[Andy Howell]

I play almost exclusively in alternative tunings these days. Playing solo — I think — it makes it easier to present a variety of different sounds to audiences. Mainly I use:

DADGAD
C sus 2 — CGCGCD
G sus 4 — DGDGCD or CGDGCG

But if I was looking for a new one to explore I would try Csus4sus9 — CGCFCD. This tuning seems to be able to cope with most styles and is a little less forward as Csus2. It is very close — though subtly different — to DADGAD but a tone lower obviously — it is pretty easy to transcribe tunes between the two.

This tuning gives you a first, third, first on the bass strings which are the same intervals as Dropped D — so you shiuld be able to anchor your tune easily.

I did produce this for some friends a few years ago!