CGDGAD Tuning

[elmcmeen]

Originally Posted by AndreF

Hi El,
It was through your music and arrangements that I was introduced to this particular tuning. You have a way of "exploiting" it to achieve very tasteful musical results, which is what it's all about.
There are a couple of Michael Hedges tunes that I play in very similar tunings:
CGDGBD, and CGDGAC.
It's always interesting to me to experience how even small changes in a tuning can impact the overall feel of the music. Similar to DADGAD and DADF#AD. Just a semitone, but a world of difference in where it takes you.
I'd like to take this opportunity to also thank you for your generous sharing of knowledge and music through the years. You've been a real asset to this community.

Thanks! Guitar is so holistic that a small change can have profound effects. An example is mastering a type of vibrato technique that can lead to skinnying down arrangements because one can sustain the notes a fraction longer. That happened to me.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by elmcmeen

Great point, Derek! My problem, in translating my CGDGAD music to Drop D, is that the natural harmonics aren't where I want them to be in Drop D, for the keys that I gravitate to. In CGDGAD they are wonderfully available to weave into the melody line.

Regarding harmonic notes use I usually do them here and there but rarely use them as a major part of the music, but here is one in open G I arranged that does just that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlgTU6EKTjM

[elmcmeen]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Regarding harmonic notes use I usually do them here and there but rarely use them as a major part of the music, but here is one in open G I arranged that does just that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlgTU6EKTjM

Nice job on that arrangement!

[Eucatastrophe]

El, what led you to play almost exclusively in CGDGAD? Did you explore other tunings and land on this one instead? Thanks

[elmcmeen]

Originally Posted by Eucatastrophe

El, what led you to play almost exclusively in CGDGAD? Did you explore other tunings and land on this one instead? Thanks

To be honest, I believe it was a gift from God. I was led to a recording called Irish Jigs, Reels, Hornpipes and Airs, with all kinds of great guitarists on it. The playing of one stood out, by reason of the shimmering sound he got. The player was Dave Evans and the tuning was CGDGAD. I learned his arrangements, and then there was no more material! I started arranging in this tuning in the late 1980's. I kept one guitar in standard and one in CGAD. Eventually I tuned both to CGAD because I never went back to standard.
About 13 years ago I discovered that some part of my approach could be captured in Drop D, so I wrote some books for Mel Bay in Drop D - e.g., The Art of Dropped D Guitar, and The Art of Gospel Guitar. Something was lost in the process, however, but a lot remained. Still, I think in CGAD and not in Dropped D.

Thanks for your interest.

El

[Eucatastrophe]

Thanks for sharing your story! When I discovered your music last year it lead me to Dave Evans too because of the tuning. I personally find it quite appealing to devote oneself to CGDGAD like you have or DADGAD like Pierre Bensusan.

Out of curiosity have you played much in DADGAD over the years?

I just ordered your Celtic Guitar Treasures book. I think I’m going to start with either South Wind or Pretty Maid Milking Cow

[elmcmeen]

Originally Posted by Eucatastrophe

Thanks for sharing your story! When I discovered your music last year it lead me to Dave Evans too because of the tuning. I personally find it quite appealing to devote oneself to CGDGAD like you have or DADGAD like Pierre Bensusan.

Out of curiosity have you played much in DADGAD over the years?

I just ordered your Celtic Guitar Treasures book. I think I’m going to start with either South Wind or Pretty Maid Milking Cow

TY! Pierre has taken DADGAD into the stratosphere; tremendous work, dedication, skill, et al. I've learned about CGAD by writing and arranging tunes in it. I've always tried to make the music accessible, so have skinnied down the ornamentation and the like. I feel that I've really only scratched the surface, even though I've probably written nearly 200 pieces of music in it. You might look at Castle of Dromore, too, in getting into the tuning. Feel free to share your mp3's with me.

[Andy Howell]

Originally Posted by Eucatastrophe

Thanks for sharing your story! When I discovered your music last year it lead me to Dave Evans too because of the tuning. I personally find it quite appealing to devote oneself to CGDGAD like you have or DADGAD like Pierre Bensusan.

I find one tuning a bit limiting. I might be a little too limited in time to do what Pierre has done with DADGAD but to me each of these tunings has its own character and brings something unique to the table.

CGCGCD is great for a lot of traditional music. I also like it for tune equivalents of songs or strong vocal performances — I find it works really well for gospel for example as much as traditional folk.

DADGAD has that airy celtic feel but I also like it for the blues.

DGDGCD is an interesting one, quite versatile and to my mind more so than open G.

But, perhaps, the most all purpose tuning I have come across is CGCFCD — just one tone below the first tuning in the list on the 3rd string. Somehow, this seems a little less fundamental and a less in your face — I can clawhammer this where I can't with CGCGCD. It's also great for singing against giving easy access to C,D and Eb and so on.

I have found it very fulfilling to explore these tunings. Martin Simpson — a master of this stuff — has taken a very different route than Pierre. I'm not saying one approach is better than the other but I like the variation!