Open D tuning questions?

When I first got my ukulele I tried tuning it to the standard GCEA, but my strings seemed to not cooperate with it. I kept in mind that it was brand-new and the nylon strings needed time to settle but the more I played the more I found myself not liking the sound I was getting. So then I decided to tune it up to open D, and I'm very pleased with what I hear now.

The only problem I have though is that most uke players here post up their tabs in GCEA rather than open D. Chords I can deal with, its just a different chord fingering but in the case of tabs I can't seem to figure out how to transpose it correctly. Any thoughts on how I could tackle this?

Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Just figure out the difference in frets and add or subtract accordingly.

How are you tuned? A D F# A?

Or ( :uhoh: ) learn to read notes instead. Before I get branded as a snob, I'd better tell you that my own reading is slow and rather bad because I hardly ever use it, but theres no disadvantage in knowing how to read sheet music.

I have a uke I keep in open-D. It's a concert Mahalo strung with classical guitar strings tuned DADF#. I might be able to help you out if you have any questions. I don't have any tabs (I might be persuaded to make some), but you can see some examples on my YouTube channel.

Copperhead Road
Walking with a Ghost

You can use this site http://4stringchords.com/ to help find chords. Just change the notes of the open strings at the top to match your uke.

seeso said:

Just figure out the difference in frets and add or subtract accordingly.

How are you tuned? A D F# A?

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Did you mean ADF#B?

Anyhoo. If that is the case, then it's not really so difficult until you have to do it on the fly playing with someone else...

The intervals are the same as GCEA only a step higher. (thus a 'G' chord shape in GCEA is an 'A' in ADF#B. The 'D' is and 'E' etc...) So you can just go ahead and play with the tab as written. It will sound the same only a step higher.

Where you might run into trouble is when you jam with somebody else who is playing GCEA. In that case you'd have to do some quick mental math and step down your chords accordingly. (So that if the chord they're playing is a 'G', you'd need to play an 'F' shape to match it etc.)

Another other option is to learn your chords in D tuning. A 'G' chord is a 'G' chord is a 'G' chord.

Lanark said:

Did you mean ADF#B?

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I did not. The OP says he's in "open D tuning." Not "D tuning." When someone says "open D tuning," I assume that their strings strum a D chord when open.

Inso-F said:

So then I decided to tune it up to open D, and I'm very pleased with what I hear now.

Click to expand...

seeso said:

I did not. The OP says he's in "open D tuning." Not "D tuning." When someone says "open D tuning," I assume that their strings strum a D chord when open.

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It is my wild guess that the topic starter is saying "open D" without knowing what is usually meant by it. The strings were slack, so he/she tuned up. That seems the most plausible explanation. At least for me: going to open tuning because of string tension???

Perhaps the topic starter can google "open tuning" and clarify. Either that, or I am a condescending ninja. Which can be good, but often isn't :nana:

seeso said:

I did not. The OP says he's in "open D tuning." Not "D tuning." When someone says "open D tuning," I assume that their strings strum a D chord when open.

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I was working along the lines of Ukeninja's logic and thought perhaps you'd just made a typo. (that's just the sort of thing I'd end up doing...) It's the beginner's forum, so without any other info I assumed the rookie mistake concerning D tuning and didn't want to potentially confuse the poor guy further.

Yeah, you guys are probably right. I don't think the guy is coming back to this thread, though, so we may never know.

I think you were right seeso... but we'll never know