So I let a friend borrow my CJ for a couple of songs in his set while a 9 volt battery was being tracked down for his guitar. Because he uses a 12-string guitar, he tunes down an entire step to bring the 12-strings piezo tone to a more aurally pleasing range. Thus he detuned my CJ a whole step to perform his songs. When I opened my guitar the next day I started to retune, then I thought about it and doodled first. Wonder of wonders - tuning down a whole step suits my "pseudo-Darth Vadar" voice perfectly. I can sing right in the middle of my vocal range and hit high notes (relative) quite comfortably. It also means that when I capo up two frets to be in tune with others, I'm playing at an area on the fretboard that is much smaller in length relatively. As a result, hitting the awkward stretches while playing fingerstyle are now accomplished more easily, and with less strain on my left hand (fingerstylist extraordinaire Tim Sparks recommended this to me a couple years ago but in never sank in for some reason). As an unexpected treat, my CJ-A is absolutely "alive" when tuned in that range. It thunders with bass response and volume (?). Since there's less tension on the strings, its much easier to play (thinking of moving up in string gauge) barre chords or to hold odd interval chords for extended periods of time. After trying my guitar like this over the weekend, I've decided that I'm no longer going to use "standard tuning" as a basis - I'm tuning down a whole step and using a capo if necessary. I just need to remember to capo up two frets beyond usual when need be. Why didn't I do this sooner?

peace,

jb

You should try DADGAD. It'll send shivers up your spine!

I am no expert... But I used to strung my Bourgeois with Medium than tune down one whole step… it have all you have described tonally especially fingerpick lightly (I think its not as good for strumming and flatpicking)!

I like a tighter feeling and sound and I am also getting a little too many buzzes even with Mediums.
I have switched back to lights with standard tunings.

Yeah, tuning lower is an intersting sound and does move many tunes to an easier place to sing. I still like standard and I just change the keys to suit my voice.

I do agree with Allen regarding DADGAD. I recently tuned my old 00-18 to DADGAD and it sounds fabulous. I have been learning a couple of tunes in this tuning. I just ordered a couple sets of John Pearse slack key gauges. I suspect they will be great for DADGAD with the heavier low E, B and high E.

I tuned my DS2H to open G (DGDGBD) and found the same - not about the singing, but about the guitar. It was all rumbly and gutsy and fabulous down there. I'll have to try singing down a step, to see if that inspires a little confidence.

I need to learn some DADGAD tunes. I've just tuned the guitar to it and strummed some chords. Haunting is how I would describe it. I haven't messed with it in a while though. I need to revisit it soon.

I've tuned down 1/2 step from standard before and played that way. It was cool. Nowdays I just try to find a key in standard tuning that fits my voice best.

Allen said:

"I need to learn some DADGAD tunes. I've just tuned the guitar to it and strummed some chords. Haunting is how I would describe it. I haven't messed with it in a while though. I need to revisit it soon."

If you sing, I strongly suggest some Stan Rogers
records, if you can find them.

There was also a songbook out with all the songs from his first four albums. Elderly might still have it.

Peter.

I've used DADGAD for some tunes - it does sound wonderful strummed, and is probably why I started playing fingerstyle to begin with. I'm still learning its intricacies; my fingerstyle experience dates back less than three years. Most of the songs I know in DADGAD are fingerstyle instrumentals (except "Spoonful" - vocals and slide in DADGAD) so I don't have lots of experience strumming DADGAD tuning. I suppose I could transpose the songs I sing to a more comfortable key, but tuning down was an easier option. I don't have to relearn the chord progression. I like being able to pretty much do what I've been doing the way I've been doing it and simply sing more comfortably. I have considered an even larger gauge of strings since there's a lot less tension on them, but I haven't had any problem with buzzing or intonation because of pressing too hard. On the up side, my hands don't fatigue over the course of 3+ hours of playing, even on barre chords.

peace,

jb

Can anyone tell me what DADGAD is?

_________________________
"Get yo' praise on"

2002 Collings CJ Sunburst

It's a non-standard tuning. Instead of tuning the strings to EADGBE, tune them to DADGAD. It opens up lots of new possibilities for tunes in a couple of keys, D in particular.

thanks - I'll have to check into it more. Sounds like you'd have to learn guitar all over again, but I'm sure it's not as difficult as it sounds.

_________________________
"Get yo' praise on"

2002 Collings CJ Sunburst

Newpemberly - actually its a cool thing to do on a cold, blustery evening. A glass of good wine or two, a fire in the fireplace, and a Collings tuned to DADGAD. There are worse ways to spend an evening....

It's actually a lot of fun to just doodle around in DADGAD. It's neither major nor minor - have fun with it!

peace,

jb