Beautiful guitar with trilogy bridge…

I have to get one of those Trilogy bridges…

http://homepage3.nifty.com/soulalone/HP/hss.htm

Outstanding artist: The Church

I’m a big fan of The Church, a criminally creative and talented creative band. Here’s a favorite from their best-selling album “Starfish”:

Outstanding Artist: Joni Mitchell

No introduction necessary. Enjoy…

“Edith and the kingpin“

“Laurentien”

Third song in the “Chemin de terre” song cycle, the other two being “Boréal” and “Appalaches”. “Laurentien” is written in DGDGBD.

“Laurentien“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

EDEBCA update

There’s a post below (almost a year ago) about a challenge sent to me with this tuning. I had determined a while ago that tunings in which adjacent strings were separated by a semitone did not lend themselves well to exploration. EDEBCA is one such tuning.

What I’m trying to say is that I will not write anything with EDEBCA.

Another standard tuning song

Another song I wrote last year.

“What is the blues?“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

A song in standard tuning for a change!

Here’s a little song I wrote last year. Not much to say about it except that the guitar is a Washburn Woodstock 12-strings.

“August blues“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

Comprehensive alternate tunings guide

I just found this comprehensive webpage (and companion “Alternate Tunings Guide” in PDF) by William A. Sethares.

Definitely worth a look: “Alternate Tuning Guide“.

By the way, I feel like I should organize a page with relevant links about alt. tunings.

Alt. tuning gadget

I can’t decide if I like this gadget or if it is ridiculously over the top. This will not help you play better. I’m not even sure it will help you understand alt. tunings better. However, the construction looks solid and it’s actually beautiful, as a trophy to hang on the chimney over the mantelpiece.

I’m not putting down the invention because I might well decide to buy it sometimes.

See for your yourself:

Here’s the company link: Chordstar

First tryout of the Varichord capo

As expected, no particular difficulties in writing new music with this beautiful tool. However, a notation system is required in order to properly archive and reference how the capo is set-up for a particular song. Here’s what I’ve come up with: string #: fret #

For this first tryout, I’m using:

6:2

5:2

4:open

3:1

2:open

1:2

Here’s the video:

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

In the mail…

Just thought I should share that I am awaiting a Varichord capo (see earlier post about this item). Even though the item is not available anymore, I figured I might try to get in touch with the inventor to try to get one.

Well I was lucky and I’m awaiting a brand new Varichord capo…

Gibson robot acoustic guitar prototype

Excerpt from Gibson’s Lifestyle blog:

“I could see a magnetic pickup in the “neck” position and there’s a Piezo underneath the bridge. A stereo jack carries both outs on a stereo cable, like the Dark Fire. There are three three banks of tuning, but the inventors are toying with the idea of adding yet another bank, as alternate tunings are so popular with acoustic guitars…although too much of a good thing can indeed be too much, so that decision remains to be made.“

String gauges and alternate tunings

I’ve never given much thoughts to fine tuning string gauges for different tunings. Admittedly, this aspect of alternate tunings has to be addressed sooner or later in order to keep the guitar in good shape.

I found this article which covers basic points in regards to string gauges in an alternate tuning context:

http://www.bansheewerks.com/frivolities/geetar/tech.shtml#gauges

Outstanding Artist: two entries

Both of these songs sound like they may have been written in some alt. tunings although I can’t be sure of that.

“Oublie pas” by Karkwa

“We gathered in spring” by Midlake

Two old songs written in the early 1990s

I made these demos recently. These are written in DGDGBD and DGDGBE respectively:

“Boréal“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

“Appalaches“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

These two songs are part of a song cycle titled “Chemin de terre” (“Dirt road“). There is a third song in this cycle, titled “Laurentien“, which should be posted in a few weeks.

The creative process

Upcoming experiment in which I’ll tune the guitar to a completely unkown (to me) tuning, explore and write a musical snippet, with no edits at all.

Identifying a chord in a given tuning

I just found a nice online tool that gives possible names to a given chord. Of course we all know that without proper harmonic context, it can be difficult to properly identify any given chord. However, the tool provides a good starting point.

The tool is called “Chorderator Chord Generator“.

Just click on the button “More options” to access the alt. tuning field

The Varichord capo

The Varichord capo is another gizmo allowing the use of alternate tunings without actually retuning the guitar (on the other hand, you could tune the guitar to a tuning of your choice and use the Varichord to put the guitar in standard tuning…).

The Varichord is not available right now because the inventor, Martin Furey, has stopped selling them a while ago. Considering it is possible that information about this gizmo becomes less available over time, I’m quoting the complete review of the Varichord capo from the following web page:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/coleman005/Varichord.htm

The idea behind this device is that it lets you stop strings with a capo at places other than straight across the fretboard.  You can treat the strings individually (within limits).  The first thing I tried was to make it “finger” a D chord in dropped D tuning (DADGBE low to high).  After a few minutes I started finding new sounds on the guitar – sounds I could not have made without the device.  Next I tried an open Esus4 tuning (EBEABE).  This sounded, predictably, like DADGAD tuning with an ordinary capo at the 2^nd fret.  There was a big difference though.  I could play standard tuning chords above the capo without needing new fingerings as the string tensions were unaffected.  This is much easier to appreciate with a guitar in your hands than having it explained in words.

I think the main value in the Varichord is in helping a guitarist to create new sounds. I am not saying it’s indispensable but it could certainly come into its own during one of those uninspired periods that I’m sure we all go through.  It keeps you playing and gives you a fresh way of approaching something.

——————

This review is simply my opinion of the device.   I am not connected with the company and do not sell the device.  It can, however, be obtained from … http://www.varichord.co.uk/

The inventor is also an accomplished musician. Here’s a link about one of his recordings (“Howl“) which features, incidentally, the Varichord:

Goodies from Gibson

All related to the release of the Dark Fire Les Paul:

A crash course in open and alternate tunings

The power and possibility of open and alternate tunings

A new iteration of the robot guitar

Here’s the new version of the robot guitar, named “Dark fire”, which, I must say, looks stunning. The original robot guitar didn’t do anything to me but this one really looks good.

The boat takes over…

Most of my free time is taken by the restoration of my sailboat. If you are interested by this endeavor, visit the dedicated blog at http://ceto001.wordpress.com/ (in french only).

Gizmos coming out of the woodwork

I just found this ingenious invention on the web, the Timara String Drop which is basically a detuner but the detune speed is controllable and the inventor is some kind of crazy inventor:

Another path to alternate tunings: the partial capo

Like all previous options listed below, this one has advantage and disadvantages. The partial capo by Shubb allows the fingering of strings D, G and B and if you place the capo at the 2nd fret, you have an open tuning which is an isomorphism of the DADGAD tuning. It allows you this particular tuning while retaining the ability to form scales as you know them higher up the neck. You are severely limited however with what kind of tuning you can get.

The partial capo by Third Hand Capo however is more flexible and you can even place more than one on the fingerboard to obtain a wide variety of alternate tunings. You also retain the possibility of fingering scales as you know them higher up the neck.

How many tunings can there be?

On a standard six string guitar, you can assign one of 12 tones to a string. Considering there are six strings, you have a possibility of 12 x 12 x 12 x 12 x 12 x 12 choices.

That’s 2 985 984 possible tunings.

If I were to explore all possible tunings, one each day, it would take me a little more than 8175 years. So I think this blog will carry me on for a little while yet

Yet another option: the Variax guitars by Line 6

I’ve never been a fan of the Pod line of products by Line 6 (you might even say I snob the company). This may explain why I’d never heard of the alternate tuning abilities of their line of guitars, the Variax. From what I can see, the principle is the same as Roland VG series of effects.

The alternate tuning is computer modeled regardless of the actual tuning to which the guitar is tuned to. They are cool looking guitars and I’ll be keeping an eye on this from now on.

The acoustic self-tuning guitar

I’d heard about this guitar but I thought it was still in the prototype stage, but no… Here it is in all it’s glory:

An ‘acoustic’ guitar with automatic tuning

As a follow-up to my previous post…

I forgot to include another alternative: the double-neck guitar. Having two (or more) necks in different tunings allows the player to change between tunings seemlessly, during performance.

Alternate tunings in a snap

Tuning and retuning might be a drag if you use several tunings. However, there are a few options (meaning gadgets) that can help you.

For my part, I own only one of these: the Strobostomp tuner. However, I have my eyes on the Trilogy bridge for my Strat and possibly one Keith tuning peg for my Tele.

The Transperformance guitar

This is an electro-mechanical device which tunes your guitar to the tuning of your choice from an onboard database of tunings. This is absolutely the top-of-the-line, with a price to match. How do you get one? You have to send your guitar to the Transperformance company and they will hack your guitar to install the mechanism. Don’t send your ‘59 Les Paul…

You might be interested to learn that Transperformance is working on an acoustic prototype.

Tronical

The company behind Gibson’s so-called robot guitar. This mechanism works pretty much the same as the Transperformance guitar but modifications are less dramatic: you have to change the tuners and install a special pick-up close to the bridge. Whereas the motors of the Transperformance are at the bridge, the motors of the Tronical system are in the tuners themselves. In regards to alternate tunings, you are somewhat limited. You have a small bank of user presets (less than a dozen) from which to choose. You can, however, reprogram the presets.

The Gibson robot guitar costs several thousand dollars but Tronical markets their bare system at less than 2000 dollars.

Roland VG-99

The VG-99 and its predecessor, the VG-8 are sound modelers. The onboard computer simulates a guitar tone and, more importantly for us, virtual tunings. The guitar of your choice stays in standard tuning but the VG-99 will simulate any tuning you may wish to use. As with all computer modelling, a slight delay occurs between the strike of the strings and the sound produced. The VG-8, however, was deemed powerful enough by Joni Mitchell to bring her out of semi-retirement and go on tour again.

Hipshot Trilogy

A special-purpose bridge (models exist for many types of guitars) that allows three presets per string. The tuning is changed mechanically (with a lever). This system can theoretically give you 729 distinct tunings. At about a couple of hundred dollars, this system is cost-effective.

Keith tuning pegs

These tuning pegs, designed for banjo, can also be used on guitar (as can be seen on the picture below). There are other makers of so-called detuners but Keith was the first one to make them and they are highly regarded. These pegs have only two presets each (normal position and detuned) and installing one on each post will cost you a lot more than a Trilogy bridge. However, if you only need to detune for specific strings, this is the option for you. These pegs can be bought directly from the Beacon Banjo company, which manufactures them.

Peterson Strobostomp

Last but not least, you need a good ear. However, a tuner has never hurt anyone and the Strobostomp is the best bet you can make short of buying more expensive gear from Peterson. The Strobostomp has many presets that allow you to intonate the guitar to your liking.

The Strobostomp will also help you tune the guitar more precisely than all the usual guitar tuners on the market.

A small bonus while waiting for the tuning

I wrote this close to ten years ago, at about the same time as the song “Magnificos” (below). If I remember correctly, the tuning for this is EBBGBD.

“Flora“

Cette création par Jimmy St-Germain est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité-Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale-Partage des Conditions Initiales à l’Identique 2.5 Canada.

A new feature: Outstanding Artist

I’d like to share, once in a while, an artist whom I feel is worth listening to (not necessarily related to alternate tunings).

I stumbled a while ago on this young singer, Emma Russack, and I think she does an amazing job:

Chord shapes in unfamiliar tunings

How do you orient yourself once you decide to jump into an unfamiliar tuning?

Surprisingly, chord shapes you are familiar with might give you a good starting point. Try out all the standard chord shapes first: E, A, C, D, G, Emin, Amin, Dmin, etc… Before trying out barré chords, exhaust your knowledge of open chord shapes in the new tuning. Note intriguing or pleasant sounding chord shapes.

The next thing you might want to try is to move open chord shapes up the neck while letting ring open strings. Once again, exhaust all possibilities before trying out barré chords.

Once you have exhausted known open chord shapes, try out open chord shapes unfamiliar to you. You don’t have to refer to a book of chord shapes. I am a believer of the happy accident: just put your fingers wherever they may fall and listen carefully to the chord that is produced. Move this chord shape up and down the neck.

Once you have found many pleasing open chord shapes, try moving them up the neck with a barré, if the fingering makes it possible.

Once I have a good baggage of pleasing chord shapes, I mix them and try to find a thematic thread to connect them. I would add that you don’t have to use all the chord shapes that you have found. As in everything, simplicity is often the key.

Major artists using alt. tunings in a big way

Crosby, Stills & Nash

Joni Mitchell

Sonic Youth

Duncan Sheik

Led Zeppelin

Each artist alone in the above list will open you up to a vast world of alternate tunings. Taken together, you could have many, many months of exploration to do to cover everything they’ve done.