometimes the 1st string is tuned to a D instead of a G, a variation popularized by players like Buddy Emmons.
At its core, the tuning can be thought of as:
- a C major chord with a 6th (C6)
- or an A minor 7 chord (Am7)
This dual identity is part of what makes it so flexible.
The lower strings provide extended range for fuller chord voicings, while the upper strings allow for melodic playing.
What the C6 Tuning Sounds Like
The built-in 6th interval gives the tuning a distinctive sound often associated with:
- swing
- Western styles
- jazz-influenced playing
Players like Buddy Emmons, Cindy Cashdollar, and Buck Reid have all used the C6 tuning in unique ways that highlight its musical range.
Listening to recordings that feature C6 can help you hear how it’s used in context.
How to Start Playing on C6
A good starting point is to get comfortable with:
- the string layout
- basic chord shapes
- common intervals (3rds and 6ths)
From there, you can begin exploring:
- major chords
- minor chords
- dominant 7th chords
Try finding these with root notes on:
- 10th string
- 9th string
- 8th string
- 7th string
This helps build multiple voicings and gives you a clearer picture of how the tuning works across the neck.
Scales and Single-Note Playing
One of the unique advantages of the C6 tuning is how naturally it supports single-note playing.
Because of the interval layout, many scale patterns can be played:
- smoothly
- with less pedal movement
- in connected positions
This makes it a strong tuning for:
- solos
- fills
- melodic lines
Developing this kind of movement across the fretboard is largely about how you practice and connect ideas over time.
Learning C6 Alongside E9
If you play a double-neck pedal steel, you may be learning both tunings at once.
That can be beneficial—but also challenging.
While many ideas can translate between tunings, the approach often feels different.
A good approach is to:
- learn something clearly on one neck
- then experiment with applying it to the other
Just be careful not to spread your focus too thin—depth comes from repetition and clarity.
E9 vs C6: Which Should You Focus On?
Neither tuning is better—they’re just different.
- E9 → more direct for traditional country sounds
- C6 → more flexible for extended chords and harmonic movement
If you’re focused on:
- pedal-driven phrasing → E9
- chord voicings and harmonic depth → C6
But over time, both tunings complement each other.
Where to Go From Here
C6 starts to make more sense once you begin organizing how chords, scales, and positions connect across the fretboard.
That’s where most players get stuck—not because the tuning is too complex, but because it isn’t structured clearly.
If you want a more structured way to work through this step-by-step, you can explore the instructional materials, which walk through how these ideas connect and how to apply them musically.
If you’d rather work through it directly and apply it to your own playing, you can reach out about one-on-one lessons.