Who uses CGCGCG tuning?

[thefsb]

Relative to standard tuning, tune the

- 1st string a step and a half up to G
- 2nd a half step up to C
- 4th and 5th a whole step down to C and G respectively
- 6th string down two steps to C

I used to use it years ago and went back to standard. Then a couple of weeks, ago, needing new ideas, I tried it on the LJ56 and love it. It works with standard light strings but a 0.062 on the bass C helps a lot. I'm inclined to call it CG3 tuning.

I've a lot of thoughts about it but wanted to ask if anyone else is a user or even interested before taking the time to express them.

If you do use this tuning, why? what do you like about it?

[thefsb]

Given the response to my question, I figured to demonstrate CG3 tuning.

Introducing CG3 tuning, or why I like it. 11.5 min long. Talk, noodling, and my messy version of Space Prophet Dogon by the Sun City Girls. Features my Yamaha XJ56 (formerly owned by scotchnspeed who got it from eljay)



Re-tune an acoustic with standard set of 12s to CG3. 5 min long. Features my Furch OM-MM Blue.



Technical details. 9 min long. CG3 on three different guitars, tension, intonation, bending and vibrato, study of D'Addario tension charts. Features the above two guitars plus my Yamaha RS502T with Mangan's Matt Schofield strings.

[CoastStrings]

Well, I guess I'm close. I play 3-4 pieces in C Modal which is CGCGCD.

Al Petteway composed a number of pieces in that tuning.

[pegleghowell]

Robbie Basho used lots of C tuning variations,you may find this one somewhere in his work.

[thefsb]

Originally Posted by CoastStrings

Well, I guess I'm close. I play 3-4 pieces in C Modal which is CGCGCD.

Al Petteway composed a number of pieces in that tuning.

How is a C sus 2 chord modal?

I understand the word mode to refer to a scale that has the same set of intervals as another scale but using a specific degree as tonic, e.g. 7th mode of harmonic minor (a fun scale, btw). I don't understand how certain chords are modal.

[David Eastwood]

I play several pieces in a more ‘standard’ C tuning - CGCCGE.

Taking DADGAD as the model, C Modal tuning would have an F in it, rather than a D, wouldn’t it? But CGCGCD sounds interesting, and I might give it a whirl.

Then I tune my 7-string BEADF#BE, which I refer to as B Awkward, so what do I know?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by thefsb

How is a C sus 2 chord modal?

I understand the word mode to refer to a scale that has the same set of intervals as another scale but using a specific degree as tonic, e.g. 7th mode of harmonic minor (a fun scale, btw). I don't understand how certain chords are modal.

The "modal" thing with tunings is kind of a misnomer. As far as I can tell, it's usually used to refer to a tuning that has no major or minor 3rd in it. I'd actually call that "modeless"! but people call them modal, presumably because it makes it easy to create an ambiguous accompaniment that is suitable for many modal melodies (in various modes). Or maybe because people tend to use them for tunes that focus on droning sounds rather than clearly defined chord progressions. If people don't hear a strong I-IV-V western harmony, they may think "modal".

In that sense a sus4 or a sus2 tuning or even a tuning like CGCGCG, all roots and 5ths, could warrant the modal label (and you seem to be demoing how you can easily switch between modes in it?). Not really accurate, but we have so many words used for music that are used in ways that aren't technically correct, so it's a "what's in a name" situation. There's no official definition (as applied to guitar tunings), so if someone says "hey, that's modal", I guess you have to just assume it means whatever they think it means.

Nice sounding Furch, BTW!

[islandguitar]

Originally Posted by CoastStrings

Well, I guess I'm close. I play 3-4 pieces in C Modal which is CGCGCD.

Al Petteway composed a number of pieces in that tuning.

Yes, this ^^^

Al Petteway's "Broken Mist" is in this tuning and it unlocked a load of things for me in developing my own stuff in this same tuning.

[Silly Moustache]

Nearest I can do is CGCGCE - on my Weissenborn.
Thanks for reminding me - haven't seen it for ages!

[TBman]

I use CGDGCD, CGDGAD, DADGAD and CGCFAD as well as some minor variations of these.

[thefsb]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

The "modal" thing with tunings is kind of a misnomer. As far as I can tell, it's usually used to refer to a tuning that has no major or minor 3rd in it. I'd actually call that "modeless"! but people call them modal, presumably because it makes it easy to create an ambiguous accompaniment that is suitable for many modal melodies (in various modes). Or maybe because people tend to use them for tunes that focus on droning sounds rather than clearly defined chord progressions. If people don't hear a strong I-IV-V western harmony, they may think "modal".

In that sense a sus4 or a sus2 tuning or even a tuning like CGCGCG, all roots and 5ths, could warrant the modal label (and you seem to be demoing how you can easily switch between modes in it?). Not really accurate, but we have so many words used for music that are used in ways that aren't technically correct, so it's a "what's in a name" situation. There's no official definition (as applied to guitar tunings), so if someone says "hey, that's modal", I guess you have to just assume it means whatever they think it means.

Thanks for explaining that. The other time I came across this use of "modal" was when the creator of Strum Machine described the open G5 chord, what I call the bluegrass G chord with the 5th string unused and the 2nd string on D, as a modal chord. So that fits your account.

I like your idea of modeless. In maqam, modulating between modes that share a chord is, iiuc, an important technique. What do you think of multi-modal?

Anyway, I'm enjoying how in CG3 it is very quick and easy to translate a novel idea about intervals onto the fingerboard.

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Nice sounding Furch, BTW!

Isn't it? I'm very happy with that little thing. It's also a delight to play by being very lively in my hands. I've adopted a posture that allows the back to vibrate without touching my belly and I just love the feeling of its response to playing.

I posed a video/recording of it here https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...hp?t=640499#11 but I think I've improved my recording technique since then so I should have another run at it.