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Thread: Transferable skills from standard guitar to CGDA tuning?

  1. #1

    Default Transferable skills from standard guitar to CGDA tuning?

    I used to be a mediocre to half decent guitarist in my teens and early 20s (started with rock then blues and jazz).

    30 years later, aging disgracefully and with not too many brain cells left, I want to get back to playing guitar but I have also been bitten by the tenor guitar/banjo bug.

    My goal is to finish what I started but not completed ages ago: play unaccompanied jazz, in other words chord melody and whatever comes along.

    Has anybody here gone this route? I expect most of you went from mandolin to tenor guitar. But what about going from guitar to an instrument tuned in 5ths?

    What is the learning curve? What can you bring from 6 string guitar and what do you have to unlearn?

    (And no, Chicago tuning won't do for me. If I have to play Chicago tuning, I'd rather play standard guitar.)

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Transferable skills from standard guitar to CGDA tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by PizzaPastaCannoli View Post
    What is the learning curve? What can you bring from 6 string guitar and what do you have to unlearn?
    Hey, tenor guitars have a lot of the same structural characteristics as six string ones. Scale is shorter, two less strings and tuning is different, but I assume you know all that. General technique is the same whether you want to play plectrum or fingers style. I don’t quite understand the concept of “unlearning.” You wouldn’t;t have to unlearn anything just learn different. I can pick up a mandolin, fiddle, guitar, banjo, uke, cavaquinho, etc. and not have stop and re-learn each time.

    The big question: did you have a tenor-tuned instrument. If not, get one! If so, just play and work on getting into the different chords and scales you will need to play the way you like.

    Check out some of the brilliant jazz players on YouTube notably Eddy Davis (RIP) and John Lawlor to start. Just dive in and love the water !
    Jim

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  3. #3

    Default Re: Transferable skills from standard guitar to CGDA tuning?

    A lot of your 6-string skills like fretting cleanly, slides, pull-offs and hammer-ons will transfer directly. Fifths tuning is so logical and predictable that it will be fun for you. Check out Aaron Weinstien's chord melody style since a lick in GDAE can be played in CGDA though it will be in a different key. For general melodic playing and lots of classic melodies played in CGDA check out Will Fly's website.

    Scott

  4. #4

    Default Re: Transferable skills from standard guitar to CGDA tuning?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post

    Check out some of the brilliant jazz players on YouTube notably Eddy Davis (RIP) and John Lawlor to start. Just dive in and love the water !
    Hi thanks. I know about Eddy Davis and for a time I flirted with the idea of getting a tenor banjo but I think I'll go for the tenor guitar.

    The problem with Eddy Davis videos is that he prefers short scale banjo and very low tension. I wouldn't be able to play with low tension strings.

    With regard to John Lawlor, there are not too many videos of him.

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