Every so often I get somewhat stagnant and I can't seem to get the creative juices flowing. Sometimes I will tune my guitar to an open D ( DADF#AD) and that seems to help. For some reason, the guitar seems to "open itself up to me' and I am able to create new music. I find it a bit easier in that tuning than I do in a standard tuning. I think its because the open tuning makes it easier to play and you really can't go wrong when you are finger picking.
That said, what open tunings do you use? What is your preferred open tuning?
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I've used a bunch. For fretting, I'll usually be in standard, drop-D, or double-drop D; I've also done some stuff in DADGAD. For slide, open D, E, or G... once in a while something a little more exotic like Gm6 (G-Bb-D-G-Bb-E).
But it depends on what I have to play or teach. These days the low metal tunings are big with students (my first student today tunes to drop Bb). And I've got a couple students who love folk rock - if they want to work on Joni Mitchell stuff, who knows what I'll tune to this week - Joni has used over 50 different tunings.
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When I play slide, I usually go to open G. Occasionally, I'll do open D and capo it to open E. One of mine is in drop C cause I was messing around with some heavier riffs. I love DADAAD tuning (what Alex Lifeson used on "Hope" from Snakes & Arrows). Great for getting a good drone sound.
I use open E because Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan both used it on songs that I like to play and sing.
Use drop D because it comes up a lot in Rock. For singing over power chords, it's really hard to go wrong with drop D.
Mostly I play in standard tuning, but this morning I've been experimenting with tuning to drop D and then capoing only the 6th string at the second fret. It puts me in standard tuning, but I can get into drop D as easy as removing the capo. (my main axe has a floyd rose, so ways to change tuning on the fly are not easy to come by.) It works pretty well, as long as I can remember to only play chord voicings that are fingered above the second fret. When I forget and try to play lower, I tend to knock the capo off...
Best,
Ande
Ande, that only puts you in standard if the 6th string is open... if you want to play something like a G chord, the fingering would change to 520003 - because the G on the 6th string will be at the 5th fret
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True enough. It's turning into an interesting exercise in arrangement, and probably going to end there. But a lot of songs CAN be arranged to make it work...
(Sometimes I get bored and try strange things...)
Best,
Ande
there's a whole open tuning forum on guitarnoise.
i usually just go to open d, but sometimes i like to play random ones to figure out new approaches/harmonies.
Open G is my favorite for slide. For most parts I'll use a drop D tuning,I like the extra bass and the chords isn't that much different.
I like to keep one guitar in open G - I've found that not only does it suit my vocal range but it's good for Rolling-Stones type rockers AND Dylan-orientated folk rock. Quite a lot of chords in open G involve adding either one or two fingers, it's just a case of working them out and getting used to them.
I've used open D, not much difference to open G for chord voicings...same shape, one string difference.
I've only ever tried DADGAD for one song...Kashmir. I did, however come across the DADAAD tuning mentioned by jwmartin by accident - for an SSG assignment of David's a couple of years back. I was messing about with DADGAD (the assignment was to use a tuning you've never used before...) and having no luck, and thought "what if I tuned that G string down, it'd give me a D5 tuning...." so I tried it, and loved the drone effect. I got some very exotic sounding chords out of that tuning - the song itself had a vaguely middle-eastern feel. If anyone wants to dig it out, it's on my soundclick site - http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=225059 - and it's called "Freedom's Song."
The one tuning I've tried and don't like is drop D - or any other drop tuning. I like to play full chords....for instance, I'll play a C chord as 332010 instead of the more usual x32010, and a D chord as 200232 using my thumb. For an A chord, I'll play 002220 instead of the more usual x02220 - in other words, wherever I possibly can I'll use all six strings. Tuning the bottom E string down to D would make things HIDEOUSLY complicated for me!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I really only stretch to Drop D and Lute (3rd to F#) and even then only because the music I'm playing calls for it.
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As Vic put it, I love some of the exotic sounds you can get with open tuning. Its very exciting (to me) to tune the guitar differently and discover the new chord voices. The drone effects are a big plus for me too. I love songs with drone notes. However, I've not played any other open tuning except D. I'll have to try the others.
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
