OPEN D TUNING

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 09:01 PM

Hi WW, to get into DADGAD lower the low E string to D, the B string to A and the high E string to D. This gives you a Dsus4 chord, I believe. If you're doing this to practice right hand picking you might try lowering your G string to F# as well which will put you into Open D and then you'll be able to simply barre the 5th fret to make a G chord and the 7th to make an A which will give you the 1-4-5 progression. Good luck, f

PS if you're interested in DADGAD there is at least one good website out there that has chord charts. Maybe someone here knows it's whereabouts.

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: Rolfyboy6
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 09:18 PM

I'm a blueser and open 'D' tuning is traditional in the blues. It was call 'Sebastopol' or 'Vestopol' from a ragtime piece popular when guitars became more common arund 1900 and began to supplant the banjo. Open 'D' is used by many of the greats of the blues (along with "G" tuning ["spanish"]. It has the same string/interval relationship as open 'E' tuning only with less string tension. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Elmore James all used this tuning, as well as others. And the great Blind Willie Johnson who I recommend even to the Celtic players.

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 09:21 PM

Open D is tuning I've been using most to get started. It's (low string/6th) DADF#AD (high string/1st).

Open Dmin: DADFAD - pretty much same as above with the F# tuned a step lower. If you happen to like tunes in a minor key, this is a nice one.

Open G: DGDGBD

DADGAD isn't open tuning, just a versatile one a lot of people like.

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: Ian Darby
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 09:22 PM

Open D is a great tuning, but I suggest you have a play about with open g (DGDGBD)

Its a lot easier to pick up if you're used to standard tuning and is great for Irish/O'Carolan stuff.

Apart from the top string most of the melody notes stay in the stame place. Its also the similar to five string banjo tuning, and much favoured by Robert Johnson, Keef, and Ry Cooder.

You can play some really nice, easy slide without too much thinking. (open, third, fifth, seventh & twelfth frets.)

Start with 'Little Red Rooster').

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: WyoWoman
Date: 09 Dec 01 - 09:40 PM

Thanks, folks. This helps ...

Looks like it's in the cards for me to learn to barre, heh? Shouldn't be that hard, just smashing one finger across the frets ...

We shall see.

Thanks again, ww

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: Deckman
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 05:31 PM

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: GUEST,truckerdave
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 07:49 PM

Open D is good for slide blues on a steel body instrument. It really rings. It's called "vastopol" tuning by some older guys here in Mississippi although they really don't know where the name came from. Someone said that in another post to this thread, about the old song "sebastopol". You can work a steady bass rythm with thumb and slide the upper strings at the same time if you're good, kinda like Booker White did in 1940 on "Bukka's Jitterbug Swing". It's a really fascinating style of playing. Best to use a guitar dedicated to open D and use heavier strings cause they have less tension on them.

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: GUEST,frankie
Date: 10 Dec 01 - 08:05 PM

Wyo, when you're "smashing" your index finger across the neck you might try bingin your middle finger up over the back of it for additional clamping power. f

Subject: RE: OPEN D TUNING
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 10 Apr 07 - 10:23 AM

Here's a link to a very useful "open D tuning" chord chart for beginners and pros:
Here