Not a lot to add that hasn't already been covered by Marian. Just wanted to say that the terms "open" tuning and "modal" tuning can be used to imply different types of tunings, but the terms are quite often used as if they meant the same thing.
I think the term "open tuning" came from the idea of tuning the guitar to "open chords". An open chord is any chord (played in standard tuning) where you fret notes only at the first few frets and where you also use some open strings. An example of an open chord (standard tuning) is E major: 022100. If you tune the strings to produce the notes of this open E chord you end up in "Open E tuning". An open tuning, by this definition, means that you get a straight-forward chord (usually major or minor) when you strum the 6 open strings. The term "modal" tuning tends to be used when the 6 open strings don't give you a "simple chord", but there is a certain harmonic flavour or "mode" suggested. The chord and the key of the tuning are more ambiguous here, which gives interesting musical options. Joni has played in both types - tunings such as CGCEGC (C75435), EBEG#BE (E75435, "open E"), DGDGBD (D57543, "open G") are common "open tunings", and others like Hejira - CGDFGC (C77325) or Magdalene laundries - BF#BEAE (B75557) could be called "modal" with their more ambiguous and complex sound. Howard On Mon, 7 Jan 2002 14:38:45 EST [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > I know what chords mean only in terms of the piano > (i.e., if someone asks me to play a Dm7 on the piano, > I can do it pretty much without thinking), but what does > an "open" tuning on a guitar mean? It seems to mean > more than just "non-standard" -- if so, is there more than > one "closed" way of tuning? > > Also, what does a "modal" tuning mean?
