Today’s tuning is one of my all-time favorite alternate tunings, and is the tuning for one of my favorite songs of all time, “The Rain Song” by Led Zeppelin.

The Rain Song Tuning is “Open Gsus Tuning” with the following notes:

D G C G C D

The song I wrote in today’s tuning is simply titled “The Rain Song Tuning,” improvised in Open Gsus tuning with some of the chords Jimmy Page used in “The Rain Song”:

Below are 6-string fretboards that show the scale notes, numbers, scale degrees and intervals I’m playing:

“The Rain Song,” at least the intro and main verses, is in G Natural Minor, but Jimmy Page adds the notes B and F# to the G Natural Minor scale.

Anyone know how to properly use Scale Degrees for the “add notes” B and F# in the key of G Natural Minor? If so, please comment!

Since “The Rain Song/Open Gsus Tuning” is one of my favorite alt tunings of all time and “The Rain Song” by Led Zeppelin is one of my favorite songs of all time, I couldn’t end the day without playing it for you.

Here is a great live version of “The Rain Song” from 1994:

The Rain Song

Jimmy Page Robert Plant

It is the springtime of my loving – the second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing – so little warmth I’ve felt before.
It isn’t hard to feel me glowing – I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles – flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain’t so hard to recognize – These things are clear to all from time to time.

Talk, talk, talk, talk – I’ve felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go.
I cursed the gloom that set upon us, upon us, upon us
But I know that I love you so. But I know that I love you so

These are the seasons of emotion and like the wind they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion – I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient, quotient – Upon us all, upon us all a little rain must fall. It’s just a little rain oh yeah

May these daily alt tunings continue to inspire you as you explore songwriting beyond the limitations of standard tuning. If you’d like to learn more about making alt tuning a part of your songwriting, give me a call at 888-7-GUITAR or reach out to me here.

Until next time…

~Scott Quillin

Did you know? Scott started playing guitar when he was 14 years old back in 1982. A Pittsburgh native, Scott resides in Rhode Island where he teaches guitar, bass, music and songwriting. He also records and mixes songs for local bands and artists as well as his own music. He writes and records nearly every day and has a real passion to help others hear their “inner voice” and express that in songs.

You can listen to more of Scott’s music at https://soundcloud.com/scottquillin.