John Sherman "Alternate guitar tunings for Celtic and other fingerstyle playing"

Thursday , August 24, 2000
12:00 am
Location: Elderly Instruments
workshop ($25)

Outline: 1) Introduction (John and workshop participants introduce themselves and state their particular interests.) 2) Alternate tuning-- what's in it for me' John will show how ergonomically efficient these tunings are for rendering melodies. He may actually use a 5-string banjo and bluegrass tunes for this, as well as guitar. Pierre Bensusan, Leo Kottke and others have mentioned the role of the banjo in evolving their own approach to alternate tunings. John will play examples of work by these artists, and Bill Mize's "Road Scholar". 3) Melodic DADGAD-- points of departure. Sometimes DADGAD gets disparaged as a tuning that limits players to a "drone zone". Here John shows how to get around this and how DADGAD can be used quite effectively to play ragtime, blues etc. 4) Some of John’s own arrangements in DADGAD. 5) Participants questions 6) To close: the Ultimate Alternate Tuning (CGDEAD) proposed in Acoustic Guitar magazine's tune writing contest challenge last year, and performance of John’s winning entry, "Weirdo's Waltz". Tape recorders are welcome, and people bringing guitars should be intermediate or advanced level players, though what John will cover should be of interest to beginner level listeners as well. John will provide copies of some arrangements for participants to take home.

Check out recordings we carry featuring John Sherman