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[[File:Open C tuning.png|thumb|right|An open C tuning]]
{{Refimprove|date=March 2009}}'''Open C Tuning''' is an [[open tuning]] for guitar. The open [[string (music)|string]] [[notes]] in this tuning are CGCGCE.<ref>{{cite book |first=Steve |last=Baughman |chapter=Open C |chapterurl=http://books.google.com/books?id=zCSPzwsNhcIC&pg=PA8 |title=Mel Bay Beginning Open Tunings |publisher=[[Mel Bay Publications]] |location=[[Pacific, Missouri]] |year=2004 |pages=8–14 |isbn=978-0-7866-7093-2}}</ref> It uses the three notes that form the [[triad (music)|triad]] of a [[C major]] [[Chord (music)|chord]]: C, the root note; G, the perfect fifth; and E the major third.


'''Open C tuning''' is an [[open tuning]] for guitar. The [[open string (music)|open-string]] [[open note|note]]s form a [[C major]] [[Chord (music)|chord]], which is the [[triad (music)|triad]] (C,E,G) having the [[root note]] C, the [[major third]] (C,E), and the [[perfect fifth]] (C,G). When the [[guitar]] is strummed without fretting any strings, a C-major chord is sounded. By [[barre chord|barring]] all of the strings for one fret (from one to eleven), one finger suffices to fret the other eleven major-chords.
When the [[guitar]] is strummed without [[fretting]] any of the strings a C major chord is sounded. This means that any major chord can be easily created using one finger, fretting all the strings at once.


== Variants ==
==Examples==
{{Section OR|date=February 2010}}
* CGCGCE - used by Justin Hayward (Moody Blues) acoustic guitar on "Question" ("Question of Balance" LP). Also used extensively by [[John Butler (musician)|John Butler]].


There are several open C tunings.
* CGCGCEb - open C minor tuning, which produces a [[C minor]] chord. Used by Laurence Juber on "The Age of Rhythm", from [[Al Stewart]]'s ''[[Between the Wars (Al Stewart album)|Between the Wars]]''.


===Repetitive C-E-G-C-E-G===
* CGCGCF - C modal tuning, analogous to [[DADGAD]]. Used occasionally by [[John Renbourn]].
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c e g c' e' g'>2.
<c >4
<e >4
<g >4
<c' >4
<e' >4
<g' >4
<c e g c' e' g'>2.
}
</score>


The [[English guitar]] uses a [[repetitive tuning|repetitive]] open-C tuning
* CACGCE (Open C 6th) - used by [[Jimmy Page]] in [[Led Zeppelin]] songs "Friends" (''[[Led Zeppelin III]]''), "[[Bron-Yr-Aur (song)|Bron-Yr-Aur]]" (''[[Physical Graffiti]]'') and "Poor Tom", (''[[Coda_(album)|Coda]]'')
:C-E-G-C-E-G,
which is approximately a [[major-thirds tuning]],<ref>{{cite book|title=Handbook of guitar and lute composers|first1=Hannu|last1=Annala|first2=Heiki|last2=Mätlik|edition=Translated by Katarina Backman|publisher=Mel Bay|year=2007|isbn=0786658444<!--|ISBN=9780786658442 -->|page=30|chapter=Composers for other plucked instruments: Rudolf Straube (1717–1785)}}</ref> specifically
:C-E-G{{music|sharp}}-C-E-G{{music|sharp}}=C-E-A{{music|flat}}-C-E-A{{music|flat}}.<!-- The source says "C major thirds tuning", which seems to be a mistranslation of work by Finnish-named authors, I believe. There is not C major thirds tuning, but the one I give is the closest. The Russian guitar is tuned "on average" in major thirds, and is an open tuning. -->
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c e aes c' e' aes'>2.
<c >4
<e >4
<aes >4
<c' >4
<e' >4
<aes' >4
<c e aes c' e' aes'>2.
}
</score>


==="C5" variant C-G-C-G-G-E===
* CGCGGE (Open C doubled 5th) - used by [[Soundgarden]] on songs "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in my Hand" (''[[Down on the Upside]]'') and "Head Down" and "Half" (''[[Superunknown]]'')
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, g, c g g e'>2.
<c, >4
<g, >4
<c >4
<g >4
<g >4
<e' >4
<c, g, c g g e'>2.
}
</score>


This open&nbsp;C tuning was used by [[Soundgarden]] for songs including [[Pretty Noose]], [[Burden in My Hand]], and Head Down. Chord sequences often omit the high E string, leaving the [[power chord]] ubiquitous to [[Grunge]] music.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Grunge-Song |access-date=May 25, 2017 |title=wikiHow to Write a Grunge Song}}</ref>
* [[Devin Townsend]] of [[Strapping Young Lad]] tunes his guitars to CGCGCE, sometimes with the addition of a lower seventh string, which is tuned to G. Devin has said many times that he got the idea to use this tuning for his own material after learning Led Zeppelin's "Friends."


===C-G-C-G-C-E===
*CECGCC - used by [[Bad Company]] on "Can't Get Enough."
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, g, c g c' e'>2.
<c, >4
<g, >4
<c >4
<g >4
<c' >4
<e' >4
<c, g, c g c' e'>2.
}
</score>


: C-G-C-G-C-E.<ref>{{cite book |first=Steve |last=Baughman |chapter=Open C |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zCSPzwsNhcIC&pg=PA8 |title=Mel Bay Beginning Open Tunings |publisher=[[Mel Bay Publications]] |year=2004 |pages=8–14 |isbn=978-0-7866-7093-2}}</ref>
*CGCEGC - used by [[Elliott Smith]] on "Ballad Of Big Nothing," "See You Later," and "Independence Day."
This open&nbsp;C tuning was used by [[William&nbsp;Ackerman]] for his "Townshend&nbsp;Shuffle", by [[John Fahey (musician)|John Fahey]] for [[The Great Santa Barbara Oil Slick#Track listing|his tribute]] to [[Mississippi&nbsp;John&nbsp;Hurt]],<ref>{{harvtxt|Sethares|2009|pp=18–19}}</ref> and by [[Led Zeppelin]]'s [[Jimmy Page]] for "[[Friends (Led Zeppelin song)|Friends]]".<ref>{{cite book|title=Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists|first1=Pete|last1=Prown|first2=HP|last2=Newquist|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=60Jde3l7WNwC&dq=Jimmy+Page+C+G+C+G+C+E&pg=PA61|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|year=1997|chapter=Chapter Nine Hard rock and heavy metal: The birth of a behemoth|page=61|isbn=9780793540426}}
</ref><ref>Page's "Friends" tuning is called an C6 chord (C-A-C-G-C-E) in [https://www.amazon.com/Led-Zeppelin-Confused-Stories-Behind/dp/1560258187/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363816878&sr=1-1&keywords=1560258187#reader_1560258187 Page 92]: {{cite book|last=Welch|first=Chris|year=1998|title=Led Zeppelin: Dazed and confused: The stories behind every song |isbn=1-56025-818-7}}</ref> It is also used by [[Devin Townsend]] for the vast majority of his work ([[The Devin Townsend Project]], [[Strapping Young Lad]], [[Casualties of Cool]]).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw-9oGUXg6c#t=270 Devin Townsend Masterclass: GuitarMessenger.com at 4:30]</ref>


===Overtones C-C-G-C-E-G===
*CGEGCC - used by [[Bon Iver]] on "Skinny Love."
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, c g c' e' g'>2.
<c, >4
<c >4
<g >4
<c' >4
<e' >4
<g' >4
<c, c g c' e' g'>2.
}
</score>
:C-C-G-C-E-G<ref>{{cite web|title=CCGCEG Guitar Tuner|work=CCGCEG: Open&nbsp;C via harmonic overtones|access-date=20 February 2013|author=Guitar Tunings Database|url=http://www.gtdb.org/tuner/ccgceg/|year=2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310120037/http://www.gtdb.org/tuner/ccgceg/|archive-date=10 March 2013}}</ref>


Another open C tuning uses the [[harmonic series (music)|harmonic sequence]] (overtones) of the note C. When an open-note C-string is struck, its [[harmonic series (music)|harmonic sequence]] begins with the notes (C,C,G,C,E,G,B{{music|flat}},C). The [[root note]] is associated with a sequence of intervals, beginning with the [[unison]] interval (C,C), the [[octave]] interval (C,C), the [[perfect fifth]] (C,G), the [[perfect fourth]] (G,C), the [[major third]] (C,E), and the [[minor third]] (E,G); in particular, this sequence of intervals contains the thirds of the C-major chord {(C,E),(E,G)}.<ref>{{harvtxt|Persichetti|1961|pp=23–24}}: {{cite book |last=Persichetti |first=Vincent |author-link=Vincent Persichetti |title=Twentieth-century harmony: Creative aspects and practice |year=1961 |publisher=W. W. Norton |location=New York |isbn=0-393-09539-8 |oclc=398434 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780393095395 }}</ref>
* CGCGCC (Open C5) - used by [[Fair to Midland]] on all their songs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Interview with Fair to Midland|url=http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=183723738&blogId=343414308}}</ref>

====C-minor open chord: Cross-note tuning====

Flattening this open tuning's open-note E to E{{music|flat}} changes the open chord from C-major to C-minor, so producing the [[cross-note tuning]]
:C-C--G-C-E{{music|flat}}-G
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, c g c' ees' g'>2.
<c, >4
<c >4
<g >4
<c' >4
<ees' >4
<g' >4
<c, c g c' ees' g'>2.
}
</score>
which enables one-finger minor chords. Like other cross-note tunings, it also allows major chords to be fretted with one adjacent finger.<ref>{{harvtxt|Sethares|2009|p=16}}</ref>

====Relation to new standard tuning====
Many of the notes from the harmonic sequence for C appear in the [[new standard tuning]] (NST),<ref name="BallDiary" >{{cite web |url=http://steveball.typepad.com/diary/2006/01/sb_song_tuning_.html |first=Steve|last=Ball|title=Steve&nbsp;Ball music&nbsp;diary Tuesday, January 03, 2006|date=3 January 2006|publisher=steveball.com|id={{Allmusic
| class =artist
| id = p53842
| tab =
| label = Steve Ball}}|access-date=29 February 2012}}</ref> which is a nearly [[regular tuning]] based on [[perfect fifth]]s; NST also has (D,A) from the [[pentatonic scale]] on C:
:C-G-D-A-E-G
NST is used in [[Guitar Craft]] (a school of guitar playing founded by [[King&nbsp;Crimson]]'s [[Robert&nbsp;Fripp]]). The open-C overtones tuning has the same range as NST, which can use extreme strings (.011 and .059&nbsp;inches).<ref name="CGT">{{cite journal |first=Barry |last=Cleveland |title=California Guitar Trio (Interview)|issue=Fall |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=25 March 2012 |url=http://www.sroartists.com/artists/californiaguitartrio/files/cgt-reviews.pdf |journal=Frets Magazine}} {{subscription required}}</ref>
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, g, d a e' g'>2.
<c, >4
<g, >4
<d >4
<a >4
<e' >4
<g' >4
<c, g, d a e' g'>2.
}
</score>

===C-C-G-C-E-C===
<score vorbis="1"> {
\clef "treble_8"
\time 3/4
<c, c g c' e' c''>2.
<c, >4
<c >4
<g >4
<c' >4
<e' >4
<c'' >4
<c, c g c' e' c''>2.
}
</score>
:C-C-G-C-E-C

Using a high C rather than the high G of the overtone series, this open C tuning was used by [[Mick&nbsp;Ralphs]] for the songs "[[Can't Get Enough (Bad Company song)|Can't Get Enough]]" and "Movin'&nbsp;On" on [[Bad Company (band)|Bad&nbsp;Company]]'s [[Bad Company (album)|debut album]]. Ralphs said, "It needs the open&nbsp;C to have that ring," and "it never really sounds right in [[standard tuning]]".<ref>{{cite journal|title=Mick&nbsp;Ralphs: The rock&nbsp;'N'&nbsp;roll fantasy continues|first=Lisa|last=Sharken|date=15 May 2001|access-date=21 February 2013|url=http://www.vintageguitar.com/2801/mick-ralphs/|journal=Vintage Guitar}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}


* {{cite book|year=2009|title=Alternate tuning guide|first=Bill|last=Sethares|author-link=William Sethares|url=http://sethares.engr.wisc.edu/alternatetunings/opentunings.pdf|orig-year=2001|chapter=Open tunings|publisher=University of Wisconsin; Department of Electrical Engineering|location=Madison, Wisconsin}}
{{Guitar Tunings}}

{{Guitar tunings|Open}}


[[Category:Guitar_tunings]]
[[Category:Open tunings]]

Latest revision as of 17:26, 4 May 2024

An open C tuning

Open C tuning is an open tuning for guitar. The open-string notes form a C major chord, which is the triad (C,E,G) having the root note C, the major third (C,E), and the perfect fifth (C,G). When the guitar is strummed without fretting any strings, a C-major chord is sounded. By barring all of the strings for one fret (from one to eleven), one finger suffices to fret the other eleven major-chords.

Examples

[edit]

There are several open C tunings.

Repetitive C-E-G-C-E-G

[edit]
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c e g c' e' g'>2. <c >4 <e >4 <g >4 <c' >4 <e' >4 <g' >4 <c e g c' e' g'>2. }

The English guitar uses a repetitive open-C tuning

C-E-G-C-E-G,

which is approximately a major-thirds tuning,[1] specifically

C-E-G♯-C-E-G♯=C-E-A♭-C-E-A♭.
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c e aes c' e' aes'>2. <c >4 <e >4 <aes >4 <c' >4 <e' >4 <aes' >4 <c e aes c' e' aes'>2. }

"C5" variant C-G-C-G-G-E

[edit]
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, g, c g g e'>2. <c, >4 <g, >4 <c >4 <g >4 <g >4 <e' >4 <c, g, c g g e'>2. }

This open C tuning was used by Soundgarden for songs including Pretty Noose, Burden in My Hand, and Head Down. Chord sequences often omit the high E string, leaving the power chord ubiquitous to Grunge music.[2]

C-G-C-G-C-E

[edit]
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, g, c g c' e'>2. <c, >4 <g, >4 <c >4 <g >4 <c' >4 <e' >4 <c, g, c g c' e'>2. }
C-G-C-G-C-E.[3]

This open C tuning was used by William Ackerman for his "Townshend Shuffle", by John Fahey for his tribute to Mississippi John Hurt,[4] and by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page for "Friends".[5][6] It is also used by Devin Townsend for the vast majority of his work (The Devin Townsend Project, Strapping Young Lad, Casualties of Cool).[7]

Overtones C-C-G-C-E-G

[edit]
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, c g c' e' g'>2. <c, >4 <c >4 <g >4 <c' >4 <e' >4 <g' >4 <c, c g c' e' g'>2. }
C-C-G-C-E-G[8]

Another open C tuning uses the harmonic sequence (overtones) of the note C. When an open-note C-string is struck, its harmonic sequence begins with the notes (C,C,G,C,E,G,B♭,C). The root note is associated with a sequence of intervals, beginning with the unison interval (C,C), the octave interval (C,C), the perfect fifth (C,G), the perfect fourth (G,C), the major third (C,E), and the minor third (E,G); in particular, this sequence of intervals contains the thirds of the C-major chord {(C,E),(E,G)}.[9]

C-minor open chord: Cross-note tuning

[edit]

Flattening this open tuning's open-note E to E♭ changes the open chord from C-major to C-minor, so producing the cross-note tuning

C-C--G-C-E♭-G
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, c g c' ees' g'>2. <c, >4 <c >4 <g >4 <c' >4 <ees' >4 <g' >4 <c, c g c' ees' g'>2. }

which enables one-finger minor chords. Like other cross-note tunings, it also allows major chords to be fretted with one adjacent finger.[10]

Relation to new standard tuning

[edit]

Many of the notes from the harmonic sequence for C appear in the new standard tuning (NST),[11] which is a nearly regular tuning based on perfect fifths; NST also has (D,A) from the pentatonic scale on C:

C-G-D-A-E-G

NST is used in Guitar Craft (a school of guitar playing founded by King Crimson's Robert Fripp). The open-C overtones tuning has the same range as NST, which can use extreme strings (.011 and .059 inches).[12]

{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, g, d a e' g'>2. <c, >4 <g, >4 <d >4 <a >4 <e' >4 <g' >4 <c, g, d a e' g'>2. }

C-C-G-C-E-C

[edit]
{ \clef "treble_8" \time 3/4 <c, c g c' e' c''>2. <c, >4 <c >4 <g >4 <c' >4 <e' >4 <c'' >4 <c, c g c' e' c''>2. }
C-C-G-C-E-C

Using a high C rather than the high G of the overtone series, this open C tuning was used by Mick Ralphs for the songs "Can't Get Enough" and "Movin' On" on Bad Company's debut album. Ralphs said, "It needs the open C to have that ring," and "it never really sounds right in standard tuning".[13]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Annala, Hannu; Mätlik, Heiki (2007). "Composers for other plucked instruments: Rudolf Straube (1717–1785)". Handbook of guitar and lute composers (Translated by Katarina Backman ed.). Mel Bay. p. 30. ISBN 0786658444.
  2. ^ "wikiHow to Write a Grunge Song". Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  3. ^ Baughman, Steve (2004). "Open C". Mel Bay Beginning Open Tunings. Mel Bay Publications. pp. 8–14. ISBN 978-0-7866-7093-2.
  4. ^ Sethares (2009, pp. 18–19)
  5. ^ Prown, Pete; Newquist, HP (1997). "Chapter Nine Hard rock and heavy metal: The birth of a behemoth". Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 61. ISBN 9780793540426.
  6. ^ Page's "Friends" tuning is called an C6 chord (C-A-C-G-C-E) in Page 92: Welch, Chris (1998). Led Zeppelin: Dazed and confused: The stories behind every song. ISBN 1-56025-818-7.
  7. ^ Devin Townsend Masterclass: GuitarMessenger.com at 4:30
  8. ^ Guitar Tunings Database (2013). "CCGCEG Guitar Tuner". CCGCEG: Open C via harmonic overtones. Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  9. ^ Persichetti (1961, pp. 23–24): Persichetti, Vincent (1961). Twentieth-century harmony: Creative aspects and practice. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-09539-8. OCLC 398434.
  10. ^ Sethares (2009, p. 16)
  11. ^ Ball, Steve (3 January 2006). "Steve Ball music diary Tuesday, January 03, 2006". steveball.com. Steve Ball at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  12. ^ Cleveland, Barry (1 December 2004). "California Guitar Trio (Interview)" (PDF). Frets Magazine (Fall). Retrieved 25 March 2012. (subscription required)
  13. ^ Sharken, Lisa (15 May 2001). "Mick Ralphs: The rock 'N' roll fantasy continues". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved 21 February 2013.

References

[edit]
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