Bill Rogers - Posted - 10/30/2021:  18:33:18

First off, here’s what I do. Typically capoed at 2. Mostly standard C tuning. I learned from the Seeger book and have had no reason to change. I sometimes play in double-C for tunes that seem to demand it. When I used to play for dances, I’d have two banjos, one tuned up to A/D. And I play a couple in open D, notably Eighth of January. So how do others approach the great stock of D tunes—and why? …. I should add that my playing style antedates the proliferation of “Round Peak style,” and I’ve never made an attempt to follow it, other than learning tunes.

doryman - Posted - 10/30/2021:  19:28:02

I do one of two things depending up on the song. I will either capo up 2, like you Bill, and play out of the C shape, or, I will reach for my fiddle. I like double C, but I don't usually have time to tune it thusly when I'm in a jam or gigging.

janolov - Posted - 10/30/2021:  23:34:38

Nowadays I often try open D tuning. This week's TOTW Western Country seems to work out good in f#DF#AD tuning. However, I play most D tunes in double C capo 2  just because that is how I learned them. 

carlb - Posted - 10/31/2021:  06:07:20

I play all my D tunes in double D (includes tunes that are in D and G). There are a few exceptions.

Classic D (aDAc#e) - Flop Eared Mule and some other D/A tunes

Open D (tuned up to E because I play without a capo, g#EG#BE) - Peachbottom Creek (from Wade Ward)

and

Singing Birds (f#DABE) - from Burl Hammons

banjopaolo - Posted - 10/31/2021:  07:03:57

to play in the key of D sometimes I play in standard G tuning with the fifth string raised to A by spike on the 7th fret

VIDEO: Woodstock (Joni Mitchell)
(click to view)

 

RB3 - Posted - 10/31/2021:  07:19:35

Mostly, I work out an arrangement in the key of C, using standard G-tuning, and then play the arrangement with a capo on the second fret to put it into the key of D.

Emiel - Posted - 10/31/2021:  07:54:57

It depends on the song/tune. Sometimes standard-C or double-C capoed up, sometimes open-D…

BTuno - Posted - 10/31/2021:  08:46:05

My approach is very much like others above; depends on the tune whether I use double D or 'drop' D, its about 50-50 for the tunes I play. I don't make a big deal about retuning, I've learned to be quick and flexible....its a banjo! It only takes a half-minute, and I'm ready to go.

Noah Cline - Posted - 10/31/2021:  09:45:48

At jams, I mainly use Double D. I have played around with playing some of those tunes in open D, but prefer the former. I've also transposed tunes I would typically play in Double D to dADF#A (gDGBD relative) when I've taken  my gourd banjo along to jams. 



Other notable D-tunings I sometimes play in, depending on the tune and banjo: 

• dBEAB (fDGCD relative)

• f#DEAD ("Lost Gander" tuning)

• dBDAB/dADAB (fDFCD/fCFCD relative)

chip arnold - Posted - 10/31/2021:  09:52:46

Mostly in C/C capoed up to D for fiddle tunes.
A few tunes like Coal Creek March, Peachbottom Creek and Baptist Shout, I play in open D.

Don Borchelt - Posted - 11/01/2021:  15:17:30

Some years ago, I shifted over to playing all of my D tunes in open D, tuning the 5th string to A, not F# (aDF#AD). That's now somewhere around 150 tunes. I play exclusively in 3 finger style, and I find the open D configuration works really well for the way I play. Open D loves those roll patterns. Now, if I was playing clawhammer style, or the elegant, beautiful 2 finger up picking style that Chip Arnold plays, I might favor double D (double C up 2), instead.

- Don

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 11/01/2021:  16:07:16

gCGCD capo2.

Prefer the capo to tuning up.



A few in open D variants and gCGBD capo2,

but not many.

Truth to tell, I play a lot on my own nowadays, so I dispense with the capo.

Edited by - R.D. Lunceford on 11/01/2021 16:09:44

gottasmilealot - Posted - 11/02/2021:  14:40:17

I'm relearning to play with D tuners with the 5th string up to A rather than F#. aDF#AD.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/02/2021:  15:58:54

I’ll tune the fifth in D tuning according to the tune. A or F# tends to sound better with this or that tune, though my default is F#.

Lew H - Posted - 11/03/2021:  06:27:02

At dances, I have plenty of time between dances to capo up and retune. I play all D dance tunes in double C tuning. For accompanying my singing, however, I prefer drop C (aCGBD) capoed up 2 frets.. For a couple of bluesy songs, I use triple C. (gCGCC). I initially tried these songs in double C, but the open E note made the accompaniment sound too sweet. Triple C is not much for melody playing, but great for emotive chords.

banjoak - Posted - 11/03/2021:  18:05:49

Mostly use aDADE - as go to for "most" D repertoire; but do use other tunings. If no other considerations, prefer to tune up for tonal reasons.

For gigs... it really depends. I try to keep instruments I bring to minimum... so mostly one banjo. I don't find retuning to be a big deal, pretty quick. If possible, try to make a set list that takes tuning into account; having a bit of logical order. As well might use other less than ideal tuning, if part of medley in different keys.

BrooksMT - Posted - 11/03/2021:  21:34:42

I like Art Rosenbaum's open D (f#DF#AD) for his version of Ruben's Train/Old Ruben. The open string harmonics are nice, and I can get a lonesome train whistle with a 2 string slide. Not to say someone else could not get same thing in DoubleD, but I just like the open D for this one.

Otherwise, I would capo up from DoubleC. Truthfully, since I play mostly solo, I just use Audacity to drop any recorded/videoed D song I'm learning down to C for Double C tuning....Lazy.
---------------------
Actually there is one good reason to stick with one tuning per banjo, if you can: my strings "last longer" if I don't re-tune. I'm talking about the presence of those beautiful sympathetic vibrations you get from the non-picked strings, which greatly enrich the tone. Re-tuning moves around the internal crystalline flaws in the arrangement of groups of iron atoms. Eventually these discontinuities lock up, making stiff spots in the strings. The stiff spots change the harmonics for the worse. You have undoubtedly seen this stiffening when bending a bit of metal back and forth until it breaks; re-tuning does the same thing. This avoidance of re-tuning is for steel strings. I re-tune my nylon string mountain banjo frequently, with no apparent loss of neat sound (or maybe my ears just don't notice the loss I hear with steel strings).

Since the mountain banjo does not have a neck rod to fight string tension, I de-tune 5 semitones for all mountain banjo tunings (eg. Gmodal becomes Dmodal).

Hope this helps.

Jim Yates - Posted - 11/04/2021:  16:10:59

For songs in D, I usually capo at two and use a drop C tuning (gCGBD).
For tunes in D, I usually capo at two and use a double C tuning (gCGCD).

Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/04/2021:  16:20:37

quote:

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Originally posted by Jim Yates

For songs in D, I usually capo at two and use a drop C tuning (gCGBD).

For tunes in D, I usually capo at two and use a double C tuning (gCGCD).

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Nice to see someone who differentiates tunes and songs. 

Don Borchelt - Posted - 11/04/2021:  18:46:16

quote:

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Originally posted by gottasmilealot

I'm relearning to play with D tuners with the 5th string up to A rather than F#. aDF#AD.

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Keith, you have jolted my memory.  Almost ten years ago, I was screwing around in open D tuning (aDF#AD) with the Scruggs chokers that were original on my Ode Model 42, and incorporated the 2nd string tuner into my arrangement for Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss.  it was a big hit when my friend Ed Britt and I were busking, and I meant to see if there were some other open D tunes I might try it on, but I never did.  I don't have chokers on any of my other banjos, but if you are going up, you can use a right hand finger to pull the string at the peghead, and get the same effect, as long as you don't need to leave it up while you fret something else.  Here's a video I made at the time.  It's in the B part, wait for it!