If you were just starting out, would you go with standard tuning

[KatB]

And if so/not, why?

It seems people are resistant to learning new tunings partly because they'd have to learn all new fingerings. That makes sense. But what if you hadn't ever learned EADGBE in the first place, what is there to recommend it? Besides tradition. Convince me please. Or tell me what else I should consider. thanks.

Playing fingerstyle and clawhammer. Currently tuned DGDGCD.

[The Bard Rocks]

Of course I would, especially if you were just starting out. Standard is the most adaptable to different styles, accompanies singing well, works great for strumming, and most instructional courses rely upon it.

[rstaight]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

Of course I would, especially if you were just starting out. Standard is the most adaptable to different styles, accompanies singing well, works great for strumming, and most instructional courses rely upon it.

Yep, plus 1

[oldduc]

For one thing, alternative tunings don't work for playing from tab.

[hatamoto]

hmmmm I started with alternate tunings as well. No theory, no lessons, just pretty much dove into it and started playing songs.

A few years of playing like that and it came to a point where I did not understand what I was doing and kinda stopped enjoying it. I realized I was using it like a crutch because it sounded good instantly. For me, in order to enjoy something, I need to understand what's going on so I switched back to standard tuning and learned the fretboard.

Standard tuning is convenient because of the way it's tuned. You don't have to make large stretches just to play chords and scales.

Most people play in standard so learning is much easier.

I still like alternate tunings, but I don't like breaking strings often.


So, yes. If i'm starting out all over again, I would stick to standard. It makes learning easier because everyone teaches it that way. Once I've learned what I needed to learn such as the major scale, intervals, triads, then I'll go with a different tuning and apply it there.

I think a good tuning you can start with is Open C if you don't like standard. I think you can harmonize C major with mostly bar chords just using the index finger. I've played the Superman theme with it and it was pretty cool.

[jaymarsch]

I would since it is called standard for a reason. You can play lots of styles and have access to lots of music. That said, Joni Mitchell started playing dulcimer so she made use of open strings early on. Playing in different tunings is easier when you approach it from understanding intervals and the partial chord shapes that can be applied to a variety of tunings on different groupings of strings. No need to memorize entirely different chords.
Best,
Jayne

[Neal Pert]

100% yes. It's "standard" for extremely important reasons.

[rmp]

Yes, absolutely

there's enough challenges to learning already, alternate tunings would just make it all more difficult.

[TBman]

Most people start out learning chords and strumming using standard tuning to learn dexterity and to fret the strings in the proper way to make a note sound correctly.

I don't know how beginner classical guitarist start out.

Someone could learn finger style without learning chords per se so they could learn in DADGAD and other tunings besides standard.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by hatamoto

.

Standard tuning is convenient because of the way it's tuned. You don't have to make large stretches just to play chords and scales.

.

Yes this pretty much sums up the strength and weakness of standard, it evolved over time to produce a tuning which produces the easiest fingering for the largest number of chords.
Open major tunings make it easy to play a few chords with a slide and tunings like dadgag and Orkney shift the focus to facilitate playing melodies accross the strings.
I think if you like playing chordal based music like jazz and virtually all modern pop music
there is never any need to leave standard or drop D but I do believe that making melodies sound good in standard requires that the strings are worked more to produce a nice tone, melodies played accross open strings sound great without much effort .

[Kerbie]

Absolutely... for all the excellent reasons already given.

[MThomson]

There is a vast Canon of work available and documented for standard tuning compared to what exists in alternate tunings. Plus, if you ever end up playing with other players, you'll find conversing with them much easier if you know the language.

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by oldduc

For one thing, alternative tunings don't work for playing from tab.

Well, I have played quite a number of arrangements written in DADGAD, dropped D, and some C tunings that all had tab (and notation).

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by KatB

And if so/not, why?

It seems people are resistant to learning new tunings partly because they'd have to learn all new fingerings. That makes sense. But what if you hadn't ever learned EADGBE in the first place, what is there to recommend it? Besides tradition. Convince me please. Or tell me what else I should consider. thanks.

Playing fingerstyle and clawhammer. Currently tuned DGDGCD.

Hi KatB

Yes, I'd start them with standard tuning. It's not tradition, it's the STANDARD.

What is there to recommend it…
It's flexible, versatile, and universally understood. More lessons, music, and jamming are accomplished in standard tuning than any other.

[Ken Carr]

I once knew a man who only could play in one tuning - open D. He could sing songs and entertain people, but it became apparent that he was very limited in what he could do. He could not make minor chords and play in more than two keys. These days I use many alternate tunings. Most of the time my guitar is in CGDGCD. I very much am a fan of using different tunings, but I also am thankful that I learned to play in standard first. Learn chords and scales and songs in standard, then learn a new tuning. Get well familiar with one tuning before moving on to another.