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The E9 neck is a remarkable tuning. It offers a wide range of expression, creative voicings, and movement that can sound incredibly musical when everything starts to connect.
But for most players, that connection doesn’t come easily.
With so many possibilities across the fretboard, it’s common to feel like your playing stays confined to a few familiar areas. You might know certain positions well, but moving between them—or expanding beyond them—can feel unclear.
A big part of this comes down to how the fretboard is understood and how movement is developed across it.
One of the most overlooked ways to open this up is by developing a better understanding of Strings 9 and 7, and how they connect the rest of the neck.
Why Strings 9 & 7 Are the Missing Link
Most players naturally gravitate toward:
- Strings 6–3
- Strings 10 and 8
These areas feel more intuitive because they relate closely to the core layout of the E9 tuning.
If you’ve come from guitar, this makes even more sense. These strings resemble familiar shapes and patterns, which makes them easier to navigate early on.
But this creates a gap.
Strings 9 and 7 don’t fall into that same intuitive layout, so they often get avoided. And when they’re avoided, movement across the fretboard stays limited.
This is usually the reason things feel “boxed in.”
Seeing Movement Across the Neck
Before focusing directly on Strings 9 and 7, it helps to see how movement across the lower strings actually works.
Here’s an example using Strings 10–6:
One diagram shows note names, the other shows scale degrees.
The goal here isn’t just to memorize patterns—it’s to understand how notes relate to each other. That’s what allows you to move freely instead of staying locked into positions.
1. Horizontal Movement (Single String)
What This Means
This approach focuses on playing along one string only, using the bar to move between notes.
Think of it like this:
- No pedals
- No string switching
- Just bar movement
It’s similar to how slide players approach the instrument.
How to Practice It
Take a simple scale (like C major) and:
- Start on the root
- Move along the string
- Avoid just running straight up and down
- Try to create phrases
Using a drone works really well here because it keeps everything in context and trains your ear at the same time.
What to Pay Attention To
- Bar control
- Staying in time
- Hearing the scale degrees (1, 2, 3, etc.)
Visual Examples
Why This Works
This develops:
- Bar control (technique)
- Scale awareness (fretboard + number system)
- Musical phrasing (application)
If you want to build more control over your movement, this pairs well with working through practice exercises to improve bar control.
2. Vertical Pockets (Connecting Positions)
What This Means
Now instead of staying on one string, you:
- Find the root on String 9 or 7
- Build a small “pocket” around it
- Stay within a few frets
This creates a controlled area you can move within.
How to Approach It
- Find your root note
- Build the major scale around it
- Keep movement tight
- Learn the scale degrees
This becomes much clearer when you understand how positions relate across the neck.
Visual Pocket Examples
String 9 Pocket
String 7 Pocket
Why This Works
This connects:
- What you already know
- With what you don’t
It also improves your ability to move between strings cleanly.
This type of movement naturally improves your right hand blocking because you’re constantly moving between strings with control.
3. Expanding Movement Across the Neck
Once horizontal and vertical approaches start to connect, the next step is combining them.
This is where the fretboard begins to open up.
Instead of staying in one position, you start to:
- Move diagonally
- Connect pockets
- Transition more naturally
Visual Examples
Bringing It Back to Musical Playing
Single Notes Into Harmonized Playing
Once you develop movement across Strings 10–6, you can naturally transition into Strings 6–3, which is where most players feel the most comfortable.
This is where harmonized playing comes back in.
Example Runs
What This Changes in Your Playing
When this starts to connect, you’ll notice:
- The fretboard feels less segmented
- Movement becomes more natural
- You rely less on memorized licks
- Your phrasing becomes more continuous
This is where things shift from:
Knowing positions → to actually moving between them.
Final Thoughts
Most players don’t need more information—they need clearer connections between what they already know.
Focusing on Strings 9 and 7 is one of the most direct ways to create those connections.
Even spending a few minutes a day on this can start to change how the entire neck feels under your hands.
Continue Developing This
Understanding the fretboard is one step, but applying it consistently is where things really start to change.
Working through The Scale Book for E9 Pedal Steel helps connect these patterns across positions in a practical way.
Building control in your picking becomes much easier when movement across strings is more intentional, which is exactly what’s covered in Right Hand Picking & Blocking for Pedal Steel.
If you want help applying this directly to your own playing, working through it in a one-on-one setting can make things much clearer.