VARIOUS TUNINGS FOR GUITAR

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  Various Tunings For Guitar Including Open and Alternative Tunings
TUNINGS:
Sound
Midi Files:
USUAL
NAME:
ALTERNATIVE NAMES &
INFORMATION:
T'n'T
No.:
6
5
4
3
2
1
E
A
D
G
B
E
Standard Tuning Normal Tuning,
Universal Tuning,
Old Standard Tuning,
OST
001
D
A
D
G
B
E
Dropped 'D' Tuning 'D' Tuning,
Lowered 'D' Tuning,
Low 'D' Tuning,
Drop 'D'
Open G6 Tuning
002
D G D G B E DGDGBE Dropped 'G' Tuning Lowered 'G' Tuning,
Low 'G' Tuning,
Double Dropped 'D' Tuning,
Drop 'G', Bastard 'G',
Open G6th Tuning,
Dropped D-G,
Pseudo Russian Tuning
003
D
G
D
G
B
D
Open 'G' Tuning Slack-Key,
Spanish,
Hawaiian Tuning,
Sebastopol Tuning,
Open G Major Tuning
004
D
A
D
F#
A
D
Open 'D' Tuning Vestapol Tuning,
Sebastopol Tuning,
'D' Tuning,
Nick Drake (9)
005
C
G
C
G
C
E
Open 'C' Tuning  
006
E
A
C#
E
A
E
Open 'A' Tuning (1)  
007
E
A
E
A
C#
E
Open 'A' Tuning (2)  
008
E
B
E
G#
B
E
Open 'E' Tuning (1)  
009
E
A
E
G#
B
E
Open 'E' Tuning (2)  
010
E
B
E
G#
C#
E
EBEG#C#E
Open 'E6th' Tuning (1)  
011
E
B
E
G#
B
C#
EBEG#BC#
Open 'E6th' Tuning (2)  
012
E
A
E
A
C
E
EAEACE
Open 'A minor' Tuning (1)  
013
E
A
C
E
A
E
EACEAE
Open 'A minor' Tuning (2)  
014
D
A
D
F
A
D
Open 'D minor' Tuning Cross-Note Tuning,
D-Cross-Note Tuning
015
E
B
E
G
B
E
Open 'E minor' Tuning Cross-Note Tuning,
E-Cross-Note Tuning
016
D
G
D
G
Bb
D
DGDGBbD
Open 'G minor' Tuning G-Cross-Note Tuning
017
D
G
D
G
C
D
G-Modal Tuning Saw-Mill Tuning,
Mountain Modal Tuning,
Strathspey Tuning
018
D
A
D
G
A
D
D-Modal Tuning 'DADGAD' Tuning
019
E
A
D
F#
B
E
EADF#BE
Lute Tuning
Nick Drake (5)
Vihuela Tuning
020
E
A
D
G
B
D
EADGBD
Lowered 1st Tuning Fake G
021
E
A
Db
G
B
E
EADbGBE
Lowered 4th Tuning  
022
C
G
C
G
A
D
CGCGAD
'C-D' Tuning  
023
C
G
D
G
B
E
CGDGBE
   
024
D
A
D
G
A
E
DADGAE
  Dropped 'D' (2)
025
E
A
D
E
A
E
EADEAE
  Open 'E' [modal]
026
C
G
C
G
C
F
CGCGCF
   
027
D
A
E
G
B
E
DAEGBE
   
028
D
A
D
A
A
D
DADAAD
   
029
C
G
D
G
A
D
CGDGAD
Low 'C' Lowered 'C' Tuning,
New Jersey Tuning
Face Tuning
030
C
G
D
G
B
D
CGDGBD
  Open 'G' [major] (with C bass),
Wahine (1)
031
D
G
D
G
A
D
DGDGAD
   
032
D
A
D
G
B
D
DADGBD
Nick Drake (8) Double-drop 'D' Tuning,
Double Dropped 'D' Tuning
033
D
A
D
E
B
C#
DADEBC#
   
034
C
G
C
G
A
C
CGCGAC
   
035
D
A
D
F#
B
D
DADF#BD
  Phil Keaggy (1)
036
C
G
D
G
Bb
D
CGDGBbD
   
037
D
A
D
F#
A
C
DADF#AC
   
038
D
A
D
F#
A
C#
DADF#AC#
  Wahine (2)
039
D
A
D
E
B
D
DADEBD
   
040
D
A
D
E
A
D
DADEAD
  Pelican Tuning
041
D
G
D
E
A
D
DGDEAD
   
042
D
G
D
E
B
D
DGDEBD
   
043
D
A
D
G
D
D
DADGDD
   
044
D
F#
D
G
B
E
DF#DGBE
   
045
E
G
D
G
B
E
EGDGBE
   
046
G
G
D
G
B
D
GGDGBD
Nick Drake (7) Open 'G' Tuning
047
D
A
D
D
A
D
DADDAD
Open 'D' (2) Too Many D's
Four & Twenty
048
D
A
D
E
A
E
DADEAE
   
049
D
B
D
G
B
F
DBDGBF
   
050
C
A
B
A
B
E
CABABE
   
051
G
D
G
D
B
D
GDGDBD
   
052
C
G
C
G
B
E
CGCGBE
   
053
C
G
C
G
C
C
CGCGCC
   
054
D
G
D
G
G
D
DGDGGD
Open 'G' (2) Too Many G's
055
C
G
C
G
G
C
CGCGGC
   
056
D
A
D
A
D
D
DADADD
   
057
D
A
D
F#
A
C#
DADF#AC#
   
058
D
F#
D
G
B
D
DF#DGBD
   
059
E
E
B
E
B
E
EEBEBE
   
060
D
G
D
D
A
D
DGDDAD
   
061
C
G
D
G
C
D
Mountain Minor Shifted DADGAD,
Orkney Tuning,
Gsus4 with C bass
062
D
A
D
F#
A
B
DADF#AB
   
063
C#
F#
C#
F#
C#
F#
C#F#C#F#C#F#
   
064
D
A
D
G
G
D
   
065
E
E
E
E
B
E
EEEEBE
Still's Tuning Too Many E's
066
D
A
D
G
C
C
DADGCC
Hedge's Tuning (1)  
067
D
A
E
E
A
A
DAEEAA
Hedge's Tuning (2)  
068
E
A
D
G
B
E
EADGBE
Hi-Note Tuning  
(See Note 2. Below)
Hi-String Tuning,
Nashville Tuning
069
D
B
G
D
G
D
DBGDGD
Open 'G' Tuning (2)  
070
G
B
D
G
B
D
GBDGBD
Open 'G' Tuning (3) Dobro Tuning
071
G
Bb
D
G
Bb
D
GBbDGBbD
Open 'Gminor' Tuning (2)  
072
G
C
D
G
C
E
GCDGCE
   
073
G
G
G
G
G
D
GGGGGD
   
074
E
A
B
E
A
E
EABEAE
   
075
D
G
G
D
G
A
DGGDGA
   
076
D
A
D
A
A
E
DADAAE
   
077
C
G
C
CGCDGA
  A Martin Carthy Tuning
078
D
G
D
G
G
D
DGDGGD
   
079
C
G
C
G
C
Eb
CGCGCEb
C minor Tuning  
080
B
F#
B
E
G#
C#
BF#BEG#C#
Heavy Metal Tuning  Drop 'B' Tuning,
Dropped 'B' Tuning
081
D
D
D
D
D
D
DDDDDD
Velvet Underground Tuning The strings are tuned in pairs in unison
(i.e. strings 6&5, 4&3, 1&2) 
Ostrich Tuning
082
E
Ab
B
E
Ab
B
EAbBEAbB
Jackie Leven Tuning  
083
E
A
D
G
C
F
EADGCF
Stanley Jordan Tuning  Tom Noonan Tuning
084
D
G
C
F
A
D
DGCFAD
Ben Harper Tuning  
085
F#
A
D
F#
A
E
F#ADF#AE
   
086
C
G
D
A
E
G
New Standard Tuning As used by the:
California Guitar Trio.
Fripp Tuning,
NST
087
D
A
D
A
D
E
DADADE
Robin Williamson (1)  RW 1
088
C
G
C
G
C
D
CGCGCD
Robin Williamson (2) Same as (RW 1) (tuning 088) but
1 whole tone down , RW 2
089
C
G
C
F
A
D
CGCFAD
   
090
D
A
D
G
C
D
DADGCD
D-Modal Version 1a ex Trey Buchanan (Ill)
091
B
E
B
E
B
E
EEBEBE
Nick Drake 1  
092
D
A
C
E
B
E
DACEBE
Sergio 1  
093
C
G
C
F
C
D
CGCFCD
Csus4/9  
094
A
A
D
G
B
E
AADGBE
Dropped 'A' Tuning Drop 'A' Tuning
095
E
A
D
G
C
E
EADGCE
   
096
C
A
D
G
C
E
CADGCE
   
097
C
A
D
G
B
E
CADGBE
Dropped 'C' Tuning  
098
F
G
D
G
C
D
FGDGCD
  Eric Schoenberg 01
099
Eb
Ab
C
F
C
Eb
EbAbCFCEb
Hamada Takasi Ragtime Tuning 1
Otarunay Tuning
 
100
C
Ab
C
F
C
Eb
CAbCFCEb
Hamada Takasi Ragtime Tuning 2  
101
E
F#
B
E
B
E
EF#BEBE
   
102
E
B
E
G
A
D
EBEGAD
Peter Finger Tuning  
103
D
G
D
G
A#
D
DGDGA#D
Open 'G minor'  
104
C
A
D
F
A
D
CADFAD
Open D [minor] (with C bass)
105
E G C G C E EGCGCE Open 'C' (2)   106
E G# C# F# B E EG#C#F#BE Shifted 'E' Tuning  Sinisa Petric Tuning 107
D G D G A E DGDGAE Old Spanish Tuning   108
E A D F# A E EADF#AE Lute Tuning (2)   109
A D A D A D ADADAD   Roger Tallroth Tuning 110
D A D E B E DADEBE.   Wizz Jones Tuning 111
B A G D A D BAGDAD   A John Renbourn Tuning 112
B A D D A D BADDAD     113
C C# D D# E F CC#DD#EF     114
E B G D A E EBGDAE Reverse Standard
Upside-down Tuning
Upside-down Standard
Lefty Tuning
115
B
E
B
E
B
E
BEBEBE Nick Drake (2)  
116
C
G
C
F
C
E
CGCFCE Nick Drake (3)  
117
B
B
D
G
B
E
BBDGBE Nick Drake (4)  
118
E
A
D
E
B
E
EADEBE Nick Drake (6)  
119
E A D G A E EADGAE Nick Drake (10)  
120
A A D E B E AADEBE Nick Drake (11)  
121
C G C F G E CGCFGE Nick Drake (12)  
122
D A D G D F# DADGDF# Nick Drake (13)  
123
D
A
D
G
D
G
DADGDG Nick Drake (14)  
124
D
A
D
G
A
G
DADGAG    
125
G G D G G A GGDGGA Open G Add 9  
126
E
A
D
E
E
A
EADEEA   Balalaika Tuning
127
C
F
C
G
C
D
CFCGCD   Cittern Tuning (1)
128
C
G
C
G
C
G
CGCGCG   Cittern Tuning (2)
129
C
G
C
E
A
E
CGCEAE
  Charango Tuning
130
C
E
G
A#
C
D
CEGA#CD
  Overtone Tuning
131
A
C
D
E
G
A
ACDEGA   Pentatonic Tuning
132
C
G
D
G
B
C
CGDGBC   Admiral Tuning
133
C
F
C
G
A#
F
CFCGA#F   Buzzard Tuning
134
D
A
C
G
C
E
DACGCE   Layover Tuning
135
A
B
E
F#
A
D
ABEF#AD   Hot Type Tuning
136
C
F
C
G
A
E
CFCGAE   Magic Farmer Tuning
137
D
G
D
F
A
A#
DGDFAA#   Processional Tuning
138
D
G
D
F
C
D
DGDFCD   Slow Motion Tuning
139
C#
A
C#
G#
A
E
C#AC#G#AE   Spirit Tuning
140
E
C
D
F
A
D
ECDFAD   Toulouse Tuning
141
F A# D F C D# FA#DFCD#   Simon Fox Tuning (1)
142
E G D G B D EGDGBD  
143
F G C G C E FGCGCE   Occasionally written as "FGCGB#E"
144
C
G
C
E
G
C
CGCEGC
  David Crosby Tuning
145
D
A
D
D
A
F#
DADDAF#
   
146
F#
A
D
F#
A
D
F#ADF#AD
  Dobro 'D' Tuning
147
B
E
B
E
G#
B
BEBEG#B
  Low 'E' Tuning
148
C
F
C
F
A
C
CFCFAC
  Albert King Tuning
149
F
C
F
G#
C
F
FCFG#CF
  Albert Collins Tuning
150
C#
A
C#
A
C#
E
C#AC#AC#E
   
151
D
G
D
G
B
C
DGDGBC
   
152
C
G
C
F
G
Bb
CGCFGBb
  Sitar Tuning
153
C
G
D
G
C
F
CGDGCF
  Modal
154
A
A
C#
A
A
E
AAC#AAE
  'A' Unison Tuning
155
A
E
C
A
C
E
AECACE
  'A' Minor Tuning
156
A
A
E
E
E
A
AAEEEA
  Drone Tuning
157
B
E
E
G#
B
E
BEEG#BE
  Octave 'E' Tuning
158
B
F#
D
D
F#
D
BF#DDF#D
  'B' Minor Tuning
159
B
G
B
D
G
B
BGBDGB
  Low 'G' Tuning
160
C
G
C
G
Bb
Eb
CGCGBbEb
  'Cm7' Tuning
161
C
G
D
D
A
E
CGDDAE
  Fifths Tuning
162
C
G#
C
F
G#
F
CG#CFG#F
  'Fm' Tuning
163
D
G
D
A
B
D
DGDABD
  'Gadd9' Tuning
164
D
G
D
F#
G
D
DGDF#GD
  'G' Modal Tuning
165
D
A
D
F#
G
C
DADF#GC
  Harmonic Tuning
166
D
A
E
F#
C
D
DAEF#CD
  'D9' Tuning
167
Eb
G
C
G
C
D
EbGCGCD
  'C minor add 9' Tuning
168
Eb
G
Eb
Bb
G
Eb
EbGEbGEb
  Inverted String 'Eb' Tuning
169
E
E
E
E
B
B
EEEEBB
  Unison Tuning
170
E
A
E
G
A
C
EAEGAC
  'Am7' Tuning
171
E
B
D
G
A
D
EBDGAD
  Graham Nash (1) Tuning
172
E
B
E
F#
G
D
EBEF#GD
  'E minor' Modal Tuning
173
F
F
C
G
G
D
FFCGGD
 

High Fifths Tuning

174
F
G
C
D
C
D
FGCDCD
  'F' Modal Tuning
175
C G C G A E CGCGAE   C6 Tuning
176
D A D E G C DADEGC   C6add9 Tuning
177
D A D A C F DADACF   Dm7 Tuning
178
E A E F# C# E EAEF#C#E   A6 Tuning
179
D
A
A
E
A
E
DAAEAE   Dick Gaughan
Simon Fox Tuning (2)
180
 




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NOTES ON VARIOUS TUNINGS

1. The most commonly used tunings are the first three in the list, Standard Tuning, Dropped 'D' Tuning (or Low D Tuning) and Dropped 'G' Tuning (occasionally called Double Dropped D Tuning). Following this the major 'favourites' seem to be Open 'G' Tuning, Open 'D' Tuning, Open 'C' Tuning and DADGAD Tuning. Some players use only one of the others and do not experiment any further. Some players, notably Classical guitar players, stick solely with Standard Tuning. However, by far the majority of players use a small few for most of their playing and occasionally experiment with something a little more outlandish. The main point is to try a couple; see if you can get along with them and if they can enhance your music; most of all have FUN with them.

2. Hi-Note or Hi-String Tuning: - uses the notes EADGBE which looks as though it is the same as Standard Tuning. Do not be fooled, it is not the same! The reason is that the bass strings are removed from the guitar and are replaced with another set of treble strings which are then tuned to the relative notes. Consequently a much higher sound is produced which has a greater tendency to cut through when other instruments are being played as part of a band. Be careful however, as not all finger-picked tunes which sound well on a normally strung guitar will sound well with this string arrangement; some do and some don't - you'll have to try them and make the decision yourself. The tuning is most often used in 'Country & Western' music but it does have other possibilities, which need investigating, for both solo/instrumental work and also for providing a contrasting backing accompaniment for a low pitched singing voice. This restringing of a guitar and replacing one or more bass strings with higher, thinner treble strings is called re-entrant stringing and nearly all of the tunings in the above table can be applied when they will be called re-entrant tunings as the bass strings may now be higher than some of the mid strings.

3. The most accurate method of tuning available today (2001) is via one of the portable battery operated tuning machines distributed by companies such as Boss, Sony, Yamaha, etc. All of the better models have a jack-socket input so that they can be placed between the guitar and the amplifier for electric and electro-acoustic guitars. This has made tuning on stage very simple and direct and is not troubled by sounds from other instruments in the band or from people in the audience. A new idea has recently appeared for those with purely acoustic (i.e. un-amplified guitars) and this is a small clip-on microphone which clips to the edge of the sound-hole of the guitar, or even to the headstock, and then plugs into the jack-socket of the tuner. Again, this is said to allow an acoustic guitar to be tuned accurately even while other people are playing and/or singing - this is a definite advantage as trying to tune a guitar by ear in a room full of people playing is something I find impossible - I normally have to go and tune in the loo. Some people find they can tune by ear in a noisy environment by placing the ear against the side of the guitar, not for me I'm afraid. Give me a decent tuner any day of the week!

A newer form of an electronic tuner (as at 2008) is the 'vibration' tuner. This clips to the headstock of your instrument and instead of having a microphone it picks up the vibration of the string through the neck and headstock of your guitar. They seem to work well, are relatively cheap (£20.00) and have the advantage of working in noisy environments. They also light the note display area making them excellent for on stage tuning. A good example is the Intelli IMT-900 Clip-on Chromatic Tuner.

A tuner will most definitely simplify changing to some of these altered tunings, particularly when you are under pressure in a performance either on stage or even in front of your friends and relatives. At all these times you will often find that your 'ear' goes and you cannot even decide whether the note you need is higher or lower than the note you are starting with. The machine does not get nervous and will give you the correct answer every time no matter what the pressures. There is no great 'macho-ness' involved in being able to tune by ear. In fact even the best of the people who do so are usually still slightly out when they have finished and are rarely in 'concert pitch' - (the standard for tuning for all orchestral instruments). Surely the most important thing, as far as your audience is concerned, is that your instrument is in tune - no matter how good a picker you become you will still sound dreadful if your instrument is not in tune. This becomes even more important if you want to play along with other people; then you must all be in tune together. Invest in a machine; it is well worth it!

4.    If you know of any other tunings please do e-mail me and let me know about them. I can then add them to the list above. E-mail me at: .

5. See also, the Wikipedia article on guitar tunings over at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_guitar_tunings

6. Open Tunings - are those tunings where the strings on the guitar are specifically tuned to notes which when played unfretted will produce a recognisable chord (e.g. Open 'G' produces a chord of 'G' (now there is a surprise) when it is strummed without any strings being fretted; likewise Open 'D' produces a chord of 'D' and Open 'A' produces a chord of 'A'). 

7. Altered Tunings (occasionally called Amended Tunings or Extended Tunings, or even Enhanced Tunings) - are those tunings where the strings are tuned to notes other than those in Standard Tuning (EADGBE - 6th to 1st string (thickest to thinnest)) but which do NOT play a chord when they are strummed unfretted (e.g DADGAD).

Many thanks. Hope you enjoyed dropping in. Cheers, take care and keep on pluckin'.


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