Today’s tuning is Open C Tuning with the following open string notes:

C G C E G E

Back on January 12, 2016 I posted about Open C tuning but with these open string notes:

C G C G C E

While both tunings are the C Major chord, the open string notes on Strings 2 and 3 are different.

I wrote a song/idea called “How Often” while jamming today in Open C Tuning in the key of C Major:

Here are the chords I play (highlighted in orange):

Each day when I “get into” a tuning, for the most part I experiment until something jumps out at me. Then I try to expand on whatever caught my ear.

For today’s alt tuning blog post, I worked out the chord progression first then improvised playing different rhythm patterns, tempos and time signatures until “How Often” was written.

What is your process when playing in a new tuning? Does it take you a while to get comfortable in a tuning before you can create in it?

I love alternate tuning. I’ve been playing so much of it that standard tuning seems alternate now. 🙂

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 (contact me here)

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.