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Author	Topic: open c tuning
dbuck Member Posts: 66 From: Monterey, CA Registered: Jun 2002	posted 09-26-2004 13:52 I play fingerstyle almost exclusively in regular tuning. Recently I purchased a National and am playing around more in open tunings. Over the years I have figured out many a fingerpicking tune (and not figured out many others...)on my own. I prefer not to use tab (Steiner, I liked your thread) although I have used it occasionaly. I have been noodling around in open C the last few days and "bingo", a few songs that I had tried on and off to figure out for a few years all appeared magically. A Kottke tune, a Fahey tune and one by Bruce Cockburn all surfaced while I was aimlessly wandering the fretboard. So my questions are: 1) Why did I not do this before? (actually I probably don't want an answer to this one) 2)Favourite tunes in open C? Thanks David (Avatarless in Monterey) IP: Logged
Adrian Freed Member Posts: 2360 From: Berkeley, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2000	posted 09-26-2004 15:27 Have you heard Nick Katzman's "Goin' Away"? IP: Logged
Adrian Freed Member Posts: 2360 From: Berkeley, CA, USA Registered: Oct 2000	posted 09-26-2004 15:32 Incidentally I have to thank Leo, that walking encyclopaedia of such important details,for telling me that Ruby Green who sings on that Kicking Mule LP with him is actually Terry Garthwaite. [This message has been edited by Adrian Freed (edited 09-26-2004).] [This message has been edited by Adrian Freed (edited 09-26-2004).] IP: Logged
hmemerson Member Posts: 283 From: Huntington Station, NY USA Registered: Jul 2004	posted 09-26-2004 15:36 Hi David, I have two songs that I do in open C. One is called 'The Bells of Tina's Kitchen' (my favorite) and the other is called '....and why not?' (not my favorite). You can hear them both here: http://howardemerson.com/index.html I don't know how they'll sound on a National, but it should be fun figuring them out:-) Regards, Howard IP: Logged
Bob Brozman Member Posts: 2590 From: Brozmanistan, Earth Registered: Nov 1999	posted 09-26-2004 17:47 Requium for John Hurt by Fahey is a beauty in open C. IP: Logged
Steve K Member Posts: 20 From: Lahaina, HI Registered: Sep 2004	posted 09-26-2004 23:32 Hello David, Open C is a great tuning. Some of the songs I've discovered for the tuning are: Busted Bicycle (Kottke) Eye of the Hurricane (David Wilcox) Now there is a real peg turner! Seems as though he is using a different tuning for almost every song. I'm sure feeling for all of you down in FL. Foxglove (Cockburn) Other C tunings and some songs in them are: C G C G C F Bourree I and II (John Renbourn) River Rat Jimmy (Kelly Joe Phelps) Check out Chris Whitley tuned to C# G# C# G# C# D# on these two songs: Altitude and Scrapyard Lullaby Joni Mitchell used C tunings a lot. C G D F C E Coyote, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter, Just Like This Train, Woman of Heart and Mind I don't know how any of these would sound on a Resophonic instrument, but if I ever get some of them figured out on my L Kottke signature Taylor 12 string, they will sound great. Have fun! Steve IP: Logged
Ambrose Member Posts: 153 From: Carmel California Usa Registered: Dec 2003	posted 09-27-2004 20:01 I erroneously posted a reply under new topic. See: ctuning variation....ooopps. IP: Logged
Tom Austin Member Posts: 3404 From: Occidental, CA, USA Registered: Nov 1999	posted 09-27-2004 20:22 Martin Simpson does a number of songs in open Csus2 (CGCGCD). These include "Hard Love" and "I Want My Crown" from "Smoke and Mirrors". Of course, he is capoing three or four frets up. IP: Logged
Wunderdog Member Posts: 122 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2003	posted 09-27-2004 22:18 Isn't Bruce Cockburn's "Whole Night Sky" in open C? Bonnie Raitt kills on slide on electric that tune. Bob IP: Logged
Corn Dog Member Posts: 1765 From: Montclair, NJ USA Registered: Jan 2001	posted 09-28-2004 06:35 Here are some other suggestions exerpted from Mark Hanson's great book on altered tunings, The Complete Books of Altered Tunings (which can be purchased via Avalon guitar - http://www.avalonguitar.com/avguitar?q=mark+hanson&suggestions=-&sort=format&des c=full&limit=5 ): John Fahey arranged Auld Lang Syne Stefan Grossman's House Carpenter Laurence Juber's Feet On My Back Again Joni Mitchell's A Bird That Whistles Tom Rush's No Regrets and Rockport Sunday Martin Simpson's Greenfields Of America David Wilcox Block Dog Steve K: Hanson lists Renbourn's Bouree I & II in a Csus4 tuning (CGcgc'f') with the 4th on the high E? Maybe different versions? I believe Mark has been working with IGS Forumer Paul Heumiller on a new book. Anyone know if its out yet? I've been using this tuning for rhythm guitar parts with the singer/songwriter I've been working with. Not always in the key of C though. [This message has been edited by Corn Dog (edited 09-28-2004).] IP: Logged
kugraw Member Posts: 649 From: Rostock, Germany Registered: May 2004	posted 09-28-2004 08:03 Another nice tuning is C G C G C C from low to high, especially if you play the fake arabic scale on it. You get nice droning effects and the double C on the top gives you a slightly sitar-like sound. Martin Simpsons version of James Connolly is also a nice tune in Csus2 Kay IP: Logged
IaninNewyork Member Posts: 146 From: Brooklyn, NY Registered: Sep 2004	posted 09-28-2004 10:19 Bob has some beautiful tunes in open c on his first kicking mule album "Blue Hula Stomp." There's "C Stomp Blues," and, I believe "Agogostein's Lament" (my all time favorite Brozman tune) is also in open c, if I'm remembering correctly. IP: Logged
opencee Member Posts: 30 From: bluepartoftheredstate, OH Registered: Oct 2004	posted 10-02-2004 14:32 I keep three guitars handy. All are tuned differently. One is tuned open C (c-g-c-g-c-e), one is open G (d-g-d-g-b-d), and one is Standard (e-a-d-g-b-e). I play them about 95, 4, and 1 percent respectively. Once you get away from Standard tuning, it is very hard to go back. IP: Logged
Pat Daley Member Posts: 439 From: Newburgh, NY Registered: Feb 2003	posted 10-02-2004 14:43 Kottke's "Tennesee Toad" would probably sound nice on a National. It's a nice and pretty slide piece played slowly. Fahey's "Sunflower River Blues" is in Open C. I don't know how Celtic capoed stuff would sound on a National, but Dougie MacLean's "Caledonia" is very pretty - capoed at 4 or 5. He also does "Ready For The Storm" in Open C-minor (drop the high E a half step.) Slightly ironic tuning for this song considering it's a song about a sailor and his trials and tribulations out on the Open C. IP: Logged
Lovat Fraser unregistered	posted 10-02-2004 15:30 Hello, I have just uploaded " Seabiscuit Rag " in C. Come to think of the origins of the song Kay Uve Graw was there too. So maybe you are right Kay,let's get a European IGS going...Amsterdam anyone? adios, Lovat http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/houndogfraser.htm IP: Logged
Bob Brozman Member Posts: 2590 From: Brozmanistan, Earth Registered: Nov 1999	posted 10-02-2004 16:18 Ian, Agogostein's Lament is in open C minor (change E to Eb) Another thing to try is any G tuning stuff you like, and play it one string further away from your head, it will work in open C! Patton material sounds great in this key. IP: Logged
Lovat Fraser unregistered	posted 10-03-2004 04:59 Hello Howard, 'The Bells of Tina's Kitchen'is truly beautiful and I do like the little resolution/theme which at a guess is from the 2/3rd fret to the the 5th fret...hope I am making sense there I found a lot of energy locked in the C tuning and used it on a few rag type pieces , but I have also used it in a slower Scottish piece which I will post onto soundclick later today...I am off to put a roof on a pal's garage..and have already drilled through a fretting finger.... adios, Lovat IP: Logged
IaninNewyork Member Posts: 146 From: Brooklyn, NY Registered: Sep 2004	posted 10-03-2004 10:29 Bob, Thanks. I stand corrected. Still love that tune and wonder whether you ever still do it live??? See you in February. IP: Logged

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