Alternate Tunings for the Resonator Guitar
by Phil Leadbetter

Hope you are having a great summer. Sure has been hot here in Tennessee!

This month, I want to get into some of the different tunings that can be used on a resonator guitar. Alternate tunings can be lots of fun because they open up a whole new world of licks and ways of playing certain songs. In my situation, I own several resophonic guitars, so I can tune each of them to a specific tuning and leave it there. For example, I have a "G-Guitar", an "F-Guitar"…..and so on. Even if you only have one guitar, you can still experiment with the various tunings. This article will discuss several tunings and show you how to get your guitar into them.

The most common tuning that I use is the standard G tuning. This tuning is generally called the "bluegrass tuning". I use this tuning almost 90% of the time. Here is the way the individual strings are tuned:

Strings:
1 - D
2 - B
3 - G
4 - D
5 - B
6 - G

Or simply, low to high: GBDGBD

You can also use this tuning up a whole step to an open A chord. In this tuning, you can play all your licks exactly as you do in the G tuning but the tune will be mechanically transposed up a whole step. Here is the way it is tuned:

Strings:
1 - E
2 - C#
3 - A
4 - E
5 - C#
6 - A

Or, low to high: AC#EAC#E

Here is a cool tuning called "low bass", or "Hawaiian A" tuning. Here is the way it is tuned:

Strings:
1 - E
2 - C#
3 - A
4 - E
5 - A
6 - E

Low to high: EAEAC#E

The following is a very old Hawaiian tuning that was used by many of the Hawaiian players in years past. This is yet another tuning with a very cool sound:

Strings:
1 - D
2 - B
3 - G
4 - D
5 - G
6 - D

DGDGBD

Another tuning that I like is D tuning. This tuning is fun because it is totally different, but opens up loads of new ideas when playing in the key of D. This tuning is very tricky to learn, but once you do, it will become one of your favorite tunings. Here is the way it is tuned:

Strings:
1 - D
2 - A
3 - F#
4 - D
5 - A
6 - D

Or DADF#AD
[Editor's note: Notice that this tuning varies from the favorite acoustic guitar alternate tuning DADGAD by only one note.]

The purpose of alternate tunings is to give you more variations and options when playing in different keys. These tunings are good for players who do not use (or chose not to use) a capo. Even with a capo, I would never capo my guitar above the 4th fret when tuned in the G tuning. These tunings are a great aid in helping you to become a better player, as well as a fresh-sounding player.

I would suggest using a good electronic tuner to help you get the correct pitch on each string as you tune them. I have always preferred a strobe tuner, or a tuner which had a tuning "arm" as opposed to those that indicate correct tuning by means of lights only. The problem I have with a tuner that operates by the concept of a light changing color is the fact that I can usually hear the pitch of a string change while tuning before the light ever changes color.

By contrast, with an "arm tuner" (or "needle" tuner as some call it), you can see the tuning change by watching the movement of the arm, the same as with a strobe tuner where you can see the movement of the strobe. These types of tuners are very accurate. It is important to have a good tuner; it will not only keep you more "in tune", but will make you a better player through precise ear training.

I hope you have fun with these new tunings! The key to learning them is to practice them often. The more you use them, the easier they will become.

So long until next month,
Phil

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Phil Leadbetter's very busy 2006 performance schedule with the award-winning bluegrass group Wildfire can be found at: http://www.wildfireband.com/Wildfire/schedule.htm

For a comprehensive biography and discography, please see Phil Leadbetter's website at: http://www.unclephilonline.com/ and the Wildfire website at: http://www.wildfireband.com/Wildfire/bio.htm