Open C tuning
famous model and actor
Open C tuning is an open tuning for guitar. The open-string notes form a C major chord, which is the triad (C,E,G) having the root note C, the major third (C,E), and the perfect fifth (C,G). When the guitar is strummed without fretting any strings, a C-major chord is sounded. By barring all of the strings for one fret (from one to eleven), one finger suffices to fret the other eleven major-chords.
Examples
There are several open C tunings.
Repetitive C-E-G-C-E-G
The English guitar uses a repetitive open-C tuning
C-E-G-C-E-G,
which is approximately a major-thirds tuning, specifically
C-E-G♯-C-E-G♯=C-E-A♭-C-E-A♭.
"C5" variant C-G-C-G-G-E
This open C tuning was used by Soundgarden for songs including Pretty Noose, Burden in My Hand, and Head Down. Chord sequences often omit the high E string, leaving the power chord ubiquitous to Grunge music.
C-G-C-G-C-E
C-G-C-G-C-E.
This open C tuning was used by William Ackerman for his "Townshend Shuffle", by John Fahey for his tribute to Mississippi John Hurt, and by Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page for "Friends". It is also used by Devin Townsend for the vast majority of his work (The Devin Townsend Project, Strapping Young Lad, Casualties of Cool).
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