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Author
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Topic: Open D tuning question
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Ed Altrichter
Member From: Schroeder, Minnesota, USA
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posted 07 September 2004 12:07 PM
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Lately I've been using a tuning of D A D F# A D on my National Tri-cone. I like it a lot, and I'm wondering if steel guitar players use it much, or when they would use it instead of their regular tuning. |
George Rout
Member From: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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posted 07 September 2004 12:54 PM
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I use it for playing tunes that I usually play in E Major on my lap steel, such as Steel Guitar Rag, San Antonia Rose......
Geo |
Steinar Gregertsen
Member From: Arendal, Norway
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posted 07 September 2004 12:57 PM
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For many players, myself included, this IS the regular tuning. To my knowledge there are four 'common' major tunings used on acoustic lap steels: Open-D (as you wrote), high-bass/'dobro'-G (GBDGBD), low-bass-G (DGDGBD) and open-C (CGCGCE). Then of course there are variations of these, like sus4 and 6th tunings.For me the different tunings present different 'moods', for some reson I've always experienced the two 'G' tunings to sound more 'open' and 'light' than the other two. Personally I prefer the sound of open-D, and I also like that it has the root presented three times, bottom, middle and top. I don't have much experience with the open-C tuning, but one obvious feature is that the third is on top, leaving lots of room to leave out the third (I just realized that sounded quite silly, but I can't come up with a better description here and now..  ). If your question was wether it's used on electric lap steel (I think I must be experiencing a 'bad-brain' day..) then yes, especially in blues and rock, there's quite a few players using that tuning, but often tuned a whole step up to E. David Lindley is one player who use it about 95% of the time. Phew!
Steinar ------------------
www.gregertsen.com
[This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 07 September 2004 at 12:58 PM.] [This message was edited by Steinar Gregertsen on 07 September 2004 at 12:59 PM.]
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Travis Bernhardt
Member From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 07 September 2004 04:43 PM
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What Steinar said. Also, if you just strum the strings open, I think that the D shape is a better sounding chord than the low bass G shape (and much better than the high bass G shape, although my favorite is the open C shape). The only "disadvantages" as compared to low bass G are that you don't have the low fifth string (which can be handy for alternating bass stuff and which allows you to slide up to the root), and that the "main melody strings"--the minor third interval of the three and five of the chord--are tucked away on inside strings, where they're slightly harder to get to, and sound darker (especially since the third string is wound). As you can see, these aren't really disadvantages, just a slightly different approach. -Travis |
Chuck Fisher
Member From: Santa Cruz, California, USA
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posted 07 September 2004 05:40 PM
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It requires mental transposing for me, as I tend to think of neck positions in E, I use the tuning a lot but if I have to improvise cold give me E, I think a bit quicker in it.(i need to practice more...) both E and D tunings have the V7 IV7 chords available as a forward slant. I like the sound of D against normal guitars, it seems to fit better as the voicings aren't so similar. |
Ron Bednar
Member From: Rancho Cordova, California, USA
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posted 07 September 2004 07:16 PM
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Ed - I second all the above. As with Steinar, it is my regular tuning too. My friend and teacher Pete Grant also uses it as his primary tuning. Don't know if Pete's checking in here these days, he's pretty busy now getting ready for his Ireland trip. But he could offer way more info as he is THE open D guy as far as I'm concerned.I just worked out kind of a jump blues version of "Mercury Blues" in open D...mine stems more from David Lindley, who recorded it in '83 I think, than Alan Jackson...it's a fun tune though. |
Bill Blacklock
Member From: Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 08 September 2004 10:09 AM
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My tricone is always tuned to open D, it has such a sweet sound, I think its the best for lonesome blues and only one 3rd to navigate.If you get bored just drop the F# to an F and the whole mood of the tuning changes. Bill |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 09 September 2004 03:26 AM
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If you do a search under "Pete Grant" you'll find his eloquent explanation of why he uses open D. I much prefer D tuning on my resophonic to G tuning. You can easily re-tune to D minor, DADGAD, or Dmai7th by tweaking 1 string or raise the 2nd string for a 6th tuning sound. |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 09 September 2004 03:27 AM
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If you do a search under "Pete Grant" you'll find his eloquent explanation of why he uses open D. I much prefer D tuning on my resophonic to G tuning. You can easily re-tune to D minor, DADGAD, or Dmai7th by tweaking 1 string or raise the 2nd string for a 6th tuning sound. |
HowardR
Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y.
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posted 09 September 2004 05:02 AM
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quote:
You can easily re-tune to D minor, DADGAD, or Dmai7th by tweaking 1 string or raise the 2nd string for a 6th tuning sound.
You can do the exact same tweaking with G tuning. But yes, the D has a certain timbre. |
Andy Volk
Member From: Boston, MA
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posted 09 September 2004 08:38 AM
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Sorry, Howard, I posted twice so I must be more right.  |
Chuck Fisher
Member From: Santa Cruz, California, USA
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posted 10 September 2004 12:24 PM
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"best for lonesome blues"I tuned up to E after playing blues in D for years, amd to my shock I was immediately approached by beautiful nude women daily! Now my blues are no longer lonesome. CF |
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