The E9 tuning, with the use of pedals and levers, lends itself well to playing harmonized sixths. These can provide an abundance of expression for playing licks, melodies, solos, and more.
Having options for playing minor scales or modes, which are harmonized in sixths, can be beneficial when playing in minor keys, over chord vamps, and for playing over certain chords in a progression.
Below are tabs for the natural minor scale (Aeolian mode) and the Dorian scale/mode, both harmonized in sixths…
Feel free to click on an image for an enlarged view. The E lever denotes lowering that string a half step.
Continue Learning
If you’d like to explore these ideas further, here are a few ways to continue working with them.
Instructional Materials
I’ve written several instructional books that explore technique, fretboard understanding, and musical application in much greater depth.
→ Explore the instructional materials
Private Lessons
Many students I work with are players who feel stuck or overwhelmed by scattered information and aren’t sure what they should actually be practicing.
If you’d like help applying these concepts directly to your own playing, I work with a small number of pedal steel students each month through remote lessons.