Neil's Alternate Tunings
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http://HyperRust.org/Music/?Tuning
On the rusted-guitars list there's been a lot of discussion about Neil's songs using alternate tunings. I volunteered to collect all of the submissions, to make them available to the Rustie musicians. As with the Chord and Tab Archive, I'm sure more will be discovered as people delve further into Neil's vast catalogue. And as with the tab archive, it's been through the same verification process on rusted-guitars. Please send corrections or additions to rusted-guitars or to me.
Regards, Malc (malc@malbro.demon.co.uk)

Index of Tunings listed below:
--> DGCFAD . . . aka, "Dropped Standard"
Like standard tuning (EADGBE), but with each string tuned down a tone/step.

--> DGCFAA

Like "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD above) but with 1st string tuned to the 2nd.

--> DADGBE . . . aka, "Dropped D"

Standard tuning (EADGBE) except 6th string is tuned down a tone/step.

--> DADGBD. . . aka, "Double Dropped D" or "Neil Young D Modal"

Standard tuning (EADGBE) except 1st & 6th strings are tuned down a tone/step.
Note: Neil has referred to DADGBD as "D Modal" in interviews, though that term is non-standard for this tuning. However many people have subsequently picked up the term, and know this tuning by that name.

--> CGCFAD

Combination of "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD) and "Dropped D" (DADGBE).
All strings are tuned down a tone, then the 6th is tuned down another tone.

--> CGCFAC

Combination of "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD) and "Double Dropped D" (DADGBD).
All strings are tuned down a tone, the 1st and 6th are tuned down another tone.

--> BbFBbEbGBb

Like "Double Dropped-D" (DADGBD), but with all strings tuned down 2 full tones/steps.

In the charts below, if there is a tuning entered in the "Original Tuning" column, the listed alternate is from performances where Neil has played differently than on the original recording. Neil often plays songs live in an alternate tuning when performing electric songs on an acoustic, (e.g. Rockin' In The Free World, Cowgirl In The Sand). Also in some more recent performances, Neil has adjusted the tuning to suit his current vocal range. There may be other reasons on some songs.


DGCFAD. . . aka, "Dropped Standard"
Like standard tuning, but with each string tuned down a tone/step.
Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
Ambulance Blues On The Beach
California Sunset Old Ways
Cowgirl In The Sand (acoustic) 4 Way Street (CSNY) EADGBE
Crime In The City Freedom
Dance Dance Dance At the Bottom Line, 1974 (unreleased)
Deep Forbidden Lake Decade
Don't Be Denied (acoustic) Solo Trans (video) EADGBE
Expecting To Fly Buffalo Springfield Again / Decade
Feel Your Love American Dream (CSNY)
The Great Divide Silver & Gold
Greensleeves At the Bottom Line, 1974 (unreleased)
Hold Back The Tears American Stars'n'Bars
Interstate Big Time single
L.A. (acoustic) (unsure of performance details) EADGBE
Last Trip To Tulsa 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
Little Wing Hawks And Doves
Long May You Run At the Bottom Line, 1974 EADGBE
Long Walk Home     [See note below!] Life
Look Out For My Love 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
Love Is A Rose Decade
Motion Pictures On The Beach
My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) Rust Never Sleeps
Name Of Love American Dream (CSNY)
Nothing Is Perfect Archives Be Damned (i.e., unreleased)
Old Man Bridge 1998 and 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
Old Ways Old Ways
On The Beach (acoustic) 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
On The Way Home (acoustic) 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
Powderfinger (acoustic) Bridge 1998 and 1999 Solo Tour EADGBE
Pushed It Over The End At the Bottom Line, 1974 (unreleased)
Red Sun Silver & Gold
Revolution Blues At the Bottom Line, 1974 EADGBE
Rockin' In The Free World (acoustic) Freedom
Roll Another Number (For The Road) At the Bottom Line, 1974 EADGBE
Round & Round (It Won't Be Long) Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Someday Freedom
Southern Man 1997 HORDE Tour EADGBE
Sugar Mountain Decade
Tell Me Why After The Goldrush
Train Of Love Sleeps With Angels
Western Hero Sleeps With Angels
  • Note about Long Walk Home: Neil himself does not play this song this way. However the tab in this archive is a guitar arrangement of a piano song, in which it is suggested people use Dropped Standard (DGCFAD) tuning in order to play along to the record. The song is included here for reference purposes only.

  •  


    DGCFAA
    Like "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD above) but with 1st string tuned to the 2nd.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Hangin' On A Limb Freedom

     


    DADGBE . . . aka, "Dropped D"
    Standard tuning except 6th string is tuned down a tone/step.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Albuquerque Tonight's The Night
    Already One Comes A Time
    Crime In The City 1989 Freedom Tour DGCFAD
    Daddy Went Walkin' Silver & Gold
    Give Me Strength Archives Be Damned (i.e., unreleased)
    Harvest Moon Harvest Moon
    Homegrown American Stars'n'Bars
    New Mama Tonight's The Night
    The Old Homestead Hawks And Doves
    Prime Of Life Sleeps With Angels
    Silver And Gold Silver & Gold
    Star Of Bethlehem American Stars'n'Bars
    Tonight's The Night (parts I & II) Tonight's The Night
    The Ways Of Love Freedom
    World On A String Unplugged
    You And Me Harvest Moon

     


    DADGBD . . . aka, "Double Dropped D" or "Neil Young D Modal"
    Standard tuning except 1st & 6th strings are tuned down a tone/step.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Berlin Berlin (video)
    Captain Kennedy   (capo on 3rd fret) Hawks & Doves
    Cinnamon Girl Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
    Cortez The Killer Zuma
    Dreamin' Man Harvest Moon
    4-Way Street Medly 4-Way Street (CSN/Y)
    Fuckin' Up Ragged Glory
    Goin' Back Comes A Time
    Grandpa's Interview Solo Europe 2003
    Inca Queen Life
    Live To Ride Archives Be Damned (i.e., unreleased)
    The Loner Neil Young
    Mr. Soul Unplugged / Year of the Horse
    Natural Beauty Harvest Moon
    No More Freedom
    Ohio Journey Through The Past / 4-Way Street
    One Of These Days Harvest Moon
    The Old Laughing Lady Neil Young
    Ride My Llama   (capo on 2nd fret) Rust Never Sleeps
    War Of Man Harvest Moon
    When You Dance I Can Really Love After The Goldrush

     


    CGCFAD
    A combination of "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD above) and "Dropped D" (DADGBE). All strings are tuned down a tone/step, and then the 6th is tuned down another tone.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Pardon My Heart Zuma
    Pocahontas Unplugged

     


    CGCFAC
    A combination of "Dropped Standard" (DGCFAD above) and "Double Dropped D" (DADGBD). All strings are tuned down a tone/step, and then the 1st and 6th are tuned down another tone.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Don't Let It Bring You Down After the Goldrush / 4-Way Street

     


    BbFBbEbGBb
    Like "Double Dropped-D" (DADGBD), but with all strings tuned down 2 full tones/steps.
    Song... Album or Performance... Original Tuning
    Bandit Dublin 2003 ???
    Don't Let It Bring You Down Seattle 1991 CGCFAC