03 JONI MITCHELL

Interested in open tunings? Check out Joni Mitchell...

Few guitarists have made open tunings such an integral part of their playing style as the Alberta, Canada-born singer-songwriter. Joni is reported to have used over 50 different tunings over the course of her career. Coupled with regular use of a capo, Joni always manages to make her guitar parts sound creative and, well, difficult. Not necessarily difficult to play, but by ditching the well-known chord shapes and stock phrases of standard tuning it's tough to get your ear around those magical sounds. Try out these tunings from some of Joni's biggest songs.

2. B F# B E A E The strings are tuned to a B7sus4 chord here. It’s also the tuning Joni uses to play The Magdalene Laundries.

1. Open E (E B E G# B E) Open E with a capo on the 2nd fret will give you the tuning for Joni’s big hits, Big Yellow Taxi and Both Sides Now.

Another unusual tuning outlining a sus chord, this time Csus2sus4. Dial this one in to play Joni’s Hejira.