Alternate Tunings for Violin and Viola - Cross Tuning Violin and Viola - Fiddle Tuning
For country fiddle music / old time fiddle music, the violin is often tuned differently then the standard violin tuning of G-D-A- E and the viola is often tuned differently then the standard C-G-D-A.
Common cross tunings allow you to more easily use the fiddle as a chording / background / solo instrument. However many common cross tunings make it easy to play in only one or two keys. Common cross tunings are good for beginning fiddlers / kids because they can start playing some simple music that sounds pretty good right away. Alternate tunings / cross tunings are also great for advanced players who want to incorporate the beautiful or gritty overtones the open strings can add - though it takes some practice incorporating and controlling this in your playing . The open tunings can work wonderfully for solo / one man band performances because of the chording options.
WARNING: Before I tell you more about alternate tunings, a word of caution - anytime you raise the pitch of a string on a violin or viola, there is a chance you might damage your instrument. It is often good to try alternate tunings on a second inexpensive instrument. Having another instrument (or a couple other instruments) is a good idea - you can have another instrument that is alternately tuned and ready to go. - buy an inexpensive fiddle ($40 to $100) at this link: Buy an Inexpensive Fiddle
I'm creating a blog about How to Fiddle that teaches you how to fiddle using alternate tunings: FiddleWithDave.blogspot.com
Violin alternate tunings - Violin cross tunings
(G-D-G-D tuning) The first alternate tuning I'll mention is G-D-G-D cross tuning - you just lower the two high notes on the standard violin tuning. This is basically an G chord (only root and fifth). The G-D-G-D tuning makes playing in the key of G very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of D.
However, since the low G on many violins is fairly week in tone, often the the two lower strings on the violin are tuned up instead - giving us the A-E-A-E tuning.
(A-E-A-E tuning) The most common alternate tuning / cross tuning on the violin is A-E-A-E - this is basically an A chord (only root and fifth). The A-E-A-E tuning makes playing in the key of A very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of E.
Variations on cross tunning to different keys - on some violins that have a good bottom end, you can use cross tunning (root-fith-root-fith) in other lower keys like E (E-B-E-B) or D(D-A-D-A) - I have a couple of violins where this works good!
(A-D-A-D tuning) This tuning is basically a D chord and is good for playing in the key of D.
(D-D-A-D tuning) (Dead mans tuning) In this tuning, the lowest sting is tuned down an octave below the second D string. On most violins, the low D is very week . If you have a violin with a good bottom end and/or a violin little larger than the standard size violin or a small viola with violin strings, this may work better for you. This is the tunning William H. Stepp used to play Bonaparte's Retreat for the Alan Lomax Library of Congress recording in 1937. The tune formed the basis for the "Hoe-Down" section of "Rodeo" by Aaron Copland.
Nordic violin tuning "troll tuning" (A-E-A-C♯) (this tunning is used play the tune "Fanitullen") The Hardanger Fiddle is often tunned to troll tunning a full step up (B-F#-B-D#) - More Nordic tunings: (I have never used these other tunings) - (A-D-A-E) (F-D-A-E)
Viola alternate tunings - Viola cross tunings
(C-G-C-G tuning) The first alternate tuning I'll mention is C-G-C-G cross tuning - you just lower the two high notes on the standard viola tuning. This is basically an C chord (only root and fifth). The C-G-C-G tuning makes playing in the key of C very easy for many songs. It is also a pretty good tuning for playing in the key of G.
(D-A-D-A tuning) Good for playing in the key of D or A - cross tuning one full step up from C.
(D-G-D-G tuning) This tuning is basically a G chord - good for playing in the key of G.
(D-D-A-D tuning) (Dead mans tuning) (warning, you may damage your viola) If you put violin strings on a viola, you can do this and the low D is nice and full. I have done this with a standard viola - a slightly smaller viola may work better for this. If you raise the highest string any higher than D on a standard viola, you will break something (either the tail gut or the viola) .
(A-D-A-D tuning octave below violin) This cross tuning works pretty good on a full size viola. Using this tuning, you are an octave below the A-D-A-D violin, so you can double the violin part with the same fingering.
(G-D-G-D tuning octave below violin) This cross tuning works pretty good on a full size viola. Using this tuning, you are an octave below the violin, so you can double the violin part with the same fingering. However, the low G string tends to be a bit floppy.
(G-D-A-E tuning octave below violin) The standard violin tuning an octave below the violin. This works pretty good on a full size viola with some heavy gauge string. However, the low G string tends to be a bit floppy. You can double the standard violin part on a viola with the same fingering. Make your viola a chin cello - the low notes put your viola in the cello range -kind of fun.
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