Are alternate tunings a newfound land for master guitar players or just a refuge for incompetent players?

 

I have seen some videos for example Devin Townsend showing his alternate tunings and honestly I felt like it's just a trick to allow him playing difficult things more easily, something like the use of a capo, in other words something like "well, since I'm not able to play it right with std tuning, I switch to this alternate tuning so I can play it". In this case I'm not really fond of alternate tunings, they are just a bypass trick to mask your inability to play masterfully in std tuning.

 

On the other hand I feel that there might be some "true value" in alternate tunings, indeed there is no reason why we should take the std tuning as an unchangeable rule, and they can enable new creative ways of playing, meaning, even a master player who can play anything in std tuning might want to switch to some alternate tuning because it allows him to play in an innovative way.

 

Anyone out there with better knowledge than me who can give some opinions?

 

 

But one thing I know is that Joni Mitchell made a lot of her own, and its purpose, I think, is to have a really unique sound and not just to make some stuff easier to play.

That's really all I got to say, though, haha.

This.

Some of the most wonderful guitarists (in my opinion) use tons of non-standard tunings. Mark Kozelek (one of my favourite ever guitarists) almost always uses alternate tunings.

I myself almost always play in FACGCE these days, since I love those wide, open chords you can get/it makes fingerpicking patterns really fun. Also really fun for tapping stuff (not that I'm any good) if you use a capo (or not).

I'd recommend trying a few - you might have fun and/or learn something new. At the very worst, you'll be able to say you've tried alternate tunings ;)

Sorry for my ignorance but what is "new standard tuning"?

I didn't know about the sauna bit, warms my sauna-loving Finnish heart 

Thanks didn't know about that!

1) in order to play different sets of open chords up and down the neck.

2) to get extended range out of the insturment.

3) tuning to a chord for using slides, a common technique

4) for tapping, used in a similar way as i do for slides

5) to force myself to think outside of the scales and chord progressions i fall back on

6) yes, sometimes to make hard stuff easy

 

Forget the cheaters and ask them to go stay at a motel. Popol Vuh , Jade Warrior, Michael Hedges, and even Jimmy Page all used alternate tunings. China, Japan, Ireland, or even the hills of West Virginia where the dulcimer and guitar are purposely tuned to a chord producing a distinctive style. The same goes for the early alternate tunings in the Blues during the 1930's. With Classical guitar it is requested for the guitarist to tune sometimes 3 to 4 strings differently from standard. Due to the fact that guitar as an instrument is limited and piano is not. Certain pieces from Paganini, J.S.Bach, and something more modern like Erik Satie must be in an alternate tuning due to that limitation of your instrument. Those who transcribe the pieces will indicate the special tuning in the far upper right hand corner of the sheet music. You are correct when you say some players are utilizing the concept for an easy way out. However alternate tunings derive from intense complex music and the tuning itself or the idea for that tuning was originally created for a big sound. A sound that one can easily obtain from a piano and yet must cut-corners for the guitar.