I am learning a tune in F-tuning (fDGCD) and need to play Dm and Gm, but I am not sure how to make these chords in this tuning. Does anybody know how to do it?
-Any reason it has to be that tuning? Altered tunings are great, and among the things that really make clawhammer fun and interesting. That said, not every tuning works out for a given song. I tend to think of it the opposite way from how you appear to be working it... I think, ok, I have this song, what tuning might work with it, whereas you are starting with the tuning and trying to force a song to fit it. Hopefully it works, I just thought I'd point out that it might not.
-Any reason you have to play the full chord? Are you frailing, bump dittying the full chord? A very common approach to such issues in clawhammer is to just stick to notes from the chord rather than the full blown chord.
-Here's what I'd suggest for each:
Dm - 00223
Gm - 00325 this one the 5th string is going to sound a bit jazzy, you might want to try to lay off of it a bit. You could also just play 00320 if that 5th fret is a stretch for you.
Hi Mark! Are you Mark Johnson behind the album 1863? I listen to it frequently on Spotify, one of my favourites!
Well I have a song which is played in F, but I first tried to play it in D but it felt wrong. I tried tuning to F and the melody just came all by itself, I am doing a lot of hammerons around the melody which sounds pretty sweet with the whole chord so I think it's the best tuning. As for the minors I am not sure if they are neccesary yet, but I like to play all the chords when I am looking for the melody and then strip the chords away. I tried a little with the chords you provided, the Dm sounds good, but it seems the Gm is out of place so I will probably not need to use the whole chord.
Thanks a lot for the chords, they were very helpful!
No, I'm some other Mark Johnson. 1863 is by Mark "Clawgrass" Johnson (and his frequent collaborator Emory Lester). He's a great guy and a heck of a player, I'm honored to share a name with him and do my best not to bring any shame to our common name. Many years ago he joked that I could be Mark "Bluehammer" Johnson. It never stuck, which I think is for the better, but that's about the closest I've come in my life to having a nickname.
Yeah, G minor is going to be tough out of that tuning no matter what. That "f" from the fifth string is a minor 7, giving you a minor 7 chord. That'd be fine in the right context, but probably sounds out of place here.
You could also go up the neck a bit... maybe xx757 for the D minor and x8778 for the G minor? Just something to try as you continue to arrange the tune.
What a coincidence! Not only are there two great banjo players named Mark Johnson in the world, but they also know each other! That's amazing! Would you like a nickname? I am sure we can think of something for you!
I will mess around with the tune, probably for the next 6 months before it starts to sound like anything. Thanks a ton for helping out with the chords!
I don't think the tuning you are using is for playing in F is very efficient it is a G modal tuning with the 5th at f, it seems that if you either tune every string down a whole tone it will be easier, or if you tune to double C and capo to 5 5th string 10th fret (c), it will be easier...if you tune to open D and capo to the 3rd fret 5th string 7th fret (a), it will be easier...I also have questions about whether you need to play full chords. It's kind of hard if we don't know the tune you are working on.
anyway for the tuning you are using, just take any open G chord you are using and subtract one fret from the 2nd string and you will have whatever chord you want
I don't think the tuning you are using is for playing in F is very efficient ...
Actually, that tuning configuration works quite nicely for a variety of tunes. I use it for Cumberland Gap, Big Sciota, Red Dress, Lost Girl... others. Yeah, it's Sawmill with the 5th down to F, but if you play out of the F position there are all sorts of opportunities. Granted, I'm usually tuned a step high and it all becomes G.
Actually, that tuning configuration works quite nicely for a variety of tunes. I use it for Cumberland Gap, Big Sciota, Red Dress, Lost Girl... others. Yeah, it's Sawmill with the 5th down to F, but if you play out of the F position there are all sorts of opportunities. Granted, I'm usually tuned a step high and it all becomes G.
Sounds great Jim, of course there will be plenty of tunes you can play in F out of G modal tuning, it will all depend on the tune. That tune you are playing works really great and sounds cool too.
I guess it's not really G-Modal if you've dropped the high G to an F and you're playing out of F... I've heard that tuning referred to as Cumberland Gap Tuning as well as Sandy River Belle tuning (though I never did).
The first tune I ever learned in the tuning was Red Dress and I remember it just being called (as the OP said) F Tuning.
I'm pretty partial to the tuning for a lot of the G tunes I play (capo 2)... it's a nice change from standard G tuning.
Well, for once I'm glad I opened my big fat mouth...I have been playing around with this f tuning for the past couple of hours and it's pretty fun...lots of easy licks to play. Sometimes it's really nice to be wrong.
I use that tuning for F or Dm. or like Jim, up a step as an alternative for G, or Em. For some tunes/songs it has a good flow; as well makes for simple quick key change re-tuning.
I find it fairly chord friendly, although I don't usually just strum full chords... but still kind of use the chord shapes to guide what I'm playing.
The basic chord shape for Dm are generally just 0220; or might throw in the higher f note as 0223.
For Gm would just be 0020; might throw in the higher G note for either as 0025; if needed might throw the Bb note on the third string (3rd fret) - but that might include putting a G note on fourth string (5th fret) skip the second string - a 53x0 or 53x5.
I am learning a tune in F-tuning (fDGCD) and need to play Dm and Gm, but I am not sure how to make these chords in this tuning. Does anybody know how to do it?
You'll find many of the chords here though F-tuning is usaully fCFCD. For the strings xDGCD, you'll have to use the ones in gDGCD.
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