A question for slide players...

[Michael]

... regarding your preferred tuning(s). I've recently renewed my love affair with slide, and have been trying to decide which tuning to use. I've dabbled in open E and G over the years, and have been playing in standard tuning lately. It works well for playing around chord shapes, and it hasn't required me to relearn the fingerboard. I don't have the advantage of the open, ringy sounds that open tunings provide, so my muting technique has to be good. I'm going to have to choose one; I'm not smart enough to remember any more than that. I'd love to hear what tunings you guys use and why. Thanks!

 

[stevieboy]

A big advantage of open G (DGDGBD) is that you keep the DGB of standard tuning, so you already know a lot of chord or chord fragments. You can play off the "A" shape easily, and also the part of the E shape that's on those three strings, and get the dom 7th easily on the fourth string. I think all that makes it easy to go back and forth between standard and open G.

You get to use the fifth string as a root bass note, and can do figures down from that note on the low D.

Of course, you can find that same three string interval (5-1-3) in open E on the 5th, 4th and 3rd strings, with the root bass note on the 6th string. But that's not quite as intuitive as having them on the same strings as standard in my opinion. Open E or D is a great tuning though, Elmore James!

 

[morroben]

I like open D or E, depending on your singing range. It just seems nicer to my ear, although I agree with Stevieboy about open Gs familiar strings.

 

[mad dog]

I've played open D, G, E and A at various times. My preference is towards open E on electric, open D on acoustic. I just like how the bass strings play into chords, how the open note is always available on the highest and lowest string. Also, this is the tuning where I really started learning the chords and notes. I'm in open E as much as standard, not only for slide, but for regular leads and rhythm playing, getting more comfortable with this tuning all the time.

 

[JStella]

I love open E - in part 'cause I like the Elmore slide sound and in part because I can change the 3 string a half step and get to open E minor for some Robert Johnson songs I do.

 

[emu!]

Since I don't play the fat E and A strings with the slide (sounds they produce are too muddy for me), the standard tuning is the best for me. You must mute the fat E and A strings with your picking hand palm. What about the high E string, you ask? Well, you must mute it with an unused fretting finger when playing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings. BUT, it comes in handy when you want to play a MINOR chord with the slide. Just play the high E, 2nd, and 3rd strings and mute the 3 top strings.

By using the standard tuning, there's also something cool you can acomplish with a little practice. That is, hold the slide against the 4 smallest strings, then, using an unused fretting finger, hold down the high E string 2 frets behind the slide. Make sure the slide is level to the fretboard. The little E string will be "pushed down" just enough to stop contacting the slide. This makes a perfect 4 note chord.

 

[JCollins]

For years, I fooled around with A (or G) and E tunings. For the last several years, I've been playing slide with standard tuning. It is easier to play chords without adding any fingering, in standard tuning. Play the second through fourth strings, and you will have a major triad. Play the first through third strings, and you have a minor triad.