I went to see a band last night and got home thinking it would be nice to just have a guitar tuned to a power chord. Seems E5 would be nice tuning everything to the rood (E) and fifth (B).
Standard tuning (6 = low E string)
1 - E
2 - B
3 - G
4 - D
5 - A
6 - E
My guess at E5 tuning (6 = low E string)
Standard tuning (6 = low string)
1 - E
2 - B
3 - E (tune down 3 notes) -OR- B (tune up 4 notes)
4 - E (tune up 2 notes)
5 - B (tune up 2 notes / whole step)
6 - E
I have a few questions;
-- Would this tuning be viable and which way to tune the G string?
-- Assuming this is on an electric guitar with 9 gauge strings (9-42), what string substitutions need to be made to keep the string tension about the same as the string tensions of open strings on a standard EADGBE guitar?
For and electric 9-42 strings are generally gauge (on standard tuning)
(string number - note - gauge - string tension)
1 - E - 9 - tension 13.1
2 - B - .11 - tension 11
3 - G - .16 - tension 14.7
4 - D - 24 - tension 15.8
5 - A - 32 - tension 15.8
6 - E - 42 - tension 14.8
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
Tune the G string down. You're in for many a broken string if you try to go up to B.
This tuning isn't all that far off from the one used in a couple of Crosby, Stills and Nash songs. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes uses EEEEBE, giving you the same low E note on the low strings (the A string is tuned down to E, which is the same as low E), and the E an octave up from that on the D and G strings (the D string is tuned up and the G tuned down). In the song Carry On, they take this tuning and lower every note a half step.
I can't really answer concerning the string gauges - better to have someone else do that anyway! :wink: But I can tell you that essentially you're turning your guitar into an electric dulcimer. You should have some fun times with it but you may find it a little limiting. Although you'll be lightning fast on chord changes since you won't have to worry about major or minors.
Peace
A while back, for a Sunday Songwriters Group topic, I tuned to a D5 chord...DADAAD. The 3rd (G) string is the only string different from DADGAD or DADF#AD (open D) tunings. It worked quite well for the song I'd written that week, but I don't think I'd use it a lot (in fact, I haven't used it since!) as it's pretty limited. It's fine for powerchords, though, for a nice full sound - easy enough to do a blues shuffle as well.
Here's a link to the song so's you can hear how the D5 tuning sounds....
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=6873072&q=hi&newref=1
: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.)
A couple of nights ago I was looking at my fretboard note sheet I made many years ago......Then it hit me to tune my guitar to OPEN D:
Standard tuning (6 = low string)
1 - D (tune down 2 notes / whole step)
2 - A (tune down 2 notes / whole step)
3 - F# (tune down 1 note)
4 - D
5 - A
6 - D (tune down 2 notes / whole step)
I loved the sound of that open D chord and just barred as I moved around for chords. It's not nearly as efficient, seemingly, as normal guitar tuning. By open tuning I'm constantly moving my and horizontally but easy with the same one-finger barre. Yet with standard tuning there is much less horizontal movement but have to change hand shapes.
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
I used to use DADDAD a bit at one time....
Bit of trivia...
Sun City Girls used EBEEBE a lot, as in "Space Prophet Dogon":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfQljgzAtRE
Might not be for everyone, but I love this song...
Look at CS & N tunes.....they used E & Eb in their early years.......still like DADDAD though...
