Open Tuning Part 2 Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (01:17) Lesson Introduction Lesson Objectives

-Review important Open D concepts
-Learn the basics of open G tuning and open C tuning.
-Learn basic slide guitar technique.
-Play Randall's arrangement of "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" by Bob Dylan.

Make sure you are in tune with Randall before you continue with the lesson. A breakdown of open D tuning is provided below.

6th String: D
5th String: A
4th String: D
3rd String: F#
2nd String: A
1st String: D

Review of Chord Shapes

At 00:25, Randall reviews the important chord shapes that he introduced in the previous lesson. Remember that the chord he calls the iii chord is actually just an inverted version of the I chord. It is not an F#m chord! Chapter 2: (07:13) Using D Tuning "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" by Bob Dylan

Randall demonstrates his interpretation of this song in Open D tuning at 01:30 in the lesson video. Tablature to this demonstration can be found under the "Supplemental Content" tab.

Right Hand

A basic right hand arpeggio pattern is applied to each chord in the progression. Refer to the tablature when learning this repeating pattern.

Left Hand

Randall uses the voicing options discussed in the previous lesson for the the I, IV, and V chords (D, G, and A.) A major II chord (E) is also used in the song. Randall chooses to play this chord with a barre chord voicing.

Spicing up the Bass

Notice how Randall adds diatonic bass movement to the progression while playing over the tonic D major chord. Essentially, he is using scalar segments in the bass line to connect the I chord to the next chord that follows in the progression. Simply descend the scale on the sixth string while maintaining the right hand arpeggio pattern. This creates a scalar bass line played over top of a static D major chord.

This song can also be played with a slide. In this scenario, barre chord voicings must be used for each of the chords.

Introduction to Slide Guitar

A. Slide Guitar Set-up Tips

Playing with higher action is extremely beneficial when playing slide guitar. If you play slide with low action, unwanted noise from the frets will occur.

You must also be aware of your guitar's neck radius. Guitars necks either have a flat radius or a round radius. Most Fender guitars such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster have a round neck radius. The strings on these guitars arch across the fretboard. Gibson guitars such as the Les Paul and SG have a flat neck radius. It is slightly easier to play slide on a guitar with a flat neck radius. Flat necks allow you to lay the slide completely flat across every string. Consequently, you do not have to adjust the finger holding the slide when moving from one string to the next.

B. Choosing a Slide

1. Material

Slides are typically made from one of three different materials. Glass, metal, and porcelain slides are the most common. Each material produces a distinct tone. Guitarists such as Duane Allman, Bonnie Raitt, and Joe Walsh prefer glass slides because of the rich sustain that they produce. The thickness of the glass is directly proportional to the sustain length. Glass slides also produces the warmest tone. Metal slides are also very popular among blues, rock, metal, and country guitarists. Metal produces a brighter, much more aggressive sound than glass. They create a much dirtier sound due to the extra string noise that they produce. Finally, porcelain slides produce a tone that is a sort of middle ground between metal and glass. These slides produce the least amount of string noise. Aerosmith's Joe Perry typically plays with a porcelain slide.

2. Size

Slides come in a wide variety of lengths and thicknesses. Regardless of which material you choose, the slide should not extend past the second knuckle of the finger that you play slide with. You also want to make sure that the slide is not too loose or too tight.

C. Which Finger Do I Use?

The finger used is strictly a matter of preference. Most players favor the pinkie finger, because it frees up the other three fingers for playing chords and single notes without the slide. However, famous guitarists such as Son House, Duane Allman, and Warren Haynes have been known to use the third finger. Bonnie Raitt and Dean DeLeo typically use the middle finger when playing slide.

D. Slide Angle

Make sure that the slide rests directly on top of the strings. Do not angle the slide. If you do, you will hear the sound of the slide scraping across the bottom of the fretboard and neck. Rest the slide only on the strings that you are playing. If you cover all six strings, but do not pluck them, unwanted string noise will result. Keep the slide parallel to the strings at all times. When playing a note, the middle of the slide must rest directly over top of the fret. If you place the slide where you normally fret a note, the note will sound flat.

Be careful not to let the "paralax view" throw you off. A paralax is the apparent difference in location of an object when it is viewed from two points that do not occur on a single, straight line. Sometimes the slide is slightly past the fret when you think it is directly over it. This results in a note that sounds slightly sharp. Use your ears to guide you and tell you what is in tune. This will come with time and diligent practice.

E. Play Lightly

Lay the slide across the strings as lightly as possible. You want to avoid the sound of the slide traveling across the frets. This also causes a decrease in resonance, tone, and sustain. Having higher action definitely helps in these areas. Higher action also minimalizes unwanted string noise.

F. Vibrato

Practice sliding up to the 12th fret across the entire length of the fretboard. Apply a vibrato to the 12th fret note. Shake your finger back and forth while keeping the thumb fixed to the back of the neck. When performing a double stop combined with vibrato, you must keep the slide parallel to the frets. Otherwise, one of the notes will sound out of tune.

various musical situations call for different types of vibrato. The distance you move the slide determines how wide the vibrato is. The speed at which you move your wrist determines the rate of the vibrato.

G. Left-Hand Muting

Drag one or more left-hand fingers behind the slide to mute the strings that you are not playing. This will eliminate unwanted string buzz and sympathetic vibrations that muddy up the sound. These noises become even more noticeable when playing electric guitar. However, you may want to allow the additional strings to ring in certain situations to create an ambient effect.

H. Additional Resources

For more information pertaining to slide guitar, check out the following books:

1. Electric Slide Guitar - book / cd by David Hamburger (Hal Leonard Corporation)
2. The Slide Guitar Book by Fred Sokolow (Hal Leonard Corporation) Chapter 3: (07:47) Adding Notes When an "open" D major chord is played in open D tuning, remember that the root is tripled. The fifth is doubled and the third string is the only third present in the open chord. Use these note locations as reference points as you build chords in this tuning.

Building Chords

Remember that a major chord is spelled using the 1, 3, and 5 of the major scale of the same letter name. The D major scale is spelled D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D. A D major chord is spelled D, F#, A.

To form chords with additional extensions, use the formulas listed below. Remember that the formula for the chord is always derived from the major scale regardless of the quality of the chord.

Sus2 ("suspended two" or "suspended second")

Note: Remember that the abbreviation "sus" is short for "suspended" not "sustained."

Formula: 1, 2, 5
Dsus2: D, E, A

Voicings

When building a voicing, any combination of the notes D, E, and A will form a Dsus2 chord. So, the number of available Dsus2 voicings on the guitar are almost limitless.

Note: the chords that Randall demonstrates as Dsus2 chords are not actually Dus2. He is actually playing a Dadd9 chord.

Add9 ("major add nine")

Formula: 1, 3, 5, 9 (The ninth is the same note as the 2, just one octave higher.)
Dadd9: D, F#, A, E

Sus4 ("suspended four" or "suspended fourth")

Formula: 1, 4, 5
Dsus4: D, G, A

Note: the chord that Randall demonstrates as a Dsus4 is not actually Dsus4 but rather Dadd11.

Add11 ("major add eleven")

Formula: 1, 3, 5, 11 (The eleven is the same note as the 4, just an octave higher.)
Dadd11: D, F#, A, G.

Major Sixth Chords

Formula: 1, 3, 5, 6
D6: 1, 3, 5, 6

Major Seventh Chords

Major seventh chords can be written with different abbreviations. "MA7" and "maj7" are both acceptable abbreviations. "Major" may also be written out short hand with a triangle symbol.

Formula: 1, 3, 5, 7
Dmaj7: D, F#, A, C#

Dominant Seventh Chords

Formula: 1, 3, 5, b7
D7: D, F#, A, C Chapter 4: (13:48) Open G Tuning When learning a new tuning, it is absolutely necessary that you start with the most basic concepts regardless of your ability level. You must first learn how to tune the guitar to this tuning. If you have a floating tremolo system installed on your guitar, you will encounter several difficulties. When one string is tuned down, the strings on the opposite side of the bridge will go sharp to maintain an equal balance of tension. Consequently, you must tune each string multiple times to ensure that all of the strings are tuned to the correct pitch.

In open G, the strings are tuned to the following pitches. These notes comprise a G major triad.

6th: D
5th: G
4th: D
3rd: G
2nd: B
1st: D

Notice how the fifth (D) is tripled in this tuning. The root is just doubled. There is only one third (B). Another important feature of this tuning is that the lowest string is tuned to the fifth of the chord (D) instead of the root.

Many alternate tunings involve tightening a string to a higher pitch. In open G however, every string that is altered is tuned down. Follow the steps listed below when tuning to open G.

Note:This not the only way to tune your guitar to open G. However, this is the method preferred by most guitarists.

1. Tune your guitar to standard tuning.

2. Lower the pitch of the sixth string to match the pitch of the open 4th string. This string produces the note D. You may find it helpful to match the open D string to the harmonic played at the 12th fret of the 6th string. This puts both D notes in the same octave.

3. Match the pitch of the 1st string to the pitch of the open 4th string. Use the harmonic played at the 12th fret of the fourth string to keep the notes in the same octave. You can also use the pitch of the note D at the third fret of the 2nd string as a reference point when tuning the first string down.

4. Next, match the pitch of the 5th string to the pitch of the open 3rd string. Once again, you may want to match the harmonic at the 12th fret of the 5th string to the open G string so that both notes are played in the same octave.

5. Leave the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings in the tuning that they are in (D, G, B). These notes are part of the G major triad.

6. Strum an open G major chord across all six strings to ensure that your guitar is in tune. If your guitar sounds out of tune, check back through each individual string to see if you made any errors.

When matching the pitch of one string to another follow this process:

1. Pluck the string that is already in tune.

2. Pluck the string you want to tune. ONLY pluck it once.

3. Use large turns of the tuning key to adjust the pitch. Tuning in smaller increments makes tuning much more difficult.

4.Use an electronic tuner to check your accuracy.

5. Stretch the strings out and tune again. By tuning three strings down a full step each, the tension on the neck is significantly reduced. The guitar needs some time to adjust to this new tuning. Strings have memory and will want to return to the pitch that they were previously tuned to. Stretch them out and re-tune them to give them a new memory.

6. Always tune up to pitch. Never tune down to it. Refer to Jim Deeming's 20th Phase 1 lesson for more information on this topic.

Advantages of Open G Tuning

When the guitar is tuned to open G, the open strings form a G major chord. This feature provides several advantages. This tuning allows you to play many chord voicings that are not possible or practical in standard tuning. Also, familiar chords produce a different tone when played in another tuning. Open tunings can also help you bust out of a rut. Playing in an alternate tuning will essentially force you to re-learn how to play the instrument. This will hopefully generate some new inspiration and a new outlook on the instrument.

In addition, open tunings are much more conducive to playing slide guitar. All of the notes that comprise a major chord align themselves along a single fret in an open tuning.

Open G Chord

By strumming all of the open strings together, an "open" G major triad is produced. It should be noted that this chord is played in second inversion. An inversion occurs when a chord tone other than the root is played as the lowest bass note. In this case, the fifth of the chord, D, is played as the lowest note. When the third of the chord is played in the bass, the chord is in first inversion. When the fifth is the lowest note, the chord is in second inversion.

The next logical step is to determine where the I, IV, and V chords can be played in this tuning. This will enable you to play some basic chord progressions and songs. You already know how to play the I chord, G major.

Movable Barre Chord Shape

The open G major chord can easily be converted into a movable major barre chord shape. The IV chord, C can be played as a barre across the 5th fret. Then, the V chord D can be played as a barre chord up two frets from C at the 7th fret. Simply barre the first finger across all six strings to create this barre chord shape. The sixth string can be omitted so that the chord is played in root position instead of second inversion. You may want to use the second finger as a clamp to help the first finger hold all six strings down under the barre.

In order to transpose this chord anywhere on the fretboard, you must know where the half steps and whole steps occur within the musical alphabet. The root note fretted by the first finger determines the name of each barre chord. This root note is located on the fifth string.

Review of Diatonic Chords in the Major Tonality

I - Major (G)
ii - Minor (Am)
iii - Minor (Bm)
IV - Major (C)
V - Major (D)
vi - Minor (Em)
viio - Diminished (F#o)

Remember that the bVII is often used in major key progressions. In relation to the key of G major, the bVII chord is F major.

Non-Barre Chord Shapes

Randall builds chord voicings in open G tuning using a thought process similar to open D tuning. He begins by finding the lowest root note which is located on the fifth string.

The next step is to find the third of the chord. The third is located on the second string. For major chords, the third is played at the same fret as the root note. The minor third is located a fret below the root note. Within these voicings, the fourth string is muted by the second finger. The third and first strings are played open. The inclusion of these open string notes creates some interesting voicings as the basic shapes are moved up and down the neck. A listing of the diatonic voicings in G major are listed below.

I - G major

ii - Am11

Randall's chord building trick does not work for the iii chord. Rather, it produces a G/B chord.

IV - Cadd9

V - Dadd11

vi - Em7

bVII - F6

The viio chord can not be built using the formula above. Chapter 5: (06:14) Using C Tuning The open strings in this tuning form an open C major chord. This chord is spelled C, E, G.

The strings are tuned as follows:

6th: C
5th: G
4th: C
3rd: G
2nd: C (This string is tuned up.)
1st: E

Tuning to Open C

Begin with your guitar in standard tuning. Then, follow the steps listed below.

1. Match the pitch of the 6th string to the C note located at the 3rd fret of the 6th string.
2. Match the pitch of the open 5th string to the pitch of the open 3rd string.
3. Match the pitch of the 4th string to the C note located at the 3rd fret of the 5th string.
4. Match the pitch of the 2nd string to the C note located at the 3rd fret of the 5th string.
5. Stretch out the strings that have been tuned to a different pitch.
6. Repeat steps 1-4. Chapter 6: (03:46) Chords in C Tuning Movable Barre Chord Shape

The open C major chord can easily be converted into a movable major barre chord shape. The IV chord, F, can be played as a barre across the 5th fret. Then, the V chord, G, can be played as a barre chord up two frets from F at the 7th fret. Simply barre the first finger across all six strings to create this barre chord shape. You may want to use the second finger as a clamp to help the first finger hold all six strings down under the barre.

In order to transpose this chord anywhere on the fretboard, you must know where the half steps and whole steps occur within the musical alphabet. The root note fretted by the first finger determines the name of each barre chord. This root note is located on the sixth string.

Non-Barre Chord Shapes

Randall builds chord voicings in open C tuning using a thought process similar to open D, and open G tuning. He begins by finding the lowest root note which is located on the sixth string.

The next step is to find the third of the chord. The third is located on the first string. For major chords, the third is at the same fret. It's located back one fret for minor chords. The fifth string is muted by the second finger. The third and fourth strings are played open. Similar to open G and open D, interesting chord voicings result from the inclusion of these open strings. A breakdown of these voicings are listed below.

I - C major
ii - Dm11

Randall's chord building trick does not work for the iii chord. Instead, the chord building formula produces a C/E chord.

IV - Fadd9
V - Gadd11
vi - Am7
bVII - F6/9

The viio chord cannot be built using the formula above.

The third finger can be used to double the root note on the fourth string. When this occurs, some of the chords are slightly changed.

I - C
ii - Dm11
IV - F
V - Gadd11
vi - Am
bVII- Bb6/9 Chapter 7: (01:177) Final Thoughts This concludes Randall's introductory discussion of open tunings. You are now equipped with the tools to explore these tunings in greater depth and write your own songs. Feel free to experiment and discover new sounds.

As always, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for Randall, feel free to drop him a line here at JamPlay or at randall@whereisrandall.com.

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