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Lessons that use a GDG Tuning with High G?

Hey, everyone,

I'm just getting started with three-string open G tuning. I set my instrument (not a cigar box guitar, planning a build soon -- right now I'm experimenting with a garage sale student size guitar) up with Low G, Low D, High G ... but going through Shane Speal's video lessons, so far I am seeing Middle instead of High G on all the videos.

Of course, the lessons are still valuable, but obviously the sound is different. Anyone know of any online lessons/song videos that use the High G tuning? I'm having fun just playing with the blues scale on that high string against the other two strings open, but I suspect there's some really cool stuff out there that takes advantage of the difference between Middle G and High G. I just need to find it.

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Permalink Reply by Korrigan on May 21, 2018 at 7:48am

I may be wrong but I don't think anybody breaks down tunings into which octave the strings are. At least I haven't seen any videos that do.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas L. Knapp on May 21, 2018 at 8:05am

Right -- I found various alternative GDG tunings somewhere (it may have been right here on Cigar Box Nation). Using the High G (E string tuned up to G) instead of Middle G (G string tuned to, you guessed it, G) was one of them.

The notes are the same, of course -- just that the high string is an octave higher. That has sound consequences, and I'm hoping to find video of people more skilled than I am (I've played guitar for about 40 years, just not very WELL) playing that High G tuning.

Unless I happen to find such videos (they don't even have to be "lessons" per se), I'll probably pull that E string off and put the G string on, since so far everything I've found in GDG tuning has been that way and it's easier for me to follow along and learn if my guitar sounds like the guitar being played by e.g. Speal in various videos.

But, IMO, that higher G gives it a very nice bluesy wail when playing the blues scale on it against the two lower strings. So if I can find the stuff to help me develop that, I'll be grateful.