James McCartney plays a pretty good acoustic version in standard tuning.

Does this thread really exist?

If you want it to sound like the record then it's in open E as many have affirmed. You can get the shimmering feeling played this way. Agree that Keith plays it in standard live hence it has a very different feel. I once took the time to learn it note for note in E and it was worth the effort, it sounded perfect.

What a great thread - I have nothing to add, but love you guys threshing through this question

-swiss

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dannyhowells
Does this thread really exist?

No. You're imagining it.

Haha .. thank you.
Too much sunshine I think.

open E (keith) on studio version. absolutely .

not hard to play either once you learn the fingering

live in '72 he plays it in open G capoed at 4th; all that is missing here is the top root note

sounds great either way

jjf same thing.

although the open E mighta been really open D capoed on 2nd. (same thing as open E just easier on strings)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-23 05:02 by pinkfloydthebarber.

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pinkfloydthebarber
open E (keith) on studio version. absolutely .

not hard to play either once you learn the fingering

live in '72 he plays it in open G capoed at 4th; all that is missing here is the top root note

although the open E mighta been really open D capoed on 2nd. (same thing as open E just easier on strings)

GS was standard tuning in 1972, not open G. Richards hasn't played GS live in any open tuning.

Open D with capo on second is possible, but unlikely on the Maton Richards used as the C-sharp will be difficult to play that high on the neck.

Mathijs

Photos from what is likely to be an early session for Gimme Shelter - 15th March 1969 show him playing without a capo.



By Ethan Russell



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-23 13:01 by His Majesty.

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Mathijs

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pinkfloydthebarber
open E (keith) on studio version. absolutely .

not hard to play either once you learn the fingering

live in '72 he plays it in open G capoed at 4th; all that is missing here is the top root note

although the open E mighta been really open D capoed on 2nd. (same thing as open E just easier on strings)

GS was standard tuning in 1972, not open G. Richards hasn't played GS live in any open tuning.

Open D with capo on second is possible, but unlikely on the Maton Richards used as the C-sharp will be difficult to play that high on the neck.

Mathijs

Yeah, but the damn thing might not have fallen to bits if he'd tuned down instead of up !

The neck falling off tale is probably just Keith exaggerating for effect. Well, it is seen being used up to April/May.

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His Majesty
The neck falling off tale is probably just Keith exaggerating for effect. Well, it is seen being used up to April/May.

You don't want to be spoiling good mythology with boring old facts..

...that would be against the best traditions of these wonderful pages ]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-23 15:27 by Spud.

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Mathijs

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skipstone
Obviously YOU are gay ASSuming every goddamn thing Keith does is in some open fuc*king tuning. All you have to do is watch how Keith Richards plays it - in STANDARD. Don't be such a self righteous ponce.

And maybe you should acknowledge some people have more knowledge than you. The main rythm part of Gimme Shelter is in open E. At every turnaround at the 12th bar you hear the droning of the low E, which basically defines the song.

And to be really a "ponce": the tuning on Gimme Shelter is dropped, not open.

Mathijs

It's not in any drop tuning. What's wrong with you?

My band plays it in B using standard tuning. I know this isn't right, but it's sounds pretty darn good and our female vocalist nails the solo a step down.

One of the reasons I love the bass, no fancy tunings required, especially when I'm using my 5 st J bass.

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Mathijs

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pinkfloydthebarber
open E (keith) on studio version. absolutely .

not hard to play either once you learn the fingering

live in '72 he plays it in open G capoed at 4th; all that is missing here is the top root note

although the open E mighta been really open D capoed on 2nd. (same thing as open E just easier on strings)

GS was standard tuning in 1972, not open G. Richards hasn't played GS live in any open tuning.

Open D with capo on second is possible, but unlikely on the Maton Richards used as the C-sharp will be difficult to play that high on the neck.

Mathijs

ah yes, i stand corrected; standard tuning it is, live in '72. you are correct sir. although playing it in open E sounds better to my ear..

curious as to why he wouldn't play it in open E live; some parts of it easier to do in standard i guess.. little lead bits maybe



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013-07-24 23:13 by pinkfloydthebarber.

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pinkfloydthebarber
curious as to why he wouldn't play it in open E live; some parts of it easier to do in standard i guess.. little lead bits maybe

quite so.

Playing it in open E wouldn't lend itself so well to any improvising or mixing the licks up a bit.

The problem for any guitar playing Stones fan, noodling about at home, ...is that your guitar is always in the wrong tuning for the next little lick you fancy playing ;^)