Open G tuning
Among alternative tunings for the guitar, an open G tuning is an open tuning that features the G-major chord; its open notes are selected from the notes of a G-major chord, such as the G-major triad. For example, a popular open-G tuning is
An open-G tuning allows a G-major chord to be strummed on all six strings with neither fretting of the left hand nor a capo. Like other open tunings, it allows the eleven major chords besides G major each to be strummed by barring at most one finger on exactly one fret.
Usages in music
Open G tuning allows for open strings and single-fret bar chords to be played in key which make techniques such as slide and steel guitar viable. Open G tuning is common in blues and folk music.Open G tuning particularly common in guitar music of Hawaiian origin including guitar styles such as slack-key guitar and steel guitar. In the context of slack-key music, open G is often referred to "Taro Patch" tuning. However, guitar is not a traditional Polynesian instrument; it was introduced to Hawaii by vaqueros hired by King Kamehameha III to assist with the nascent Hawaiian ranching industry in the mid 19th century.
Repetitive open-G tunings are used by Russian guitars, Dobro guitars, and banjos. They repeat three open-string notes.
The repetitive open-G tuning
is used by the Russian guitar, which has seven strings tuned mostly in triads, in contrast to other guitars, which are tuned mostly in fourths.
Dobros use a full six-string tuning with a bottom G: G–B–D–G–B–D, low to high. The two lowest strings are, accordingly, tuned three semitones higher for the lowest string and two semitones higher for the second-lowest string while the highest string is tuned two semitones lower, relative to standard tuning.
Five-string banjo's standard tuning is also an Open G: g–D–G–B–D, where the lower case "g" denotes the highest-pitched "drone string", physically located next to the lowest-pitched string, the first upper case "D".
Alan Sparhawk of Low has been using an Open G tuning his entire musical career, since being inspired by Sonic Youth as a kid.
Overtones of the fundamental note G
guitarist Mick Ralphs has used another open-G tuning, which listed the initial six overtones of the G note,for "Hey Hey" and while writing the demo of "Can't Get Enough".
The overtones tuning G–G–D–G–B–D was used by Joni Mitchell for "Electricity", "For the Roses", and "Hunter ". Truncating this tuning to G-D-G-B-D for his five-string guitar, Keith Richards plays this overtones-tuning on the Rolling Stones' "Honky [Tonk Women]", "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up". American rock band Eagles of Death Metal uses this tuning for the majority of their songs.