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Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 25 2012, 03:03 PM

Hello guys! In this thread I would like to talk about the "Open G tuning". D - G - D - G - B - D. This tuning is the favourite by Keith Richards so you'll get a Rolling Stones feel if you experiment with this tuning. You will also hear this vibes in music by Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes and Joni Mitchell.

How to tune the guitar with this tuning?
You have to start tuning the sixth string down a tone to D. You can compare the sound with the open D string. Then tune the 5th string down a tone to G and compare it with the open 3 string. Finally tune the first string down a tone to D and compare the sound with the 4th string.

We should finally get:

D||-------||
B||-------||
G||-------||
D||-------||
G||-------||
D||-------||

Chord Progression examples:

Ex 1

  C    G7sus4    C    A#       F7sus4          A#    F                         
     Q    Q      E  Q    E     E  E      E  E  E  Q     E      W                  
D||--5----5------5--5----3--|--L--3------3--3--3--3----10--|---L----------------||
B||--5----6------6--5----3--|--L--4------4--4--4--3----10--|---L----------------||
G||--5----7------7--5----3--|--L--5------5--5--5--3----10--|---L----------------||
D||--5----5------5--5----3--|--L--3------3--3--3--3----10--|---L----------------||
G||--5----5------5--5----3--|--L--3------3--3--3--3----10--|---L----------------||
D||-------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------||

Ex 2

     C7sus4       Fadd9      C                                
     Q      E.  S E     Q    E     W                          
D||--5------5---5-5-----5----5--|--L----------------|-------||
B||--6------6---6-6-----6----5--|--L----------------|-------||
G||--5------5---5-5-----5----5--|--L----------------|-------||
D||--8------8---8-7-----7----5--|--L----------------|-------||
G||--5------5---5-5-----5----5--|--L----------------|-------||
D||-----------------------------|-------------------|-------||

Play this progressions and experiment with this tuning. Try adding finger to the chords in different frets to discover new chords without thinking too much in the name of the theory behind those chords (at first). This will open your mind to take your compositions to a new level.

You can also learn some famous songs that use this tuning to incorporate the different positions and more chord progressions. Some songs are: Start me up (Rolling Stones), Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones), Twice as hard (Black Crowes), Little Green (Joni Mitchell), When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin).

That's all guys, now it's time for you to experiment!

 Progression_1.gp5 ( 2.51K ) : 386


 Progression_2.gp5 ( 1.95K ) : 259

Posted by: Gitarrero Jan 25 2012, 07:06 PM

Great advice Gabriel!

In my last band I had a spare guitar tuned to open G for the two Rolling Stones songs you mentioned

Never used it for anything else or even messed around with it. Will try it now though

Christian

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 25 2012, 07:28 PM

yeah, it's awesome how your creativity can be increased if you change the tuning and don't pay attention to the notes, just the sounds that you get forming unknown (at first) chord shapes...

Posted by: Saddlefall Jan 25 2012, 09:20 PM

This is interesting, I have never tried this kind of tuning. I will have to experiment with it

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 25 2012, 09:35 PM

Cool man! Let me know if you have any question and share with us your jams!

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jan 25 2012, 09:46 PM

Great topic ,man ! I've used open G long time ago, especially for Stones songs, sounds great!!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 25 2012, 09:56 PM

Sure!! Check it out!

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Jan 25 2012, 11:08 PM

Check this out, Eb Bb Eb Eb Bb Eb

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 26 2012, 01:07 AM

I've always loved the guitar tone and riffs of this song!

Posted by: Alex Feather Jan 26 2012, 01:44 AM

Great advice!!!! Thank you for sharing! I am usually using D-A-D-G-A-D and haven't tried this one yet!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 26 2012, 04:19 AM

I've never tried that one! What do you play with that tuning?

Posted by: Olivier777 Jan 26 2012, 11:02 AM

This is interesting

From what I recall open G tuning is also used for accoustic slide guitars such as in this example from Warren Haynes :

http://youtu.be/Mavbcr6wtW8

I always thought I'd tuned my accoustic guitar and try out slide with open G tuning after listening to this but never actually dared to do it

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Jan 26 2012, 11:11 AM

You could try my Christmas lesson but de-tune everything one step down so it would be C G C F G C

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 26 2012, 05:29 PM

Cool!! I'll check it!




yeah, they always use open tuning for that style! That's a great link,,, I'll check his instructional videos. thanks!

Posted by: Sensible Jones Jan 28 2012, 02:42 PM

Kashmir ~ Led Zep!!!!

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jan 28 2012, 04:49 PM

Awesome thing Gab, never had the chance to use that tuning, but I'll try it now. Thanks for the advice!

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jan 28 2012, 06:13 PM

Do it man! You'll get lots of fun!

Posted by: Zoot Jun 19 2012, 03:54 PM

That tuning ^^^^^ is cool - Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Pearl Jam...

I know I'm WAAAAAAAAAY late to this party, but had to chime in here...

Open G is awesome.
Open D is awesome - D A D F# A D (or Dm is cool too - drop the F# to F)
DADGAD is awesome - one finger D chords with oh-so-much weight
DADGBD is awesome too, except that I've trade-marked every inversion in that tuning and WILL charge a royalty

Playing around with standard chord shapes and the improvising off into drone-land is a real eye-opener and a great way of breaking out of a song-writing rut if you get stuck.

My personal favourite alternate tuning is stolen from The Tea Party -

C G C G C D



If you can't get lost in the pseudo-sitar madness of that tuning, then you need to try harder!

Z.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 19 2012, 11:16 PM

Great addition mate! That piece of music is beautiful.
Everytime that I hear this tuning, J. Page comes to mind...

Posted by: JesseJ Jun 20 2012, 11:46 PM

My Favorite tuning is D-A-D-G-B-E

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Jun 22 2012, 04:41 PM

That's dropped D!