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A minor tuning AEac for Irish tenor banjo
By lowering the the c# string of A major tuning AEAc# you get the A minor tuning AEac.
AEac tuning can be obtained from the original GDae one by sharpening the two treble strings for the whole tone (two frets) and in the same time by lowering the highest strings for four frets.
If you go from ADad tuning, tune up the D string two frets up to E and lower the highest d string by two frets to c.
The open highest c string should match the a hold on third fret, but as in case of A major tuning I recommend NOT to tune the c tone which is third degree of the A minor scale. Instead of this try to match the c string pressed on fourth fret (makes tone a) with the harmonic on the 12th fret of A string (also tone a).
You can use also these harmonics (chimes) to check the AEac tuning:
- The chime on 7th fret of A string equals to the chime on 12th fret of E string.
- The chime on the 5th fret of E string equals to the chime on the 7th fret of a string.
- Also the chime on 12th fret of A string equals to open a string.
Note about other tunings
There are also other open tunings available in addition to the four ones which are presented (ADad, GDgd, AEac#, and AEac). I have chosen these ones as they have their root and fifth degree on two deepest strings, so one can play some bass line.
Try for example the C tuning GEgc (basic chords 0000, 2120, and 0342) or E tuning G#Bg#e (with chords 0000, 1210, and 3412) but I do not think they sound better than the former ones. In addition the interval between the strings is sometimes too big for playing the scales and melodies.