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I use open tunings exclusively. Almost every piece has its own tuning
and a rather lengthy list has evolved over the years. It makes for
some difficulty logistically when I perform because I need someone
to assist in tuning and am forced to travel with a veritable arsenal
of guitars. The tunings are all over the place and some work successfully
on one guitar and not on another due to string tension, setup and
gauge of string. I use D'Addario light gauge phosphor bronze strings.
The point of the open tunings for me is to eliminate intellect from
the process of writing. In having a new tuning in front of me, I
have no choice but to explore this new landscape in a very improvisational
way. The process becomes one of discovery rather than composition
and relies more on the emotions than intellect. This is not a value
judgment by any means; as a self-taught player who is completely
non-academic, I feel some embarrassment at being so ignorant. On
the other hand, from time to I achieve my goal of writing music
that is honest and communicates emotion effectively and I'm really
quite content with that objective and role.
There are rare situations where the pitch of a song may be different
than what is on a CD. This is because I recorded the piece more
than once at different pitches or because I am currently playing
a different guitar than the one used for the original recording
and prefer a different pitch for that instrument. In these cases,
moving the capo around a half-step or two should net the right tuning
and pitch. Where a capo is used (in almost all cases), the note
values are for the open notes with the capo on. There are also cases
where a piece is not in perfect pitch, especially on the early recordings,
a product of a soloist who was more concerned with the cost of broken
strings than about perfect pitch.
There are many pieces for which I have lost the tuning. I am digging
around in Windham Hill archives trying to fill in the blanks and
will add anything I find to this web-site at a later date.
Will Ackerman
Windham County, Vermont
Note:
For guitarists interested in open tunings, I've come across a great
little book by Patrick Breen which does a lot to introduce players
to a range of open tunings used by Michael Hedges, Alex deGrassi,
Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, David Crosby and myself among others.
The book is available for $16.95 (incl. shipping within US) from
Patrick Breen, 12232
NW Barnes Rd. #80, Portland, OR 97229.
WILL ACKERMAN TUNINGS by album
IN SEARCH OF THE TURTLES NAVEL
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| Pink
Chiffon Tricycle Queen |
2 |
FBbFACD |
| Ely |
0 |
EBEG#BE |
| Windham
Mary |
2 |
G#BDF#BF |
| Processional |
5 |
G#C#G#BD#E |
The
Second Great Tortion Bar Overland of West Townshend, Vermont,
Jose Pepsi Attending |
5 |
G#C#G#BD#G# |
| What
the Buzzard Told Suzanne |
0 |
C#F#C#G#BF# |
| Barbara's
Song |
0 |
DADADF |
| Gazos |
0 |
DADF#AC# |
| Slow
Motion Roast Beef Restaurant Seduction |
2 |
G#G#D#F#C#D# |
IT TAKES A YEAR
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| Bricklayer's
Beautiful Daughter |
5 |
GCFBbD#G# |
| Balancing |
0 |
GBDGAD |
| Impending
Death of the Virgin Spirit |
2 |
D#BD#BbBF# |
| It
Takes a Year |
5 |
BbBbFBbCF |
| The
Townshend Shuffle |
0 |
DADADF# |
| Tribute
to the Philosophy of James Estell Bradley |
0 |
DADF#AD |
| The
Search for the Turtle's Navel |
0 |
F#BDABD |
| Rain
Sequence (From the Townshend Shuffle) |
0 |
C#G#C#G#C#F |
| The
Rediscovery of Big Bug Creek, Arizona |
2 |
F#C#F#BbC#F# |
CHILDHOOD & MEMORY
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| The
Wall and the Wind |
2 |
FCEACF# |
| Anne's
Song |
5 |
BD#F#G#D#F# |
| Childhood
and Memory |
5 |
C#FG#G#D#F# |
| Seattle |
5 |
F#C#F#F#C#F# |
| Murray's
Song |
2 |
FBbDFAD |
| Bodie |
5 |
GEADEA |
PAST LIGHT
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| Visiting |
2 |
BF#D#F#C#F#
|
CONFERRING WITH THE MOON
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| Conferring
with the Moon |
5 |
BbD#F#BbF#G# |
| Climbing
In Geometry |
5 |
BbD#F#BbF#G# |
| Improv
and Big Thing in the Sky |
5 |
ADFAFG |
| The
Last Day at the Beach |
5 |
GDFAEG |
| Singing
Crocodile |
2 |
G#G#EFBD# |
| Shape
of the Land |
5 |
G#D#FBbFG |
IMAGINARY ROAD
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| The
Moment |
P* |
DADGAD |
| Wondering
Again |
P* |
DADGAD
|
| Brother
A Teaches 7 |
P* |
DADGAD
|
| If
you Look |
5 |
GCD#BbD#F |
| Darrow's
Barn |
5 |
G#CD#BbD#F |
| A
Region of Clouds |
0 |
FG#CG#BbD#
|
| Innocent
Moon |
2 |
EEAEBE |
| Dawn
Treader |
2 |
D#G#D#GCD# |
| Floyd's
Ghost |
5 |
G#C#D#F#FF
|
THE OPENING OF DOORS
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| The
Opening of Doors |
P* |
FBbD#CD#F
|
| Last
Dance |
0 |
C#F#BbFC#D#
|
| Santos
and the Well-Traveled Bear |
5 |
F#D#F#BC#F#
|
SOUND
OF WIND DRIVEN RAIN
| Song
Title |
capo |
tuning |
| Shella's
Pictures |
5 |
F#C#D#BbBD#
|
| A
Child's Song |
P* |
GGCFEG |
| Driving |
5 |
G#D#G#BbD#D# |
| Lion's
in the Sky |
5 |
FCG#BbC
F |
| Unconditional |
P* |
DBDF#
DG |
| Sound
of Wind Driven Rain |
2 |
C#G#FF#C#D# |
| Wings
On The Water |
2 |
B
F#C#F#C#D# |
| I
Know This River |
5 |
GDGADF#
|
| Hawk's
Circle |
5 |
BD#F#G#D#F#
|
| Mr.
Jackson's Hat |
5 |
F#BEBBD#
|
HEARING
VOICES
| song |
capo |
tuning |
| Before
We Left This All Behind |
2 |
C#
G# D# F# C# F |
| For
The Asking |
2 |
E
G E G# C# D# |
| Somewhere
in all the Green |
2 |
F#
A E F# B C# |
| Illumina |
2 |
E
G E G# C# D# |
| Beneath
the Tree |
P* |
E
B C E G E |
| His
Old Eyes |
2 |
F
C E G B E |
| Happy
Ending |
2 |
C#
G# C# F C D# |
RETURNING
(2004)
| song |
capo |
tuning |
| Bricklayer's
Beautiful Daughter |
5 |
G,C,F,Bb,D#,G# |
| Anne's
Song |
5 |
B,D#,F#,G#,D#,F# |
| Impending
Death of the Virgin Spirit |
2 |
D,Bb,D,A,Bb,F |
| Pictures |
5 |
G,D,E,B,C,E |
| Hawk
Circle |
5 |
B,D#,F#,G#,D#,F# |
| Barbara's
Song |
|
D,B,F#,B,F#,B
|
| Unconditional |
P* |
D,B,D,F#,D,G |
| Visiting |
2 |
B,F#,D#,F#,C#,F# |
| Processional |
5 |
G#,C#,G#,B,D#,E |
| In
a Region of Clouds |
|
F,G#,C,G#,A#,D# |
| Last
Day at the Beach |
5 |
G,D,F,A,E,G |
* These pieces are played on a Martin Parlor Guitar (a half size
guitar) using the following string guages low to high: 26W; 18W;
17; 09; 15; 09 - The "W" indicates a wound string as opposed
to a strand string.
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