Don Ross: 3 Guitar Tunings To Spark Creativity - Guitar Lesson

We're joined by Don Ross to talk about some new tunings that you can use to inspire some creativity. Don Ross is an award-winning finger style guitar player who specializes in playing in open and altered tunings. Try one of these tunings out and see if it adds some new life to your guitar playing.
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[@MusoraMedia]

Ready to level up your playing? Get personal coaching tips and structured lessons: enjoy your free 7-day trial to Guitareo! ► guitareo.com/trial

[@dennyryan2233]

Hey I have the same strap as Don. Unfortunately that’s about as close as I am likely to be compared to Don’s amazing talent.

[@reynaldocabarrubias6324]

Pretty cool

[@leedaejinsu844]

So it is finally happening, i'm leaving the flock of standard tuning and joining the rebellion *looks at the horizon heroically*

[@alileonardo6155]

i know it's pretty randomly asking but does anyone know of a good website to watch newly released series online ?

[@rockyjunior3273]

@Ali Leonardo I use Flixzone. Just google for it =)

[@laynelane9080]

@Ali Leonardo I would suggest flixzone. You can find it on google =)

[@Thindoublechin]

I took classical guitar lessons growing up and my guitar teacher was a huge fan of Don Ross. I never really took the time to look onto his music. Needless to say after watching this video I have been adding a lot of his music to my playlist.

[@haydendunstan]

gonna have to buy 2 new guitars now.

[@stevenhenry8374]

Deep into various Nick Drake tunings at moment but this has got me inspired to try these too. Been playing alt tunings for 35 yrs...seldom play standard now except teaching my kids to play guitar. Love this guys easy manner and what an accomplished player. At 65 and been playing 45 yrs I know I will never reach a level anywhere even close to this guy on his worst day but alt tunings allow me to create and improvise and produce music i never did in standard with chord sounds that just sound more Thanks for the inspiration and I'll be checking out your other stuff now I've stumbled across you.

[@fly1327]

After starting acoustic guitar using altered tunings fingerstyle (who knows why I started this way?), I put my acoustic guitar away several years ago, frustrated after slugging thru "standard" tuning like all "normal" guitarists. Sure, there are a billion tabs out there, but for me guitar in standard is MUCH harder to play and get a good sound and not fun anymore. Thank you for this! She's back out of the case hanging on the wall behind me, coming down constantly to noodle on some blues in open D.

[@liamchapman3807]

That first tuning is a tuning John Martyn used in a lot of his songs

[@DonRossMusic]

Yes! It's funny, I only realized about a year after recording this video that John used this tuning on "Solid Air," for example. I've been a fan since I was 10. Evidently the sound of that tuning stuck with me because I ended up eventually finding it on my guitar without realizing I had heard John use it many years before! :)

[@cpcnw]

I think the first one was used by John Martyn in Solid Air

[@Uncle.everything]

I started from Berkeley spring ... Thanks Don you are amazing. Man deserves more recognition.

[@AndreAntunesofficial]

Put yourself in front of a window in a sunny afternoon rocking that second D tuning. It's really something. Thanks for the info!

[@bennewton7146]

Couldn't agree more. I thought your thumbnail looked familiar - really enjoy your stuff man!

[@denzelnolet]

Sounds amazing. My dream would be to play half as well as this man. Don't think I'll even ever achieve that.

[@honestgoat]

One of the Candy Rat legends. Love ya work Don. Michaelx3, Tochigi and Godzilla are still 3 of my favourite songs to listen to.

[@louisaccardi6808]

That first tuning that was mentioned is out there and sounds beautiful.

[@otizz2899]

Open F is my all time favourite. I've written at least 8 songs in that tuning. It's just something with this tuning that really inspires me.

[@형광펜-m7v]

very helpfull, thanks. Mr Ross!!!

[@spatfruhling5904]

Thank you for this video. Very beautiful and interesting tunings. I will have work in the next weeks :-)

[@GobiPup]

This is some beautiful playing. Thanks for the nice vibes. 🙂

[@fritzbiederstadt4869]

I really like and appreciate Don Ross's playing and true mastery of the guitar. I've been working on Berkley Springs for a while now. I even keep my Taylor GC3 tuned to F-A-C-F-C-F. Thanks Don Ross for sharing your master because to is inspiring.

[@carlmarc3877]

Brooke Miller is his wife. Damn

[@markknopflerisnot]

First one sounds like a John Martyn tuning

[@Guyhart]

It is

[@rickwashbrook4926]

Really nice finger style playing and song !! Great timing and technique I enjoy the poly-tonal sound. I also enjoy hearing you live your the best Don Ross!!

[@stanmcdonaldjr7660]

Awesome Video ! Great info on open tunings. Don Ross Rules !!!!

[@mikeharrison6175]

Sorry Don, don’t think you invented the first one, John Martyn used it on Solid Air I think?

[@DonRossMusic]

Yes! See reply above. I was very much mistaken! :-)

[@rocky7232]

Nice tuning options, it’s also nice to watch Don play.I really enjoyed that last tune you played.

[@yusufbicer9825]

Check Ben Howard out.

[@davestagner]

Really cool ideas and good explanations for the why of them.

[@rosev.7007]

I can still be amazed. I'm not stone cold after all. thank you, Don.

[@matthewstephens8630]

All I can see is those glasses my dude. Thanks for the new material!!

[@simonsayscain]

Jack Black?

[@MircoRavenoldi]

Thanx... I dicovered a great guitarist

[@collidingworldsmusic3957]

Nice...I love alternate tunings...Jimmy Page uses them a lot...I have a few original songs on my channel in alt tunings...Open G and Double Drop D are 2 of my favorites...check em out and let me know what you think. Be well all.

[@andiwernerful]

Don Ross is such a great guitarist! I was really inspired by one of his tunings and wrote my own fingerstyle song "Tidal Waves", you can check it out on my YT Channel, I appreciate! :-)

[@jackquentin1950]

Found Don through Brooke Miller. They're both fantastic musicians. Brooke's songs are freaking amazing

[@paulhendershott667]

Don, you are AMAZING! I only hope I have enough years left in me to learn the theory and alternate tunings and expanded possibilities, and make some beautiful music like you have done here!

[@rentedshortbus]

I think some of these tunings are sick and this guy is mad talented, but I honestly don't know wtf he's talking about when tuning up and breaking strings. Buddy if your worried about breaking your 4th string by tuning it up more than a half step then you're doing something wrong. I use tunings like DAEAC#E and I've never had an issue with my 3rd or 4th strings, on all types of bridges on several brands of guitar. Sick playing though man.

[@DonRossMusic]

Depends on string gauge and how fresh they are. I use mediums (56-13), and they can safely be tuned above pitch on the 4th and 5th strings a few times, then...not. If you're using light gauges, then yes, extremes of tuning are less of an issue. Electric strings are also usually a lighter gauge and are able to be tuned above pitch regularly (hence a lot of slide blues being played in Open E: EBEG#BE). I tune my 2nd string up to D for a couple things, and my 4th string up to E. With my long-scale setup and medium strings, I wouldn't dare tune my third string to an A!! :-) What setup/string gauge do you use?

[@robertnewell5057]

The DADEAE tuning was used by Martin Carthy from the late 60s on for much of his traiditional English folk repertoire.

[@rationalityrules111]

He is the master.

[@1blackfrend]

simple questions deserve simple answers dude. :24 'what;s the first one you have for us tom?'.......3 hours later.

[@yes7502]

Halfway in and already inspired 😄

[@MusoraMedia]

That's great!

[@totallyempty]

I have been a fan of Rockbarra for so many years..there is something very existential in it

[@kevinorlando8936]

Why does he look like Wilson Fisk but with hair and a beard?

[@carlostorres1171]

Genetics mostly

[@thanhhua7684]

Looks like jack black, Kyle gass and Rick my Gervais smashed into one

[@wowowiiwaa1337]

How many strings has this man broken to know exactly which strings can take more tension than the others!

[@thanhhua7684]

Looks like jack black, Kyle gass and Rick my Gervais smashed into one

[@garyshmanek4708]

That's great Don. Thanks.

[@MrJab-hv1wt]

Love it! So beautiful pieces from Mr Ross!!!

[@lullemajnn]

Awesome, thanks!

[@Rael0505]

Love this!

[@house9850]

Don just gave us 5 years of work to do.

[@bigskycharlie]

Thank you

[@csltnv]

Brilliant!!

[@espedale]

Brilliant! Thank you!

[@badkatrising3918]

That was awesome

[@donenzoworld-canada9460]

cool. thanks for the guitar alternative tunings.. cheers

[@angusseletto1511]

Is this all churchy? Am I missing something?

[@w.rustylane5650]

Why don't you cut off the excess strings? Does it make you sound better?

[@DonRossMusic]

Because it doesn't matter. :-)

[@andypuns151]

😭😭😭😭my string ripped

[@JohnnyBoy14532]

rip