Helloooo there, Forum peoples. How are you? =D

Okay, well, as you may know I like to claim I can play the guitar and hit the strings in a random fashion. la de dah and hooray. Mostly I've been playing in Drop D and E Standard, because that's what I learnt on.

So, I thought to myself "Hey! Let's play like Dev does." And tuned myself down to C Major. I can make a tune on it, barring teh frets and doing a few power chord shapes, and some stuff works. But as soon as I move below that second C (Or the D string in regular tuning) I suddenly become lost. I don't how to make teh higher stuff work. ;-; II can't throw in any licks or make any pretty tinkly solos, and I don't want to sit there just grinding out a couple of riffs for an entire song. xD

SO! My question is, does anyone ahve any tips on how to play in the tuning? Soloing, general chord making, all that shazzle? Any help would be appreciated! =D

Thanks, Phase.

Well, I'd recommend the Great Average Guitar video by Dev. It's sort of a "let's get acquainted to open C" video. He outlines some basic scalar patterns and such.

But more importantly, just play around with it. Once you get the feel of it and practice with it, it becomes second nature. Any new/weird tuning has a bit of a learning curve to go along with it, so be patient and I'm sure you'll enjoy it soon!

Also maybe look at some Dev tabs. And remember that barred chords and big stretches make great sounds in this tuning (example: the intro. on "Truth").

Hope this helped! Best of luck!

This thread should help ya.

Yeah, I was expecting a learning curve, but I kind of just go 'Yeah, let's kick it to melody land!" and then just die on the strings. It gets to me. xD

I have wathced the Great Average video, and it certianly helped a tad. =D

The scales are pretty useful, but I'm having trouble working them in to the stuff I'm playing. Maybe I'm not all that grand at recognising what key I'm playing in.

I suggest you just try to figure out a bunch of Devin's songs. It certainly helped me.

Oh good lord, trying to figure out sutff by ear? That may be a struggle - But it's a damn good suggestion. I'll give it a go.

Scales, arpeggios, chord introduction here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=4722&p=104798#p104798

Chords
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UllaffzV ... annel_page

Same Chord shapes in arpeggios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kMlUA6D ... annel_page

Its not much, but gives you some stuff to play with.

The scales are pretty useful, but I'm having trouble working them in to the stuff I'm playing. Maybe I'm not all that grand at recognising what key I'm playing in.

I think the best way is to paddle aimlessly all around scale and make face like you have idea what you're doing. I secretly suspect that's how most of well known musicians work. You just have to find yourself nice, cozy bit of fretboard to paddle on and train to keep your facial expression in state between nonchalance and stone seriousness.

start with the key of C.

On all c strings you have 0-2-4-5-7-9-11-12
On all g strings you have 0-2-4-5-7-9-10-12
E is the same as standard, so mess around with C and G

from there you can just go around your circle of 4ths/5ths

Key of G, just make every F an F#.

so for example: c strings would then be 0-2-4-*6*-7-9-11-12
g strings would then be 0-2-4-5-7-9-*11*-12

Hope this helps.

Cheers Billy!

This stuff has been very helpful. =D Haven't traversed much farther than the key of E yet, but my stuff is starting to sound a little more varied. Huzzah!

Now, you got any hints for solos too? =D I couldn't do this in standard either. xD I'm not sure if I'm missing a piece of information or just lack the knack. I usually try to solo in the same key, or a relative major/minor of that key, and sometimes just go craaazy and do it in the dominant, but it always sounds kinda... Well, like i'm playing the scales, really. xD

I'd recommend recording a chord progression and playing it back. Have a very slow rhythm or make sure the chords in the progression stay long enough that you can play a very slow solo over top and feel the notes and have time to really study their place amongst the voicings in each chord. Slow playing helps a lot, especially with technique. Speaking of which, I should spend more time with getting back up to par.

Bend notes!

Very helpful advice. I'm still sounding somewhat Scaley, but I'm improving. =D

skip notes
skip strings

4 words, great advice.