Level: 1
Tuning: Open G

A fascinating instrumental that was written by Henry Worrall in 1860. This was at the height of "parlour guitar music" - a pseudo-classical American hybrid that was very popular amongst middle class women. In fact, we refer to the guitars built during this period by Martin Guitars and other makers as parlour guitars. "Worrall's Original Spanish Fandango" called for the guitar strings to be tuned to an open-G chord (D, G, D, G, B, D, from low to high), with the explanation that the music was to be read as if the guitar were in standard tuning. Somehow this instrumental permeated both White and Black blues and country music. It was one of the first tunes that traditional guitarists learnt in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was recorded by both White and Black musicians and it's echoes can be heard in the blues of Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, Elizabeth Cotten, Mance Lipscomb, Mississippi John Hurt, John Dilleshaw - The String Marvel's and many others.

"Spanish Fandango" takes advantage of the open strings in this tuning as well as the ease to make chords by just barring across all six strings. This is a great introduction to the Open G tuning.