When a guitar is re-tuned so you can play chords with open strings with minimal chord fingering is known as Open Tunings. One of the most common open tunings is open G (also known as slack key - Spanish, Hawaiian).
Others include Open D, Open E, Open C and more. Some advantages of using open slack key tunings is the difference in sound you get from standard tuning. It also frees up the slide player to play bar chords by barring one fret instead of the normal bar chord form.
For example to play a A major in a open G Tuning just bar the 2nd fret with your first finger, covering all six strings. Below are a few examples of chord forms in open G slack tuning.
Here's how you tune your guitar to Open G (Slack Key)
- 6th string is tuned down to (D)
- 5th string is tuned down to (G)
- 4th string is normal (D)
- 3rd string is normal (G)
- 2nd string is normal (B)
- 1st string is tuned down to (D)
Examples of basic chords in Open G Tuning
C major
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D7
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A Major
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