Hello!
Banjo is my second instrument after mandolin and I really enjoy double c/d tuning. I find there is more similarity to mandolin than open tuning. That being said, I find myself staying in double c/d and when switching to G that I need to quickly re-learn it.
Does anyone here play in A when in double d, or G when in double D? I tried recently playing A tunes out of double d when accompanying my wife on fiddle and found that it worked alright.
Any tips here are appreciated! Is barring the 2nd fret to achieve a d chord when playing in c the best way to go about this?
Thanks!
I do these things; one example of an A tune that is played in double D is Rye Straw, aka Joke on Puppy.
The other thing you can do is to bring the 5th string up to B (works for me just tuning it) and play in E minor:
here's one example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rvcC43XeZg
The G in Double D was demonstrated by Chris Coole in this workshop (which are worth the money):
https://www.chriscoole.com/intro-g-out-of-d
I can “fake” a good deal of G from Double-D by some selective avoidance.
Beats returning for those very few G Tunes that are sometimes called at the end of our jams.
Edited by - mrphysics55 on 05/28/2022 09:25:09
Two key tunes I play out of double D (aDAde)
Richmond Cotillion D/A
Flying Clouds G/D
Upper Leigh D/G
Lightening Bug D/G
Ship in the Clouds G/D
Similar, pull the 4th string up, I found I can sometimes get by using modal tuning aEADE to play many D tunes and A major tunes.
Great for sets on stage, without need to retune.
I play Richmond Cotillion out of double D as it has A and D sections. But I think you will find it hard to really make a full A (or G) tune sing it's best out of double D (or C ). You'll spend a lot of time with a finger on the second string, second fret matching the open 1st. There may be tunes where this is an enhancement, but they'll be few and far between.
On the question of fretting double C for a D in a G tune: That D can usually be a D7 where the open C second is fine, so just fret the 3rd at the second fret and avoid (or fret at 2) the 4th.
over the years I have tried this more and more often...and...for the most part...I have found it to be an enjoyable experience...even A minor tunes can...sometimes...work out of double D...as do some A modal tunes...I tend to use an A "power chord" in those instances...i.e., just A notes and E notes...no third
playing tunes in a tuning that is not the tune's home tuning is a great way to stretch your chops
