Deviating from standard tuning jumps start inspiration. Modified tunings transform technique and theory. New fingerings give fresh feels. Alternate chord shapes breed novel progressions. Custom string pitches build unique moods. Experimental tunings prompt players to wander beyond habitual habits.
Retuning remaps the fretboard’s possibilities. New tunings unlock unexplored frequencies, textures, emotions. Alternative tunings stretch scopes. Outside the standard’s boundaries, players discover richer ranges. Deviant tunings reveal the guitar’s still untapped potential. They urges axeslingers toward innovative, idiosyncratic expressions.
The Role of Tuning in Musical Expression
- How Tuning Influences Sound and Playing Style
Guitar tuning has a significant impact on the instrument’s tone and playability. By altering the tension and pitch relationships between the strings, alternative tunings dramatically change the harmonic qualities and intervals available. This enables guitarists to explore different chord shapes, scales, and fingerings. Tunings like drop D allow easier access to low bass tones, facilitating heavier, “chunkier” riffs. Open tunings create interesting drones and resonant overtones when strummed openly. Overall, non-standard tunings expand the palette of sounds a guitarist can produce.
Tuning also affects the physical feel of the guitar and the technique required. Lower tunings require thicker strings and often a heavier touch to fret notes cleanly. Unique tunings can make familiar chord shapes either easier or more difficult to play, challenging guitarists to adapt their muscle memory and dexterity. Practicing with alternate tunings exercises the ear, breaks habits, and spurs creativity.
- The Impact of Tuning on Songwriting and Performance
Alternative tunings have greatly impacted guitar music by offering new textures and capabilities. Songwriters use tunings to create specific moods, like the haunting sound of open D minor in many Led Zeppelin acoustic tracks. Jazz guitarists have embraced non-standard tunings to voice more complex chords. Performers may switch tunings mid-concert to adapt to different songs. Overall, alternative tunings allow guitarists to expand their musical repertoire and craft unique tones for specific pieces. However, they can also present challenges live when quick tuning changes are required. To maximize their potential, most guitarists combine standard tuning with a few alternate tunings particularly suited to their style. Rather than limiting their options, alternative tunings offer access to an array of new sounds.
Popular Alternative Tunings
Drop D Tuning
Drop D tuning is one of the most common and easy-to-use alternative tunings for guitar. It involves tuning the low E string down to D while leaving the other strings in standard tuning. This gives the guitar a deeper, fuller sound and allows the player to utilize the open D string as a pedal tone.
Drop D tuning is widely used in rock, metal, blues, and country music. Songs utilizing this tuning often employ the open D string to create powerful riffs and droning bass lines. The lowered tension on the low E string also facilitates playing heavy rhythm parts by enabling easy power chords. Lead playing can exploit bends and slides on the bottom string for an expressive, vocal-like quality.
Many famous bands and guitarists like Nirvana,System of a Down, AC/DC, and Jimi Hendrix have recorded songs using drop D tuning. It’s an easy way for beginners to get a “heavier” distorted sound without completely retuning the guitar. Overall, drop D expands the rhythmical and textural palette while still largely preserving standard fingering.
DADGAD Tuning
DADGAD is a popular alternate tuning used extensively in Celtic, folk, and fingerstyle guitar. It is essentially standard tuning lowered a whole step, giving it a warm, resonant, open sound. The intervals between strings create lush harmonies and ambiguous chords ideal for atmospheric acoustic music.
In DADGAD, the guitar takes on a harp-like quality. Melodic lines ring out over droning open strings, and quartal voicings give chords an open, suspended tonality. Fingerpickers exploit DADGAD’s potential for counterpoint, crafting independent melodic lines across multiple strings. The tuning facilitates playing in keys using open strings as drones or pedal tones, like D major, D minor, and G major.
Many prominent acoustic guitarists utilize DADGAD tuning extensively in their music. Notable examples include Pierre Bensusan, Alex De Grassi, Andrew York, and Martin Simpson. It can be heard on classic ’60s folk albums like Bert Jansch’s Jack Orion and in ’90s pop hits such as “Wonderwall” by Oasis. DADGAD offers a broad range of textures for melodic and fingerstyle players.
Open G Tuning
Open G tuning is common in slide guitar blues and rock music. It provides a drone-like modality well suited for slide melodies, riffs, and chordal slide rhythms. The G tuning lowers the guitar down to a G major chord when strummed open: G-D-G-B-D.
When playing in G with a slide, the tuning facilitates making rich chord inversions, double stops, and drones utilizing open strings. Licks can seamlessly mix fretted and slide notes. The repetitive open string pulses create a trance-like groove that defines the bluesy slide guitar sound.
Many classic slide guitarists employed open G tuning, from early blues pioneers like Son House and Charlie Patton to rock virtuosos like Duane Allman and Derek Trucks. It can be heard providing the droning modal backing in classic rock songs like “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” by the Rolling Stones and “That’s the Way” by Led Zeppelin. For slide players, mastering open G tuning enables capturing an authentic roots blues sound.
Open D Tuning
Open D tuning takes the guitar down to a D major chord: D-A-D-F#-A-D. Like other open tunings, it creates a modal, drone-like sound well suited for slide and fingerpicking. It’s commonly used by blues and rock guitarists looking for an easy way to play in D.
Playing in open D allows guitarists to easily construct chords, double stops, and bass lines using open strings. This enables a driving, rhythmic quality often associated with early blues. Vocal melodies can be played over recurring D and A string drones. Many basic open chord shapes translate directly to open D with the lowered tuning.
Open D is the main tuning for seminal blues artists like Elmore James and Muddy Waters. It can be heard on rock classics like “Mama Said” by Lenny Kravitz and Led Zeppelin’s take on the blues standard “When the Levee Breaks.” While less common than open G, open D tuning provides similar musical possibilities with a darker modal color. Exploring alternate tunings like DADGAD and open D provides creative inspiration for all guitarists.
Unique and Experimental Tunings
Some guitarists seek out unique or experimental tunings to evoke novel sounds and expand creative possibilities. While standard tuning suits many styles, these alternate approaches provide inspiration through fresh chord voicings, resonances, and playing techniques.
Nashville Tuning
The Nashville tuning emerged in the 1960s from session players in Nashville, Tennessee. It involves using lighter gauge strings paired in octaves rather than unison pitches. The bright, chorusing effect complements many genres, especially country, pop, and rock. Guitarists double the three treble strings an octave higher while leaving the bass strings in standard tuning. This expanded sonic palette enhances rhythm playing and lead lines.
New Standard Tuning
In the early 1990s, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp pioneered the New Standard Tuning or NST. It provides regular musical intervals between strings, unlike standard tuning’s strange mixture. NST also enables simplified fingering for many chords. To use NST, guitarists tune their strings C-G-D-A-E-G rather than E-A-D-G-B-E. This layout exploits the natural overtone series for resonant open strings.
Ostrich Tuning
Ostrich guitar tuning, popularized by Lou Reed, derives its name from having strings tuned in ascending fifths. This creates an unusual droning effect. To get the ostrich tuning, guitarists tune their low E string down to a D, then tune the rest of their strings up in fifths. The final string order becomes D-A-E-B-F#-C#. Songs like “Venus in Furs” by The Velvet Underground showcase the otherworldly tonality.
Transitioning from Standard to Alternative Tunings
Switching from standard to alternative tunings can feel daunting at first. Here are some tips to help ease the transition:
How to Retune Your Guitar
Invest in an electronic tuner or tuning app. This will make it quicker and easier to get all your strings in tune.
Retune one string at a time. Going string by string reduces the risk of overtightening the neck.
Tune up to pitch, not down. This puts less stress on the strings.
Check tuning periodically as you adjust. Strings often need minor tweaks before stabilizing.
Mark tunings on the headstock if switching frequently. This saves time resetting each time.
Tips for Adjusting to New Fingerings and Chord Shapes
Take it slow at first. Don’t expect to nail new chord voicings instantly. Give your fingers time to adjust.
Use a capo to transition between tunings. Place it on same fret when changing tunings to maintain chord shapes.
Learn chord formulas, not static shapes. Understanding intervallic structures allows more flexibility.
Focus on muscle memory. Commit the new finger positions to memory through repetition and practice.
Learn common chordProgressions in the new tuning. This builds familiarity with how chords relate.
Play along with songs in the tuning. Immerse yourself in the sound of the new tuning.
Be patient with yourself. Developing fluency in a new tuning takes dedication and time. But the musical payoff is immense.
Approaching alternative tunings with an open mind will make the transition process more enjoyable. Don’t get discouraged—with regular practice, the new chord shapes will soon feel natural.
Practical Applications of Alternative Tunings
Alternative guitar tunings have found practical use across many genres and styles of music. Certain tunings lend themselves well to particular sounds, allowing guitarists to expand their creative palette. Here are some of the most common real-world applications of alternative tunings:
- Genres and Styles that Commonly Use Alternative Tunings
Drop D tuning is ubiquitous in metal and hard rock. The lowered 6th string allows for chunky, chugging riffs and power chords. DADGAD features heavily in Celtic folk music, with its resonant open strings forming lush drones and unique chord voicings. Open G is a staple of classic rock and blues, providing meaty rhythms and leads.
Fingerstyle acoustic guitarists often use open tunings like open D or open G to facilitate playing polyphonic passages and fretting chords with the thumb. Slide guitarists may take advantage of open tunings for drones, or for playing across all six strings at once. Even jazz guitarists occasionally explore open tunings to find new harmonic possibilities.
- Famous Songs and Artists Known for Using Alternative Tunings
Many iconic songs feature alternative tunings. Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” uses DADGAD tuning to create its signature moodiness. The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” rocks in G D G D G B D for maximum crunch. The Beatles’ “Blackbird” employs open G for its delicate fingerpicked melody.
Legendary artists like Keith Richards and Joni Mitchell developed alternate tunings that became part of their signature sounds. Richie Blackmore experimented extensively with tunings, reflected in Deep Purple and Rainbow’s albums. Sonic Youth went so far as to re-tune between nearly every song at their live shows.
Alternative tunings continue to offer guitarists new creative options. By exploring their applications across styles, any guitarist can expand their musical vocabulary.
Challenges and Limitations of Alternative Tunings
While alternative guitar tunings offer creative opportunities, they also come with some challenges and limitations that guitarists should be aware of.
Potential Strain and Damage to Guitars
Significantly altering the standard tuning of a guitar’s strings can place additional strain on the instrument. Tuning down too far may cause looseness or buzzing on the neck. Tuning up too high can over-tighten strings, leading to breakage. Drastic tuning fluctuations can also warp the guitar’s neck over time. Guitarists should make gradual tuning adjustments and allow the instrument to settle before attempting to play.
Switching between multiple alternate tunings requires time for re-tuning. This can delay live performances and studio sessions. Specific tunings also limit the keys and chords available, restricting improvisation and transposition options.
Difficulty in Switching Between Tunings During Live Performances
Performing songs in different alternate tunings back-to-back presents difficulties. Options include having guitars preset to each tuning, which takes up space. Tuning pedals allow quick changes but are another piece of gear to manage. Manually retuning is possible but takes time and coordination.
Some guitarists opt to write sets grouped by tuning. Others simply transpose parts to playable keys. It takes skill to smoothly switch tunings mid-show without disrupting the performance flow. With practice and preparation, guitarists can overcome these hurdles and expand their musical versatility.
Improving Your Versatility with Alternative Tunings
Developing a good ear for tuning is essential for guitarists looking to expand their skills with alternative tunings. Listening carefully as you retune each string trains your ear to recognize proper tuning by sound. Additionally, familiarizing yourself with the unique intervals created by alternate tunings like DADGAD or open G helps develop an intuitive sense of how they should sound. Ear training exercises like matching pitches and playing scales by ear are worthwhile.
Incorporating alternative tunings into your regular practice routine exposes you to their possibilities. Devote time to discovering chords, scales, and riffs unique to each tuning. Learn songs written in alternate tunings, and try converting some of your existing repertoire. The more you play in alternate tunings, the more their sonic palette will become second nature. Be patient in the adjustment process and remember the rewards of learning something new. Consistent practice provides versatility.