[apollocastonople]

Ive had my acoustic tuned in open G for awhile now, and i find it very easy to improvise songs. Anybody have suggestions or personal favourites in open G?

[evileye]

I much prefer DADGAD, and today I've been playing a lot in DADFAD. Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar is in open G as are some of their other songs.

[dramaking]

some joni mitchell songs are in open g. try circle game! It's an awesome song!

[thubbard00]

I think Rain Song by Led Zep is in open G. That's amazing.

[dadfad]

Terreplane Blues by Robert Johnson, Staggerlee by Mississippi John Hurt, Red Rooster Blues by Willie Dixon (Howlin' Wold version), You Got To Move by Mississippi Fred McDowell (also covered by the Stones)....there are lots of good ones, many done with a slide.

CODE

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE-------------------------------#
# This file is the author's own work and represents an interpretation of the #
# tune. It is intended for private study, scholarship, or research purposes  #
# only. It is not intended for commercial use or distribution.               #
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------#

YOU GOT TO MOVE by Mississippi Fred McDowell, as taught circa 1969, Como, MS
Tabbed by Dadfad (John M)  duolian@msn.com  (Dadfad@dadfad.com)  9/19/02
Using: Microsoft Notepad, Courier New Regular 10 Font (printing information)

This tune is shown in Open-G tuning (DGDGBD). It can also be done using an
Open-A (EAEAC#E). In my opinion Open-G is preferable because there is less
tension on your guitar neck and less chance of string breakage. The tab is
identical for either tuning. This tune should be done finger-style, using
The thumb and one or more fingers. The 5-string bass-note can be droned with
the treble slide work when or if you feel it's appropriate. This is a very
basic slide tune, done in a very improvisational style. Fred never played it
exactly the same way twice.


D)__________>10__>12__________________>12___>12_____________________________
B)______>12_____________________________________>12_________________________
G)__>12______________________________________________>12____________________
D)_____________________0___>3___0__________________________0___>3____0______
G)_____________________0___>3___0__________________________0___>3____0______
D)__________________________________________________________________________
  You  got ta move...                 You got ta move....


D)__>12__12__12__12__>10__10__10__10__>12__________________________________
B)________________________________________>11__>12_________________________
G)__________________________________________________>12____________________
D)________________________________________________________0__>3___0________
G)________________________________________________________0__>3___0________
D)_________________________________________________________________________
  You got ta move...chile don't ya know... you got ta move


D)_________________________________________________________________________
B)_________________>12__________________>12________________________________
G)_______>10__>12____________________________>12<__________________________
D)__>12____________________0__>3__0________________>12_____________________
G)_________________________0__>3__0________________________________________
D)_________________________________________________________________________
 Cause when the Lord...             ...gets ready...

D____________________________________>5__5_____________________>5____5_____
B)_________________________________________________________________________
G)__>10__>12__>10__>12_____________________________________________________
D)_______________________0___>3___0_____________0__>3__0___________________
G)_______________________0___>3___0______0______0__>3__0_____________0_____
D)_________________________________________________________________________
  You got ta move...                            (Leading Into Next Verse)>


That's a progression for one verse. The same progression, with a few improv
changes if desired, can be used for all verses and a guitar break, should
you want one. Here's another progression which can be used for another verse
to add a little change to the texture of the tune. This progression will rely
a bit more on chording and less on slide than the previous one.  

D)______________0________________0__0____________________________________
B)______0___1____________________________________________________________
G)__0__________________________________>3___0____________________________
D)______0______________0__>3__0________>3_______0__>3__0_________________
G)__0___________0______0__>3__0_____________0___0__>3__0_________________
D)_______________________________________________________________________
  You may be high...        ...you may be low....  

D)__0__0___0___0______0__0__0__0____0__0____0___0________________________
B)__0__0___0___0______1__1__1__1____1__1____1___0________________________
G)__0__0___0___0______0__0__0__0____3__3____0___0________________________
D)__0__0___0___0______2__2__2__2____2__2____2___0______0__>0___0_________
G)__0__0___0___0______0__0__0__0____0__0____0___0______0__>0___0_________
D)_______________________________________________________________________
  You may be rich, honey-chile, ...you may be poor

D)_______________________________________________________________________
B)________________0______________0___1___1_______________________________
G)_________0______0______________0___0___0_______________________________
D)__0h2___________0___0__>3__0___0___2___2_______________________________
G)________________0___0__>3__0___0___3___0_______________________________
D)_______________________________________________________________________
 But when the Lord....     ...gets ready...

D_______________________________________>5____5____5____________________
B)______________________________________________________________________
G)_________________0____________________________________________________
D)_________________0______0__>3__0______________________________________
G)____3b___0_______0______0__>3__0_______0____0___0_____________________
D)____________0b________________________________________________________
   You  got  to  move.

The above uses more chording for the I, IV and V position changes. These chord
structures are generalities. They can be changed or substituted to preference,
or mixed with parts from the very first upper slide progression. Let me stress
how improvisational this style is. Use this tab as a starting point, then do
it your way. The way you feel it. The Rolling Stones did, as have lots of other
people, myself included. Good luck. Any questions please feel to e-mail me.
-Dadfad


               YOU GOT TO MOVE (by Mississippi Fred McDowell)
 
               You got ta move.
               You got ta move.
               You got ta move, chile, don't ya know
               You got ta move
               Cause when our Lord gets ready
               You gotta move

               You may be high
               You may be low
               You may be rich, honey chile,
               You may be poor
               But when the Lord gets ready
               You got ta move

               You see that gal
               She walks the street,
               You see that police man
               A walkin' on his beat,
               When the Lord gets ready
               They got ta move

               (Moan one verse)

               You got ta move.
               You got ta move.
               You got ta move, chile, don't ya know
               You got ta move
               Yeah, when the Lord gets ready
               You got ta move
             

[halfmoonbay]

I got into Open-G via the Rolling Stones, 'Brown Sugar' is fairly straightforward and 'Honky Tonk Women' is a good one as well.