As I mentioned in my Open Mic entry this week, I enjoy playing my guitar in alternate tunings. It takes you out of the zone of familiarity and makes you engage with the guitar and the sounds it is making in a totally different way than playing in standard tuning.

To all the guitar players out there, I highly recommend trying out some alternate tunings if you haven't already. Start out with a D major tuning (from low to high string: D A D F# B D) - this tuning is of course perfect for slide since it is an open major chord when strummed, but it is a good starting point I think for exploring open tunings in general. Honestly what I do sometimes is just twiddle around with the tuning nobs until I find something interesting, then I jam in it for a while! If you take this tactic, the general rule is to detune strings, meaning to tune them lower than standard tuning, rather than tuning them to a higher pitch. You can get away with tuning strings up slightly but really guitar strings will break and don't sound great anyway if you tune them higher than they are intended. Tuning down on the other hand sounds like metal and that is always a fun thing :)

This is an older song (and older recording) of mine in DGDFGD tuning. Hope you enjoy!

Sound Advice - Carl Nash

Sound Advice - Lyrics

You can want it so bad you can taste it
but it don't make it happen
it don't make it work

You can dread it so bad that it hurts
but when it finally happens it don't make it worse

You can grab hold of the steering wheel
You can turn it wherever you will
Park your car on the top of the hill

From the top you've got a view of the night
Of the city and all of its lights
You can hear it if the night is still

From the top you've got a view of the night
In the darkness everything's right
All your troubles are so far away

You can choke it till it cannot breathe
but if it's meant to happen it will still live

You can give it the room that it needs
But you gotta keep working, you gotta believe

You can jump into the swimming hole
Even though you know the water is cold
Take your clothes off and soak in the night

In the water you don't carry your weight
In the water everything's right
In the water you don't carry your weight

Focus your mind and your body will follow
Focus your mind and your body will follow
You can't control what will happen to tomorrow

Focus your mind and your body will follow
Focus your mind and your body will follow
You can't control what will happen to tomorrow