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Old 05-06-2021, 03:36 AM
bloozeman bloozeman is offline
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Default Open Tunings

Forgive my ignorance here but I have a question on open G and open D tuning. I play in those 2 tunings specifically for my resonator. Im fairly new at this so Im wondering, If Im in open G or D, instead of having to retune back and forth form one tuning to the other, is it possible to use a capo and just move up on the fret to hit an open G instead of having to retune? I would think Id be able to
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Old 05-06-2021, 04:26 AM
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Capo-ing up 5 frets from open D will be "open G" by definition, but it won't be the same 6 tones. None of the strings will be the same. The fingerings you use in a "retuned" open G song will not all work in a "Capo-ed" Open G.
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Old 05-06-2021, 08:09 AM
blue blue is offline
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Yes the fingerings will be different.

However if you are in G, your open D fingerings will work if you shift one string down. Towards your feet.

In Open D the reverse is true. Move your fingerings one string up, towards your face.

Think of it as a vertical capo instead of a horizontal one.

I personally don't use that fact to play whole songs in real time without retuning. My brain isn't that flexible.

I use it to figure things out and work out new arrangements from the other tuning to add to the repertoire without having to retune. I spend way more time in Open G. Might as well have as many songs as possible in G.
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Old 05-06-2021, 11:05 AM
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And you lose the low D note, if that's an issue.
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Yes the fingerings will be different.

However if you are in G, your open D fingerings will work if you shift one string down. Towards your feet.

In Open D the reverse is true. Move your fingerings one string up, towards your face.

Think of it as a vertical capo instead of a horizontal one.

I personally don't use that fact to play whole songs in real time without retuning. My brain isn't that flexible.

I use it to figure things out and work out new arrangements from the other tuning to add to the repertoire without having to retune. I spend way more time in Open G. Might as well have as many songs as possible in G.
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Old 05-06-2021, 11:23 AM
blue blue is offline
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And you lose the low D note, if that's an issue.
It's always an issue!

That's one reason I can't just play D songs in G off the cuff, and use the idea to work out arrangements when I have the time and space to do so.

On the bass side it's not really an issue. You can always add notes to the low D to make a heavy thumb rhythm work. 3rd string 5th, 3rd, 2nd frets like Charlie Patton did.
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Old 05-07-2021, 09:08 AM
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And you lose the low D note, if that's an issue.
I just reread this response. Are you talking about "Dobro G"?

When you wrote about losing the "Low D" my brain just filled in "D" as in the high D in standard Open G. Which you don't so much lose, as are using for other things when you play D riffs in Open G, so in essence, you lose it, even though it's still there
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