Queens of Alternate Tunings

One of the first things I learned on guitar was the fun of exploring alternate tunings. I've come to realize, though, that I'm not alone. Artists like Ani Difranco, Joni Mitchell, Janis Ian, and Shawn Colvin all put their guitar strings to work in various tunings.

Ani Difranco has her guitar tech hand her a new guitar for each song that's in a different tuning. Joni Mitchell is said to have used over 100 alternate tunings throughout her career (you can't very well have 100 guitars handed to you in the course of a show). Other folks have just mastered the art of tuning at the speed of light. Check out more info on alternative tunings here.