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Essential 3-note maj, min, and sus4 open tunings: the classic open, slide, folk, & blues configurations [14 tunings]

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—Open D (‘Vestapol’)—

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• D-A-D-F^#-A-D •

An all-time great slide configuration, matching our familiar Emaj shape…

 

—Open Dm (‘Bentonia’)—

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• D-A-D-F-A-D •

Haunting minor blues, named for Skip James’ Mississippi hometown…

 

—Open Dsus (‘DADGAD’)—

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• D-A-D-G-A-D •

Davy Graham’s Arabic adventures spark an A-list altered tuning…

 

—Open G (‘Taro Patch’)—

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• D-G-D-G-B-D •

Hyper-versatile global imaginings, mirroring a Standard-tuned Amaj shape…

 

—Open Gm (‘Banjo Minor’)—

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• D-G-D-G-B^b-D•

Cross-note resonances, descended from a 5-string tradition…

 

—Open Gsus (‘Sawmill’)—

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• D-G-D-G-C-D •

Martin Simpson’s modal geometries, drawn from old-time banjo…

 

—Open C (‘Wide Major’)—

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• C-G-C-G-C-E •

Grow your guitar’s range with some uber-flexible drone-symmetry…

 

—Open Cm (‘Wide Minor’)—

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• C-G-C-G-C-E^b •

An expansive canvas for low-wound improv, used by few…

 

—Open Csus (‘Wide Modal’)—

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• C-G-C-G-C-F •

A broad stack of 5ths and 4ths, suitable for many styles…

 

—Open E (‘Vestapol’)—

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• E-B-E-G^#-B-E •

Electric sliding horizons, nicknamed for an old Crimean folk song…

 

—Open Em (‘Cross-note’)—

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• E-B-E-G-B-E •

Matching the contours of an Emin chord, making for Hellhoundish blues…

 

—Open F (‘Low Taro’)—

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• C-F-C-F-A-C •

A super-slack transposition of Open G, put to use in Hawaii and beyond…

 

—Open Fm (‘Low Banjo’)—

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• C-F-C-F-A^b-C •

A rare, deep-wavering minor species, ideal for haunting inversions…

 

—Open A (‘Spanish’)—

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• E-A-E-A-C^#-E •

The electric counterpart of Open G, used for countless axe classics…