Alternate tuning...?

[cdub66]

I read about alternate tuning-drop D, 1/2 step down etc.

I'm wondering if there's a more common alternate, and examples of why (like songs that require/sound better) it would be preferred over standard tuning.

Sorry for the noob question, but I are one :smile: and was considering trying having one of my Strats tuned differently.

As always, any opinions appreciated! :food-smiley-004:

[smorgdonkey]

Eddie Van Halen was one of the people known for tuning 1/2 step down. It just gave everything a bit of a heavier sound.

Tuning down can also be helpful for singers who can't hit the higher notes.

Unchained was played in 'drop D' to get that 'chug-chug' sound which is pretty constant throughout the song.

[devnulljp]

Led Zeppelin's Kashmir is in Celtic tuning, DADGAD, The Rain Song is DGCGCD (although I think it's CFBbFBbC on the album??), In my time of dying is open A (EAEAC#E). I first learned the rain song in standard tuning and it's almost impossible to play, with huge weird stretches. I played it one day in front of a friend who is a way better player than I am, and his jaw dropped and he showed me how to play it properly :D Piece of cake in the right tuning.
A lot of slide players use open G (DGDGBD) or open D (DADF#AD), so a lot of old blues is in these tunings.
Keith Richards uses lots of alt tunings too....Start Me Up, Honkytonk Woman are in open G, The Black Crowes Twice As Hard is too. Lots of Soundgarden stuff is in odd tunings.
There's a wonderful modern classical piece called Koyunbaba by Carlo Domeniconi that's in C#min (C#G#C#G#C#E) and the score is written in scordatura (thanks Paganini!). It has a real haunting sound to it.
I think Albert Collins tuned to Fmin and then used a capo, so good luck trying to figure out anything by ear...

SRV dropped a semitone because he used really heavy strings (13s I think) and the little bit of loosening helps with bends. U2, Jimi Hendrix, and lots of other players use the semitone down thing. Drop D gives you instant I-V double stop on the bottom to strings at the same fret. I read somewhere that Black Sabbath developed their heavy sound because Tony Iommi lopped off the tips of his fingers on his fretting hand and rebuilt them with leather caps and thimbles -- could still play but couldn't bend notes so he dropped the tuning 1 1/2 steps to C# F# B E G# C# to lessen the tension on the strings.

It's kinda fun to fiddle with alt tunings, especially if you have a second guitar to leave it in one for a while.

[Hamstrung]

There's also DADDAD that gives the guitar an almost dulcimer sound. Suite Judy Blue Eyes by CSN (and I believe a few others) is done in this tuning.

[blink]

My Agile is tuned to standard but I tune my Strat a semitone down to D# so I can jam along with SRV and Hendrix stuff. One of my Ibanez's is used to change tunings on from various things, depending on what I want to do...it's set up so I can even tune down to C# with 9's...the heavy strings almost feel like rubber bands at that point lol.

[Milkman]

Cheryl Crows "If It Makes You Happy" is played in open G.

I use G-G-D-G-B-D and it sounds bang on. This tuning is also very useful for slide guitar and I suppose for lots of other songs. I know Keith Richards used a very similar tuning for Honky Tonk Woman and others. It just makes the guitar sound great.

Of course, it makes the guitar almost imposible to use for songs you already know in standard tuning.

This link is a clip of me playing a Peter Frampton song in the tuning I describe above.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tsnyLYAb4c

[Archer]

If y ou want to get a huge list of odd tunings look up some Soundgarden stuff. My fav Soundgarden tuning is: E-E flat-E-E flat-E-A

[ezcomes]

i'm loving open G...even open G5 (D-G-D-G-G-d) and open D (as shown above) but i've played it too as D-A-D-F-A-d...and another fun tuning is D-A-D-A-A-d

[devnulljp]

i'm loving open G...even open G5 (D-G-D-G-G-d) and open D (as shown above) but i've played it too as D-A-D-F-A-d...and another fun tuning is D-A-D-A-A-d
Isn't DADFAD dmin (flattened third)?
That last one DADAAD looks interesting. Anything well-known played in that tuning?

[cdub66]

Well, I'm glad I asked the question (I think) :eek: but I think I'd better just keep learning in standard tuning for a bit.
This is a bit confusing for my beginner knowledge.

Thanks all!! :food-smiley-004:

[Benee Wafers]

IMHO the most important thing about alternate or open tuning is the exploring of sounds which it leads you to. And that exploring of sounds does help develop your ear .
And if you do an open G or E for example it is very easy to play one finger bar chords which in turn I found allows you to concentrate on your development of strumming,
Benee Wafers

[ezcomes]

Isn't DADFAD dmin (flattened third)?
That last one DADAAD looks interesting. Anything well-known played in that tuning?

other than the songs i play...the only one i know about is undersold by big wreck...pretty cool tune


also...how is G-G-D-G-B-d tuned...the low E string i mean...do you tune up to G or down to G?

[devnulljp]

Well, I'm glad I asked the question (I think) :eek: but I think I'd better just keep learning in standard tuning for a bit.
This is a bit confusing for my beginner knowledge.

Thanks all!! :food-smiley-004:Nah! Try it. You have a spare guitar? Try a few and noodle around in it for a while. Open G is one of the more common. Try it with a bottleneck and play the dots on the neck.

[devnulljp]

also...how is G-G-D-G-B-d tuned...the low E string i mean...do you tune up to G or down to G?I thought that might have been a typo too. That bottom G would sure get floppy if it was down to a low G...has to be up no? Or replaced with an A string...

[devnulljp]

I've just been fiddling with open Gmin too -- D G D G Bb D. Sounds nice with slide.

[Milkman]

I thought that might have been a typo too. That bottom G would sure get floppy if it was down to a low G...has to be up no? Or replaced with an A string...



No typo.

The sixth is tuned up to G making it in unison with the fifth string (both G)

It gives open G a stonger sense of key (root on the bottom). The strings in my clip are garden variety Martin Marquis Lights.

[gramatica]

Fun thread...

I drop the low E to D when I play the CCR version of Heard it Through the Grapevine. A little balls goes a long way!

Back when I had a guitar in every room and two more under the bed, I always kept one tuned a half step down.
That way I could play along with Dwight Yoakam!

[devnulljp]

No typo.
The sixth is tuned up to G making it in unison with the fifth string (both G)
It gives open G a stonger sense of key (root on the bottom). The strings in my clip are garden variety Martin Marquis Lights.Nice! Good idea. Always fancied the idea of a 7 string for that sort of thing -- like Bucky Pizzarelli -- never did it though. I transcribed Bach's cello suite No. 1 with a dropped D, but in my head it would have been nice to have an additional bass string tuned to E too.

[Kiggz]

Whats a good tuning for beginner guitarists ?

I have heard about drop D and one finger or something like that can anyone shine the lite I am a beginner and only play in Standard tuning.

[devnulljp]

Whats a good tuning for beginner guitarists ?

I have heard about drop D and one finger or something like that can anyone shine the lite I am a beginner and only play in Standard tuning.
Standard is probably the best idea for a beginner.
You can learn standard chord shapes and intervals and standard scale box patterns. Then, there's the whole CAGED (http://www.guitarnotes.com/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000029) thing (movable chord shapes) which makes a lot of sense in standard tuning.
Drop D will let you play double stops on the bass strings by just fretting at the same fret.

[KneeDeep89]

other than the songs i play...the only one i know about is undersold by big wreck...pretty cool tune


also...how is G-G-D-G-B-d tuned...the low E string i mean...do you tune up to G or down to G?

Ian is great at using alternate tunings such as DADFAD to get that real drone going in Overemphasizing.

OT: ez, i bet you're from the Thornley board eh?
:food-smiley-004:

[wnpgguy]

I don't have enough courage to go beyond drop D. For one I feel lost with anything else and two I am a neurotic tuner always checking if Im in tune.

The dark and and scary wooded area of alternate tuning is something that I have yet to tackle.

Standard tuning is deffinatly a rut I have dug my self into quite comfortably.

[KneeDeep89]

i used to think that way, but now i'm hardly ever in standard tuning/drop d