What are Alternate Tunings?

  I have always felt that being a Guitar Player means you're part of a special club. Guitar is just different than many of the other instruments - it just is. We have our own notation, our own terminology, and our own culture (well, sort of). And all of that carries with it, a sense of adventure and a little bit of mystery that you don't get with the other instruments.  Guitar has mojo. One of the greatest points of interest to me early on, was alternate tunings.  What? You can re-tune the Guitar? You bet and for certain kinds of music, you'll have to.

  So what is an alternate tuning? Well, let's first look at standard tuning. The six strings of a Guitar tuned from high to low are: E B G D A E. So, basically any other combination of notes would, in theory, constitute an alternate tuning.  However, since tuning is such a hands on experience for Guitarists (we pretty much have to tune up every day), re-tuning our instrument isn't that big of a deal. And the even better news is that you don't have to invent your own alternate tuning ; there are some standard ones that already exist. Three of the more popular tunings include (low to high): D A D G A D (think Jimmy Page), D G D G B D (open G tuning), and E B E G# B E (open E tuning). With all of that in mind, here are three reasons why alternate tunings might be for you:

• Variety: It's the spice of life isn't it? And for playing a musical instrument, it can be vital in keeping things interesting for you. I can't remember how many times I've heard another Guitar Player mention that their playing felt stale. Simply learn one of these cool alternate tunings and watch all of your cliche's get washed away in an instant.

• Stylistic Concerns:  Sometimes you have no other choice but to learn them! Many songs and musical styles demand that you re-tune your guitar otherwise the music will be nearly impossible to play. Want to learn how to play "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin? Well, to play it right you'll have to re-tune. How about Slide Blues Guitar? Most likely you'll have to re-tune to one of several open tunings to make everything playable and sound correct. 

• Musical Concerns: Somewhat related to the previous reason, sometimes there will be instances when it will be necessary to re-tune the Guitar to accomplish a particular Music Goal. There have been a number of times when I've had to re-tune the Guitar to make a passage or Bass line work better. And when translating Classical Music, for example, into Guitar Music, re-tuning is often a way to make the Music flow better.

  So there you have it - Alternate Tunings! While this is really a primer on the subject, I encourage everyone to explore this subject further on his or her own. If you can meet up with an Qualified Instructor, that would be the fastest way to get going on this topic. Additionally, there are loads of books and articles covering these tunings as well. Have fun!


Tune in next week for the next installment of Have Guitar Will Travel.