Alternate tuning songs that you LOVE to play

Feel free to get outside the box here.
michelew
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:24 am

So anyone who's been following one of my stream of consciousness threads will know I have a new guitar in my life that I now intend to use as an alternate tuning guitar.

It's currently tuning to Open G which I love the sound of. I only have three songs that I've learned (am learning) through TG which I play in this tuning; Longer Than, MarkM's Open G Noodle and now Wild horses. It looks like there's a bunch of more cool Stones tune in the library which I plan to get into too. Woo hoo!

I intend to check out Doug's DADGAD stuff too. Which I just haven't gotten to yet.

This may be a stupid question, but what are your favourite Open G songs? (especially those that you're prepared to retune for, from Standard tuning).

And what else do you return to regularly that's in an alternate tuning?

Drop D doesn't count. It needs to be more than one string. :)

Curious.

Shel


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daryl
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:41 am

I've been working on 3 different songs. Two are open-G tunings but with a B in the bass instead of the typical D. And one I changed to have a C in the bass to make it easier for me to play.

Grateful For Her Beauty (BGDGBD w/cut capo4)
Get On (BGDGBD capo5 & cut capo7)
Guitar Shopping (CGDGBD)

I'm also got a little doodle started with a cut capo on the 4th fret (so I'm in effectively an open-B tuning with a nice deep B in the bass).

Perhaps if I get ambitious I'll upload one of the 4 songs this fall/winter. Motivation is still problematic. :-(


michelew
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 6:46 am

Gosh I don't think I know any of those.


POST! POST! POST! POST! POST Daryl POST!

You gotta do it buddy! The place isn't the same without brilliant contributions from you.

Thanks for the songs.

Shel


Edit - after looking at iTunes, are these the artists?

- Grateful for her beauty - Dave Wilcox? - it's beautiful
- Get on - Joe Cocker?????
- guitar shopping - Dave wilcox again?

Dave Wilcox's stuff is pretty do you have a favourite album?


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daryl
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:10 am

They are all David Wilcox tunes. Here's a version of his "Get On":



No favorite album. I don't like his studio "productions". Live albums are much better.


michelew
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:21 am

Gosh Daryl, that's really beautiful.

I'd love to hear you perform that.

I'd love to hear your noodle too.


TGNesh
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:40 am

Ah of course I love to play 'Longer', but also 'Running On Empty', 'Don't Let It Bring You Down'. Oh don't forget about Galileo (Indigo Girls).

:)


michelew
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 7:52 am

Oops! Bad me! How could I miss that one. I knew you had some too that we're eluding me.

Runaway is another that I often retune for. I haven't 'mastered' it yet

Thanks Ness. :)

Actually this means I can get back to the Sarah Mc numbers too. Niiiiice!


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auntlynnie
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:04 am

Hi Michelle,
I've been following the thread about the abandoned guitar that you recently rescued. Keeping it in an alternate tuning is a great idea! I know that Neil has some songs in alternate tunings but I can't recall an easy way to find them. Perhaps there is a list somewhere.

Anyhow, when we were at camp Doug Young took us through some alternate tunings and Open G was one. One of those songs was Both Sides Now. We thought it was so pretty that my friend Dennis (Silvereagles) and I worked on it and played it together at the last open mic. I think you can make it as complicated or as easy a you like. I will send you the tab when I find it.

I have, at times, kept a guitar in either Open D or Open G and then worked on building up a repitoire in that tuning. Usually they were songs that I already knew and others were ones that I stumbled onto that just seemed like they'd work in that particular tuning.

Here are the songs that I have worked on in Open G
Longer - Dan Fogelberg (Vanessa sent me the tab)
The Circle Game - Joni Mitchell (on TG site)
The Dutchman - by Peter Michael Smith (popularized by Steve Goodman)
Molokai Waltz and Kimo's Slack Key - on TG
Buffalo Gals - on TG
Hey Jude, Here Comes the Sun, and Nowhere Man all worked really well in this tuning

From my notes it looks like I was working out White Winos by Loudon Wainwright III

Below are songs on the TG site in Open G, but have I not learned yet:
Take me out to the ballgame
Radio Hula

Well, that's a start. Good luck - I'm sure you will have fun with this endeavor!
Lynn


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Music Junkie
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:49 am

Shel:

+1 for "longer" by Dan Fogelberg in Open G

I tend to use Open D a bit more, but there are a few songs I mess with there...

"Sailing" by Christopher Cross



"Time for Me to Fly" by REO Speedwagon



"Streamside" by The Album Leaf




Then capo at the second (Open E) and....

"She Talks to Angles" by The Black Crowes


"We Just Disagree" by Dave Mason


I know that the Stones played a lot in Open G as well....

J


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neverfoundthetime
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Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:29 am

Nice question Shel.

Lovely song by The Autumn Leaf MJ! Chris Cross I know well, love that album. Both Sides is a lovely song, Lynn, must check that out in open tuning.

Now that I have my glorious BSG, I have my 12 string tuned to Open C and let rip on Question (moody Blues) every now and then. Love the fast strum and its getting better all the time, albeit with my fingers not yet with the plectrum. For some reason, the up strum is more difficult with a plectrum!

I also like Open D and play Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell) and The Reach (Dan Fogelberg), New York Mining Disaster(Bee Gees)and free jam some 12 bar blues at times.

I play New Horizons (Justin Hayward) in DADFAC which is very close to Open D (DADF#AD).

Not played Open G yet....

Edit: By the way, I am still in A= 432 tuning


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