GDAD Tuning on a Mandolin

[Adare_Steve]

I've worked my way to mandolin via a bouzouki (still my main instrument - and I use it mostly for accompaniment work) and octave mandola (on which I'm now playing a few Irish tunes).

I found GDAD tuning on the bouzouki suited me best, and I picked up the chords easily with that tuning. When it came to playing tunes on the OM, I left it at the same tuning.

Now, I've come to play tunes on the mandolin, I left the tuning at GDAD (well, I took the E down to D - and it actually felt like I was breaching some sacred law!) I find it easier to strum the mando with this tuning, and I don't seem to have any trouble, yet, picking out simple jigs.

What I'm really keen to know is: Will I discover that I've made a serious mistake futher down the line? And, should I take the D back up to E, like NOW!

Thanks,

Steve

[mandopete]

Hmmmm, what style of music are you playing? #If you're playing bluegrass, you might find this to be a mistake. #You may want to also consider that much of the tabulature for the mandolin assumes a standard tuning and therefore you would have to interpolate the notation if you use this tuning.

One of the things I enjoy about the mandolin (as opposed to say the guitar) is the wonderful symemtry of G-D-A-E tuning. #This presents many patterns that can be used to move phases up and down octaves as well as many possiblities for open strings in a variety of chords.

[Adare_Steve]

I'm playing Irish trad. music, mainly, and read the dots, rather than TAB. Does this make a difference?

[Lee]

There's no problem tuning the E down to D. If the strings then don't feel taught enough for you buy single 0.012" size strings.

[danb]

The top d makes some stuff easier, other stuff harder.. my advice would be either learn both at once, or wait and pick up GDAD a bit later on. I learned GDAE first, then GDAEA (zook), then GDAD.. now I can fairly easily switch between them.. GDAD makes much more sense on a bouzouki where the stretches are harder, and you're doing chords in D..

[JimD]

GDAD is a fairly common alternate tuning for Irish mandolin. This is probably due to the OM/bouzouki connection.

If you are more comfortable, go with it. No reason to do otherwise unless you find pieces in this or another style that make it necessary.

AND, of course, you have stumbled on to one of the great advantages of notes over tab. You can simply learn the tunes in the tuning that you favor.

[mandroid]

Cross tuning is a common old time fiddlers method, sometimes ADad and other variations of open tunings.