The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #162733   Message #3875063
Posted By: Phil Cooper
03-Sep-17 - 10:27 PM
Thread Name: Tune Req: Do you use D A D G A D?
Subject: RE: Tune Req: Do you use D A D G A D?
I use DADGAD a lot. I rarely tune back to standard, because I'm lazy. What I like about DADGAD and other tunings is the sound. But it also gives you limitations. I like trying to work around the limitations. When I was attending my local folklore society song circle I used to accompany a lot of people during their turns (with their permission, I don't like stepping on other people's figurative toes). Quite often I would try and play subtle single note things on the middle three strings and not use a capo. Some people complain about a sameness of sound when using DADGAD a lot. That can happen, but so does playing everything in G shapes in standard tuning and just capoing up and down (which I have seen people do). I've also met some DADGAD enthusiasts who believe the tuning was handed down by the druids. I know it wasn't, using the tuning is a tool, like playing in various other tunings or chords. I would not criticize anyone else's style if what they are doing works for them.