Tutorial 3: Power Rock Tuning
For students with motor limitations, adaptive tunings can make the guitar more accessible. If a student is only able to play using their dominant hand (or one hand), usually open tuning is the way to go. Once open tuning is mastered or explored, I find many instructors wonder- “What’s next?” The Power Rock Tuning sets the student up to move from playing just one open chord, to playing 3-4 primary chords, including D5, G5, A5, and A7 (no 3rd). Want to move to a different key? No problem! Just add a capo!
Additional Resources
Here is a quick reference chart for you to use when changing to the Power Rock Tuning.
About this Series
Chances are, if you are a music therapist or even a music educator, you are using the guitar as an accompaniment instrument for a lot of your work. But, if guitar wasn’t your primary instrument, it’s common to get stuck playing the same old chords without a lot of variety. We put together this “Creative Guitaring” series as a way to break you out of those boring patterns and give you some additional tools to kickstart your creativity across the fretboard! Enjoy!
Wade is a board-certified music therapist and one of the directors at Spectrum Creative Arts. He completed additional training programs in Orff-Schulwerk, Neurologic Music Therapy, and Performance Wellness. As a songwriter and creative writer, Wade has authored several music resource books for music therapy and music education.