Replies



  • werner said:
    this site should be very helpful, i guess, for chords & scales if your forget the other 3 strings :)
    http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/guitar/index_rb.html



    Thanks for that link. I used it to make some chord cheat sheets for different tunings. If you set 3 strings to Open E and 3 for Open D (or whatever) you can map out all the major and minor chords for both tunings at ones. Probably only useful for a newb like me, but it saved scratching it all out on paper.
  • double post :(
  • I do most of my 6 string slide playing in open E. Currently I only have one CBG and it's a 4 string. I have it tunned to open F#, just a few cents higher than standard concert pitch at A444. I know that sounds odd, but its a trick I learned from playing sitar and Indian Classical Music. All of their instruments are tuned just a tad higher than western instruments, right around A444. From listening to so much Indian Classical Music, I've grown used to it, and find a certain unorthodox charm to it. Plus this allows me to play along with tanpura drones.

    When playing along with others, I just adjust back to concert pitch. Thank god for the Korg CA-30 Chromatic Tuner.
  • Yes yes, love E, cause then I can play my A harp with it , which is my favorite key to play.
  • I play mainly in lower Vestapol tunings like Open D and C to match my vocal range. But of course, the interval relationships between the strings is the same, so the fingerboard does not change, regardless of the key. I've done a lot of experimenting with different keys over the years. Many players try to force their vocals on a particular key. Transposing to different keys is a piece of cake in open tunings. Either use a capo or tune using the Vestapol intervals 151351 from the major scale of your choice. Enjoy.
  • Hey Barry, you're right. This is excellent, and I do thank you.

    Barry Evan Russ said:
    BEST site ever for chords/ scales/ open tunings etc. You will thank me.

    http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/
  • Here is how I like to approach it:

    Open E on a six string is EBEg#be low to high. I basically cut it in half.
    You can use the EBE and have a 3 string bass instrument to match with a 4 string rhythm / lead guitar tuned Eg#be. I personally prefer to do this with Open G tuning: tuned GDg (strings A D g from a standard medium pack of strings) and tuned Dgbd (strings Dgbe, although I use a .016 for the highest string because it is tuned down to d and I get better string tension for the slide)

    There are many ways to create an open tuning. Usually they contain the 1,3,5 tones from the major scale and form a major chord. If you flatten the 3, you get a open minor tuning. In the case of a 3 string cbg it a simple 151 power chord instrument.

    My video instructional CD4 explains this approach. It is for a 3 string fretted CBG tuned GDg.
    I hope this is helpful.
    Enjoy.
  • BEST site ever for chords/ scales/ open tunings etc. You will thank me.

    http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/

    Barry Evan Russ said:
    Well, my guess would be E-B-E, or you could do G#-B-E.

    MichaelS said:
    What is the tuning for open E in 3 string? Just showing my newness thank you. Is there a list somewere of all the usable open tunings and the key they are in? Can't be to long of a list.
  • Well, my guess would be E-B-E, or you could do G#-B-E.

    MichaelS said:
    What is the tuning for open E in 3 string? Just showing my newness thank you. Is there a list somewere of all the usable open tunings and the key they are in? Can't be to long of a list.
  • Nice Ben, simple and understandable thanks.

    Ben said:
    Hi Michael,
    Here's a short list. Let's start at the very beginning:
    Open A: AEa
    Open Bflat: Bb F bb
    Open B: B F# b
    Open C: C G c
    Open C#: C# G# c#
    Open D: D A d
    Open D#: D# A# d#
    Open E: E B e
    Open F: F C f
    Open F#: F# C# f#
    Open G: G D g
    Open G#: G# D# g#

    This is the I V I open tuning. Do you see the pattern? Your starting note is the first note of the scale (I). Then you count up to the fifth note of the scale (V). Then you put the octave of the first note on top. This of course is only one style of open tuning but is nice for playing both major and minor scales.
This reply was deleted.