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Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on March 20, 2018 at 2:21am

Never heard anyone tuning their git to G-B-D, except when tuning a 6 string, D-G-B yeah, but then to do what you say, all you have to do is string it up lefty if your a righty to get the B-G-D.

Something new to play with I guess, but for the most part, people are use to having their base string at the top of their neck, and as far a thumb use, a common practice for eons, me personally, I have enough challenge with my stubby short fingers and keep my thumb on the back of the neck, so I'll stick to conventional.

Welcome anyway, and not squashing new ideas, just wouldn't work for me.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on March 21, 2018 at 7:07am

 I have short fingers and using the thumb wasn't ideal on a 6 stringer, but a 3 or 4 string CBG should be possible. We just have to adapt and teach us old dogs a new trick. Haha

Sometimes I have a hard time getting the smaller string on the bottom fretted good, so putting the fatter strings on the bottom could be better. I'll give it a try sometime soon and thanks for your suggestion.

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Permalink Reply by IaNerd on March 25, 2018 at 5:13am

An extension of this idea: Putting the "perfect fifth" string in the middle (e.g. B--D--G, from head to feet) and using the thumb to flat-fret the B--G (i.e. the third AND the fifth) gives you all the DIMINISHED chords as well!

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Permalink Reply by IaNerd on April 8, 2018 at 5:53am

In the post above, I meant to say "to flat-fret the B--D".

One more extension ....

When using a pitch-shifting stomp box, one can electronically modulate the signal to play in ANY MAJOR OR MINOR KEY with NO RE-LEARNING OR CHANGES to the hand positions.

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 8, 2018 at 10:07pm

On a related note: I sometimes tune down the highest string on my four-strings half a step (from G-D-G-B to G-D-G-Bb for example) to achieve a similar but less complicated effect. This turns everything to minor while it still allows for playing major chords with very little adjustment (just fret the higest string one fret further up than usual...). This does, of course, also work with a three-string tuned to root-fifth-minor third.

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Permalink Reply by IaNerd on April 9, 2018 at 1:19am

Hans: Thanks for sharing!
In your tuning/methhod, which digit frets the G-D-G strings? Which digit frets the Bb string?

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Permalink Reply by Hans on April 9, 2018 at 1:47am

For barre chords I use the index finger for G-D-G and the third finger for the Bb string. But I mostly use chord shapes on the four-string and for that whatever finger is on the highest string just has to move up one fret...

My reason for using this method of tuning down the highest string half a step is that in standard open tuning I have a hard time fingering some of the minor chords in a way that I can strum all four strings. The chords just sound a lot better with all four strings strummed instead of just three and I don't have to mute the lowest string with the thumb which often leads to buzzing sounds when I strum a little more vigorously... and I can play in G minor without fretting anything (I love G minor...)

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