drop d tuning ?

[jdtogo]

ok so it's not hard to get your guitar into drop d tuning but what cords can you play in it ? using the low e string ? but I will say it sounds real full . any input !

[RandomHero]

A good add on to the standard barred fifth and octave shape used by rockers in dropped D is this:

-----
--8--
--7--
--5--
--5--
--5--

Adds a very major feel and a full sound, is also very easy to move about at high speeds. Another one I is this... I've only seen Stephen Carpenter of the Deftones use it, but it's pleasing to my ears.

--7--
--7--
--7--
--5--
--5--
--5--

There's also one... I forget the name of it but it's much easier to play in dropped D than in standard. The fingering would be:

-----
-----
-----
--7--
--5--
--5--

I may be terribly mistaken, but I think it's an add9... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[jdtogo]

sounds cool . ps did you get the I M from me ?

[ajent__smith]

theoretically, drop D tuning would make any chord thats root is on the low E string (or D in this case) a b7 chord. for example, on an open E chord (022100) the low E is a D, the b7 of the E scale, so the chord is an E7.

[d34th4uall]

it also sounds great when playing a standard D, but not so great with augmented7's.

[Mini-Strat_Maine]

jdtogo said:

ok so it's not hard to get your guitar into drop d tuning but what cords can you play in it ? using the low e string ? but I will say it sounds real full . any input !

Much of this comes from the Tab Crawler staff, at www.tabcrawler.com/articles.php?action=readarticle&articleid=1, and these are just three of the alternate tunings they discuss:

Drop-D songs (DADGBe)
Can't Find My Way Home (Blind Faith)
Dear Prudence (Beatles)
Mobile (Who)
Wondering Where the Lions Are (Bruce Cockburn)
Harvest Moon (Neil Young) {the way I learned it, anyway}

Double Drop-D songs (DADGBd)
Black Water (Doobie Brothers)
Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young)
Ohio (Crosby, Stills, Nash)
Ride My Llama (Neil Young)
War Of Man (Neil Young)
You Don't Have to Cry (Stills)

DADGAd D-modal songs
Black Mountain Side (Led Zeppelin)
Kashmir (Led Zeppelin)
Song For George (Eric Johnson)

And on www.geocities.com/xulfrepus/folder/guitar.html, where DADGAd is referred to as the "Jimmy Page" tuning, there's some more info.

Most of my guitars now travel with an inexpensive Musician's Friend CT-440 chromatic tuner in their gig bag, just in case I set out to tune for something other than standard.
--
Doug C.

[GuyaGuy]

i play the dropped D as a drone a lot--a "pedal tone" i guess it's called. i let it ring out under the chords or melody i'm playing.

or...

the 3 bass strings are a nice ominous and ambiguous chord already. so sometimes i play just those for a chord while playing a melody on top. so you can play DAD open or GDG at the 5th positon, etc.

listen to:
sonic youth. detuning masters.
nick drake. folky melancholia with odd tunings and lovely drones.
ralph towner. finger-picking 12-stringer with pedal tones galore.
slide players. a lot of slide is based on the 2nd example i gave--using the chords suggested by the open tuning.

[petemac]

also Jeff Buckley used it alot ... Grace is drop D, among others.

[stratovani]

I've been playing Rush's Xanadu in drop-D tuning, and it sounds pretty good, but it takes a little getting used to, since it's usually played in the key of E. It's the only Rush tune I've tried so far that works in drop-D. I'm sure others will turn up someday, though.