Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:42 am Posts: 24 Location: Australia
Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
Hello. Well, it looks like I will be getting a railboard! W00t. I would like to order some strings. What is the general consensus for tuning this particular instrument? Matched Reciprocal or Raised? Also is the standard gauge the "medium" guage (with the specified tuning on the stick site)?
Thanks T
_________________ Railboard: #6419, Blue, Classic tuning, medium gauge. "without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible" - F.Zappa.
Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:20 am
greg
Multiple Donor
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 3:07 pm Posts: 7088 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
Togril wrote:
Hello. Well, it looks like I will be getting a railboard! W00t. I would like to order some strings. What is the general consensus for tuning this particular instrument? Matched Reciprocal or Raised? Also is the standard gauge the "medium" guage (with the specified tuning on the stick site)?
Thanks T
Congrats!
Emmett really likes the Raised Matched Reciprocal. I'm partial to the Baritone Melody for the 10-string.
Here are two somewhat similar videos to compare the sound of the different tunings
I'm a big fan of Matched Reciprocal, it's been the tuning I've spent far and away the most time on. Any MR tuning will carry the feature I like most about it, the fact that both sides of the instrument have the same notes on the same frets. The only difference from side to side is the octave displacement due to the 4ths vs 5ths tuning. With my Stick, I have
Treble side C5 G4 D4 A3 E3 ------ C1 G2 D3 A3 E4
What this means is that all of the shapes I learn for chords and scales are going to be in the exact same location on both sides of the instrument, just with the octaves displaced. Basically, the more you learn one side of the instrument, the more it will inform your knowledge of the other side.
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:40 am Posts: 2884 Location: Detroit, MI
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
The_Afro_Circus wrote:
I'm a big fan of Matched Reciprocal, it's been the tuning I've spent far and away the most time on. Any MR tuning will carry the feature I like most about it, the fact that both sides of the instrument have the same notes on the same frets. The only difference from side to side is the octave displacement due to the 4ths vs 5ths tuning. With my Stick, I have
Treble side C5 G4 D4 A3 E3 ------ C1 G2 D3 A3 E4
What this means is that all of the shapes I learn for chords and scales are going to be in the exact same location on both sides of the instrument, just with the octaves displaced. Basically, the more you learn one side of the instrument, the more it will inform your knowledge of the other side.
What Josh just said, me exactly too! I really dig MR.
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 12:42 pm Posts: 2536 Location: Jersey
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
I have recently changed from my beloved DBR to DMR. Shit I shoulda done this long ago matched reciprocal makes much more sense to this simpliStick mind
_________________ Peace, Marty "The present day composer refuses to die" -Edgard Varese
Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:35 pm
Togril
Member
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:42 am Posts: 24 Location: Australia
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
Jayesskerr wrote:
MR here on my grand and RMR on my Railboard.
How do you find the RMR tuning?
_________________ Railboard: #6419, Blue, Classic tuning, medium gauge. "without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible" - F.Zappa.
Sat Nov 26, 2016 7:06 am
Jayesskerr
Elite Contributor
Joined: Sun May 18, 2014 9:43 am Posts: 4039
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
Togril wrote:
Jayesskerr wrote:
MR here on my grand and RMR on my Railboard.
How do you find the RMR tuning?
On a railboard, it has an interesting resonance that I like a lot. Plus, the lowest note on the bass side is a 'D' and I find that it really cuts. Also, I like the access to the higher notes as well, they all really sizzle. Plus, the stuff I play on my Grand in MR tuning pretty much transfers over, the logic is the same as MR, just raised a wholestep.
I spent a lot of last year jumping around on tunings before settling on the "MR" ones, I really, really liked mirrored 4ths also.
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2016 7:42 am Posts: 24 Location: Australia
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
I realise I hadn't ended this thread - so to speak. Thanks for the replies. Very helpful. My instrument arrived (w00t), with 'Classic' tuning and at the moment it's all so alien that I can afford to give my brain a break and be a bit relaxed about the tuning for the time being at least. The videos Greg posted are very informative. I can understand why the Baritone melody works so well with it's high overlap of the bass.
Thanks. T.
_________________ Railboard: #6419, Blue, Classic tuning, medium gauge. "without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible" - F.Zappa.
Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:05 am
Luc
Multiple Donor
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:59 am Posts: 2593 Location: Maine
Re: Yet another noob tuning question - railboard
One thing I didn't see discussed was the medium gauge for the strings. When I ordered my Railboard, I originally thought to order light strings, as I was used to them on the old Ironwood that I had. But Emmett talked me out of that; with medium strings, the instrument seems to sing a little better, and while I haven't tried any other gauges on mine, I can only say that I'm happy with what I'm getting out of it!
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