# tunings for bottleneck slide



## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I have my own peculiar way of playing slide guitar in standard tuning but am curious about what tunings other folks use. Is it an idiom thing? Do you have several tunings that you use? Please enlighten me…


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

I used to think (assume) there was a common open G, open D, etc. Yeah I was wrong. But it's a good reminder that a chord is simply 2 or 3 or 4 notes. So regardless of tuning, the notes you actually play, will determine the chord.

I tend to use open G as D - G - D - G - B - D (from low to high).

There's a forum member who recently posted a good video on introduction to slide. @Dan Walsh


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## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Slide Guitar


Hi folks:) I'm new here as I'm involved in a couple other threads of behalf of Guitars For Kids. As a professional touring musician currently sidelined by the current World restrictions, over the last year I've been filming slide guitar tutorials at www.youtube.com/danwalshbeardzone. These are...




www.guitarscanada.com


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Just to clarify: I've played guitar for about 48 years and I know what a chord is. I've played slide guitar of some sort or other for all 48 years. My default tuning for the past 40 years has been standard EADGBE. 

My question was about what tuning(s) people use when they're playing bottleneck (not lap) slide. Solo and in an ensemble.


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

Its always been open G for me.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

DavidP said:


> Its always been open G for me.


 solo and/or band?


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

Doug Gifford said:


> solo and/or band?


Both!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Open G for both lap and conventional guitar, standard for conventional guitar as well. Once in a while I mess with open D but since I play non-slide in dadgad sometimes, my brain flips.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Mooh said:


> Open G for both lap and conventional guitar, standard for conventional guitar as well. Once in a while I mess with open D but since I play non-slide in dadgad sometimes, my brain flips.


Is "open D" dadf#ad? So, the f# leads to oopsies?


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## MFW777 (Aug 3, 2017)

Default bottleneck tuning on electric and acoustic for me is open E. Open G for the National Estralita.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

MFW777 said:


> Default bottleneck tuning on electric and acoustic for me is open E. Open G for the National Estralita.


What is open E? Raise the A D & G strings?


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## nbs2005 (Mar 21, 2018)

Mostly open G or Dobro G on guitars that could take the pitch raise on the 6th and 5th string. I've been playing around with slide in standard tuning recently and liking it so far. I also sometimes drop the 1st string to D to get all the classic G licks back.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Doug Gifford said:


> Is "open D" dadf#ad? So, the f# leads to oopsies?


Yeah.

I also sometimes use open D minor, DADFAD and for some reason it doesn't bother me as much. Likely because of the minor triad on the first three strings like standard.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

I usually play slide in standard, but like open G sometimes.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I usually keep my National in open G (dgdgbd) or open D (dadf#ad), which is where I play most of my slide. I also keep an electric (Tele at the moment) in open G for my limited electric slide playing.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I've been experimenting with A minor

EAEACE

I mostly mute the low E. It is very cool for minor blues.


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## MFW777 (Aug 3, 2017)

Doug Gifford said:


> What is open E? Raise the A D & G strings?


Open E is: low to high - E-B-E-G#-B-E. A couple of my favourites, Duane Allman and Derek Trucks are masters of this tuning for slide. It’s also a cool tuning for some great non slide acoustic as well ie: The Allman Brothers - Little Martha and the Black Crowes - She Talks To Angels.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

MFW777 said:


> Open E is: low to high - E-B-E-G#-B-E. A couple of my favourites, Duane Allman and Derek Trucks are masters of this tuning for slide. It’s also a cool tuning for some great non slide acoustic as well ie: The Allman Brothers - Little Martha and the Black Crowes - She Talks To Angels.


Would you change strings to do this? I'd be concerned about the added stress on the neck and strings.


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## MFW777 (Aug 3, 2017)

Doug Gifford said:


> Would you change strings to do this? I'd be concerned about the added stress on the neck and strings.


For me, yes. I use 10’s on all of my electrics, however I dedicate an SG for slide in open E and string it with 11’s. I like a little extra beef on the strings for slide and raise the action slightly to eliminate fret rattle. I‘ve never had any problems tuning up an electric guitar (ie: neck or string breaks) from standard tuning to open E with10’s, I‘m just careful and do it slowly.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

You can also tune to open Eb to take off some tension.


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## Jim9guitars (Feb 15, 2016)

Open E (E-B-E-G#-B-E) is my main bottleneck and I use Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D) and standard as well.


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## powrshftr (Sep 8, 2006)

I like open G for that really musical,ringing quality it has,but I used to play in open E quite a bit when I was playing more ABB material or Big Sugar stuff.
On the Firebird I use for slide,I run 12’s on it,but I believe the string I stole from another set to use as my high E is a 15.I like to raise the action at the bridge a little,run a heavy gauge string for a high E to make it a bit harder to fret out,and run the high E side of the bridge a touch higher than the low E side.
It really sizzles,and let’s you concentrate on playing instead of worrying about dragging the slide on the edge of the frets.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

I stick to open E & G. I like E because it's easy to transcribe (hey, if it's good enough for Duane) and G because it's a) common and b) really pretty and versatile. 

Open E on an electric, in the neck position, with dirt?? Fugeddaboutit!!!!!!! Nothing sounds filthier. If that's your thing.


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Well I tried those who are the best known, I guess.

Robert Johnson used Open D (DADF#AD) as does Rory Block, but Eric Clapron uses many other tuning in his "Mr Johnson and Me" renditions.

Some other bluesmen (Son House ?) used Open G (DGDGBD) and Kenny Lee Burgess teaches in this tuning.


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