From: Ted Hermary <CZTH000@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA>
Subject: Re: DIS: Open tunings
Sender: usenet@MUSICA.MCGILL.CA
Organization: McGill University
Date: Thu, 8 Sep 1994 09:23:04 GMT

In article <abostickCvp2oL.1I8@netcom.com> abostick@netcom.com (Alan L. 
Bostick) writes:
>"Ben Weiss" <weis0010@gold.tc.umn.edu> writes:
>
>>Could somebody please post an explanation of what open tunings are?  For
>>example, does "open D tuning" mean tune the E strings down to D (DADGBD),
>>or tune everything down so that all the open strings play the notes of the
>>D chord (DADF#AD)?
>>   Ben

In case you really want to experiment with this.....

I've heard of several D tunings, the dropped and open-D have already
been posted; others below.

Here's some other fairly common ones, and some not so common.
Numbers refer to the fret to tune the next string (strings 5th-1st)
once you've tuned the 6th.  Anyone with more knowledge of theory
than I (and there's PLENTY of you, for sure) might want to explain
what's going here in theoretical terms.  I only know that many are
"inversions" of the chords (doubling up different notes of the
chord, giving a different flavor).

Standard           EADGBE    55545-
Cross-Note         DADFAD    75345-
D-Modals:          DADGAD    75525-  <- most common, I think
              or   DADF#AB   75432-
                   DGDGBE    57545-
                   CGDGBE    77545-
Open C             CGCGCE    75754-
              or   GCEGCE    54354-
G Modal            DGDGCD    57552-
E minor            EBEGBE    75345-
"Slack-Key"        DGDGBD    57543-  <- used for bottle-neck slide
A Major            AC#EAC#E  (sorry, got tired figuring out the frets
A 7th              AEGAC#E    at this point)
A minor            ACEACE
              or   EAEACE
E Major            G#BEG#BE
E 7th              EDEG#BE

An old friend used to rave about "Nashville" styled tuning,
but I don't know what that is.  Anyone?
[Editor adds:  I believe Nashville tuning refers to replacing the
wound strings with strings tuned to the same note, one octave higher.
One way to accomplish this is to use only the high strings that come
in a set of strings for a 12 string guitar.  It is popular in
Nashville studios to double acoustic guitar parts with this tuning,
hence the name.]

One advantage to open tuning is that you can use a lot
of two-finger chords.  Another is that you use a simple, full
six string barre (or a slide) to change chords.  If open C
is used, for example, covering up all the strings on the
fifth fret gives you an automatic F, the seventh a G (etc.).
The same idea can be used with partial bars playing only the
barred notes (or, if the open notes belong in the barred
chord, playing them too).  I even like to play fills/mini-
riffs while strumming open or simple barre, mixing chord and
riff in one, but maybe that's just my taste.  (Of course, the
usual boxes/patterns for scales don't apply any more; you have
to learn new ones.)  Upshot is, there's a whole new world to
explore with open/alternate tunings.

A WARNING TO FIRST-TIMERS

For many of these, it's really best to have a second guitar tuned
to your favorite/most used open tuning.  Changing the tuning the
first time is rough enough on the strings, but going back and
forth is *murder* on them.  Of course, the alternative is to
buy *lots* o' strings. :-)

Well that goes well beyond Ben's question, I think.  But I'd
be interested if someone else has anything to add to this.
For example, has anyone explored tuning their guitar with
the same notes as a banjo, mandolin or other stringed instrument?
If so, how did it work out.

All for now,

Martin (Ted) Hermary
Department of Sociology
McGill University
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
e-mail:  czth@musica.mcgill.ca