Talk About Cajun Tuning

These tunes are pretty much all played in Cajun tuning (DGCF smallest to largest) which is one whole step down from standard tuning (EADG). Each string is called out by its standard tuning name.
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Discover the sounds of Cajun fiddling with Mitch Reed Music Lessons. Learn to play in the unique DGCF tuning (one step down from standard tuning) with Mitch's expert guidance. Access free resources on our website, and if you enjoy the content, support us by leaving a tip on Venmo @MitchReedMusicLessons.
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Have fun, stay inspired and keep on fiddling!

[@artisanoutdoors7183]

Sometimes you watch a video where someone says or does something a certain way and it unlocks something inside your brain that before that moment was out of reach. I had a few of these moments during this video regarding years of frustration. Crazy thing is, I was playing with my son and had the phone on the table playing this video and so I was only hearing it kind of in the background, but i had little light bulbs going off. Thanks for whatever you did lol

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

That’s great🎻glad I could help

[@FallenSavior12]

i still use your videos when i need help, thanks for being such a good teacher!

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Oh, man! Thanks so much Peyton! ❤❤

[@mariotom1]

funny, i was nerding out on fender coronado demos right before i looked this up. great lesson too!

[@andrewzenon8537]

I really like the E A D D. It sounds really spooky. Pretty cool Mr.Mitch

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

+Andrew Zenon You got good taste, man.

[@brendenmclane9741]

I love the tune in DDAE (last one in vid), that's a tuning I do often for Bonaparte's Retreat when I don't want to tune the E down (and thus skip the C part). What is the name of that tune? I'd love to play something else in that tuning. Thanks for the great videos!

[@peakfiddler]

Great channel Mitch, will definitely be stopping by a lot. Love those Cajun sounds.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

That's great! Your channel is fantastic, by the way...

[@dmitryefimkin6550]

Very interesting video. thanks

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Glad you enjoyed it🎻

[@erikm8372]

I love tuning down! even half a note, F#-C#-G#-D# or a whole step, it sounds so soothing. Not to mention feels like a breeze on the fingers.

[@zachb8012]

I love the idea of fiddlers being open to different tunings! Personally I didn't know the step down was Cajun tuning. Being a dumb old time banjo picker I'm no stranger to futzing with tunings. Old time banjo can get a little silly. Songs like Darlin' Cora, Reuben have tunings with their namesake. My goal with the fiddle is to accompany the old time banjo, so I arrived at playing this tuning with open drones to match the natural voice of the banjo, and my own for that matter. I mean just listen to this, it sounds amazing by itself. Accompanied by the banjo, exchanging leads for backings, it's one of those styles that's greater than the sum of its parts.

[@wsearp]

Lots of Native American influence in that cross tuning.... Love it......

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Thanks, Bill!

[@jrundrundhovde6911]

The last one sounded great

[@FindingAlabama]

Great stuff!!!!

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@sarahmitchell374]

Hi Mitch. Thanks for this great video - really interesting and informative. I never knew about Cajun tuning, so you've given me an insight into something I might use in my own playing.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Awesome...Thanks for the great feedback!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Mitch Reed Music Lessons It's whole step down tuning for Violin & it'll work on Mandolin too. Standard tuning would require something like a D Accordion, or a Piano Accordion. There's a group that does Cajun music up a Step.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons There are a few that have a Diatonic Accordion in D so they stay in Standard Tuning which is for the Fiddlers.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons Up a step from Cajun pitch

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons That's because the Diatonic Accordion was pitched in the Key of C, but nowadays there are Diatonic Accordions in every key.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons I have a 5 String Bass Guitar & it's tuned down a Half Step so that the high notes are easier on my voice.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@UCptCtVGCK6g1kKr2iYfR9bg So this is Whole Step Down tuning for Fiddle & Mandolin (F, C, G, D) & the most interesting reason people would tune down a step (which you forgot to tell us) is because it makes the higher notes easier to sing.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons It has certainly a huge number of advantages. Lots of modern Bands tune down to help w/ singing the high notes too.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

I didn't mention it because it's not traditionally why Cajun Fiddlers tune down one step. It might make it easier for some people to sing true but The best part about Cajun and Creole is checking your training at the door. Don't think too much… Just use your ear and play. The old guys used zero theory. It is all about unwinding and relaxing at the end of the day, connecting with community and family. Thanks for watching 🎻

[@Loungemermaid]

Half convinced this is what my violin wants to be because every time I tune it it won’t go all the way up.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Sounds like you've got a fiddle on your hands!

[@bobsyeruncle4841]

You have given me food for thought what is the best tuning for blues songs which I can sing with thanks man I'm just learning.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Hi Robbie! I find Cajun tuning ( FCGD, a whole step down from standard tuning) puts you in a good position to play songs in the keys of C and G. Both are pretty good keys for male voices. If you listen to recordings by the Carrière brothers, they use a fiddle tuned a further step down from Cajun tuning (EbBbFC). This is a good tuning to play in the keys of Bb and F. Both are good natural keys for male voices as well and make the fiddle sound mellow and bluesy!

[@erikm8372]

btw, have you heard Norwegian Hardanger fiddle at all? I never heard any similarities in Cajun fiddling until this video! Other than the obvious double stops...That tune you played at first - it has a very similar feel to a Norwegian "springar", which is almost like a waltz or a mazurka, but unique of course. It's a dance tune as well. Your foot tapping also matched the springar. Look it up!!

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Thanks for the tip! I'll give that a look.

[@Forestbrian88]

Hi mitch i ended up on this video trying to learn a bit about fiddle tuning, i am a novice who just started to play, and i was trying to figure out how to play le blues a bebe from beausoleil, as i am workin on doing my own little version, but id like to get the basic of the fiddle in the song would i be better to learn to play cross tuning, or stick to my standard tuning? i am playing the song on the guitar with the capo on the 3rd fret, using Am and Em shapes im just trying to find what tuning would be better for me to learn the song on as i am using a capo and i dont want to give myself a hard time if there is something i am missing out i am french btw Acadian from new-brunswick, kicking in 30 in a few months, and i feel that cajun(acadian) music is falling out of our generation, so i wanna try and bring back some of its music to my generation and the upcomings

[@DevinTheDude93]

Do you have to use different or higher gauge strings for this tuning or do regular strings work fine?

[@ChristacheLaPistache]

Hi Mitch, it's me again :) Love those videos. Question: you do not use a shoulder rest then?

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

I do. I prefer KUN collapsible shoulder rests.

[@ChristacheLaPistache]

Merci Mitch. Je vais voir ce que c'est. :)

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

@@ChristacheLaPistache these folks should be able to help you out: www.sharmusic.com

[@DevinTheDude93]

Can't help but think this would sound good with some distortion.

[@bjwmorgan]

Hi Mitch thats great, im gonna try these tunings, i have one newbe question though :) , on that last tuning, when you drop the g string to an octive below the d string, what note does that translate to or is it just a low octive d

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Great question! It's a low octave D.

[@bjwmorgan]

Thanks Mitch :)

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Anytime, Barry!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Mitch Reed Music Lessons Why not use a Piano Accordion in Cajun Music.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Tradition. ;)

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons Actually you can if the music changes keys that fast.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 absolutely. You can do so many things with instruments.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons Yeah, the name is Oscar Stern. A 5 String Double Bass tuned in Fifths (C, G, D, A, E) via Obligato Fifths Tuning Strings plus a High E Solo inspired me to play Violin, Viola, & Cello pieces on Bass. Tuning a Double Bass in Fifths will have much better intonation with the rest of the String section. Fifths tuning for Double Bass is becoming more popular, & it's very versitile.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 Awesome. The best part about Cajun and Creole is checking your training at the door. Don't think too much… Just use your ear and play. The old guys used zero theory. It is all about unwinding and relaxing at the end of the day, connecting with community and family. Thanks for watching 🎻

[@TheStarlitfuse]

Hi new to cajun, i play cello, the tuning is CGDA, does this fit well? Also is it always in the same key because of the need for open string drones?

[@BazmAfarin]

Thanks. Persians also tune this way a lot because it gives a pedal action

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

That's cool. I would love to hear an example!

[@BazmAfarin]

@@MitchReedMusicLessons Here is one example kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2LddWyBatV-eq8

[@OfficialHankIII]

Is your fiddles 3/4 or 4/4?

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

I use a full sized fiddle so 4/4

[@smaeldelaunay7182]

Les frères Balfa

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Thanks for watching 🎻

[@treepeople2973]

Standard Tuning For Fiddles Standard Fifths G D A E C G D A Standard Fourths B E A D E A D G Solo Tunings For Fiddles Fifths A E B F# D A E B Fourths C# F# B E F# B E A Cajun Tuning For Fiddles Cajun Fifths F C G D Bb F C G Cajun Fourths A D G C D G C F - Bobby McLoughlin

[@edwincancelii2917]

One tone lower than the standard Italian tuning. Influenced by the French.

[@MitchReedMusicLessons]

Yessir Mr. Edwin! It gives you a better position to play in key with a C accordion. Thanks for watching!

[@edwincancelii2917]

Mitch Reed Music Lessons anytime. Awesome tuning.