Info on tunings

Eddie Thomas · Post by **Eddie Thomas** » 3 Apr 2005 1:43 pm

I have a G tuning on my "reso", but I've been considering changing to an A tuning or possibly an E tuning. Would there be an advantage to doing this? Or which of the these, G, A, or E is the most common or accepted tuning? Thank's guys! <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Eddie Thomas on 04 April 2005 at 06:19 AM.]</p></FONT>

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 3 Apr 2005 1:59 pm

The most common tuning is G (GBDGBD). To me there would be little advantage to an A tuning since you can always capo up to play in A with G tuning but would have difficulty playing standard G stuff in A. Of course, this is assuming you are playing mostly bluegrass type stuff. Roy Thomson has done some nice things on this forum in D tuning and D tuning would be the 2nd most common tuning used. (DADF#AD

Chuck Fisher · Post by **Chuck Fisher** » 3 Apr 2005 2:08 pm

E is just so guitar-like, its most natural as a transition from "normal" guitar, less transposing, which seems like less mental steps when improvising, at least seems so to me.
It would be nice to have 2 or 3 resos, as D is so big and low, and makes vocal tunes easier as they come out a step lower... And a G one, and an 8-string one.

CF

D Schubert · Post by **D Schubert** » 3 Apr 2005 10:54 pm

I have played hi-bass G for years on my squareneck, but have recently been flirting with DGDGBD for the low notes and the 3rd-less (major or minor) chords. Yes, there are times when I reach for the low B and it ain't there.

But, as an extra bonus, it is very easy to switch over to D major (DADF#AD) or D6/Bm7 (DADF#BD) with minor re-tuning, and both of these are quite useful. D major gives you that Delta blues sound and some Shot Jackson licks (he used E, didn't he?), and I have figured out a few D fiddle tunes already. The D6/Bm7 smacks of Hank Sr. and old Hawiian sounds, not as comfy yet as a G6 or C6 tuning, but easily accessible.

Some slide players also use DADGAD, but I've never spent any time with that tuning.

I just ordered a Trilogy resonator tailpiece to use to toggle back and forth among those tunings, will have to report back later on how well it works.

Andre Nizzari · Post by **Andre Nizzari** » 4 Apr 2005 6:07 am

I love the growl of low D.

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