Open G tuning?

[Logdy]

Does anyone use this? After trying it it seems much easier to form shapes quickly. Then again my chord library is small....

[WordMan]

Originally Posted by Logdy

Does anyone use this? After trying it it seems much easier to form shapes quickly. Then again my chord library is small....

As Keith Richards, who plays a majority of his time with in G said: “all you need is five strings, two fingers and one a$$hole.”

Yes, lots of folk use it, with a big push for the blues and slide.

[5th Element]

I've been dabbling in open G recently because of a couple of tunes that I want to learn. Having to use all new chord shapes does not help me to form them quickly, it's a new language. Still, it's fun and it facilitates a different kind of playing compared to standard.

[semolinapilcher]

It’s really fun, especially Brown Sugar

[Sasquatchman]

I think there's a sort of Godel's theorem involved in any tuning - some things become easier, natural. But some things then must become, again naturally, more difficult, less easy to play, less easy to structure/find. So I think it depends on what the player is trying to accomplish. Open major tunings, for example, don't lend themselves to minor 7th chords as a slide-able formation...maybe no big deal for some people, but makes Hotel California hard to play, or whatever.

[Sasquatchman]

But that said, lots of cool fun stuff to be had in various open tunings - Joni Mitchell did a lot of this. Big Yellow Taxi and This Flight Tonight come to mind.

[5th Element]

Originally Posted by Sasquatchman

But that said, lots of cool fun stuff to be had in various open tunings - Joni Mitchell did a lot of this. Big Yellow Taxi and This Flight Tonight come to mind.

Don't know if it's true, but I read somewhere that Joni has written only about seven tunes in standard.

[5th Element]

Originally Posted by Sasquatchman

I think there's a sort of Godel's theorem involved in any tuning - some things become easier, natural. But some things then must become, again naturally, more difficult, less easy to play, less easy to structure/find. So I think it depends on what the player is trying to accomplish. Open major tunings, for example, don't lend themselves to minor 7th chords as a slide-able formation...maybe no big deal for some people, but makes Hotel California hard to play, or whatever.

Will have to check Godel out, but that sounds right. Everything is a compromise. Not sure I could slide a m7 chord unless the guitar was tuned to one.

Don't know how well it works while sliding, but some modern slide players also finger behind the slide. That way 7ths, minor 3rds, etc. can be added. Sonny Landreth was the first one I noticed doing this, but now I see it more, maybe because I'm watching for it. Other examples are Joey Landreth (no relation to Sonny) and Ariel Posen.

[guitarxan]

Love open G. Lots of stones, brown sugar as an example. Also a very pretty Doobie Brothers song South City Midnight Lady is played in open G.

[archerscreek]

I use it on my resonator 50% of the time with open D getting the other 50%. Lots of acoustic blues played in those two open tunings.

[_zedagive]

A few I love playing-

Joni: Both Sides Now and Little Green
Stones: Can't Always Get What You Want and Wild Horses
Fogelberg: Longer
Martin Tallstoms's version of: He's Not Heavy, He'smy Brother

[WildBill82]

Moonlight Mile by the Stones is a must.

[5th Element]

Originally Posted by WildBill82

Moonlight Mile by the Stones is a must.

Honky Tonk Women sounds right at home on acoustic. Willin' by Lowell George (Little Feat) is relatively simple, although it's taking me some work to learn.

[rick-slo]

Couple of tabs on my website in open G (my original tune "Thumb Play" and my arrangement of "Silent Night").

[The Bard Rocks]

I don't use it often, but open G was my first venture into open tunings on the guitar since I needed to learn only a bit more to use it - it's where I normally keep my regular banjo tuned, so I only had to learn what to do with the 2 extra strings. Dobros are also tuned this way.

As an aside, Claude Bourbon played a concert a couple of years back at our house concert series and he stayed in open Gm the entire evening. And mostly did not use minor chords. When he was done, I still had not be able to figure out the tuning he used, so I asked. And was flabbergasted.