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Section IV: Summary of Recorded Tunings

Section IV: Summary of Recorded Tunings

The following chart has 62 slack key tunings, 51 of which have been heard in use and can be found on recordings or in films, or will be heard on future releases. The other 8 are included because they are very closely related to tunings in use, or they are versatile for experimentation. Dancing Cat Records is planning to release many new recordings with songs in many of these tunings, and other tunings not yet recorded. Section VIa contains a chart of unrecorded tunings.

Some of the available recordings of songs in each tuning are listed in Section V: Hawaiian Recordings in Slack Key Tunings. (Note, though, the songs may not be exactly pitched in these keys, because they can be tuned up or down two or more pitches; also the guitar can be capoed to sound in a higher key.) The list below is not meant to be a complete list of tunings; rather, it lists many of the tunings available on recordings and designed for the guitar to resonate naturally while being played. It also includes two tunings [G-C-E-G-C-E (#C2) and G-C-D-G-B-D (#C6)] which are slight alterations and which invite experimentation.

Of the 51 tunings listed that are in use on the tuning chart, 37 of them are played virtually exclusively in Hawai`i or in playing Hawaiian music. Although more are used, there are 13 tunings in common use today; they have appeared most often on recordings and are optimum for solo guitar. This does not include the more often used Standard Tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) (#C30) and its slight variation, the "Dropped D Tuning" (D-A-D-G-B-E) (#D7), with the lowest pitched E string tuned down to D. Of the 13 listed here, the following 4 are most common:

1. Tuning #G1 D-G-D-G-B-D

Often called Taro Patch Tuning, Open G Tuning, Mokihana Tuning and Low Bass G Tuning (or Spanish Tuning in Mainland America).
2. Tuning #G4 D-G-D-F#-B-D Sometimes called Double Slack Tuning, G Slack Tuning, Auntie Alice Namakelua's G Tuning, Flatted G Tuning or F# Tuning.
3. Tuning #C5 C-G-D-G-B-D Sometimes called Dropped C Tuning, Leonard's C Tuning or Taro Patch C Tuning.
4. Tuning #C20 C-G-E-G-A-E Sometimes called Gabby's C Tuning or Ki Melia Tuning on Ni'ihau.

Seven others are used fairly often, including:

5. Tuning #G6 D-G-D-D-G-D Sometimes tuned up as high as the key of A.
6. Tuning #C1 C-G-E-G-C-E Sometimes called Atta's C Tuning.
7. Tuning #C7 C-G-D-G-B-E Sometimes called Keola's C Tuning (or called Dropped C Tuning in Mainland America).
8. Tuning #D4 D-A-D-F#-A-C# Called D Wahine Tuning.
9. Tuning #D1 D-A-D-F#-A-D Called Open D Tuning (or Vestapol Tuning in America).
10. Tuning #F4 C-F-C-G-C-E Sometimes called Leonard's F Tuning or F Tuning.
11. Tuning #Bb21 F-Bb-D-F-G-D Often tuned up to the key of C, yielding G-C-E-G-A-E (#C21).

Two other tunings are used a little less often, including:11.

12. Tuning#C11 C-G-E-G-B-E Sometimes called Gabby's Hi'ilawe C Tuning or Hi'ilawe Tuning.
13. Tuning #F2 F-C-E-G-C-E Sometimes called Gabby's F Wahine Tuning.

These 14 other tunings are also optimum for solo guitar playing.

14. Tuning #G13 D-G-D-G-B-E Called G6th Tuning (or sometimes called Dropped G Tuning in Mainland America).
15. Tuning #C2 G-C-E-G-C-E Can be tuned down as low as the key of Bb.
16. Tuning #C4 F-G-C-G-C-E Called Samoan C Major Tuning.
17. Tuning #C6 G-C-D-G-B-D Similar to #C5 with the two lowest bass strings tuned up and reversed in pitch.
18. Tuning #C8 G-C-D-G-B-E Similar to #C7 with the two lowest bass strings tuned up and reversed in pitch.
19. Tuning #Bb8 F-Bb-C-F-A-D Same as #C8 (G-C-D-G-B-E) with the whole guitar tuned down to the key of Bb.
20. Tuning #G14 D-G-C-G-B-E Called Kilauea Tuning; similar to #C8 (G-C-D-G- B-E) with bass strings configured differently and to Standard Tuning #C30 (E-A-D-G-B-E) with three lowest pitches tuned down two half steps.
21. Tuning #C12 G-C-E-G-B-E Similar to #C11 with the two lowest bass strings tuned up and reversed in pitch.
22. Tuning #Bb12 F-Bb-D-F-A-D Same as #C12 with the whole guitar tuned down to the key of Bb.
23. Tuning #C16 F-G-C-G-B-D Called Samoan C Wahine Tuning.
24. Tuning #C22 C-G-C-G-A-E Can also be played solo effectively in the key of G.
25. Tuning #C23 F-G-C-G-A-E Called Samoan C Mauna Loa Tuning; can also be played effectively in the key of F.
26. Tuning #D7 D-A-D-G-B-E A Slight variation of Standard Tuning; sometimes called Dropped D Tuning on Mainland America.
27. Tuning #A1 E-A-E-E-F#-C# Sometimes tuned down to the key of G.

In Mainland America and Europe the following non-standard tunings are common: D-G-D-G-B-D (#G1), C-G-C-G-C-E (#C3), D-A-D-F#-A-D (#D1) and D-A-D-G-B-E (#D7). These tunings are fairly common on the Mainland: D-G-D-G-B-E (#G13), C-G-D-G-B-D (#C5), C-G-D-G-B-E (#C7) and C-G-D-G-A-D (#C24).

Tuning D-A-D-F#-A-C# (#D4) usually pitched up to the key of E, is occasionally used by mainland guitarist Alex deGrassi. Tuning D-A-D-F#-B-E (#D6) is used occasionally by mainland guitarist Daniel Hecht, and also occasionally in classical and flamenco guitar traditions. Tuning D-G-D-G-G-D (#G8) is used occasionally by folk guitarists in Mainland America and Europe, for the drone quality of the second and third strings being tuned to the same note. The C Sixth-type tunings, which are somewhat similar to C Mauna Loa Tunings, are used often by Hawaiian steel guitarists such as Barney Isaacs (C-E-G-A-C-E) (#A3); and C Sixth tunings are often used by mainland Country & Western pedal steel guitarists. Tunings common in both Hawai'i and other places are usually coincidental up to this time (2003), as the guitar simply lends itself to sounding good when tuned different ways.

This booklet lists many of the most important and available songs in each tuning. If you would like help with finding a song or a tuning not listed here, you can contact us at ml@dancingcat.com or write to Dancing Cat Productions, P.O. Box 639, Santa Cruz, CA 95061, Dept. SK, and we will try to assist you.


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