Optimizing OM In The Key Of 'E'

[Furnman]

Looking for some more experienced help! I have to play my OM for the first time in church this Sunday. It's a very simple tune in the Key of E, with A and B chords as part of the progression.

I would ideally like to do a droning-type deal through a lot of it, the lower register the better. Currently have it tuned ADAD, and wonder if I should be using that tuning with a capo at the 2nd fret. GDAE didn't seem to work too well (could tune it 1-1/2 steps below that!).

Anyone else with experience/suggestions for this application? Thanks for your help!

[EdSherry]

I'd use GDAE, capo 2, and play "open"-string style D, G and A shapes. The D shape is second fret on both the G and E strings and open on the D and A strings, (so that your chord is ADAF#), the G shape is the second fret on the A string and the third fret on the E string and open on the G and D (so that your chord is GDBG), and the A shape is the second fret on the G and D strings and open on the A and E (so that your chord is AEAE). Should give you a good ringing "open" drone sound.

[dane]

Is the key of the tune E major -- i.e., do you need to use a G#? If so, I'd do what you suggested - tune ADAD and then capo at the 2nd fret -- gives you a great E drone which you can make even stronger with (5-0-0-0), a nice suspended tone to the A (5-5-0-0) and a very open B (2-0-2-0).

[Furnman]

You guys are so great... I knew I could count on you! I learned a lot from both posts, and ended up using the ADAD w/capo at 2. Gave me exactly the drone I was looking for, and it sounded great with what we were trying to do (BTW, I ended up playing the B as 0-2-0-2 after the warm up - hope that makes sense).

Thanks again all!