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drop thumb - Posted - 04/01/2007: 19:48:32
someone showed me an open f tuning at a festival last year, but i wasnt that interested. now i am interested and i can't remember how it is supposed to be tuned.
anybody have a cool f tuning to share?
brokenstrings - Posted - 04/01/2007: 20:20:49
Try that appendix listing on Zepp's website--or is it on Banjo-L? Whatsomever, it has just about everything.
Jessy
Frailaway, ladies, frailaway!
rendesvous1840 - Posted - 04/01/2007: 21:01:16
I like to use the G Modal tuning, fDGCD. It's normally used for G minor or capoe'd 2 frets to A minor. But it makes the F,Bb an C chords pretty easy.
F Bb C Dm
3 3 2 3
0 2 0 2
2 3 0 2
3 0 2 0
The numbers are fret numbers, top is 1st string, bottom is fourth. I don't know how to make fingerboard diagrams on the screen. Not that computer literate. Also, you can tune the fifth string to G, and play the key of C, or capo 2 frets, and play Gtunes. This is good for those jams where people keep changing keys, and don't wait for banjo players to re tune.
rendesvous1840
"As I see it, every newborn should be issued a banjo." .....Linus
Edited by - rendesvous1840 on 04/01/2007 21:19:28
arnie - Posted - 04/01/2007: 21:41:55
Get your banjo in double C tuning first. gCGCD, then tune both Gs down to Fs and you get fCFCD. This is a very cool tuning for certain old time fiddle tunes. Other options are tune banjo down to F and use G tuning, or put a capo on 5th fret and play in double c.
Arnie Naiman
http://www.merriweather.ca/Records.aspx?ID=2
derekanjo - Posted - 04/01/2007: 22:04:57
you can also use "last chance" tuning, which is basically the same as above, except the fourth string is a D:
fDFCD
Derek
oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 04/02/2007: 01:08:27
I do all G fiddle tunes in the F tuning (fCFCD capoed to the 2nd fret for gDGDE). This allows me to play D, A and G without changing the capo.
It is good for playing in different modes since there is no 3rd in the tuning - consequently all my G major, and G mixolydian tunes work fine in the tuning as do my 2 G Dorian tunes and my one G minor tune (although I have to admit that tune does actually sound better in the G minor tuning).
The other advantage is that it not chord oriented so tunes never get lost in the harmony the way some A tunes (aEAC#E) can.
A sort of hidden advantage is that the 2 top strings (D and E) are tuned the same for the D tuning aDADE, the A modal tuning aEADE, and the G tuning gDGDE.
The Whiskey Before Breakfast variations and a few tunes in "F" tuning are now available on the web at:
http://home.thegrid.net/~fjbrad/id20.html
