Open G taropatch tuning makes the guitar a lot of fun to play, with it’s accessible bass notes, sweet interval shapes, and strong dominant (V7) chord. And using a capo makes playing in higher keys a snap until we run out of room around the 5th fret. At that point an alternative way of changing keys becomes appealing.

This is the first of three videos that explore ways to play in the keys of C and D while tuned to open G. Here we’ll cheat and retune one string, which gives us a tuning called “drop C” or “Leonard’s C” or “C Wahine.” With that one string change and a modified version of the standard tuning C chord, we have a rich full array of chords in the key of C.

Open G tuning is spelled D G D G B D from low to high.

Drop C tuning is spelled C G D G B D from low to high.

Be sure to visit the Hombrewed Music blog http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2012/06/16/playing-the-keys-of-c-and-d-in-open-g-tuning/ for more details on this technique.

This video was shot using two Sanyo Xacti HD2000 cameras and a Panasonic Lumix GH2. Editing in Edius Neo.