Members bluesnapper Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 After seeing a Derek Trucks show a few weeks ago I felt inspired enough to buy a slide and put my SG in open E tuning. The slide playing is coming on nicely - not too hard to get the hang of - but it's soloing regularly in open E that's having a massive effect on my playing style. Usually, I simply follow the scale patterns around the neck on autopilot but in an unfamiliar tuning I'm having to think note-to-note, contemplate intervals between notes and learn to play licks in a different way. Plus I'm coming up with new ideas, phrasings etc. All of this I can now take back to standard tuning. I can honestly say that experimenting with an open tuning has sparked the biggest improvement in my playing for years. Anyone else have a similar experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 I like Open D (less tension on the neck and you can capo the second fret if you want OE), but I sold the guitar I used for that. I suppose it's time dedicate another Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alex_SF Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 Usually, I simply follow the scale patterns around the neck on autopilot but in an unfamiliar tuning I'm having to think note-to-note, contemplate intervals between notes and learn to play licks in a different way. Plus I'm coming up with new ideas, phrasings etc.All of this I can now take back to standard tuning. I can honestly say that experimenting with an open tuning has sparked the biggest improvement in my playing for years.Anyone else have a similar experience? Yes -- it's subtle, but learning open G and open E playing have both had a similar effect on me and made me better at playing in standard. (I've learned to play slide in standard too.) I'm still not great in any tuning, but I'm better, so I'll take what I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 definitely makes me approach the guitar differently... which is a good thing.... i play in open tunings a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tweak'd Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 ..something I need to try... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 I've been woodshedding & gigging exclusively in it for the last couple of weeks for slide (and not for slide). I used to play slide exclusively in open G, but only dabbled in open D/E. I put up a thread over at HCAG, where I usually hang, but I've been gigging with a strat or Tele w/P90s. Solo shows. http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2802905-Voyage-to-Vestapol-Gigging-in-Open-E I find that I'm more rhythmic in open tunings. Not as many familiar patterns (that does change after you play in the open tuning for a while btw) gets you to really groove on the good sounding notes -- or just hang on to them for dear life. I've been messing with various setups. On my Bullet Strat (best $119 I've ever spent on a strat), I'm currently using 9s and high action. I have to use a lighter touch when playing this guitar. The higher action actually makes them feel about a gauge higher when fretting. I've also flattened out the radius at the bridge -- not totally flat, but not exactly the same as the neck. In general, with lighter strings (and/or lower action), I've found that I need to use more gain/OD/distortion and a lighter touch when playing slide. I'm not a fan of the high E string -- just not enough mass there to make it sing when playing slide. On my tele (a Squier Telecaster Custom II w/P90s, best $249 I've ever spent on a tele ), I'm using 11s and my action is just a bit lower than the Strat. This is more typical of what I've used in the past. It's home turf for me on slide, for this kind of setup I've used for years. Strings are more balanced, and I can really dig in when playing slide. Fretting notes is a bit more of a challenge due to the action and string gauge. When I play in standard, I get good results with heavy strings and I can keep the action low. On my Epiphone Zephyr Regent (a one-pup ES175, best $350 I've ever spent on a hollowbody ), I have it strung with 12s (plain G) and the action is low -- about as low as I can get without any problems. While I can't dig in like I can with 11s and high action, I can still get some great slide sounds. Occasionally I'll use a couple of quick change tunings (noted in the HCAG thread). I've tried various slides, but by far my favorite is a green glass bottleneck slide (Big Heart). It's a bit heavy and about 3" long. I love having a good seam on it so that I can get that scratchy mojo. It fits well and I've always used my pinky, though I notice that I articulate differently and a bit more expressively on my ring finger. I also fret behind the slide when appropriate. I'm having a blast. This is something that I put aside a bit for the last several years. Coming back around to it is like rediscovering an old friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benzem Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 All of this I can now take back to standard tuning. I can honestly say that experimenting with an open tuning has sparked the biggest improvement in my playing for years.Anyone else have a similar experience? Great thought, bring that sensibilty to standard tuning. Certain to take you out of patterns and familiar riffs. Great songwriting tool as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 Haven't done it in a while, but I do remember being in a serious rut a few years ago and trying to learn a song with a nonstandard tuning and it just gave me a nice kick in the pants and got me out of the rut. Probably should have a go at it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members satrionic1 Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 can't be arsed to do on electric, most of what i play require standart tuning and i play an ibanez. still i use many different tunings on my acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sonic_777111 Posted July 21, 2011 Members Share Posted July 21, 2011 That's how I felt when I went to DADGAD, but now I find myself settling into familiar patterns in DADGAD... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GAS Man Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 I just have one ditty I do in open tuning. This tune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgsC1WlAzWE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 Usually, I simply follow the scale patterns around the neck on autopilot but in an unfamiliar tuning I'm having to think note-to-note, contemplate intervals between notes and learn to play licks in a different way. Plus I'm coming up with new ideas, phrasings etc. This is some of the idea behind Robert Fripp's "New Standard Tuning." I was in a band once where I was writing a bunch of songs in alternate tunings, but the other guitarist wouldn't adjust to it, and I got tired of switching guitars. You can get a lot of cool sounds playing with tunings, but I haven't messed with it in a long time. The only thing I do now is an occasional drop-D, which is practically so common, it doesn't even count as an alternate tuning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ozzeh Posted July 22, 2011 Members Share Posted July 22, 2011 I am uneducated regarding open tunings, but I just cannot see a scenario where I'd ever use it. I used to play strictly standard but I've been experimenting with Eb and D standard as well. Which is why I can ALWAYS have a reason for owning at least 3 electric guitars !! And a legitimate reason at that. I love all 3 tunings equally and D Standard is as low as I'll go for several reasons : 1) even a full step down I know exactly where I am on the fretboard 2) Chuck S. used it 3) Sounds killer for any genre of metal from prog metal to brutal death metal. Fripp's 'new standard tuning' looks ridiculous, does anybody here actually use it predominantly? I know SEVERAL highly competent guitarists who have been playing for years, own great gear, and quite honestly play pretty good. A lot of times they'll play in C# or B for heavier music, but what gets me is that for as long as these dudes have been playing, if you asked them what key they're in, they couldn't tell you. To me, knowing what key you're in and being able to expand your sound / lead / rhythm guitar playing because of it is a basic building block from being a 'good' guitarist to a phenomenal one. I mean, I've been playing 3 years and I can play any barre chord in the same key in at least 4 different spots on the guitar neck from frets 1-13... so for me to be able to do this, it perplexes me that somebody who has been playing for 10+ years wouldn't have an idea what key they're playing in! and this is why I take lessons LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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