Topmusicanswers
Tuning Tips
- Start by tuning your sixth string down to full tones to C.
- Then tune your fifth string down a tone to G. Check the tuning with the third (G) string.
- Next, tune your fourth string down a tone to C. Check the tuning with the sixth (C) string.
- Lastly, tune your second string UP a semitone to C.
Is it bad to change the tuning of your guitar?
While alternate tunings can shorten the life of your guitar strings, changing tunings is unlikely to damage your guitar. Most alternate tunings are actually lower in overall tension than standard tuning, so there's no real risk of applying more tension than the guitar can handle.
How do you do an alternate tuning?
In an alternate tuning, you need to identify the open string that the tuning is based on. So for open D tuning, that would be the D string. From there, try to figure out the difference between that D string and the string up. This will help you make the necessary adjustments to your scale patterns.
