Based in Redwood City, CA, Alan Stinson has extensive knowledge of the fundamentals of construction. A music enthusiast, Alan Stinson plays guitar in the Redwood City, CA neighborhood when he has the chance.

1. THE SONIC POSSIBILITIES
PRESENTED BY GUITAR OPEN
TUNINGS
Alan Stinson

2. INTRODUCTION
 Based in Redwood City, CA, Alan Stinson has extensive
knowledge of the fundamentals of construction. A music
enthusiast, Alan Stinson plays guitar in the Redwood City, CA
neighborhood when he has the chance.
Since the 16th century, the standard guitar tuning has been
EADGBE, which offered the simplest method forWestern scales
and chords. One aspect of playing acoustic guitar that can
expand these basic sounds involves incorporating open tunings.
A basic example is the open G tuning, which involves dropping
the first, fifth, and sixth strings a full step. Ideal for major chord
songs, this tuning allows any major chord to be played by
barring the strings with a finger or a slide.

3. SONIC POSSIBILITIES
 One of the most noteworthy pickers to use the open G tuning was
Robert Johnson and this approach to the guitar has influenced many
rock musicians like Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton.
Another major chord tuning popular in the Delta blues and with folk
players such as Bob Dylan is the Open D, which places the low D on the
open sixth string.This effectively opens up the possibilities for the low
string to be used as a bass accompaniment.
Similar to the open D, the DADGAD has a third-string G that takes
away the major and minor third.Without this harmonic direction, the
sound takes on a modal quality that can lead a to a number of non-
Western sounds.A favorite of folk guitarists, the sound was famously
employed by Jimmy Page in songs in which he channeled Indian,
Celtic, and Middle Eastern musical traditions.