Open guitar tunings

lindsmuse

This may be of interest to some.

http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/tuning/alternate-guitar-tuning-chart/

Bob-Dubery

They show something called "Four and Twenty" and give it as DADDAD. I'm guessing they're referring to the tuning that Stephen Stills used on the song by the same and name (and others, including "Carry On"). That was EEEEBE or, if you can't stand tuning the 4th string up a tone, DDDDAD. It's a lot of fun. The 5th string is very slack and consquently buzzes a lot, kind of like a sitar, and you can hear this on some of the Stills tracks from the 60s.

They also show an all 4ths tuning. Guitars were originally tuned in 4ths, still mostly are. Things got difficult when they went from 5 strings to 6, because with the instrument tuned all in 4ths barre chords became difficult. So the now "standard" tuning emerged with the 2nd string detuned a semi-tone and then the 1st a 4th up from the de-tuned 2nd, giving a E on the first and 6th and making barre chords on a 6-string instrument much easier.

guitarboy2828

Thanks for sharing, that's great!! There are quite a variety in there!

racman

Interesting ...

lindsmuse

X-rated Bob wrote They show something called "Four and Twenty" and give it as DADDAD. I'm guessing they're referring to the tuning that Stephen Stills used on the song by the same and name (and others, including "Carry On"). That was EEEEBE or, if you can't stand tuning the 4th string up a tone, DDDDAD. It's a lot of fun. The 5th string is very slack and consquently buzzes a lot, kind of like a sitar, and you can hear this on some of the Stills tracks from the 60s.

They also show an all 4ths tuning. Guitars were originally tuned in 4ths, still mostly are. Things got difficult when they went from 5 strings to 6, because with the instrument tuned all in 4ths barre chords became difficult. So the now "standard" tuning emerged with the 2nd string detuned a semi-tone and then the 1st a 4th up from the de-tuned 2nd, giving a E on the first and 6th and making barre chords on a 6-string instrument much easier.

EEEEBE or DDDDAD ?!Are you serious? So barring changed things a lot - seems we may have gained and lost something there. Can't wait to try some of these out. Want to learn to play rhythm along with Irish standards which will require using one or two of these!

Bob-Dubery

lindsmuse wrote EEEEBE or DDDDAD ?!Are you serious?

Yep. I've even done a competition entry in EEEEBE. It's a lot of fun actually. Try and get some of those Stills parts right in a regular tuning - you won't. I do 4&20 in drop D, which is sort of close but not the same.

So barring changed things a lot - seems we may have gained and lost something there.

It was the adoption of 6 strings or 6 courses of strings that forced changes.

Can't wait to try some of these out. Want to learn to play rhythm along with Irish standards which will require using one or two of these!

I think you'd want to try open G for those.

Bob-Dubery

Talking of Irish song and open-G, here's Paul Brady performing "Arthur McBride and the Sergeant". Lots of people have done this song, but Brady's version is a good 'un.

And what a gent! He provides a tab.

lindsmuse

What a voice . I wondered what the lyrics were about and Wiki told me this and more :

"Arthur McBride" is an Irish folk song. It was first collected around 1840 in Limerick, Ireland by Patrick Weston Joyce; also in Donegal by George Petrie.[1] Several versions are found in Scotland, Suffolk and Devon - the tunes differing slightly. The song can be narrowly categorized as an "anti-recruiting" song and more broadly as a protest song. etc" Howabout that.

Thanks for the intro to Paul Brady. Going to go look for some more.

Bob-Dubery

lindsmuse wrote Thanks for the intro to Paul Brady. Going to go look for some more.

It can get confusing. He comes from a folk background, but he's also done a lot of more contemporary sounding songs that you'd not really call "folk". He's a great interpretive singer, and I think an overlooked guitar player.

Guess where I "discovered" him? That's right... Transatlantic Sessions (put those DVDs on your Xmas prezzie list).

I think that song's a piece of blarney myself, but however you decide to interpret it it's a great story. Brady tells it well.

Bob-Dubery

Some players devise their own tunings. I'm watching Martin Carthy on DVD right now and he uses various tunings but his trademark tuning, the one he uses most, is CGCDGA. He says he can't make sense of DADGAD. But ja, you read that right: 1st string is tuned down to A. The 6th is 2 tones down from standard tuning.

lindsmuse

That's a weird one - now I'm going to go and listen to the guy!

Bob-Dubery

Thinking about it, either that 1st string is tuned WAY up (doesn't sound like that, and when I saw him he wasn't changing 1st strings) or the 2 Cs and the 2 Gs are the same note. The latter is possible. If you think of the EEEEBE tuning I described then 6&5 are tuned to the same E, and 4&3 are an octave above 6&5.

I haven't heard anybody play like Carthy. When I saw him live it was the first time I'd heard him as well, and his playing was so far from anything that I had as a reference point that it was like he'd just come down from Mars. FABULOUS performer. Massive emotional punch.

lindsmuse

I love this and this was just the first one I found - CGCDGA. I think because of all the resonance it makes it so magic to sing with an open tuning. And he certainly doesn't need any bells and whistles sitting there in his garden making this awesome music!

=

Bob-Dubery

Yes, some open tunings do give the instrument an extra resonance. EG that tuning that Stills uses - your guitar will ring like a bell.

I have distinct memories of seeing Martin Carthy walk out and start playing. My first thought was "what is that?" but straight after that I noticed the way his guitar rang. And he let it ring, and the effect was very seductive and pulled me into the music.

Open tunings often work well for drones - another "hypnotic" tool.

lindsmuse

Arthur Mac Bride - I keep on listening to it - love it.

Bob-Dubery

A more rock 'n roll example: on rotation in the X-mobile is Ry Cooder's "Pull Up Some Dust & Sit Down" and it's loaded with Keith Richards licks.

Well... Not really. Keith actually picked up some things from Cooder back in the 60s. And he learned to play in open G.

If you want to play like Keef, then get into open G.