Alternate Tunings

[woodelf]

Can anyone recommend a CD featuring British folk guitarists using alternate tunings...the content will no doubt be beyond me, but at least I can listen and learn. Ta Muchly.

[poltergeist]

woodelf how are you? have you done any more paintings? when you draw naked women do you get to feel them up so you know what to paint :)

[woodelf]

...what the heck has that to do with my question I don't know Polter but no, I don't feel anybody up as you so charmingly put it, for who would believe I was an artist and not just a pervert or whatever (not having seen my website), so I pose myself as the model and/or use my memory, which is why my nudes look a bit wierd or not as anatomically correct as they should be - now, how about an answer to my original question?

[SeaJayPea]

Try Folkjokeopus by Roy Harper, or any of John Martyn's early stuff - Stormbringer, perhaps.

[woodelf]

Ta Muchly SeaJP. Don't know much about Roy Harper's music (now's my time to learn, eh?) and I've got The Tumbler the second album by John Martyn and I know that Over The Hill on his Solid Air album is in G tuning, but have you any info on what tunings are used on the stuff you mentioned already - and how do you know a song is in alternate tuning anyway?...though I think I might have asked that before sometime. Anyway, I was hoping for a mixture of guitarists: different tunings, different techniques, etc but thanks again seajp.

[19891988]

Andy Mckee, art of motion is a cracking album.
Or Michael hedges, he is also great. I recently got a track from a guy called Antoine Dufour, and there's some great guitar playing there. And there's someone else I heard recently, maybe John Butler? Someone Butler.

I know the first two are amazing folk guitarists, lovely to listen to.

[19891988]

One common tuning I've come across is DADGAD (from 6th string up), another is FACGCE, a more unusual one that I really like is DADEBCsharp. You can sometimes work out tunings from watching videos on them on youtube or something, as you can see where their hands are and stuff.

I hope all this helps.

[woodelf]

Ta Muchly 19 (and the rest), I'll give McKee and Hedges a listen if I can find a sound sample somewhere. I've heard of dadgad re the late Davey Graham, Martin simpson etc but I'll try out the tunings you mention as well and just have a faff about with 'em.

[woodelf]

Hey 19891988!...you've got your full title and you deserve it for Thanks for the names Andy McKee and Michael Hedges. I heard some sound samples on amazon and have ordered some of their albums...well, one of each of them...the music is beyond me to play, but absolutely brilliant to listen to and I might pick up a few things, so Thanks again.