Cross Tuning (Alternate Tuning) - Mandolin Lesson

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[@livinghearth9720]

GDAD AEAE (with capo) ADAE (with capo) AEAC# (capo) ADAD (capo) FCGD DDAD In case youre wondering what tunings are talked about before watching (as i was)

[@timhansen4556]

Excellent! Just got my 1st mando and was immediately on the hunt for alternate tunings...lots here to play with. Thanks!!

[@bebefreed]

This is an incredibly useful lesson! Thank you!

[@Sjrm126]

I appreciate the info and video!

[@Druetty]

Thanks a bunch for this! Gonna try some of those tunings, they sound very cool.

[@MandoLessons]

+Druetty Have fun!

[@fathertime209]

Quick question, do you ever do a reverse tuning where it would be EADG going to the highest string similar to a four-string electric bass guitar?

[@AlexanderSeling]

I came here for that answer

[@Duncanlinc]

@@AlexanderSeling There's a tuning for the last 4 strings of a guitar. DGBE, but you would have to modify string gauge

[@nova19781]

What would be the point? 🤔

[@ptownshend]

@@nova19781as a guitar player, I’d know what I’m doing in a guitar tuning. Tuned as a mando, I’d be starting from scratch in how to learn.

[@abelincoln95]

Thank you, Sir...

[@DerisedEgami]

Great video! I'm sure this will help. My mom bought me a cheap mandolin, last year, and it's very temperamental. I will make a note of all these tunings. Also, that last tuning you did reminds me of when I tune my 12 string to 5th's. Very cool sound. I have a couple videos of it, on my page. Cheers!

[@MandoLessons]

Cool! Have fun with it!

[@edwincancelii2917]

I like the Cajun tuning.

[@arcadius2423]

you mentioned Adad as being a personal favorite. I haven't been playing too long, but I was inspired to try this tuning by a few videos I have seen around KZbin. This seems to be a preferred tuning for guys that enjoy doing alot of freeform, and as such, I have found NOTHING on-line about chord shapes, or even songs. Would you consider doing an expanded video on this?

[@MandoLessons]

Yeah, it's fairly uncommon, but really nice! I'll brainstorm about some more things to talk about and maybe put out another lesson. Good idea! Thanks for watching!

[@mandolin106]

MandoLessons can you teach how to tune in A D A A in standard tuning

[@jimtessin4130]

Excellent

[@sanderblom]

Thanks!!

[@tornadohill1709]

Great lesson! I got some light mando strings, so that I could play around with these tunings. trying to find the best Bm in Deadman's tuning.

[@kjstrabala]

Where would I find a chord chart for GDgd tuning? I can't seem to locate one anywhere.

[@rordrom3234]

Hi there. Try jguitar.com You can make your own custom tuning there and see chords for that tuning.

[@robertshorthill4153]

Kent S. You can figure it out if you know what the notes used to be. It may take a half hour or so, but it's doable. 😄☮️. Bob

[@gregpaynter7655]

Are you familliar with any of Ry Cooder's mandolin work. I believe he uses an alternate tuning or cross tuning of some sort. He does fantastic stuff. I was wondering if you knew much about his work.

[@Abc-qs8ir]

Beautiful sound out of your mandolin! What make and brand is it? :) Sounds like a harp :)

[@MandoLessons]

Thanks. It was built by Tom Ellis in Austin TX.

[@nonamepls6510]

How would you recommend tuning down to EADG?

[@heatheralice1974]

Thank you - I was trying to play Hunger Strike, but when I drop my 3rd finger to play the G on the D it kills the open D - I am fairly new and don't know if I have the guts to try tuning my G that low, but I think maybe putting the low D on an open string and playing the rest on normal strings might be the thing I need to do.

[@thestormlscoming]

I’m also trying to learn hunger strike. What did you find to work best for you?

[@Waterock100]

I´d like to go a bit deeper but without loosing the height could you down tune every second string a third?

[@joad9756]

are there any examples I can find of people tuning the pairs of strings differently from each other? for example, maybe tuning gg DD aa ee but having one of the strings in each pair an octave lower?

[@MandoLessons]

Check out Bill Monroe's tune Get Up John. Thanks for watching!

[@hurlyzzz]

what about tuning it like a ukulele? I did it on mine, and it sounds gooood. :D

[@yonderthemountaintop1993]

Hey so do the notes on the fretboard stay the same calling the 3rd fret the new first fret once the capo is added for AEAC#? Or how does that work exactly

[@MandoLessons]

Yep, I call out frets like the capo is the new nut. Good question!

[@FlatlandMando]

Just wondering, as I hear these intriguing tunings, I think of Ola Belle Reed's song "Undone in Sorrow". Can't find mandolin chords for this song but I'm sure a very fine ' alternate' tuning version of this piece would sound great on mandolin!

[@MandoLessons]

+FlatlandMando I love that song! I'll play around with it and see if I come up with anything!

[@reidbuckley7]

Mandolessons can you do a video on Mandola Alternate tunings?

[@FlatlandMando]

How does your head not explode...sir...with respect!

[@MandoLessons]

+FlatlandMando It almost did making this one! There was a lot of tuning cut out of the final edited video, and a couple "Oh wait, I am nowhere near where I am trying to be!" moments.

[@yonderthemountaintop1993]

And are there still playable major chords within the AEAC# tuning?

[@MandoLessons]

Probably, but I don't really think about chords in that particular tuning.

[@smalldoglaughing2558]

mandolin beginner here. This is a very helpful tuning lesson. One request though. Can you show us the basic chords I - IV and V for the high bass tuning? It would be helpful just to have the basic chord shapes as a benchmark for each of these tunings.

[@MandoLessons]

Assuming you are going to be playing in D here are some options: I is 0002, IV is 2023, and V is 0200. Thanks, I hope this helps!

[@smalldoglaughing2558]

thanks for posting this. very helpful! i am working on finding a wy to Take a drink on me by charlie poole on mandolin. I think this might work

[@youtuberjoe4729]

How would tuning the courses differently (such as thirds) feel like? Or better, can we do that kind of stuff? (i am pretty new to mandolin)

[@MandoLessons]

Give it a shot! The only advice I have is not to tune the strings higher than GDAE, and to have a lot of fun!

[@youtuberjoe4729]

I see, when i get my mandolin that will be the first thing i will try out. Thanks!

[@lonelypotato520]

KZbinr Joe I found that tuning one string from each section down by four steps sounds really cool, except for playing chords It's interesting for just playing one section of strings or a bar chord

[@youtuberjoe4729]

Oh, I see. Yep maybe it will work as I expect.

[@AidanHegarty97]

You mentioned traditional Scandinavian music and every time I’ve tried seeking it out all I get is a bunch of corny modern “Viking music” which is basically just English a capella singing drowned in reverb and pitch correction, do u have any sources?

[@reset8140]

Look up “Mandolin Secrets” and “mj10008”, they have a fair amount of at least traditional Swedish music on their channels with mandolins.

[@Stratocaster65]

Would you be so kind as to tell me which Blue Chip pick you are using?

[@lonelypotato520]

Would I want special strings if I tried to tune a string from each section an octave lower?

[@vinyarddonc]

Different instrument - called an Octave Mandolin

[@brentbreault7606]

I'm familiar with violin family, and their instruments have soundposts. Do mandolins have a soundpost like violin, or not like guitar?

[@MandoLessons]

No soundpost on a mandolin, it is braced somewhat like a guitar

[@MandoLessons]

Thanks for watching!

[@yonderthemountaintop1993]

I'm just assuming with what u played in the video for the calico tuning that the 4th fret is the new 2nd fret, yay nay?

[@MandoLessons]

Correct.

[@yonderthemountaintop1993]

MandoLessons thanks man

[@Abc-qs8ir]

Is there a way to tune the mandolin to ukulele or baritone ukulele tuning, GCEA, or DGBE?

[@MandoLessons]

Not really, you would need a totally different set of strings.

[@kjstrabala]

I'm interested in doing this too (uke tuning, that is). What kind of strings would I need?

[@tobias8826]

GCEA with a low G worked ok for me. However, I might have moved the bridge from its original position.

[@MARTINIG9]

What do you have for a mandolin? sounds great!

[@powbobs]

That’s a really expensive Ellis mandolin.

[@xXGuitarGuyPFCXx]

Is there anyway to tune a mandolin in:?EADG I am a guitarist and it would make playing this instrument so much easier if I could tune it in this fashion.. thanks in advance!!

[@SamAveyRobinson]

well i would suggest you buy a left handed mandolin since it is GDAE in reverse: EADG . So is this the answer you were expecting?

[@xXGuitarGuyPFCXx]

Sam Robinson completely not the answer I expected but it's a GENIUS IDEA thank you!!!!

[@jamesrigelman7154]

I am also a guitar player and had little to no trouble learning mandolin in standard tuning. A little confusing at first, but just got used to it.

[@buscambell1234]

xXGuitarGuyPFCXx just to add a bit of humor- turn your mandolin upside down, and play it right handed. To me most instruments seem to be designed to be played that way. Down the neck is high, the lower strings are higher, and to read tab, look over your shoulder

[@billkahler]

Samthesizer Official KZbin Channel That doesn’t work because then you have high strings where you are supposed to have low strings and vice versa. Better would be to get correct string gauges for DGBE or CFAD to play shapes like the high 4 strings on a guitar.

[@Officeninja428]

Do you have music for that first little lick you play in GDAd tuning?

[@MandoLessons]

+Officeninja428 Sorry, I do not. Thanks for watching!

[@jjjj323]

Don't forget this Julianne Johnson video you did a long time ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaOthoOJpd1lkKc That is one of my favorites for alternate tuning with the occasional drone E. (tuned EG CC GG CC )

[@matsaspero8057]

have ever tried a partial capo? Then you don't have to retune that much!

[@forbiddensun9524]

Why is your mandolin so big?

[@forbiddensun9524]

The one I have has really small frets

[@bacicinvatteneaca]

God damnit I thought this was about reentrant tunings (and so did KZbin)

[@nilehorsenilehorse5367]

Open d is like a pint of cold pee being poured down my elbow.

[@liamiliffe7153]

Not quite sure what you mean by that one..😂

[@NickleJ]

I don't see any reason to not tune up to A. Maybe don't leave it like but I don't know why you're so concerned.

[@aimeespetmonkeyman]

Catching a popped string to the face is painful and sometimes results in a non pirate costume type eye patch.

[@5050TM]

​@@aimeespetmonkeymanoh God

[@caitlanedwards9910]

E.

[@deepsolar169]

I actually looked this up for prog rock... Am I weird yet?? Lol

[@RussJAlan]

A day with the Lord is like a thousand years. I'm not the Lord. Get on with it

[@annrhoads6808]

Show us and stop jabbering