GDAD Tuning

[J.C. Bryant]

Do many of you used GDAD for chording/strumming as well as playing melodies? If so, why? Do you also tune your octave mandolins the same way?
Thanks,

[OneChordTrick]

If I tuned my OM that way it would be a bouzouki I tried for a while but went back to GDAE because I was getting too confused switching between OM, mandolin and guitar in DADGAD. For some tunes it definitely added something, others just made them harder to play.

[Gary Leonard]

Interested to hear others with their experience. I have taken my 22 3/4" OM and tuned it GDAD. My tiny little brain had a tough time adjusting, but I could see how it might be another tool I should have in my toolbox. It isn't hard to tune down a full step. I guess I need to start watching the bouzouki players more.

[Lord of the Badgers]

GDAD is for me, a great songwriting tool. As is GDGD.
I don't play trad tunes so... that's why. If you want an example, i'm pretty sure Steve Knightley tuned his tenor to GDAD (capo'd at fifth, or actually CGDG - the dola version) for Show Of Hands' cover of Boys of Summer, which should give a clue as to why i like it.

or the CGDG / CGCG if we tune to CGDA firstly.

I can find std tuning to be a bit "safe" sounding... that's not an accusation, just how my ears hear it... i prefer my chords to have unexpectedly nice intervals driven by open strings.

I am in std at the moment, but i usually wind up back in GDAD/GDGD after a while.

ADAD is also many people's favs.

Conversely, it's fun tuning a mandolin GDAD

[Baron Collins-Hill]

I use GDAD almost exclusively on CBOMs and tenor guitars. I've even made a little GDAD video series to try and help people get acquainted with the tuning.

https://www.tenorguitarlessons.com/l.../gdad-lessons/

Thanks,
Baron

[OneChordTrick]

GDAD is for me, a great songwriting tool. As is GDGD.
I don't play trad tunes so... that's why. If you want an example, i'm pretty sure Steve Knightley tuned his tenor to GDAD (capo'd at fifth, or actually CGDG - the dola version) for Show Of Hands' cover of Boys of Summer, which should give a clue as to why i like it.

or the CGDG / CGCG if we tune to CGDA firstly.

I can find std tuning to be a bit "safe" sounding... that's not an accusation, just how my ears hear it... i prefer my chords to have unexpectedly nice intervals driven by open strings.

I am in std at the moment, but i usually wind up back in GDAD/GDGD after a while.

ADAD is also many people's favs.

Conversely, it's fun tuning a mandolin GDAD

That is a rather great version of “Boys of Summer”