Re: Open D tuning



Frank wrote:
> Probably a dumb question, but here goes:
>
> There are some songs that require the guitar be tuned down to an open D
> ( D-A-D-F#-A D, is it?). The songs then may or may not call for a
> capo. Then the chords are listed as say, C, F and Am. Now my question
> is this. When playing the song, after tuning and capo-ing if required,
> do I form the chords the same way as when playing standard tuning? In
> other words, is an A-minor still 0-1-2-2-0-0, and so forth? Or do I
> need to learn new chord formations in line with this new tuning?
>
> I understand that by changing the tuning (or using a capo), the sound
> that comes when I play the Am chord formation is a different chord,
> sound-wise. That's fine. I put on a Capo II so I can play Em and A
> instead of F#m and B on several songs. I'm just asking about the
> fingering here...
>
> Does this question make sense? My musical theory is weak (I'm working
> on it, just a strummer right now).
>
> Thanks to anyone with the patience to answer.


Hi Frank,

Not a dumb question. Yes, to a large extent you will have to relearn
your chords, scales, etc. I have written some lessons (posted here
previously) on tunings and creating patterns from them. You can find
lessons on the fretboard by going to
http://members.aol.com/snglstring2/fretboard/index.html

DADF#AD is a nice tuning. I hear many songs by Richie Havens being done
in it.

Taking on a new tuning for more than a song can seem daunting, but one
of the things I enjoy is playing familiar patterns from standard on a
different tuning and finding the happy accidents that occur.

peace,
Christopher Roberts
snglstringtheory at aol dot com

btw, the way that you wrote out the Am chord is backwards from what
most people write online. Normally one would see
Am = 002210 (which goes along with the tuning EADGBE, notice how the
strings are in the same order as in the spelling of the tuning).

.

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