Open tunings

[Stubacca]

So I always have stuck to standard tuning and I really want experiment with some open tuning so see if it opens up any new doors of creativity. Is there a certain tuning more recommend than the rest? Where should I start?

[AJ Nash]

CGCEAC is great. It's an open 6/9 type thing, I use it on acoustic.

 

I also like EADEAE. You can tune the D down to a B to get the 9th (of A) if you want more colour.

[ponch]

this thread is relevant to me, i want to start using more differnt tunings, i tend to use

 

F A* D* G* C F

 

so the more bizzare and wierd tunings that are on here the better !!!

[zygoat]

I use open C a lot.

[orange worker]

i mess around with a bunch..all low>high

 

open E

eBEG#BE

 

aug E

eAEG#BE

 

F#

f#ADF#AD

or

dF#DF#AD

 

not sure the name of this one

eGDF#BD

 

open D

dADF#AD

 

F/C

fACGCF

 

open G (for low)

dGDGBD

 

dropped standard

dAEGBE

[AJ Nash]

not sure the name of this one eGDF#BD

 

Em9 I'll have to try that one.

[orange worker]

it works pretty good too if you tune the 5th string up to B - especially this chord - 12-0-0-13-0-0

[Stubacca]

Thanks guys, going to try some of these out right now!

[Stubacca]

... Oh and one more thing, open E.. Is that tuni g used for slide alot?

[Rizza]

Using D modal at the moment (DADGAD). It's like Open D except the F# is a G.

[orange worker]

i know gilmour uses it for slide, but you can use open D/G/anything really. just works better with the intervals on the strings.

[PermaNoobie]

 

Using D modal at the moment (DADGAD). It's like Open D except the F# is a G.

 

 

that's a fun one -- it puts you open in Dsus4 so, yeah you get that modal sound

 

Bensusan plays in that pretty much exclusively (if you want to check him out for ideas)

his little label is even called DADGAD music

[Stubacca]

Nice guys, thanks!!!

[TomCTC]

 

... Oh and one more thing, open E.. Is that tuni g used for slide alot?

 

 

It most definitely is, I was going to come into this thread and suggest it for you. haha.

 

When I had my Tele Deluxe, it was always kept in Open E with the action raised up fairly high for slide work. Incredibly musical tuning for it, I hate playing slide in standard in comparison.

[DL2]

Open G FTW!

 

DGDGAD

[slamcityjam]

I've been playing around with a Stephen Malkmus-tuning lately which sounds awesome:

 

CGDGAE - I think that ought to be open Cadd9, right?

[hwaorang]

What is the advantage of open tunings? Are you able to do stuff that you can't in standard tunings? Or is it just to make certain chords easier?

[zygoat]

It just gives me new ideas, that's why I use them. I like open C because you get the heavy sounds of the low C and it's easy to do melodic pretty sounding things on the higher strings.

[hecticone]

Just remember if your using a bolt on or an acoustic a higher tuning can really screw up a guitar.

[Loobs]

 

Just remember if your using a bolt on or an acoustic a higher tuning can really screw up a guitar.

 

 

Why? It may add a little less relief to the neck, nothing that can't be resolved with a truss rod tweak. Why would it be worse on a bolt on guitar over a set neck? That makes no sense.

[companyman]

I love open G, sometimes I lower the bottom string to C in that tuning...finger picking is so fun in that tuning.

[soupdragon]

Open G FTW! DGDGAD

 

{censored}, I thought I invented that tuning.

Oh well, I suppose it is a fairly obvious tuning

[Loobs]

I like dropping the low string to a C

[Sanquilo]

DADADD

[A.P. Ryder]

 

... Oh and one more thing, open E.. Is that tuni g used for slide alot?

 

 

Always leave my resonators in open tunings, usually open G or D, but occasionally in E and A. You have to be careful with the last two, as they put a little more pressure on the neck, so it's a good idea to detune after use - or tune to open G or D and use a capo on the second fret for A and E (respectively).