Alternative Tunings

[moments]

How do you choose an alternative tuning? Is it based on key?

[Retrosaurus Rex]

The first question is: why do you want to use an alternative tuning? Do you just want to challenge yourself or break out of your rut? Do you want to learn a song in a particular style that typically uses a non-standard tuning? Maybe you're thinking about playing some slide guitar?

[john]

Good questions retro

On the whole it is a matter of key and the ease of playing a particular piece within that key. A big facet of open tunings is what the open tuning sounds like as a chord and of course the ability of the strings to play the selected pitches. The differing tunings make it easy to play.

If you are not used to alternative tunings i would definitely recommend learning a specific song. For me it was an old Robert Johnson number. Fundamentally you look at the benefits of playing in a specific tuning such as key, ease of play and open voicings and possible drone notes etc. Much depends on the style you are playing. some tunings are great for the blues but not so good for other music genres because of flattened 3rd notes or flattened 7ths... you get the idea.

[Jim622]

Correct me if I'm wrong guys. It also depends on the type of guitar. For example: Open E or A are fine for an electric (Duanne Allman - Open E), but may

put to much stress on an acoustics neck. On acoustic, Open G and D are what I seem to use alot. There are numerous others, but stress to the neck is one more

consideration worth mentioning.

Edited December 8, 2010 by Jim622

[Nick]

Why is a guitar tuned EADGBE traditionally?

Or a mandolin or violin GDAE?

If you then look at the size of your hand...

And then think which notes you want to play together.

That's one part of tunings.

The other part is the sound - like DADGAD for instance which works off drones, speed of playing across the top three strings and the ambiguity of a world without thirds

That's a bit of it.

I can explain why I tune my guitar to CGDGAD for a tune.

Most of the time it's because the tune works in that tuning with the fingers you have and what gives you the sound you want.

Dougie Maclean is a wonderful Scottish writer and a famous song of his is 'Ready for the Storm' - once you know it's in open Fm (CGCGCEb cpaoed at 5th) tuning it's easy to play and sounds 'right' because it's natural and works. Doesn't sound the same in 'normal' tuning

[SabaTheZoSonator]

As a lot said, it does really depend on what you're goin for. Open G and E are popular for a lot of blues; Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters are the biggest names I can think of. And of course, they're perfect for slide guitar.

Open Gsus4 (DGCGCD) is a tuning Ive come to enjoy quite a bit. The hand positions are just plain fun, IMO. DADGAD is another, as some one mentioned, awesome alternate tuning. Check out Black Mountain Side by Zeppelin, in my opinion, for one the best acoustic instrumental pieces written in it.

The big part of it for me is the hand positioning. Gsus4 has me fretting with a single open string in between quite often, which I think works well with sliding chords.

Open G makes the M7 and m7 chords come to life for me. Its the same position as top end barre chords and I find them easier to fret this way than in standard tuning.

[Nick]

Open Gsus4 (DGCGCD) is a tuning Ive come to enjoy quite a bit. The hand positions are just plain fun, IMO. DADGAD is another, as some one mentioned, awesome alternate tuning. Check out Black Mountain Side by Zeppelin, in my opinion, for one the best acoustic instrumental pieces written in it.

Or check out Annie Briggs or Bert Jansch's versions of Blackwater Side...

Not suggesting that Jimmy Page nicked it or anything

Middle bit is different

[SabaTheZoSonator]

Yeah, only reason I put Zeppelin's name on it is mainly because of the improv parts live. I dont know why, but whenever I think of somebody learning Zeppelin, I always assume they learn bits from live performances as well. But I suppose not everyone does things my way.

[FretMonkey]

Here is something I can contribute to

I play almost exclusively in alternate tunings. Have for about 5+ years or so.

I choose my open tuning based on my mood usually. Most open tunings start based on a chord (not always however) and as you know certain chords resonate with you on personal level (as simple as Em sounds sad or haunting and Cmaj sounds happy). So play with a couple of tunings based on your mood - you can make up your tuning based on a chord as a launching place.

Next start composing - however you do that. I usually noodle a bit and then start developing ideas and parts and putting them together. The nice thing about open tunings is the beautiful open strings ringing out, the nice fat harmonics you can get and the new chords and voicing you can come up with that on a standard tuned guitar would be very difficult if not impossible. Sometimes I'll need to adjust the tuning - if there is something I need that isn't readily available. An example would be a syncopated bass line that is proving difficult to finger - if I'm not using the 5 and 6 string for much else I can adjust those strings to use for my bass line(s). That's how the tuning starts to evolve for me.

Something I like to do when I try a new tuning is to find my I ii iii IV V vi chords right away (the 3 major and 3 minor...I usually ignore poor old #7 lol). Then I start moving fingers around opening up some of those chords and making some really interesting and beautiful (sometimes awful as well lol) things. I also break those chord shapes down in to smaller parts and move them around a bit to see what catches my ear. I also like to play my harmonics over the 7th and 12th frets (and 5th - but usually my 7th and 12th get more love'n) just to see what they sound like fully strummed, individually or nice little harmonic patterns.

Another thing I've recently got into a little bit (and my experimentation with this has been very limited so far) is partial capos. Again I do it almost exclusively with alternate tunings. You get capos that cover just the 456 strings or the 3456 or even 23456 strings (as in Andy McKee's beautiful Rylynn). It's just another sonic option for ya

Some great players in this style of guitar playing include Don Ross (my personal favorite), Andy McKee, Antoine Dufour, Pierre Bensusan, Leo Kottke, John Fahey, Kaki King, Justin King, Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and host of others!

It's so funny that a lot of guitarists don't experiment with alternate tunings. It's one of things that make the guitar a truly unique instrument and it can be very inspirational and a lot of fun!

Turn the knobs young man (or lady!).

Edited January 19, 2011 by FretMonkey

[ginbex]

Hey heeso here, I think that your both questions are liked a take exception to somebody... Am I right or not tell me? I think you should be play with guitar...