Sawmill tuning or, mountain minor tuning as it's sometimes known, gives songs a haunting, ethereal vibe that simply sounds great. You will find lots of familiar songs that use this tunings, and it's just plain fun to noodle around in.
I've also created an easy to understand video to help you master sawmill tuning. Check it out!
Start out in standard tuning. If you need a refresher, it's:
All you need to do is tune the second string up a half step to C. So now, you have:
When you replace the B with a C in this tuning, you're turning that open G chord into a Gsus4 chord. That takes away the major or minor quality of the chord and gives it a sense of restlessness. Your ear doesn't quote know which way the tune is going. And, because it's usually the root chord of a song, it's going to give it that haunted sound.
A few songs to check out if you really want to learn this tuning:
Sawmill can be a strange and wonderful tuning. It's particularly associated with some of the older old-time songs and so can use progressions that are somewhat unfamiliar to our modern ears. I find the best way to get comfortable here is to plunk around, try some tabs, learn by ear and start building your ear for this tuning.
Finally, if you don't know your bum from a bum-ditty, I'm here to help. I spent way too long struggling with the banjo, and getting frustrated. So, I created a totally free, 90-minute video course that will teach you to play your first song. Give it a try, and play your first song in just a week!