Big dark reverb... "Wednesday play Cello - Paint it Black" on archtop

[mrwoland]

Hello All,
Since my guitar is tuned like a Cello on the bottom 4 strings (CGDAeg), I thought it would be interesting to play the cello arrangement of "Paint it Black", featured on Tim Burton's Wednesday episodes.Honestly, I would have preferred for this serie a great OST Theme made by Danny Elfman, instead of a bunch of already well known songs, played by a computer... but that's just my opinion
Anyway, it was a good opportunity to test a combination between mic and pickup, and a big Eventide reverb.
Hope you'll like it!
Regards,
Fabio

[RJVB]

Not bad! I do think it's not the most appropriate piece to play with a pick, but at least we don't get to wonder whether you actually know how to play

[Cunamara]

Fun!

I am curious as to why you tune the guitar that way, and how the top two strings are tuned.

[mrwoland]

Fun!

I am curious as to why you tune the guitar that way, and how the top two strings are tuned.

Hi!
I using that tuning almost exclusively since 1998, when I begin studying with english guitarist Robert Fripp.
This is the tuning used in his Guitar Craft courses around the world.

The complete tuning is CGDAEG (low to high)
I usually strung my acoustic 060, 045, 030, 021, 014, 012 in order to compensate the tension.

[RJVB]

So it isn't even a weird tuning (except for the 1st string which isn't a proper 5th)

Not like " E-A-B-E-G#-C#" (used in a Justin Johnson video I just watch) ...

[Cunamara]

Hi!
I using that tuning almost exclusively since 1998, when I begin studying with english guitarist Robert Fripp.
This is the tuning used in his Guitar Craft courses around the world.

The complete tuning is CGDAEG (low to high)
I usually strung my acoustic 060, 045, 030, 021, 014, 012 in order to compensate the tension.

Huh. So 5ths instead of 4ths going across the neck, with a minor 3rd from the 2nd to the 1st strings. The top string is the same pitch as the standard open 3rd string? Or the same as the standard 1st string fretted at the 3rd fret?

[mrwoland]

Huh. So 5ths instead of 4ths going across the neck, with a minor 3rd from the 2nd to the 1st strings. The top string is the same pitch as the standard open 3rd string? Or the same as the standard 1st string fretted at the 3rd fret?

Hi!
Exactly.
My 1st string is it same as the standard 1st string fretted at the 3rd fret

[Christian Miller]

Why a G on top I wonder?

[mrwoland]

Why a G on top I wonder?

Because an high B would snap, I suppose?
But for whatever reason, it really sound great to me and it very useful for more close voiced chords

[jazzkritter]

Nicely played, mrwoland, pick or not.
jk

[Rob MacKillop]

So, you have cello tuning on the bottom 4 strings, octave-lower violin/mandolin tuning on 5 to 2, and a useful G on top. I could see uses for that, though it makes runs in pairs of 3rds a lot more difficult, apart from on the top 2 strings. What’s it like for jazz?

[mrwoland]

So, you have cello tuning on the bottom 4 strings, octave-lower violin/mandolin tuning on 5 to 2, and a useful G on top. I could see uses for that, though it makes runs in pairs of 3rds a lot more difficult, apart from on the top 2 strings. What’s it like for jazz?

Hello Rob,
You are correct, some runs are more difficult, most licks simply don't work anymore, but that was one of the reason of this tuning.
The good news is that on the other hand new things became possible, even if I wouldn't recommend this tuning for traditional blues, for example.

I think it can be used for jazz, but I'm definitely not a jazz player, so I can't really tell.
I did a video some time ago though:

[Rob MacKillop]

Good playing!

[RJVB]

So, you have cello tuning on the bottom 4 strings, octave-lower violin/mandolin tuning on 5 to 2, and a useful G on top.

Isn't this "just" like a violoncello piccolo with an extra high G string? (I really don't see why anyone would want to play repertoire for that instrument on guitar )

Fabio, how long have you been using this tuning - already on the video with the recuerdos for instance?

[mrwoland]

Isn't this "just" like a violoncello piccolo with an extra high G string? (I really don't see why anyone would want to play repertoire for that instrument on guitar )

Fabio, how long have you been using this tuning - already on the video with the recuerdos for instance?

Hmmm... yes, why not? Or we could say it's like a Liuto Cantabile with a top High G, maybe.

I'm playing in this tuning since I was 19 years old... when I begin studying in Guitar Craft.
Yes, also the Recuerdos de la Ahambra was played in this tuning (that's why I had to play in Dm instead of Am).

[RJVB]

Yes, also the Recuerdos de la Ahambra was played in this tuning (that's why I had to play in Dm instead of Am).

Does that make a lot of difference, maybe somehow make separating the melody from the tremolo more "automatic"?

[mrwoland]

Does that make a lot of difference, maybe somehow make separating the melody from the tremolo more "automatic"?

I wish!!!
But no difference at all... the cross-picking mechanic remains the same.