Open G Tuning, What does it mean? How to use it? Options

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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 ) Number of downloads: 80


 Progression_2.gp5 ( 1.95K ) Number of downloads: 46

[Gitarrero]

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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

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...

[Saddlefall]

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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

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

[Sinisa Cekic]

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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

Sure!! Check it out!

[Sinisa Cekic]

Check this out, Eb Bb Eb Eb Bb Eb

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Check this out, Eb Bb Eb Eb Bb Eb

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

[Alex Feather]

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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

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

[Olivier777]

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

This post has been edited by Olivier777: Jan 26 2012, 11:03 AM

[Cosmin Lupu]

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

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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

Cool!! I'll check it!

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

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

[Sensible Jones]

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

Kashmir ~ Led Zep!!!!

[Ivan Milenkovic]

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

[Gabriel Leopardi]

Kashmir ~ Led Zep!!!!

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

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

[Zoot]

Check this out, Eb Bb Eb Eb Bb Eb

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.

[Gabriel Leopardi]

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.

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

[JesseJ]

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