Folk music and tunings.

[Alan Vorse]

I am going to start working with a singer/songwriter/acoustic guitarist. He gave me a disc of demos and chord charts.

He informed me that a lot of the songs are in alternate tunings where the guitar's low E would be tuned down to D or even C.

I played in a pop band 10 years ago (on BG) with an acoustic guitar. I remember the guitarist tuning do D and if I did not do the same, my open D and his low open D would be in the same register, and the two had a hard time occupying the same space.

My queston is to anyone who has worked in a similar situation. I have not heard of upright players re-tuning their bass to accomodate an acoustic guitar's alternate tuning. Is open D on upright going to fight for sonic space with the guitar's low D? Do upright players who aren't Red Mitchell or the occasional classical guy ever re-tune?

[Audiophage]

You're probably fine just staying in standard tuning. Depending on the construction of your bass retuning might not be the best thing for it.

[mcnaire2004]

I agree with Audiophage. The guitarists that I am working with tune everything down a half step. The cords that I play are simle to go up a half step so it's not really a problem. Just be sure you go over exactly what your playing (or at least the key) in your tuning ahead of time.

[rprowse]

Folk guitars often like to fingerpick and, consequently, play a lot of root notes. This can be restricting to the creativity of the bass player. But, you can always get the bow out.