Alternate Tunings for the Creative Guitarist

Open G

Add a new tuning to your wheelhouse today!

20 Minutes
3 Sections

Created in partnership with

In the third installment of our series, Alternate Tunings for the Creative Guitarist, we explore Open G — a tuning that has been used and loved by classic rock guitarists like Keith Richards and Jimmy Page. This free micro-course features Los Angeles rock guitarist Dre DiMura demonstrating how to use this fun tuning in iconic songs like "Brown Sugar."


Dre DiMura

Guitarist, Composer, Actor

Dre DiMura is an actor and composer from New Jersey. He has performed with artists such as Gloria Gaynor, Dee Snider and Joe Lynn Turner, and has toured internationally with Aussie rock band Evol Walks. He is the creative force behind psych-rock power trio, Lunar Electric, and lead guitarist in LA rock 'n' soul outfit, Sugar Fly. As an actor he has appeared on Nickelodeon, ABC and HBO where he worked with acclaimed director, David Fincher.

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alternate tunings
open g
songwriting
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inspiration and creativity
dre dimura

Course Outline

  1. Section 1

    Open G Introduction

  2. Section 2

    Open G Exploration

  3. Section 3

    Open G Activity

MORE INFORMATION

Who is this course for?

This course is for those of you who share our desire to explore the guitar's huge range of tuning capabilities. Unlike the piano, which must be tuned by an expert who comes with their very own supply of fancy tools and carefully-cultivated expertise, the guitar can be tuned through a relatively safe and simple process. If you're feeling stuck in a rut with your guitar playing, open tunings are the perfect way to inspire some new thinking and new creativity!

What are the requirements?

There are no course requirements, but you'll need a guitar to follow along on, a tuner (you can always use an online tool like this one from Fender), and you should be comfortable playing basic chords already in standard tuning. You don't need to take any of the courses in order, but if you're enjoying learning Open E, you might want to check out our courses on Open D, Open E, and DADGAD.

How long does it take?

The material in this course takes about 20 minutes, but as with any learning, the more time you can commit to practicing the concepts you learn, the stronger a player you'll be.

What will I get out of it?

By the end of this course, you will learn about Open G tuning, discover a few common chord shapes that you can use with it, practice some simple techniques, and take on a final challenge to play a piece of music using Open G. 

If you run into any issues or have any questions, just shoot an email over to [email protected] and we'll make sure you're taken care of.