Bill Dutcher – Modern Acoustic Guitarist

People often ask about how to get started with playing with altered tunings.  If you Google “alternate tunings” you’ll find a multitude of resources to get started.

Probably the easiest tuning to start with is Drop D.  You simply drop the pitch of your low E-string one whole tone, down to D.  Now when you strum a D chord you can strum all six strings and the result is a nice full timbre that really sounds full.  The thing you have to pay attention to is that any chord shapes in this tuning that use the low E string have to be transposed up two frets.  Once you grab this concept it’s pretty easy.

Some tips on composing in altered tunings: Read more »

I always am asked what kind of pickup I use in my guitars and how I get the sound I do…..Well….

Acoustic amplification and pickup technology has also gone through some incredible breakthroughs.  I encourage people to get out there and play as many different systems as possible.  Tone is in the ear of the beholder!  I personally have not found one pickup that does it all.  I like to use a combination of a magnetic pickup with a soundboard transducer.

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