| Songhai / Tuareg | Mali / Ali Farka Toure | G-A-D-G-B-E |
| Taara No.1 / Open C | C-A-D-G-B-E | |
| Taara No.2 / Open F | F-A-D-G-C-E | |
| Jarabi / Open F | F-C-D-G-C-E | |
| Cinquente Six / Open G | D-G-D-G-B-E |
In
concerns with the higher tension tunings such as G-A-D-G-B-E one should
only use the lightest guage set of strings available.
In West Africa: The
guitar is wide spread from Mali to Namibia from Tanzania to Madagascar.
Often Malian guitarists may use several open tunings who are influenced
both by playing techniques of stringed instruments such as the Kora or
the N'Goni. In Mali the Songhai, Tuareg and other neighbouring groups
favour the GADGBE tuning. In an interview Ali Farka Toure mentioned he did
not play this tuning after midnight or in doing so this would “awaken
the spirits”. When playing in this tuning Songhai and Tuareg musicians
play a pentatonic scale that lacks a third (according to Banning Eyre
author of Guitar Atlas Africa and In Griot Time). During the increasing
popularity of Cuban music in the 1950s such groups like Bembaya Jazz
National (Guinea), Orchestra Baobob (Senegal) employ the standard
EADGBE. Capo's are widely used not just to match the singers voice. The
capo's are also used also to play the melodies on the fifth fret or
sometimes higher; this is a common practice amongst guitarists in the
continent of Africa.
Central & East African Guitar Tunings:
In Sub-Saharan and East Africa alternate tunings are widely present
amongst the regional guitar styles of many different countries. Some of
the tunings are listed below. The "X" denotes a string removed. The use
of of the " denotes one octave. Docteur Nico born as Nicolas Kasanda wa
Mikalay [b. July 7, 1939 d. September 22, 1985] is a huge influential
guitarist who remains popular to this day in Congolese Rumba. He
influenced many musicians outside of the Congo DRC including Nigeria's
King Sunny Ade. The Mi Compasi is a tuning is an invention attributed
to this musician. Click on the photo to see the enlarged picture.
| Mi Compasi [Dr. Nico] | Congo DRC | E-A-d"-G-B-E" |
| Daniel Kachemba / Kwela | Malawi | F-A-D-G-B-E |
| Daniel Kachemba / Kwela | Malawi | G x D-G-B-E |
| A tuning employed by street musicians -Youtube. | Botswana | F x F A C x |
| Masakanda [Double Firsi / Double First] | South Africa | E-A-D-G-B-D |
| Masakanda tuning achieved w/ capo | South Africa | D-B-E-A-C#-F# |
| Masakanda tuning IsiMondolini | South Africa | E A G D D G |
| Masakanda tuning IsiMondolini acehived w/ capo | South Africa | C-F-eb-Bb-Bb-Eb |
| Hauyani [used with slide] | South Africa | C-E-G-C-E-G |
| Hauyani [used with slide] alternate | South Africa | C-E-G-C-F-G |
| Open A tuning | South Africa | E-C#-A-E-A-E |
| 5 string tuning x denotes missing string | South Africa | E-C-A-F x Bb |
In South Africa:Maskanda
(or maskendi) music originated from the migrant workers since
the 1920s. Maskanda is a genre that evolves with the times. The word
maskanda comes from the word “muskant” in Afrikaans this means
“musician”. Often the guitar is accompanied by the violin, and
sometimes the concertina. When alternate tunings are used the term for
them is "chuning". Maskanda guitarists would often tune their guitars
to E-A-D-G-B-D the name of this tuning is “Double Firsi” or "Double
First". One of the techniques used for playing this type of music is
the thumb plays the lower bass notes "E-A-D" independently from the
index finger which plays the highest pitch notes "G-B-D". The term
"chunning" is applied instead of the word "tuning for maskanda music.
One other
Maskanda tuning involves the highest E string tuned to D which becomes
drop-D although with a twist. A home made capo hand carved from wood is
placed on the 2nd fret in which a notch for the highest E string is
carved so then the drop D then becomes D-B-E-A-C#-F#. The use of
alternate guitar tunings are widely shared amongst the Maskanda
musicians. Using capos to achieve tunings also seems to be a practice
among some African guitarists. Older Maskanda melodies were slower in
tempo then in recent times. The name IsiMondolini for this tuning is a
reference to the tuning sounding like a mandolin. Analogous although
not related to to Mi Compasi the D-string is replaced with top E string.
in Madagascar: In
Madagascar the guitar has a role as a solo instrument or it is played
in accompaniment to the valiha, morovani, kabosi, percussion and
vocals.. The guitar along with the violin and piano were introduced
during colonial Madagascar. Notable musicians from Madagascar who play
the guitar include Germain Rakotomavo, Dama Malaeo, D'gary, Solo Razaf
[Solo Razafindrakoto]. The tunings provided in the CD booklet for the
album "Music of Madagascar" released by Shanachie Records.
| E-A-D-G-B-E | |
| E-A-D-G-B-D | |
| E-G-D-G-B-D | |
| C-G-D-G-B-E | |
| C-G-D-G-B-D | |
| C-G-D-G-C-D | |
| D-F-D-F-F-C | |
| E-G-A#-G-A#-D | |
| E-G-E-G-G-D | |
| Bb-F-C-F-Bb-C | |
| Bb-F-C-G-C-E |
In Indonesia: The guitar was later introduced by the Dutch and the Portuguese. Many alternate tunings exist from region to region. The Indonesian word "stem" means "Tuning". The Smithsonian CD series focusing on a wide variety of genres, styles and traditions of Indonesian music has a disc focusing on Indonesian guitar in which many styles can be heard. These guitar styles came from acoustic to a form of early 1920s Hawaiian influenced style of Indonesian playing called Keronchong.
| Standard | E-A-D-G-B-E |
| Andu Andu Rudang | E-A-D-G-A-E |
| Rabana | E-A-E-G-A-E |
| Stem Be | G-A-D-G-B-E |
| Stem Las Bas | F-C-D-G-B-E |
| Krambagan | F-C-D-G-C-E |
| Stem Pal | F-Bb-D-G-C-E |
| Stem Kambang Kacang | F#-A-C#-F#-B-E |
| Los Quinn Tallu Tallu | C-G-D-G-B-D |
| E-F#-B-E-G#-C# |
In Myanmar (Burma): A little known though recently documented history of the guitar in
Myanmar is a fascinating. The guitar amongst other western instruments,
violin, mandolin, and piano were introduced approximately some 100 to
200 years ago. One of the tunings used is F-G-C-F-G-C. Which is either
tuned as is or quarter tone below and or quarter tone above the desired
pitch. The musicians featured on the record producer' Rick Heizman
"Burma Series" by Shanachie Records. Feature the use of Western
instruments or modified western instruments. Other instruments like the
mandolin, violin, and pianos often are also tuned in alternate tunings.
| E-A-B-E-G-#E | |
| E-A-B-F#-B-D | |
| F-A-D-G-B-E | |
| F-Bb-C-F-A-C | |
| F-Bb-C-G-C-E |