

In all of the below tunings, I use something called ‘scientific pitch notation’, which adds a number after every note so you know whether you need to tune a string up or down. So it’s important to know for any alternate tuning which way you need to adjust the string.

When looking at any of the alternate tunings in this guide, it’s important to know whether you need to change the string higher or lower to reach the correct note.įor example, when changing to Drop-D tuning (D A D G B E), you only need to change one string – the low E string to D.īut do you raise or lower the string? You might already know that you’re meant to lower the E down to D.īut what if you didn’t know and tuned the string the other way? You could end up breaking the string or placing a lot of tension on your guitar neck. Standard tuning uses the notes: E A D G B E When we look at alternate tunings, we always compare them to standard tuning. If you haven’t experimented with alternate tunings before, I highly recommend it. What you can come up with in Open C tuning might open up your playing style in new directions or you may come up with something you never would have considered while in standard tuning. Notice how the scale almost perfectly lines up on five out of six strings? If you were coming up with riffs or song ideas, imagine how this alternate tuning would completely change the way you think about what you’re playing. Now here’s the same scale in Open C tuning: Some of them will feel familiar, while others will feel so foreign that it’s almost like starting from scratch.Īs a simple example, here is the C Major scale on standard tuning: If you ever feel like you’re stuck playing the same scale runs, chord progressions, or licks, I highly recommend experimenting with alternate tunings.Įach tuning is like playing a different instrument. Or if you’re a songwriter, an alternate tuning can get you out of a creative rut and bring you new possibilities that weren’t possible in standard tuning. The chances are, you’ll benefit greatly from one of the three points above.įor example, if you’re a metal guitarist (or similar styles), you may enjoy some of the Drop Tunings so you can access some low notes not possible in standard tuning.
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Alternate tunings can open up new doors to how to think about and how you play guitar. In a way, those guitarists are missing out. Many guitarists feel no need to experiment with alternate tunings. 9.1 Related Guides and Lessons: Why Use Alternate Tuningsįor many guitarists, standard tuning gives them everything they would ever want.
