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

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

That may be the most important reason -- alternate tunings take you to specific places. Standard tuning will take you anywhere.

That's right. In standard tuning you have the possibility of learning several thousand chords. Also, there are different voicings of chords to be found.

I learned a number of open tunings when I was starting out many years ago. They have their place but they are limiting.

[Earl49]

There is a school of thought starting beginners with Open G tuning (DGDGBD). That simplifies the easy major and seventh chords so a beginner can make a lot of music quickly - very supportive and motivating. Then when you move on to standard tuning you have to adjust the three strings that are different and learn the full six-string chord shape. I once took workshops with songwriter Peter Case who basically only plays in Open G tuning.

I can see benefits both ways. I was well down the intermediate road and had actively avoided altered tunings, but eventually ran across a tune that I really wanted to learn. It was in Open G. Now I play an hour's worth of Hawaiian slack-key and blues in six different tunings. With practice you get better at changing between tunings.

[FrankHudson]

I learned in standard, like most modern people do. I suspect most/many of my admired rural blues players learned with some variety of open tunings (or started on a monophonic "diddley bow.") I played almost exclusively in standard for decades, and I've only started to delve into alt. tunings in this century.

Answering the imaginary question of what I'd do if was starting out all over again, I'd be tempted to try starting in a alt. tuning, if only because I'd want the variety of experience (assuming in this hypothetical something inside me "remembered" founding my guitar playing from "standard" and could then appreciate the different beginning).

Now, that's not meant to dispute most of what folks have said above about the advantages of EADGBE, just my own musings. What tuning would I choose to start over? I don't know for sure. I'd think about being able to achieve an all 5ths tuning or perhaps adopt one of the useful compromises of the Robert Fripp/Guitar Craft "New Standard Tuning" that arose of out that desire, (NST in the end adopted a CGDAEG.) Mind you, I've not yet played around with that tuning at all, but it has some interesting theoretical advantages.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Earl49

There is a school of thought starting beginners with Open G tuning (DGDGBD). That simplifies the easy major and seventh chords so a beginner can make a lot of music quickly - very supportive and motivating. Then when you move on to standard tuning you have to adjust the three strings that are different and learn the full six-string chord shape. I once took workshops with songwriter Peter Case who basically only plays in Open G tuning.

I can see benefits both ways. I was well down the intermediate road and had actively avoided altered tunings, but eventually ran across a tune that I really wanted to learn. It was in Open G. Now I play an hour's worth of Hawaiian slack-key and blues in six different tunings. With practice you get better at changing between tunings.

Hi Earl

My niece who, at the time was 10 yrs old wanted to play a guitar. I pulled a Baby Taylor out of the closet and tuned it to Open G, and gave her a juice glass for a slide and turned her loose.

She sang and played happily for over an hour.

Later, when she aspired to play guitar, she learned standard tuning. As a full-time music teacher in public school, standard tuning works best for her.

The advantage of putting a guitar in open tuning for a kid and giving them some sort of slide is they are up and running and not thinking about chord fingerings etc.

If they don't sing it seems to me they are going to hit a lot-o-walls pretty quickly. And unless all their friends form a tribe of alternate-tuners, standard tuning will serve beginners best.

[pegleghowell]

Yes,I would start out in standard..it`s not called standard for nothing.It offers versatility and a good grounding.There`s nothing to stop anyone learning about open tunings as you go along it`s all relatable.

[Yrksman]

Yes. Start with standard and then try variations when you have mastered the basics.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think this is an excellent summary of why one should learn standard tuning when first starting out.

I have a friend who has been noodling around with open tunings for many years, and who has never learned standard tuning. He sounds terrific in his own stylings and the songs he has composed. But he can’t play with others, and he can’t expand his palette of songs very readily, and he can’t play any covers of songs performed by others. So he seems rather bored with playing, and faces some hurdles in opening to new landscapes...which he hasn’t been eager to take on.

Learn standard tuning, either concurrently with some open tunings, or as a first step. That’s my advice.

[drumstrummer]

In general, yes. But with small children I have tuned to DADGAD and taught one-finger chords so we can play "You Are My Sunshine" together. It warms the heart when they smile because they are playing real music.

[davidd]

Try DADGAD and play it upside down to start with...

[zmf]

Wonder what tuning you'd start out with if you lived in Ireland.

The tuning you start with should be influenced by what you see yourself playing 5-10 years from now. Personally, since my main influence at the time was the American folk scene, I naturally started in standard.

Wonder if there's a CAGED method of DADGAD.

[DukeX]

Yes, start with standard because it is standard.

[Dru Edwards]

Hi Kat, Welcome to the AGF!

I'm with the majority of the people here, learn in standard tuning as a beginner. That doesn't mean you can't tune down 1/2 step or a full step though if you want.

[frankmcr]

Start the beginner off in DADF#AD, so they can start making music right away.

Once they've decided that playing guitar is FUN, they can try out other tunings (such as Em7 add 11 ).

[zmf]

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Start the beginner off in DADF#AD, so they can start making music right away.

That's cruel.

So at some point, you say "OK. That's enough fun. Here's how you really do it."

[frankmcr]

Originally Posted by zmf

That's cruel.

So at some point, you say "OK. That's enough fun. Here's how you really do it."

You're kidding, I know, but it is true that Em7 add 11 is not a beginner-friendly tuning.

Originally Posted by frankmcr

Once they've decided that playing guitar is FUN, they can try out other tunings (such as Em7 add 11 ).