1 Topic by bud_wiser (edited by bud_wiser 2009-02-21 14:35:05)

  • From: Paisley, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-07-09
  • Posts: 337

Topic: Open E??

Howdy all....possibly a daft post but I'm putting it up anyway. Basically there's a song I'm dying to learn (Shine by David Gray) and it's apparently played in "Open E" tuning.

According to the guy who's tabbed it, the tuning should be:    E B E G# B E

Now, I'm not sure where to begin with this. I play everything in standard EADGBE and I'm the king of the capo. However I really want to move on and understand hpw to use other tunings.

If anyone can provide an idiots guide on how to retune to this format it'd be much appreciated by this idiot tongue

All I got, is a red guitar, three chords and the truth

bud_wiser's Website

  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,863

Re: Open E??

leave the 6th as it is and tune the 5th string to the 2nd tune the 4th to the 1st or 6th raise the 3rd 1/2 step leave the 2nd and 1st the way they are voila!  smile

bud_wiser wrote:

Howdy all....possibly a daft post but I'm putting it up anyway. Basically there's a song I'm dying to learn (Shine by David Gray) and it's apparently played in "Open E" tuning.

According to the guy who's tabbed it, the tuning should be:    E B E G# B E

Now, I'm not sure where to begin with this. I play everything in standard EADGBE and I'm the king of the capo. However I really want to move on and understand hpw to use other tunings.

If anyone can provide an idiots guide on how to retune to this format it'd be much appreciated by this idiot tongue

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Open E??

bud_wiser,
Try -  http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/
They have several alternate tunings.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • From: Paisley, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-07-09
  • Posts: 337

Re: Open E??

hmmmm, almost getting there - that online tool is excellent, thanks TT1940 - still sounds hellish though. Must keep trying......

All I got, is a red guitar, three chords and the truth

bud_wiser's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Open E??

OK I have never tried any alternative tunings and I may be thick, but it seems to me that if you retune your guitar this way (or any of the other alternative tunings) then you will have to re-learn all the chord shapes that use the altered strings. Not only that scales will be changed too and have to be re-learnt.

I know some of you guys/gals do use alternative tunings so perhaps you can enlighten me as to how you play with them.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Open E??

You do have to learn new chord shapes but they are typically simpler with fewer strings held down (depending on the music) than standard tuning.
Slide guitar goes great with an open E or G tuning.
Pulling a guitar into a whole new tuning takes mucho time - especially with the guitar needing even more time to settle down after a major adjustment and hold a tune.
Pros who play alternate tunings bring extra guitars, either can afford roadies to tune the additional guitars or have the guitars on a multi - stand pre - tuned and ready to go.
It is an imposition on your audience to make then wait and listen while you pull your guitar into anything more complex than a drop D.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • From: Paisley, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-07-09
  • Posts: 337

Re: Open E??

Roger, you should give this song a bash in open E.....brilliant, very easy once you're tuned correctly too.

http://www.911tabs.com/link/?2800730

You can see the man himself play it at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IerbEn5CXqE

Boooooootiful!

All I got, is a red guitar, three chords and the truth

bud_wiser's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Open E??

Hi Tooter & Mark,

Slide guitar I can understand having alternative tuning but for a normal guitar it seems like a bit of a cheat to make life easy, however I see it can make an impossible song playable.

'Shine' is a great song but with some nightmare chords in standard tuning (I know I have just tried it) but looking at the open E chords shown in the tab you referred to it becomes far, far simpler. I guess I now see the reason for alterative tuning but without a stash of guitars that can I leave in alternative tunings, I think I will stick to standard tuning.

Thanks for the links and info guys,

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Open E??

Roger Guppy wrote:

OK I have never tried any alternative tunings and I may be thick, but it seems to me that if you retune your guitar this way (or any of the other alternative tunings) then you will have to re-learn all the chord shapes that use the altered strings. Not only that scales will be changed too and have to be re-learnt.

I know some of you guys/gals do use alternative tunings so perhaps you can enlighten me as to how you play with them.

Roger

That's true to a degree, but what it does do is open up a whole new world of slide and bottleneck playing.   Dobro's are always tuned to some open tuning.  And everyone loves a dobro.  smile

There are lots of different ways to tune a guitar depending on what you want.  Jimmy Paige did a lot of that.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,198

Re: Open E??

Thanks Jerome,

I had forgotten about the dobro but I think my guitars will stay in standard tuning for now. When I win the lottery and can have as many guitars as I like it will be a different story and you will all be invited to the celebration pary and can play them lol.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Open E??

Roger Guppy wrote:

When I win the lottery 
Roger

Sounds like a good name for a future Roger Guppy gem of a song...........

Give everything but up.
  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Open E??

Roger Guppy wrote:

Thanks Jerome,

I had forgotten about the dobro but I think my guitars will stay in standard tuning for now. When I win the lottery and can have as many guitars as I like it will be a different story and you will all be invited to the celebration pary and can play them lol.

Roger

Perfect!  Everyone loves a party!

Mine are all staying standard, too, although I do drop D on occasion.  It's certainly one of those things I want to get deeper into, but for now, I just don't have the time.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website