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What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning #1: The Popular Open G Tuning
Do you want to try out open G tuning, but don’t know where to start? While G tuning has a wonderfully resonant quality, there are still some things you need to think about before you begin learning these alternate guitar tunings. Keep reading What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning? (Open G Tuning) to find out what makes it both fun and challenging at the same time.
This article uses music terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning #2: Advantages of Open G Tuning
How do we define G guitar tuning? The reason people use its other name, open G tuning, is because the strings are tuned to a G major chord:
- Starting with the lowest string, the string’s notes are D G D G B D.
- One big advantage of guitar open G is that it’s really easy to play major chords.
- To play a major chord, you just lay your pointer finger across all the open strings. This works for any fret on the neck.
That means you can give your chord progressions a flowing melodic quality. For an example of how this can sound:
Also, if you get into G tuning using harmonics, you can get your guitar to sound more like the authentic blues/rock sound. To learn how to get into these alternate guitar tunings using harmonics:
- How to Tune Like a Rock Star
- How to Tune Country Blues Guitar
- How to Tune the Classic Rock Guitar Open G Sound
In addition, guitar open G will be ideal for slide playing.
- The slide lets you micro-tune your melodic ideas when soloing.
- And when you use harmonics to get into open G tuning, it lets you have better tuned chords.
- Between the two, this really gives you a lot of flexibility in your musical intonation.
What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning #3: Disadvantages of Open G Tuning
However, G guitar tuning does have some disadvantages.
- For instance, getting used to scale and chord patterns can be tough at first.
- If you want to play in alternate guitar tunings, you need to memorize the new fingering patterns, that way you know where everything is.
- Although open G tuning can make it easier to play major chords, it can make it harder to play other chord types, such as minor and seventh chords.
To learn how to play in guitar open G:
Video: Learn Brown Sugar
What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning #4: Final Thoughts on Open G Tuning
Here’s some last thoughts on What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning?
- G tuning can be found in blues, rock, folk, and slide guitar playing.
- Open G tuning is a lot of fun, especially if you tune using harmonics.
- Also, guitar open G can be useful for getting you out of a rut in your playing and songwriting.
However, you’ll need to commit to practicing the new scale and chord fingerings for this alternate guitar tuning.
Have fun playing!
Related Posts
- Guitar Tuner Online (Standard Guitar Tuning)
- How Many of You Want to Know How to Tune with Guitar Harmonics?
- How to Use an Extremely Accurate Guitar Strobe Tuner
- How to Play and Tune Parlor Guitar Style
- How to Tune C Wahine Like a Hawaiian
- Tune Your Guitar Like a Hawaiian
- 2112’s Guitar Tuning
© 2024 Geoffrey Keith
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