Music and Musicians Exchange - Alternative guitar tunings

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Alternative guitar tunings

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Forum Name: Music and Musicians Exchange
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=111719
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Topic: Alternative guitar tunings

Posted By: Vompatti
Subject: Alternative guitar tunings
Date Posted: August 15 2017 at 14:48

Do you use any? Is there a particular one you prefer over the standard tuning?

I've been playing around with open G and open D tunings (and variations thereof) for the past few days, and based on this substantial experience they seem nice for droney soundscapes but quite awkward for "normal" chord progressions as many of the basic chords can only be played as barres which in turn results in lots of vertical movement on the fretboard and little to no open string goodness. Is this a valid judgement or is there some trick I'm missing?

Replies:

Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: August 15 2017 at 17:21

You can probably get help with all that on youtube.
A lot of big shot guitarists are big on alternate tunings:
Pete Cosey used several different guitars in concert, each with a different tuning.
I think Robert Fripp forsook standard tuning long ago.
Jimmy Page wrote many of his 'exotic' sounding songs with alternate tunings.
Most really good blues guitarists use all kinds of tunings, especially the G tuning.

Hunt around on youtube and you will probably find a lot of help.

Posted By: Vompatti
Date Posted: August 15 2017 at 18:06

I guess what I'm getting at is that a lot of these tunings only seem great for one particular style of music or for the songs specifically written in/for that tuning, and the fact that many of the musicians who use alternative tunings tend to switch between more than one would seem to support this.

I'm curious if there are tunings that could be considered as versatile as (but different from) the standard tuning and used exclusively in its stead. Maybe that's what Fripp intended his tuning to be?

Posted By: Easy Money
Date Posted: August 15 2017 at 19:37

I recall reading that Fripp's preferred tuning is all open 5ths, I guess that works for him.
Otherwise, what you are saying is probably somewhat correct, standard tuning is probably the most versatile, otherwise people wouldn't use it so much, but I would still check what others have to say. I just checked on youtube and there are countless lessons on alternate tunings. Youtube being what it is, some lessons will be better than others.

Posted By: Hrychu
Date Posted: August 16 2017 at 13:38

I play in DADGAD all the time.

Posted By: HackettFan
Date Posted: August 18 2017 at 17:02

I think there is a genius behind the standard tuning. However, about a year ago, I bought a Hammer Jammer and a cheap guitar to install it on, so that I didn't mess up a more expensive guitar. Google it. It makes a guitar sound like something in between a piano and a hammered dulcimer. I wasn't satisfied with the standard tuning with it, because I wanted something chordal to sound out when I hammered open strings. I used an F# minor tuning (F#, C#, F#, A, C#, F#). I normally added a capo to get a G minor, A minor and so on. I tried to tune it to a minor 9th just recently and broke the high E-string. Now I need to repair it, but I'd like to try a different tuning again. I'm thinking of trying an open D or open G as you have done, but I'm leaning mostly toward an E minor 9th. Keep in mind, it's one thing to try an alternate tuning for a short period, but if you want to use it long term, the guitar should be set up specifically for that tuning. Thus, I tend to make my tuning experiments coincide with intonation adjustments.

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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)