Alternate Tuning
| Name | Pitch of string | Musician | Song title | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F minor | F2 | C3 | F3 | Ab3 | C4 | F4 | Collins, Albert | always |
| F major | F2 | A2 | C3 | F3 | A3 | C4 | Led Zeppelin | When The Levee Breaks |
| D7sus4 | D2 | G2 | C3 | G3 | C4 | D4 | Led Zeppelin | The Rain Song |
| D7 | D2 | A2 | D3 | A3 | C4 | D4 | Van Halen | Top Jimmy |
| D5 | D2 | A2 | D3 | D3 | A3 | D4 | Ben Harper | Whipping Boy, Forgiven, Less |
| Eb m(maj7) | Eb2 | Bb2 | Bb2 | Gb3 | Bb3 | D4 | Smashing Pumpkins | Mayonaise |
| E min7 | E2 | G2 | D3 | G3 | E3 | D4 | Sonic Youth | Dirty Boots |
| E major | E2 | G#2 | E3 | G#3 | E3 | G#3 | Sonic Youth | Expressway To Yr. Skull |
| E Octaves | E2 | E2 | E3 | E3 | E4 | E4 | Sonic Youth | ? |
| E fifth chord | E2 | E2 | B2 | B3 | B3 | B3 | Soundgarden | The Day I Tried To Live, My Wave |
| E fifth chord | E2 | E2 | B2 | B2 | E4 | E4 | Soundgarden | Somewhere |
| Low B/Standard | B1 | A2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | E4 | Soundgarden | Holy Water, Rusty Cage |
| Cmaj7/11 | C2 | F2 | C3 | G3 | B3 | E4 | Soundgarden | 4th of July |
| Drop C | C2 | G2 | C3 | F3 | A3 | D4 | Nirvana | Something In The Way |
| Gadd11 | D2 | G2 | D3 | G3 | B3 | C4 | Soundgarden | Like Suicide |
Note
(De-)activate arrows on your keyboard for page navigation with alt k !
Special tuning of particular song
Not only old bluesmen like Albert Collins with his unique F minor tuning, but also many guitarists of alternative rock bands invent their own guitar tunings, which are only used for a single song. These alternate guitar tunings give these compositions a unique flair, which otherwise could not be achieved in standard tuning.