Open-D Minor Tuning

Open D Minor Tuning is not a real popular open tuning. Most people are familiar with Drop-D. Then if you use a slide you most likely know about a tuning from one your favorite slide players (Open D, Open G or Open E). Open D Minor has a haunting tone and is what was used by Skip James to record classics as “Devil Got My Woman” and “Hard Time Killing Floor”. But it’s also been used in more recent music. For example, the following songs use Open D Minor:

• “Spoonman” by Soundgarden
• “Wake Up” by Rage Against The Machine
• “Whatsername” by Green Day

I tuned the Mavis Mule resonator to Open D Minor for a practice session. Here are a couple of recordings from that. No editing. Just what I grabbed to hear how I sounded. So, pretty much a mess. But it is a fun tuning to try out.