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Blues in different tunings?

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(@electrickoolaid)
Eminent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 24
Topic starter  

Hi all,

I have been playing in standard tuning ever since i started playing about 8 or so months ago. The main reason being that i didnt want to confuse the issue and get all muddled up with notes etc.. However, i decided to tune down half a step tonight and went through a bit of a improv 12 bar in E with a few licks and fills in between and it sounded sooo much more bluesy than it ever has! Im just wondering why it sounds better (might be a bit of stupid question). Also should i be delving in to this area of alternate tuning at such an early stage?

Many Thanks

EKA


   
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(@tinsmith)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 830
 

Altered tunings are a great thing. Try G, D & E tunings.

I like G.


   
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(@electrickoolaid)
Eminent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 24
Topic starter  

I have looked at different tunings but initially did not want to attempt them as it seems a whole other world of new chords etc...and im not to sure how to use licks and fills with them too, but i suppose i will have to bite the bullet eventually! :)


   
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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

Yeah, I'm with tinsmith. I like Open D and E best. With a slide, too.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

I once did the 12 bar blues in Open D5.


   
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(@smokindog)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5345
 

You should start with open G --DGDGBD. Its easy to tune to and great for slide. A guy named Brian (Mojo) Robertson ( not the Thin Lizzy guitarist) had a how to play slide guitar CD that was very helpfully, unfortunately I gave part 1 to one of my wayward nephews :lol: The CD is very hard to find :cry: But I'm sure you could find a DVD on open tunings--the dog

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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

open tunings can be demystified if you know where the chords are.
in open G tuning the A chord is a second fret.
follow the intervals or spacing as in standard tuning.
by barring the whole fret and struming you have a nice sounding chord voice.

play each note and you hear a scale. listen for the 'blue' notes by fretting the strings around the chord; sometimes you move just a fret to get that note.

alot of licks are closer together too.

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(@ricochet)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

Dog, I think old Doc Mojo's slide lessons can still be had from John Watts at Coast to Coast Music. http://coast2coastmusic.com/ Contact him if it isn't apparent on the site.l

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

Dog, I think old Doc Mojo's slide lessons can still be had from John Watts at Coast to Coast Music. http://coast2coastmusic.com/ Contact him if it isn't apparent on the site.l

Ricochet...are you saying I need lessons? :shock:

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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

You and me both, I expect! :lol:

No, I'm replying to what you said recommending those lessons, and you said that they're very hard to find now. :D

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I didnt post about lessons.
but lessons never hurt.

fret board orientation with open tunings ...knowing where the choirds now appear helped me immensely.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
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(@electrickoolaid)
Eminent Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 24
Topic starter  

Think i'll give open G a try first as it does seem the easiest to tune. I did read somewhere that you should stick to the new tuning for a while before you move on. Time to get the slide out i guess!

Thanks for the advice guys.


   
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(@smokindog)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5345
 

You and me both, I expect! :lol:

No, I'm replying to what you said recommending those lessons, and you said that they're very hard to find now. :D

That was me :D I'll check it out, I was looking for the full version of his CD "Big Ass Buick" 8) What ever happened to Doc Mojo anyway, seems like he more or less mysteriously disappeared?--the dog

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(@mrjonesey)
Honorable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 470
 

Think i'll give open G a try first as it does seem the easiest to tune. I did read somewhere that you should stick to the new tuning for a while before you move on. Time to get the slide out i guess!

Thanks for the advice guys.

Try tuning to open A. You only have to change three strings... E-A-E-A-C#-E

"There won't be any money. But when you die, on your death bed, you will receive total conciousness. So, I got that going for me. Which is nice." - Bill Murray, Caddyshack ~~ Michigan Music Dojo - http://michiganmusicdojo.com ~~


   
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(@ricochet)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 7833
 

I really don't know what happened to him. All I know is that he was offline a lot when he was running Big Road Blues due to health reasons, and was going to shut the board down. His friend John Watts (who runs the online music store Coast to Coast Music, http://coast2coastmusic.com/ ) saved the day by agreeing to take over and run the board. That was back about 2003, I think. John's a great guy, and I've bought stuff from him. I've always been well pleased with my dealings with him.

I DO like Doc Mojo's Big "Donkey" Buick CD a lot. I think it's for sale over on Coast to Coast.

I sure hope he's getting along better, whatever the problem was.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."


   
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