Tracy Spring
Saturday, May 11 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
NOTE: This Workshop requires a separately purchased ticket in addition to General Admission. Get Tickets
“Speed Dating” Alternate Tunings for Guitar
If you've been wanting to dip your toes in the vast ocean of alternate tunings, this course is for you! Alternate tunings are a great way to spice up your chord progressions and inspire innovation in your original compositions. Beautiful, colorful arrangements are easily mastered, often with just one or two or three-fingered movable chord shapes.
In our 90 minutes together, we will explore 5 alternate tunings for guitar: Drop D, DADGAD, Low C, and two commonly used in playing slide guitar, Open D and Open G. Each tuning will receive 10-15 minutes each, with perhaps a bit more time spent on the slide tunings to learn a basic slide lick or two. Bring your own slide. I have loaners to share as well.
We'll be using classroom copies of my new book, Arrangements in 5 Alternate Tunings for Guitar, which includes useful information on playing in each tuning, and simple arrangements of 30 public domain songs. The book is available for purchase at luthier Rob Goldberg's table.
About Tracy
For decades, Tracy Spring has taught guitar and songwriting in alternate tunings in private lessons and camps such as the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop. In addition to teaching, she's known for compelling performances with rich, emotive vocals, and versatile guitar playing. Her wide musical range is demonstrated by the women she's been compared to: Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman, kd lang, and Yo Yo Ma's cello. Choral arrangements from her Songs of Hope and Humanity project have been performed by community choirs in the Northwest and beyond, and Peter, Paul and Mary recorded her co-written song, “Of This World” on their final album, In These Times.
tracyspring.com
