Root, Third, Fifth Note Position for Open G, D and E Tuning

Val Drummond · From: Maryland

Is there a reason why open G tuning has the top three strings (low to high) root, third, fifth, while open D and open E have the third, fifth, root order?

Howard Parker · From: Maryland

The intervals lend a different voice which lends to different music styles.

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Howard Parker

03\' Carter D-10
70\'s Dekley D-10
52\' Fender Custom
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Noah Miller · From: Rocky Hill, CT

In part, it's to avoid super-high or super-low tension or strings that are extremely small in gauge. But there are different open G tunings, and open D and E. They're not all like you describe.

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Howard and Noah are both right.

The G tuning (1-3-5-1-3-5) has become associated with country/bluegrass style, and E tuning (1-5-1-3-5-1) is more common with blues and rock.

String gauge and tension limit the extent to which individual strings can be tuned or they will break, not stay in tune, and possibly bow the neck; or they could be too slack or thin to sound good.

Having one set of strings that can be tuned to G or E or even C(5-1-3-5-1-3) is convenient. I have a round neck Dobro, so I have to be more careful with it about string tension than I would with a square neck or lap steel.

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Historical perspective. Most of these olde tunings (Taropatch G, Sevastopol D) were developed back when medium gauge Black Diamond guitar strings were about all you could buy in the store. For six string, bottleneck, slack key, lap steel.
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Val Drummond · From: Maryland

Thanks for all the great information.

Joe A. Roberts · From: Seoul, South Korea

Another option is third on top! (i.e. Open C with E on top)
I really like that one, and I don’t know why it isn’t more popular.
Perhaps it’s just an accident of history.

Steven Wilson · From: Oregon, USA

I agree with comments above about the music dictating which tuning is best. The hipshot doubleshot tailpiece (https://hipshotproducts.com/collections/guitar-string-bending) allows you to flip back and forth between open G and D, and I have found this to be very useful. The difference in placement of the 1,3, and 5 strings took a while for me to get used to, but I did. And I like having that high "one" on the first string in D tuning!

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