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Thread: Open C tuning

  1. #1

    Question Open C tuning

    I play guitar with chords the regular way however I do four string plectrum banjo and ukulele tuned to open C Chord and bar the fifth and seventh fret to get F and G. I do this because of the narrow neck to help people with hand problems or learning frustration that allows them to play an instrument. So my question is can a mandolin be tuned to open C and use the fifth and seventh fret to get C F G chords

  2. #2
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Open C tuning

    I suppose you could tune to a C chord by keeping the G as is, dropping the D to C, dropping the A to G and keeping the high E. This would give you a C major chord. Playing melody might be trickier?
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

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    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Open C tuning

    Not C but has a C in it!
    FCFc
    it will sound good on a cheap mando, and the top two strings can be used for melody.
    This will make a later transition to GDAe easier.

    The top two strings will be a bit slack but you can test with different string weights. Try GDGd also.

  4. #4
    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Open C tuning

    Quote Originally Posted by John Kelly View Post
    I suppose you could tune to a C chord by keeping the G as is, dropping the D to C, dropping the A to G and keeping the high E. This would give you a C major chord. Playing melody might be trickier?
    Meant to add that the 5th and 7th fret positions will give you the F and G major chords you want. Simon's suggestions would give you an F major chord but with very slack top strings, and his GDGd suggestion would give you a G6 (or Em7) chord when strummed!
    I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. - Eric Morecambe

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores

  5. #5
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Open C tuning

    Oops! John is correct.

    Another possibility would be to get a mandolin teacher and go through your options.
    The mandolin is actually a very different instrument, and the thinking it's quite different too, and sometimes not intuitive.
    Good luck!

    (A mandola tuned CGcg?)
    Last edited by Simon DS; Jan-01-2023 at 5:40am.

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    Lurkist dhergert's Avatar
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    Default Re: Open C tuning

    Quote Originally Posted by mr mike View Post
    I play guitar with chords the regular way however I do four string plectrum banjo and ukulele tuned to open C Chord and bar the fifth and seventh fret to get F and G. I do this because of the narrow neck to help people with hand problems or learning frustration that allows them to play an instrument. So my question is can a mandolin be tuned to open C and use the fifth and seventh fret to get C F G chords
    I'm going to blatantly copy my response to a similar question in a different recent thread, just to save time... If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

    "
    I routinely string, tune and play my mandolins in open C (aka slak-key C, taropatch C, etc.) tuning, G-C-E-G.

    To get good tone this requires slightly heavier 1st and 2nd courses, I use custom ordered plain loop end .015" for the first course and .017" for the second course. I use standard mandolin set wound strings for the 3rd and 4th courses. Oh, and be aware, most standard mandolin A and E strings won't tolerate down tuning and re-tuning back up to normal pitch very often. So while you can try this tuning by tuning your A and E strings down, you may break some or all of them on the way back up. Most wound D strings tolerate the trip down to C and back to D much better.

    G-C-E-G tuning is similar to strings 1-4 of a 5-string banjo tuning with a capo at the 5th fret.

    While this tuning is an open C, it of course can be used for playing in any key. The high G is 8 half steps lower than the E in standard 5ths mandolin tuning, so the high range of G-C-E-G tuning is 8 frets lower than standard 5ths tuning.

    Functionally aside from the lower range, the G-C-E-G tuned mandolin does pretty much the same job as a 5ths tuned mandolin... Most people I play with don't realize I'm not using standard tuning. The tuning lends itself more to chord melody work, and playing closed chords up the neck is pretty natural. Double stops, vibrato and other normal mandolin techniques are equally easy and natural.

    Here's a recent example of this tuning...

    Blue Bayou
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