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Thread: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

  1. #1

    Smile Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    I would like to hear other peoples thoughts and suggestions on mandolin tunings other than the traditional G-D-A-E. If you play different styles do you prefer different tunings for them? Which tunings tend to help with certain styles of playing? For example tunings for Celtic, Jazz, Classical, Renaissance, etc. I would also like to hear from people who never tune their mandolin to the standard G-D-A-E and why they choose not to. I know many people coming from a guitar background tend to like a different tuning as well.

    Thanks!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Pick up a copy of Rotten Taters to hear a large assortment of tunings

  3. #3
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Fiddlers do alternate tunings , so It's done ..

    Radim Zinkle. Galactic Mandolin , plays a piece written in 12 re tunings,
    and some restringing to achieve the intervals, the pairs
    in different diaTonic harmonies.
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    One way is to spell out a 4 note chord
    and see which notes can be reached by
    lowering GDAE

    Some open tunings (Low to High ie. GDAE):
    DDAD
    AAEC#
    FCGD
    GDGB
    GDGD
    GDAD
    ADAE
    EDAE
    These involve tuning higher which I
    wouldn't attempt with regular strings:
    GDBB
    EEBE
    BEBE
    AE#AC#
    AEAE
    AEAC
    AEAD
    EEAE

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    String-Bending Heretic mandocrucian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    The basic options:

    GDAD is probably the most common, used by Irish bouzouki players and some mandolinists (Andy Irvine)

    ADAE (raises the low string rather than the high pair)

    GDGD or AEAE - open 5ths

    while fiddlers will call alternate tunings "crosstunings", on the the mandolin "crosstunings" usually is used for tuning in which certain of the pairs are tuned to different notes. The most common (or maybe famous) of which is the "Sleepy-Eyed John" ("Get Up John") tuning: F#A - DD - AA - AD

    - - - - - -
    And, any tuning relationship can be dropped down (or raised a half-stop or two) a half-step, whole tone, or lower.

    GDAE dropped down to (Yank Rachell's) EBC#F#

    GDAE dropped a whole step to FCGD (Mike Doucet usually has one of his fiddles tuned this way for a darker sound and to play all those open drone strings with a C-tuned accordion)

    or GDAD lowered to FCGC (Andy Irvine)

    etc.

    Niles H

    (PS: There are several tunes arranged for a couple of these tuning relationships in the book The Mandola Sampler)

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    For the last little while I have been practicing some in AEAE. Its fun for OT fiddle tunes. It takes some getting used to. Occationally it sounds awesome. And sometimes even a mistake sounds so darn cool.

    I didn't want to be de-tuining and re-tuning all the time, so I just keep one mandolin in cross. Another advantage to this is that if its a different instrument its easier to think of it as a different instrument - if you know what I mean.

    I took a fiddle workshop with Greg Canote. He keeps one fiddle in calico tuning, which is AEAC#.

    I did a workshop with Frank Wakefield last summer and we did that crazy tuning for Get Up John. It almost wasn't worth it. Almost.


    With a guitar it seems it is easier to de-tune and then re-tune. (Especially if you can tell good anecdotes while you tune.) But with mandolin its a royal pain. I am liking this one mandolin in standard, one in cross. Besides, its a good justification for getting another mandolin.
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    My favorite alternate tuning is ADAD, a lot of the European bouzouki players I've jammed with also use this tuning, I play mostly traditional Nordic music and medieval dance music with that tuning. I'm actually really surprised that nobody has posted this tuning yet. I thought it was more common, but maybe not.

  9. #8
    Registered User metrognome's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    As of yet I have only experimented with alternate tunings on guitar, mostly tuning to open E or open A chords and playing with a slide on my pinky so I can 3-finger chords, DADGAD and dropping low E to D. My take on it is that each of these experiments has revealed a new sonic/harmonic opening to be explored because of the different inversions that suddenly appear. On the guitar, I find it helpful to think about how the changes affect chord fingerings. It would be fun to do that with a mando too.

    I had just decided that I was happy with my one mando, but it sure would be fun to have a second for messing around with alternate tunings. LOL!

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    Registered User James Rankine's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    It's probably an irrational fear but I've always stayed clear of leaving a mandolin tuned up to AEAE because of worries about the long term effect of increased string tension. I've always felt happier tuning down to GDGD. Anyone any thoughts on AEAE versus GDGD? Obviously if your playing with other musicians the tuning becomes important - it makes more sense for the fiddle with less tension to tune up but it strikes me the mandolin might be happier going down.

  11. #10
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    I have been playing quite a few tunes in A and tho I usually play them in the fiddle in AEAE, I kept my mandolin in the std tuning for these. The big problem was that retuning is a pain on mandolin. I would bring a second cross-tuned mandolin to a big session but I can't hear myself much on most of them so I play my resonator which is plenty loud. Man, I may need a second one of those.

    I do have the resonator tuned with light gauge strings so it might take the extra tension.
    Jim

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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by James Rankine View Post
    It's probably an irrational fear but I've always stayed clear of leaving a mandolin tuned up to AEAE because of worries about the long term effect of increased string tension. I've always felt happier tuning down to GDGD. Anyone any thoughts on AEAE versus GDGD? Obviously if your playing with other musicians the tuning becomes important - it makes more sense for the fiddle with less tension to tune up but it strikes me the mandolin might be happier going down.
    The mandolin I have kept in AEAE for many seasons, cycling humid and dry hot and cold, has not shown any ill effects. Can't generalize from the specific but if there are any effects, I would think it small.
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Love Calico Tuning on the fiddle AEAC#. One of my favorite tunes is Laughing Boy. I think it would sound excellent on a mandolin.

    I just hate returning a mandolin though
    "When you learn an old time fiddle tune, you make a friend for life"

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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by LongBlackVeil View Post

    I just hate returning a mandolin though
    Justification of MAS!
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    Registered User Irénée's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    I suggest also one interesting if you want cut over other instruments...
    This one is (low 2 high) : Gg - Dd - AA - EE or gG - dD - AA - EE... depending of your need and feeling...
    Last edited by Irénée; Mar-11-2019 at 9:06am.

  16. #15
    Registered User Irénée's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    ... Another one very interesting to slide in Blues.
    It is an open G, it comes from Steve James, it is very special and it is necessary to prepare and to string especially one mandolin for this particular purpose.
    ... its tuning is: gG - Dg - Bd - dd...
    And the gauges are : (.16 plain or .18wound and usual .38), (.26 wound and .16 or .14 if old - without truss - mandolin*), (.16 or .14* and .11), (.11 and .11)...

  17. #16
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    I would think all the tunings described in both posts would require setting up a separate mandolin. New nuts and bridge tops.

    Do you have any samplings recordings where these tunings are used?
    Jim

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  18. #17

    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Are there any chord shapes and scales for GDGD tuning?

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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    I always tune my mandolins to GCEG (open C, chord-melody C, taropatch C, etc.). I use standard G and D strings but replace the A and E strings with .017 and .015 plain strings to provide better tone for those strings in this tuning.

    For more details, checkout the "[About how I tune my mandolins]" link below in my signature lines.
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by dhergert View Post
    I always tune my mandolins to GCEG (open C, chord-melody C, taropatch C, etc.). I use standard G and D strings but replace the A and E strings with .017 and .015 plain strings to provide better tone for those strings in this tuning.

    For more details, checkout the "[About how I tune my mandolins]" link below in my signature lines.
    I'm trying to figure out the possible advantages of that tuning. The short scale of a mandolin invites diatonic fingering, whereas these intervals invite chromatic fingering. Would certainly take some getting used to (I once tried to play a ukulele, and gave up; I found myself thinking mandolin). I suppose one could use such devices as fretting high on one string, and playing the next higher string open. Just curious.

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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by The Painted Villain View Post
    Are there any chord shapes and scales for GDGD tuning?

    Of course there are, although you may have to work them out for yourself. I believe that kind of tuning is mainly used for special effects, drones etc., involving open strings.

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    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    GDGD tuning could be useful to beginners who’ve learned the G scale and the G double stops and want to improvise by ear all over the neck, straight away.
    I’ve heard complete beginners (on guitar) who already had a good sense of rhythm pick up the instrument and sound like pros on the first day when they play in these sort of tunings.
    It’s partly being able to mix bass accompaniment with treble melody lines.

  23. #22
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    I would think all the tunings described in both posts would require setting up a separate mandolin. New nuts and bridge tops.

    Do you have any samplings recordings where these tunings are used?
    Jim, I can show a couple of samples of Steve James from the first tuning mentioned by Irenee, which he calls "high-strung" mandolin. I'm sharing these two only for the purpose of discussion here, under the fair use policy, with unlisted videos ... they are a small part of a larger, copyrighted work from Homespun. Folks interested in early blues and string band music should consider purchasing the two Steve James video series from Homespun. Here is a link to read more about that: https://www.homespun.com/shop/produc...n-two-dvd-set/

    Steve discusses Howard Armstrong's "High strung mandolin":

    https://youtu.be/wp6sVb8Ap8o



    Steve plays his version of Armstrong's Juanita Stomp on a high strung mandolin (backed by John Sebastian):

    https://youtu.be/SYRFC8SS_D0

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  25. #23
    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    Quote Originally Posted by ralph johansson View Post
    I'm trying to figure out the possible advantages of that tuning. The short scale of a mandolin invites diatonic fingering, whereas these intervals invite chromatic fingering. Would certainly take some getting used to (I once tried to play a ukulele, and gave up; I found myself thinking mandolin). I suppose one could use such devices as fretting high on one string, and playing the next higher string open. Just curious.
    I do a lot of single-picking (vs. tremolo) chord melody work up and down the neck... Probably similar to what you refer to as chromatic. I use a lot of barre chords, which also allows me to do a lot of full double and triple stop tremolo for both harmonies and chord melodies.

    For me the clearest advantage is that my fretted instruments are all tuned with the same intervals, so they use the same fingering up and down the neck; we're talking about my banjo family instruments, mandolin, guitar and Dobro. So for me working up a song's arrangement on one instrument means I can play nearly the same arrangement on each of them with the only difference being whether I flatpick or fingerpick.

    I do also play double bass and use standard 4ths tuning for it... There are some double bassists who use 5ths tuning on the double bass, like violin family instruments, plus there are plenty of non-standard double bass tunings. I can really see the advantage of either 4th or 5th tuning for the long double bass neck and thick strings.
    -- Don

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  26. #24

    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    WRT to tensions, you can design a custom string set (using string tension pro) for any tuning you would like.

    To me it isn't the tuning, it's the tension that matters for feel. I can design say a 15 lb set for any tuning, and it will feel the same. It's when the tensions get out of whack or unbalanced that it feels wrong to me.

    The same will be true for the mandolin, it will be safe with any tuning as long as you keep the tension in line with what it was built for.
    Davey Stuart tenor guitar (based on his 18" mandola design).
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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Alternate Mandolin Tunings

    ... And, it should also be mentioned that moving successfully to a non-standard tuning requires a large degree of independence, musical knowledge and musical skill of the player...

    Very likely, unless the player knows someone else who uses that same non-standard tuning, that player will need to be able to learn, arrange and innovate completely on their own.

    Chord charts and tablature are rare if they exist at all for non-standard tunings. Sections in books that describe specifics related to a standard tuning will not apply to non-standard tunings.

    Written musical scores will apply to non-standard tunings, but the player will need to know how to apply those musical scores to the tuning they are using.

    In other words, non-standard tunings are not for the faint of heart.
    -- Don

    "Music: A minor auditory irritation occasionally characterized as pleasant."
    "It is a lot more fun to make music than it is to argue about it."


    2002 Gibson F-9
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    [About how I tune my mandolins]
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