Alternate Tunings

[JohnJumper]

The background...I was messing around with an alternate tuning for guitar today (Db Ab F Ab Db F). I found it in a Fingerstyle Guitar magazine. I tried making a backing track to solo over using it. It is just a simple chord and picking pattern. While improvising over this I figured out that I felt most comfortable in Db-Dorian. Here it is...

http://www.jumpermusic.com/NewGuitar/MP3/ANovemberNight.mp3

So now the questions...This is the first time I have really messed with alternate tuning and I liked the result, however, I started wondering how many alternate tunings there are that are common out there and decided to ask all of you what alternate tunings you use and how you use them. Is there any theory behind constructing an alternate tuning? I know that once you change the tuning on the guitar all the patterns go to heck so what kind of technique do you use? Is it just a matter of starting over and learning new chord shapes in the alternate tuning?

[aaeolean]

I've done quite a bit of this open tuning stuff. There's a whole new world out there to explore once you change the tuning.

I've got some infor for ya:

With any open tuning I try to figure out what key it is closely tied to. From there I try to harminize the major scale over it. By this I mean if we have chosen the key to be C for example.......you would want to find all the chords common to that key. You will need to find C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, Bdim.
Try to find the same voicings so that you will find the chords up the neck instead of playing them in one close position. (don't be afraid to let open strings ring out)

Once you find and memorize these chords you'll have more controll of what you want to do.

Here's something that I've been working on:

Tune you guitar like this -> C G D G B E (same as standard except you detune the 5th and 6th strings)

Ok from here you can notice that you have G D and C available in the bass strings. (the I IV and V chords). Now start by playing the low G and play a lick right after it while it is ringing out. For now lets just play in G maj 'cause it will work with all the chords. From here you just noodle around playing bass notes and letting them ring while you play melodies over top. It's pretty cool because all of the scale shapes and patterns on strings 1 2 3 and 4 haven't changed. Hope this helps.....I've got other things to show just let me know....

BEN

[JohnJumper]

Hey that sounds cool! I will try that one tonight...

[Los Boleros]

If you want to talk about alternate tunings, Check out this forum. acoustic guitar forum (http://www.guitarseminars.com/cgi-bin//Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true) Most of the guys at this place play Steel guitar, Lap, resonator and Dobro. They could deffinately tell you about the different tunings they use.

[tinsmith]

Check out the music of Michael Hedges if you like tunings. He rarely used any standard tuning, in fact I would be surprised if any of his recorded music was in standard tuning.
Try Stropes.............

http://www.stropes.com/index.php?glbm=19&fa=7


Happy picking!!

[JohnJumper]

Check out the music of Michael Hedges if you like tunings. He rarely used any standard tuning, in fact I would be surprised if any of his recorded music was in standard tuning.
Try Stropes.............
Holy Cow!! There are tons of different tunings there...Thanks!

[bruiseviolet]

E-B-D-G#-B-E sounds good for playing Hawaiian slide.

[outtathaway]

My favourite tuning has to be C-G-C-F-A-D for all the heavy stuff.

Another one that Muse have used is A-A-D-G-B-E which is standard tuning with the low E string tuned down to A, I can't remember what the song was called but it has cool harmonics and the down tuned string!

[tinsmith]

A nice Stills, Crosby type drone tuning I like is D A D D A D.


4+20 sounds pissa using it.