He played in a band called Magnum that produced one album which I think is still available. The advantage to playing minor chords in open major is the ability to fret a minor third behind a slide.
Couldn't you just tune to open D-minor and put your finger on the first fret of the 5th string to make it major? Then do the same thing with any of the barre chords (relative to your barring finger, I mean)?
you can also leave that low D string open as D is the in the chord of Gminor. it might sound a little odd as the lowest note is not the root of the chord but if you have a bass guitar or something to play that low G it will sound fine.
i just got into this open D tuning and was asking my self the same question about minor chords, that's how i came upon this video. The chord you show is a full Gminor like you say but it has some odd fingering. I had a think about how els to finger this chord and i came up with a barre on the fifth fret with the ring and little finger on the 3rd and 4th string at the eights fret. its like a D power chord in regular tuning but play all 6 strings and spread the fingers over 4 frets instead of 3
I totally agree that Open D is much more versatile than just a blues tuning (love the blues, of course). Check my "Rosetta West - Morning Star," if you can, for a kind of Eastern feel in open D.
"......baby finger on the first string...next finger on the second string...put my pointing finger on the 3rd string, one fret back like-we-said...and my other finger "What's left"......is going to go on 4th string.....on the same fret with all the other two!!!!!!..drinking"...................................................cool camera work!!! Excellent video!!!!
You could always tune the F# down to an F and when you want to do a major chord, you would barre the entire thing and put your middle finger on the next fret of the F. The tuning would now be D A D F A D.
It's so much easier to just tune down the g string a half step and barr across a fret for a minor, and then lay one finger down one step ahead of wherever you are barring on the g string for a major chord.
What's also pretty easy is to tune in D minor. This way you don't have to do a funny hand position for the minor chords and for the major chords just barre them with your pointer and use your middle finger on the 3rd string to bring it up one semi-tone.
@CraigTube I think the guy's referring to Edgar Winter...tho you probly already figured that out....and to think, numbnuts is tryin to belittle YOU! (ha ha) well, I for one appreciate ur service-helped me out, thx.
Pretty cool. I've been experimenting with Open D tuning for a while and those nasty minors always gave me a hard time. Your ("your") method looks very easy and I'll try it for sure, since I'm trying to do some folk & irish tunes with Open D, thanks!
That's pretty nice. But as you said, this tecnique is used for a long time for people the play samba. Here in Brazil we have a tipical isntrument called "cavaquinho", it's like a small guitar, very similar to an ukulele, with 4 strings and the standard tuning is D B G D, exatly like the Open G 4 first strings. The chords have the same format as open G and Open D. When you show this tecnique on video I remember the chords in Cavaquinho and everything's got easier now.
Or just tune to D minor (3rd string tuned to F) and play a full bar cord (index finger) with the 3rd string played 1/2 step higher with the middle finger to get a major cord. Just lift the middle finger 3rd string to get the minor version. That seems like the easy way. Tuning would be DADFAD same as Skip James used.
VERY good. You know, every keyboard player should be able to play the straight bar chords on guitar like this. That way, a keyboard player can back up the lead guitar with some great rhythm strums when keyboard not quite appropriate.
Along the way you've tuned the guitar to D Minor, and your going ok. Because with that tunning you only need to add a 2nd finger on the 3rd string and you have a major chord (F# = 444544). Also, you will have a 2nd major chord formation adding 2 fingers on the 2nd and 5th position (C = X322232). 7th, Maj7, 9th, Sus4 chords are also very easy to achive, not to mention power chords (5).
Nice! I was just foolin around with this and I "invented" something, too:) You don't need to use your thumb, if you take your second (middle) finger and - instead of just putting it on the low A - bar all 3 of the low strings. This way you even get the minor chord with 6 strings! and its a lot easier ... a major bar chord in standard tuning is harder to do. thanks again!
Thanks for this Craig. I also took "noix20's" suggestion and adapted it well. It is very easy since my thumb doesn't reach around all the way. (I just started playing guitar a couple of weeks ago). I now alternate between open D and standard tuning. This has helped me to learn (both) much quicker. I would love to see more of your work on this. Thank you again.: )
Man i LOve the sound of the minor,maybe its ignorance but whats the D tuning?
Last time i tried to tune my guitar to D i tune it again to E and the first string broke.I jsut Changed the Strings.I can say i am a good player i am 14 years old,and everyone tell me i am very good i can pla whatever you give me,But i really dont understand the tunings.
Nice video, thanks. I just bought my first guitar - trust me to start with non-standard tunings...! I found it easier to bar all three bass strings with my thumb, bar the down-semitone (minor note) with my first finger and bar the top two strings with my second or third finger. This way all six strings are soundig. Is there a reason you don't suggest this?
I still think you should tune it in Dm, then you still can bar for the minor chords but then you just have to add 1 finger to the 3rd string to get a major chord.....
I learned this Open D tune about a month ago..and discovered the song How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is better played on this tune...(hope you will accept my video response, Craig.)
Dude thank you so much for this video. Great stuff, i have benn playing blues and wanted to try some new things, but learnt to play in open D. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
Precisely! For about an hour, I though that I'd created a revolution. Unfortunately, I've since found out that at least one famous slide player, Sonny Landreth, has beaten me to the punch.
Also: I was half asleep when I wrote the previous reply. Of course Ritchie Havens goes over the top of the neck with his thumb ... to barre most of the strings.
It seems easier to me to do this in the Minor tuning - that shape you then have to make by adding just one finger to the barre to get a major chord is far easier than the thumb/finger claw combination... to me at least.
I don't know if anyone else has said this...but when I play the minor form I always barre the top three strings with my middle finger (that finger has many uses you know). I think it makes it easier to move up and down the neck.
It does not always work well for finger style though.
That's because I was playing along with a song that was a bit flat and forgot to tune back up before I made the video. It still demonstrates the Open D concept.
Hey main...disregard the jackass elitists out there. Seriously, it's wasted energy. Thank you kindly for taking the time to share what you know. And props to your son for helping.
hi craig ive just watched your video on the d chord i am in australia and i cant play a guitar i sing roy orbison bee gee's and other 70's songs i sing at nursing homes and charitys my ultimate goal here is to learn how to play pretty woman or i started a joke by the way your version is great so watching you u make it look so easy so if you can could you put how to play pretty woman on youtube and do it slow for people like me it would be greatfully appreciated your son done a great job cheers.
Your way closes alot of doors of freedom, as I showed in the video. Always having a minor chord when you let go of the neck is a pain. Having to use an extra finger to make the major is inconvenient, not just with the barring, but with all the chords that can be played. Just learning one minor chord position and tuning major fixes all that.
great video thanks, i was trying to lower the first string down one fret to make my minor chords like john butler does with open c. didnt realize F# was the key string with open D just like E is with open C. im new to open D hope this didnt conufse anyone thanks again!
This has been great help to me, I have written a few of my songs in open D tuning and I would always have to find my own way when it came to playing anything minor in this tuning but the explantion you give on how to play the full minor chords is simple and clear, they don't sound so paper thin and it is awesome!! To bad people have to be so rude about the video, It has been helpful to me!! I'm going to go finish writing my new song Thanks Craig!!
Good work Craig. I couldn't care who invented or discovered this. You took the time to share it so thanks. Now my time to be holier than thou. Give folks a break some of you commentators. Who cares if we can find fault. I'm just glad people bother to contribute. And btw, Skip James was a fingerpicker. Craig, who seems to focus on chords, explained pretty well why the D minor tuning didn't work as well for him.
I wish craigtube would realize that he doesn't have any right to say what is or isn't right on the guitar being a novice player like he is
not even expert guitarists can say that because someone with experience on the guitar knows that all that matters is whether you can make it sing or not
craigtube - big thumbs down for your holier than thou attitude
I'm sorry you feel that way. So, if I was to make an updated open D video, now that I know more about it, what would you have me do or say different? I'm always open to constructive criticisms and corrections, but you could provide that without being a prick. Why don't you take the time to provide a video on open D tuning, and grace us all with your wisdom? Troll.
Being the fair guy that I am, I have added an appropriate annotation to the video, and at some point I will re-do the video so it is more to your liking, and doesn't suggest that I know everything about playing open D. Now do I sound like a guy who want's to have a "holier than thou attitude"?
from reading the comments I learned that you think you invented open D tuning, think that you invented using a finger fretting a string to mute another one, and that you think open D tuning is DADG#AD. you should stick to drums
Your additude sucks dude. I know I said in the video that I thought I had invented a way to play a minor chord in Open D. I also said that I could be wrong about that. Nowhere do I say that I invented Open D tuning, or muting a string with a finger. I will say, however, that as of yet, I have never seen anyone play a minor chord in open D the way I do, and that I may have come up with it, "MAY" being the operative word here.
The typo above (DADG#AD was pointed out by another viewer, and I never disputed it. The G should have been an F. In no way do I ever think that I invented open D tuning, in fact, in the video I state that I learned it from Barry Gibb. Watch, read, and listen more carefully before you go flaming ppl.
And as I have said over and over again, you can't just do that. It actually makes it harder and breaks many chords. Please watch my video response above. It explains why this is not an option.
The point of my comment below being that you could alternate between major and minor by moving one finger, rather than reshaping your entire hand for the chord. Anyway, good vid and thanks for sharing.
Wouldn't it be easier to tune down that 3rd string (G) one semi tone, and instead of twisting your hand in a knot, just play a bar chord with your index finger, and fret the G string one fret up with your middle finger? Now, you've got as thick a sound as you want because you're not leaving out any of the strings.
Again, drop the 3rd string a semitone, and bar for a minor, bar plus one fret up on the G for a major.
im new to open tunings, however, what i was thinking is that if u detuned that one note so that open is minor, then you can just bar it for the minor, then put one finger on the detuned string a fret up to make it major
That is simply a short cut that presents alot of problems with what you can do with this tuning. If you mostly play songs in minor chords, then that is a solution. But playing songs in major chords requires major tuning. Please see my response video above in the video responses.
I have discovered so many different styles of playing on YouTube, that claiming that I invented a chord technique was pushing it. However, I did come up with it on my own, and I've never seen it done the way I do it anywhere before, yet.
All you do to make a minor chord is throw in the flat 3rd. So you take the third note of the major scale of whatever key you're in and move it down one step and BAM! you've just minorized it! To make a penatonic minor scale you just take the 1,b3,4,5, and b7 of the major scale and BAM! Minor penatonic. Then for modes you just need to know the order of them. So if you're playing Phrygian,which is the 3rd mode,in G you play it with whatever scale has the 3rd note G.Which is E!
I am not really a guitarplayer, can play a few chords, but the first step is already the open D... well and the rest I will study. I never will be a good guitarplayer, so if I can do it this way... :-)
i think this might be easier.... tune ur guitar to dminor. if you wanna play a major, just bar it and put ur first finger one fret up on the 3rd string. seems a bit easier than trying to mute a string and using a thumb
"Well what is this, you see this? It's your thumb." 4:34 Haha Great video, very helpful. Thanks!
cancerlighter 1 month ago
He played in a band called Magnum that produced one album which I think is still available. The advantage to playing minor chords in open major is the ability to fret a minor third behind a slide.
abuchalmers 1 month ago
@abuchalmers It all depends on what you're playing. I play mostly in major keys, so I tune to D major.
CraigTube 1 month ago
The open minor comments are tue. I went to high school with a guy that used open E minor tuning exclusively. He
abuchalmers 1 month ago
Couldn't you just tune to open D-minor and put your finger on the first fret of the 5th string to make it major? Then do the same thing with any of the barre chords (relative to your barring finger, I mean)?
Theonewhoclimbs28 1 month ago
@Theonewhoclimbs28 /watch?v=UUOuAebVqOg
CraigTube 1 month ago
@CraigTube Ah, well put.
Theonewhoclimbs28 1 month ago
Great beer videos, and great taste in music! Country Roads, a favorite!
rappy90 2 months ago
you can also leave that low D string open as D is the in the chord of Gminor. it might sound a little odd as the lowest note is not the root of the chord but if you have a bass guitar or something to play that low G it will sound fine.
flyerfry 2 months ago
i just got into this open D tuning and was asking my self the same question about minor chords, that's how i came upon this video. The chord you show is a full Gminor like you say but it has some odd fingering. I had a think about how els to finger this chord and i came up with a barre on the fifth fret with the ring and little finger on the 3rd and 4th string at the eights fret. its like a D power chord in regular tuning but play all 6 strings and spread the fingers over 4 frets instead of 3
flyerfry 2 months ago
I totally agree that Open D is much more versatile than just a blues tuning (love the blues, of course). Check my "Rosetta West - Morning Star," if you can, for a kind of Eastern feel in open D.
mielazul 4 months ago
Very good explaination. I Think that Richie Havens used to do chords using is thumb, but He was Drop-D tuned if I remember well.
boristutut 4 months ago
I mean 4:23
JoshSkreamzRAWR 4 months ago
Cool, still spend most of my time in standard but when I'm in a rut I pay with alternate tuning
Pluckyxo 4 months ago
Thank you so much bro!
brittain522 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
So easy, even a drummer can do it!
So simple, so effective. Thanks, I'll use it for sure.
Chewwy153qt 6 months ago
So easy even a drummer can do it!
So simple, so effective. Thanks, I'll use it for sure.
Chewwy153qt 6 months ago
sorry for asking, but what was that song you played at the end, I really liked it
talon908 7 months ago
I wish we were neighbours, you got any whisky?
feldmannpaul 9 months ago
"......baby finger on the first string...next finger on the second string...put my pointing finger on the 3rd string, one fret back like-we-said...and my other finger "What's left"......is going to go on 4th string.....on the same fret with all the other two!!!!!!..drinking"...................................................cool camera work!!! Excellent video!!!!
mcgrick 10 months ago
You could always tune the F# down to an F and when you want to do a major chord, you would barre the entire thing and put your middle finger on the next fret of the F. The tuning would now be D A D F A D.
corywarren09 10 months ago
It's so much easier to just tune down the g string a half step and barr across a fret for a minor, and then lay one finger down one step ahead of wherever you are barring on the g string for a major chord.
sniperthebox 10 months ago
WOW very cool lesson.Thanks.
spudzdad1 11 months ago
i like it. :)
YouSharp1 1 year ago
where out of tape,,,, haha the look on your face lol,,,, good video very helpfull
dillonfrye 1 year ago
cmon man, no offense..but you didn't invent that chord shape.
trilobite3339 1 year ago
awesome thanks
Reisaei 1 year ago
What's also pretty easy is to tune in D minor. This way you don't have to do a funny hand position for the minor chords and for the major chords just barre them with your pointer and use your middle finger on the 3rd string to bring it up one semi-tone.
foxtrot11 1 year ago
thanks for the video, very useful! also nice camerawork david!
gagealbright 1 year ago
when did edgar white learn to play guitar?
dentpopcan 1 year ago
@dentpopcan Name's Craig Farraway, son. Who is Edgar White?
CraigTube 1 year ago 26
@CraigTube Could be a clumsy reference to Edgar Winter in a joke which fell flat.
longtimegone55 1 year ago
@CraigTube Lol, he means edgar winter I think hahahah.
teamhex 10 months ago
@CraigTube I think the guy's referring to Edgar Winter...tho you probly already figured that out....and to think, numbnuts is tryin to belittle YOU! (ha ha) well, I for one appreciate ur service-helped me out, thx.
blitzshriek999 6 months ago
just figured out open Am tuning... its awesome
slideon 1 year ago
thanks Craig, appreciated!
rikkidoolan82 1 year ago
dude thats amazing thank you , please check out some of my music too
ArmyOfAngels5 1 year ago
Thanks dude! it was helpful
Idontfearyou 1 year ago
lol see this? thats ur thumb
BattyDevin1 1 year ago
Pretty cool. I've been experimenting with Open D tuning for a while and those nasty minors always gave me a hard time. Your ("your") method looks very easy and I'll try it for sure, since I'm trying to do some folk & irish tunes with Open D, thanks!
bartrabelo 1 year ago
That's pretty nice. But as you said, this tecnique is used for a long time for people the play samba. Here in Brazil we have a tipical isntrument called "cavaquinho", it's like a small guitar, very similar to an ukulele, with 4 strings and the standard tuning is D B G D, exatly like the Open G 4 first strings. The chords have the same format as open G and Open D. When you show this tecnique on video I remember the chords in Cavaquinho and everything's got easier now.
Thanks For your video!
747ogaiht 1 year ago
nice
AVascocc 1 year ago
Open D2 tuning is where it's at!
martineyles 1 year ago
Or just tune to D minor (3rd string tuned to F) and play a full bar cord (index finger) with the 3rd string played 1/2 step higher with the middle finger to get a major cord. Just lift the middle finger 3rd string to get the minor version. That seems like the easy way. Tuning would be DADFAD same as Skip James used.
jackiewhitt 1 year ago
Nice video!
AAscension 1 year ago
Thanks!
iaminbetweendays 1 year ago
VERY good. You know, every keyboard player should be able to play the straight bar chords on guitar like this. That way, a keyboard player can back up the lead guitar with some great rhythm strums when keyboard not quite appropriate.
JEDIALADDIN 1 year ago
Nice video & very informative. Thanks for posting.
1incipitvitanova 1 year ago
Very good.. very clear..
Bravo..
sidensvans67 1 year ago
Great vid!
thelastAwesome 1 year ago
I discovered it too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahahaha thanks 4 posting
Surfister 1 year ago
Along the way you've tuned the guitar to D Minor, and your going ok. Because with that tunning you only need to add a 2nd finger on the 3rd string and you have a major chord (F# = 444544). Also, you will have a 2nd major chord formation adding 2 fingers on the 2nd and 5th position (C = X322232). 7th, Maj7, 9th, Sus4 chords are also very easy to achive, not to mention power chords (5).
cmosilva 1 year ago
Nice! I was just foolin around with this and I "invented" something, too:) You don't need to use your thumb, if you take your second (middle) finger and - instead of just putting it on the low A - bar all 3 of the low strings. This way you even get the minor chord with 6 strings! and its a lot easier ... a major bar chord in standard tuning is harder to do. thanks again!
niox20 2 years ago 3
Great idea!
CraigTube 2 years ago
@CraigTube
Thanks for this Craig. I also took "noix20's" suggestion and adapted it well. It is very easy since my thumb doesn't reach around all the way. (I just started playing guitar a couple of weeks ago). I now alternate between open D and standard tuning. This has helped me to learn (both) much quicker. I would love to see more of your work on this. Thank you again.: )
johnjnesbit 1 year ago
Just a lil FYI. You're in D FLAT!!! Not D. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
JeevesMorris1 2 years ago 6
I know. I tuned to a song and forgot to right it. I should annotate this video to explain that.
CraigTube 2 years ago 7
Thanks David!
RadiatorBoy 2 years ago
Is this the tuning used by pink floyd in godd bye blue skys!!! HELP, Cool info Thanks for the lesson!!
Arrow69hunter 2 years ago
Good job nice on both sides.
oskarfeldkatze 2 years ago
That's great!!! Thanks, Craig!
larryjackson04 2 years ago
Very informative. Thank you ^_^
Staplecake 2 years ago
could you show us some open d songs examples? love his sh%t.
upperpd 2 years ago
Sure. My " I Started A Joke" cover uses open D. When I get time, I'll do one off the cuff.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Ohhhhh. Okay. Just thought I should let ya' know incase you hadn't noticed it.
JeevesMorris1 2 years ago
Man i LOve the sound of the minor,maybe its ignorance but whats the D tuning?
Last time i tried to tune my guitar to D i tune it again to E and the first string broke.I jsut Changed the Strings.I can say i am a good player i am 14 years old,and everyone tell me i am very good i can pla whatever you give me,But i really dont understand the tunings.
sasukefn1 2 years ago
D A D F# A D from lowest string to highest.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Nice video, thanks. I just bought my first guitar - trust me to start with non-standard tunings...! I found it easier to bar all three bass strings with my thumb, bar the down-semitone (minor note) with my first finger and bar the top two strings with my second or third finger. This way all six strings are soundig. Is there a reason you don't suggest this?
mpj500 2 years ago
No, that's perfectly fine. My thumb doesn't seem long enough to do that comfortably.
CraigTube 2 years ago
I think it's easier to make a D major from an open D minor tuning
slazinger 2 years ago
@slazinger see my response video above. It details why D major is better.
CraigTube 2 years ago
I prefer open d minor. But open d is alright!
rubin3364 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Great video! 5/5
essemgy 2 years ago
if ya know how to read notes ya could just make ur own chords...
shawnyboie 2 years ago 2
I still think you should tune it in Dm, then you still can bar for the minor chords but then you just have to add 1 finger to the 3rd string to get a major chord.....
Just my 2 cents.....
00Beowulf00 2 years ago
It breaks alot of things. Watch my response video above.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Comment removed
Jakesnake978 2 years ago
Comment removed
Jakesnake978 2 years ago
Great vid man thanks!I like your approach
happydrum 2 years ago
Craig - really useful - cheers for your help
glentruan 2 years ago
hey craig,
i use a technique similar to yous exept
i use my thumb to bar the top three strings, my ring finger
to bar the bottom two strings and my index finger to play the note on the the third string,
tell me what you think
cheers.
acouelec 2 years ago
I tried it. Definitely a viable alternative.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Very nice, gives a good sound. Nedd bigger thumbs though.
CHK046 2 years ago
Hey Rez. Yes, that's how the song was original written by Barry. Your version is excellent!
CraigTube 2 years ago
I learned this Open D tune about a month ago..and discovered the song How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is better played on this tune...(hope you will accept my video response, Craig.)
Rez
rezfern 2 years ago
how do i tune to open d though :S also, do you have any spare guitars? mine is really lousy and old and falling apart
Shakeitupyes 2 years ago
thanks alot man, this is one of my favourite tunings :)
Dylanquinn666 2 years ago
good video, but isnt less complicated to tune to open D minor and when you want to get major chord just put finger one fret higher on g string?
Mastermind280285 2 years ago
Please watch my other open D tuning (above in the video responses). It will answer your question.
CraigTube 2 years ago
is your guitar tuned down an entire fret along with the open d tuning? when i play along im one fret higher than yours.
eishiba 2 years ago
Yes, it was a tone low.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Yes, it was a half tone low.
CraigTube 2 years ago
brravo bravo bravo¡¡¡¡¡¡ great great lesson if have 6 star youtube i´ll give you men,I say hi from Córdoba, Argentina.take care
nikelaoscba 2 years ago
Dude thank you so much for this video. Great stuff, i have benn playing blues and wanted to try some new things, but learnt to play in open D. Thanks again. Keep up the good work.
peanut0006 2 years ago
I play minor chords by fretting the third string one fret BEHIND the slide.
Hoopermazing 2 years ago
FYI: that old woodstock dude, Ritchie Havens, plays crazy chords in open-D with this thumb too. But, I think that he goes over the top of the neck...
Hoopermazing 2 years ago
very interesting. That would lower the string so it wouldn't be affected by the slide. That is new information. thanks.
CraigTube 2 years ago
Precisely! For about an hour, I though that I'd created a revolution. Unfortunately, I've since found out that at least one famous slide player, Sonny Landreth, has beaten me to the punch.
Also: I was half asleep when I wrote the previous reply. Of course Ritchie Havens goes over the top of the neck with his thumb ... to barre most of the strings.
Hoopermazing 2 years ago
thought rather...
Hoopermazing 2 years ago
you can also bar the 2 lowest strings with your middlefinger :) still muting the 4th string
kotlet157 2 years ago
HaHa, Baby Finger.
^_^
ErosPoop 2 years ago
hahah you invented the use of the thumb.
whitestripebuzz 2 years ago
I addressed this in an annotation dude. Try reading and get your info befoe you post.
CraigTube 2 years ago
wah jeez it was just a joke man. i saw the note.
whitestripebuzz 2 years ago
If open D tuning is good enough for Barry Gibb, its good enough for me.
ukbirdflu 2 years ago
It seems easier to me to do this in the Minor tuning - that shape you then have to make by adding just one finger to the barre to get a major chord is far easier than the thumb/finger claw combination... to me at least.
airmiami 2 years ago
But there's several reasons why tuning to Dm is not the best way. Watch my video response above.
CraigTube 2 years ago
So you could tune down the third string to an F for a Minor open D, is that correct? DADFAD = Minor open D, DADF#AD = Open D?
airmiami 2 years ago
That is correct. Not the best idea for lots of reasons, but some people do it that way.
CraigTube 2 years ago
then you could tune to DADADF :D
Only one song really thats tuned to that though cuz the person that wrote it is weird like that, in a good way.....
GattlingGuitarGuru 2 years ago
I don't know if anyone else has said this...but when I play the minor form I always barre the top three strings with my middle finger (that finger has many uses you know). I think it makes it easier to move up and down the neck.
It does not always work well for finger style though.
lonewoodwose 2 years ago
thats open D flat/C sharp
one half step lower than D
BobDole3005 2 years ago
That's because I was playing along with a song that was a bit flat and forgot to tune back up before I made the video. It still demonstrates the Open D concept.
CraigTube 2 years ago
awesome- thanks! - sometimes when you speak you sound like kermit the frog- its pretty kool.
umarkhan 2 years ago 2
he soooo sounds like kermit the frog, but in a good way! :)
airmiami 2 years ago
Great!! Cheers form Italy
rhv777 2 years ago
are u being paid 4 this.
paul07938 2 years ago
Thanks for you kind words. No, I do all my videos entirely in my spare time, without being paid. Are you offering? :) Just kidding.
CraigTube 2 years ago
lol! how much do you need?? haha.. anyway.. you're great!
mynameiskrizha 2 years ago
hollywood needs u! your a real jem.
good luck kido ......you go get em.
paul07938 2 years ago
I also would like to thank you for showing what you know. I love open D tuning. Thanks!!!
Parkerdonat 2 years ago
Hey main...disregard the jackass elitists out there. Seriously, it's wasted energy. Thank you kindly for taking the time to share what you know. And props to your son for helping.
itssoon 3 years ago
i'm pretty sure you are in d flat not d
iltanail 3 years ago
I had it tuned down to match a song and forgot to tune it back up. The concept is still the same.
CraigTube 3 years ago
hi craig ive just watched your video on the d chord i am in australia and i cant play a guitar i sing roy orbison bee gee's and other 70's songs i sing at nursing homes and charitys my ultimate goal here is to learn how to play pretty woman or i started a joke by the way your version is great so watching you u make it look so easy so if you can could you put how to play pretty woman on youtube and do it slow for people like me it would be greatfully appreciated your son done a great job cheers.
racecaller0404 3 years ago
Good info. Thanks for the video. Great camera work as well! ;-)
Rwboss6 3 years ago
How would you play 7s and minor 7s though?
sergc118 3 years ago
If you just tune it to the Dm its so much easier to play major chords.
I can't really see the point in learning to play those awkward minor chords.
All you need to do is bar for the minor chord and finger the G(now F) string on the next fret and you have a major.
Its just so much easier.
Your way is very interesting but I just find this better. I suppose its up to the player
themasterscall 3 years ago
Your way closes alot of doors of freedom, as I showed in the video. Always having a minor chord when you let go of the neck is a pain. Having to use an extra finger to make the major is inconvenient, not just with the barring, but with all the chords that can be played. Just learning one minor chord position and tuning major fixes all that.
CraigTube 3 years ago
I may be wrong I don't think it's semi-tone. It's half-step.
drawingshadows 3 years ago
Both are correct. I learned semi-tone. I think now they're teaching half step. Same thing.
CraigTube 3 years ago
how do i tune my guitar 2 ahh open d tunning with a tuner pls tell me!!!
bency28 3 years ago
great video thanks, i was trying to lower the first string down one fret to make my minor chords like john butler does with open c. didnt realize F# was the key string with open D just like E is with open C. im new to open D hope this didnt conufse anyone thanks again!
Hotsoup42 3 years ago
This is a conundrum for many who are new to open tunings, so well done for taking the time to record and share your thoughts.
All the best.
JoshT42 3 years ago
This has been great help to me, I have written a few of my songs in open D tuning and I would always have to find my own way when it came to playing anything minor in this tuning but the explantion you give on how to play the full minor chords is simple and clear, they don't sound so paper thin and it is awesome!! To bad people have to be so rude about the video, It has been helpful to me!! I'm going to go finish writing my new song Thanks Craig!!
Durdydancer 3 years ago
Thanks for that nice comment. Hope to hear some tunes soon!
CraigTube 3 years ago
I don't understand Drop-D tuning,just a half-step down. You can make a video about it
your lesson it's great 5 stars!! is for the music boyce avenue find me
parisnicko 3 years ago
Good work Craig. I couldn't care who invented or discovered this. You took the time to share it so thanks. Now my time to be holier than thou. Give folks a break some of you commentators. Who cares if we can find fault. I'm just glad people bother to contribute. And btw, Skip James was a fingerpicker. Craig, who seems to focus on chords, explained pretty well why the D minor tuning didn't work as well for him.
babreakdown 3 years ago
no - skip is the one that's dead
I wish craigtube would realize that he doesn't have any right to say what is or isn't right on the guitar being a novice player like he is
not even expert guitarists can say that because someone with experience on the guitar knows that all that matters is whether you can make it sing or not
craigtube - big thumbs down for your holier than thou attitude
matiaspecile 3 years ago
I'm sorry you feel that way. So, if I was to make an updated open D video, now that I know more about it, what would you have me do or say different? I'm always open to constructive criticisms and corrections, but you could provide that without being a prick. Why don't you take the time to provide a video on open D tuning, and grace us all with your wisdom? Troll.
CraigTube 3 years ago
Being the fair guy that I am, I have added an appropriate annotation to the video, and at some point I will re-do the video so it is more to your liking, and doesn't suggest that I know everything about playing open D. Now do I sound like a guy who want's to have a "holier than thou attitude"?
CraigTube 3 years ago
remarkble!!!!!!!!
mebagtilay41287 3 years ago
you can too play in open Dm ... the great guitarist skip james did it
of course he's dead now. cancer killed him but I do not think it was because he played in open Dm
matiaspecile 3 years ago 2
open D minor is the only way to go
twhijohnson 3 years ago
Yes you can, but if you watch my other open D tuning video (above in the video responses) you'll see why you wouldn't want to do that.
CraigTube 3 years ago
a lot of people would want to do it because it sounds better even if its more difficult to play
twhijohnson 3 years ago
from reading the comments I learned that you think you invented open D tuning, think that you invented using a finger fretting a string to mute another one, and that you think open D tuning is DADG#AD. you should stick to drums
twhijohnson 3 years ago
Your additude sucks dude. I know I said in the video that I thought I had invented a way to play a minor chord in Open D. I also said that I could be wrong about that. Nowhere do I say that I invented Open D tuning, or muting a string with a finger. I will say, however, that as of yet, I have never seen anyone play a minor chord in open D the way I do, and that I may have come up with it, "MAY" being the operative word here.
CraigTube 3 years ago
The typo above (DADG#AD was pointed out by another viewer, and I never disputed it. The G should have been an F. In no way do I ever think that I invented open D tuning, in fact, in the video I state that I learned it from Barry Gibb. Watch, read, and listen more carefully before you go flaming ppl.
CraigTube 3 years ago
I disagree.
CraigTube 3 years ago
You scared me, matiaspecile. I thought you were talking about good old Craig here
oggendoggen2 3 years ago
as everyone else is saying just tune it to Open Dm (DADFAD)
noone does it cause theres no point
tosavealice 3 years ago
And as I have said over and over again, you can't just do that. It actually makes it harder and breaks many chords. Please watch my video response above. It explains why this is not an option.
CraigTube 3 years ago
"Well look at this, see this? That's your thumb" LOL
bobcaygeonfrench 3 years ago
The point of my comment below being that you could alternate between major and minor by moving one finger, rather than reshaping your entire hand for the chord. Anyway, good vid and thanks for sharing.
potissimus 3 years ago
Wouldn't it be easier to tune down that 3rd string (G) one semi tone, and instead of twisting your hand in a knot, just play a bar chord with your index finger, and fret the G string one fret up with your middle finger? Now, you've got as thick a sound as you want because you're not leaving out any of the strings.
Again, drop the 3rd string a semitone, and bar for a minor, bar plus one fret up on the G for a major.
potissimus 3 years ago
have had this question many times. The answer is "no". Please watch my "open D tuning and minor chords FAQ. It's in the video responses above.
CraigTube 3 years ago
Skip James used open D minor alot.
KarloR27 3 years ago
im new to open tunings, however, what i was thinking is that if u detuned that one note so that open is minor, then you can just bar it for the minor, then put one finger on the detuned string a fret up to make it major
i think that would be easier
FudgeBison 3 years ago
That is simply a short cut that presents alot of problems with what you can do with this tuning. If you mostly play songs in minor chords, then that is a solution. But playing songs in major chords requires major tuning. Please see my response video above in the video responses.
CraigTube 3 years ago
I have discovered so many different styles of playing on YouTube, that claiming that I invented a chord technique was pushing it. However, I did come up with it on my own, and I've never seen it done the way I do it anywhere before, yet.
CraigTube 3 years ago
What a great video. Nice closeup fret shots too. I've been playing in Open D for a long time now!
DanielDavisMusic 3 years ago
All you do to make a minor chord is throw in the flat 3rd. So you take the third note of the major scale of whatever key you're in and move it down one step and BAM! you've just minorized it! To make a penatonic minor scale you just take the 1,b3,4,5, and b7 of the major scale and BAM! Minor penatonic. Then for modes you just need to know the order of them. So if you're playing Phrygian,which is the 3rd mode,in G you play it with whatever scale has the 3rd note G.Which is E!
mccormickn 3 years ago
Well,it's sounds so good...
V8SNZ 3 years ago
Of course. Any good musician knows that. But can you explain how to do this on a guitar tuned to open D? (D A D G# A D) It's not a piano.
CraigTube 3 years ago
Open D is DADF#AD
YT28666 3 years ago
Hmm this video is in Open C# not open D
paulefty 3 years ago
Yeah, you are right
nerozone84 3 years ago
I am not really a guitarplayer, can play a few chords, but the first step is already the open D... well and the rest I will study. I never will be a good guitarplayer, so if I can do it this way... :-)
Thank you!!!
Roeleke
Twirretwarre 3 years ago
i think this might be easier.... tune ur guitar to dminor. if you wanna play a major, just bar it and put ur first finger one fret up on the 3rd string. seems a bit easier than trying to mute a string and using a thumb
kairama15 3 years ago
That is not a solution. Please check my follow-up video (posted above) to see why that doesn't work.
CraigTube 3 years ago
nice job sabio man
guitarblue26 3 years ago
Sounds like an open E to me
nosvmax 3 years ago
Or Open C#...sorry!!
duaneallmanslide 3 years ago