Open G tuning??? What is it and how do I tune my guitar this way?
Mr Mister
I've seen a song I want to play that uses Open "G" tuning. The quote on the
tab webpage is as follows:
"This song is in OPEN G TUNING- it is the only way to get the harmonics, and
kelly also mentioned this tuning in an interview.
Tuning-open G - DGDGBD"
Does that mean that I can use my little electronic tuner to set this to?
I'm a bit confused as to how I go about this.
I've only been playing a year and I've never had a formal lesson so please
go easy on me.
Thanks for your help.
Kev Place
<nos...@nospam.com> writes
It's a popular alternate tuning.
Both of your E strings need to be dropped two semitones to D (sometimes
called double dropped D) - then lower your A string by the same amount
to get G. That's it! :o)
Be aware that quite often players using open tunings will use a capo to
move the basic open chord around.
Your tuner will cope with dropping the high E and A strings, but some
have trouble tuning to a low D. If this is the case with yours, it's
easier to tune by getting the 12th fret harmonic on the string and
tuning to that. (If you can't get clear harmonics, then holding down the
note at the 12th fret should get you there or there abouts)
The harmonic at the 12th fret on your "new" low D will sound at the same
pitch as your standard open D string. Your top string's D will be the
same pitch as the 12th fret harmonic on the standard open D.
The twelfth fret harmonic on your new open G will sound at the same
pitch as your normal G string does.
I hope that helps (without confusion?)
Which song is it btw?
--
Kev
Pete Croft
Mister) wrote:
Being a cheating git, and assuming that there's no "note" tuner available
(i.e. one that displays the note, not just the frequency) then for things
like this I just tune to standard then re-tune the guitar to itself.
So for Open G, tune to standard then:
String Standard Get to Open G
6 E tune to normal D (str 4)
5 A tune to normal G (str 3)
4 D leave alone
3 G leave alone
2 B leave alone
1 E tune to normal D (str 4)
Or if that's not clear, erm, re-tune the E strings, unfretted, until they
match the D string, unfretted. Re-tune the A string until it matches the
G string, unfretted.
Cheers,
Pete
Mr Mister
"Kev Place" <ab...@mythagowood.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:b9PNqhFl...@mythagowood.demon.co.uk...
Thanks for that, it's slightly confusing doing a first pass read but it
makes more sense when I think about it.
The song is off the new Stereophonics album JEEP, the song is called Step On
My Old Size Nines. Dodgy song title but it sounds pretty good on an
acoustic and I think it's only a 2 chord per verse song. Probably good for
a beginner to learn a song on an open G tuning, at least that is my hope.
You can hear and watch Kelly Jones play it at
http://www.getmusic.com/artists/featured/stereophonicsvideo225008.html. You
just need to click on the suitable speed video for your internet connection.
I recommend clicking on the HIGH connection choice (if you've got it) purely
for the near CD quality sound and clarity of the full screen image.
The tab for the song can be got from www.stereophonicsweb.com. It's a fan
website that won the MTV Europe website of the week award a couple of weeks
ago. Here are the direct links for the Open G Tuning and Standard Tuning
guitar tabs:
Open G:
http://www.stereophonicsweb.com/guitartabs/tabs/Step_on_my_old_size_nines_(B
oyle).txt
Standard:
http://www.stereophonicsweb.com/guitartabs/tabs/Step_On_My_Old_Size_Nines(Sc
ott_Morgan).txt
The song can be heard on the official website as well at
www.stereophonics.com.
And yes I think they are pretty good, possibly a newer, more grown up
version of Bon Jovi with some serious as well as good fun songs.
Thanks for the help.
Mr Mister
"Pete Croft" <pete@_NO_SPAM_drufus.cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20010629073513.63565D@drufus._nospam_cix.co.uk...
Thanks for that Pete, I'll give it a shot and let you know how I get on.
Mr Mister
Using what both of you have advised me to do as well as the first link below
(nice and clear table explaining how it works on a tuner) I was able to tune
it successfully at my first attempt.
It's cool, I like this tuning. Just sturmming the guitar open sounds
"nice". It also seems that playing notes should be fairly similar to the
regular D tuning just moving the fingers down one string, more or less.
Cheers again everyone.
Open G tuning explanation with diagrams:
http://www.execpc.com/~pgkuchar/OpenG/OpenGFrames.htm
Open Tunings Tutorial - Lots of info, I rate it 7.5/10.
http://www.guitarnotes.com/links/rgoto.cgi?query=994&sort=open&title=Open+Tu
nings+Tutorial&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.execpc.com%2F%7Epgkuchar%2Fopentune.htm&
rank=2.0&rnum=0
Regards.
"Mr Mister" <nos...@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:9hie46$dv63a$1...@ID-86865.news.dfncis.de...
Kev Place
<nos...@nospam.com> writes
>Thanks for that, it's slightly confusing doing a first pass read but it
>makes more sense when I think about it.
>
>The song is off the new Stereophonics album JEEP, the song is called Step On
>My Old Size Nines. Dodgy song title but it sounds pretty good on an
>acoustic and I think it's only a 2 chord per verse song.
I remember it - they played it on Later with Jools a few months back. I
liked the song title. Something about an old fella in Kelly Jones' local
who asked a lady to dance. She replied that she was too old/couldn't
manage it (can't remember exactly) - he said "It's OK, step on my old
size tens and I'll take you 'round". Kelly changed the line to size
nines 'cause it rhymed better :o)
>Probably good for
>a beginner to learn a song on an open G tuning, at least that is my hope.
Anything you *like* is good to learn (no matter how hard). You're far
more likely to practice 'til you get it right.
>You can hear and watch Kelly Jones play it at
<snip info>
Cheers for that.
Good luck with the tune. I'm sure there's plenty in here that can
recommend other acoustic numbers played in Open G?
--
Kev
Anthony
in open A on TSRTS I'm told and in the studio was slowed down to G.
Kev Place wrote in message ...
:In article <9hgsr7$dkd5o$1...@ID-86865.news.dfncis.de>, Mr Mister
Jonathan J Quick
news:3b405ae0$1...@news.iprimus.com.au...
>
> I thought it might have been the Rain Song he was trying to learn, which
is
> in open A on TSRTS I'm told and in the studio was slowed down to G.
The Rain Song is in DGCGCD...
Jonathan
Home (+44) 01647 433030
Mobile (+44) 07715 849913
Email ma...@jjquick.org.uk
Homepage www.jjquick.org.uk