There are many ways to incorporate a detuned string into an improvisation. You might want to try this if you’re interested in making sounds that you’ve never heard before. Here’s one improvisation template or schema that worked for me this morning. If you play guitar or another string instrument, you can apply this template too. It goes like this:
- Use palm muting to play a punchy rhythmic phrase that’s comfortably anchored to a tonic.
- As you keep playing, make a transition from palm muting to a clear, sustained tone, using nail. Let some of the open strings ring after you strike them, to create a background resonance. Slow down.
- End the gesture by striking a detuned string and letting it ring, stealing focus. You’ll need to have detuned one of your strings to do this part! You should generally avoid the detuned string in the previous steps so that it comes as a surprise here and captures all of the listener’s attention.
- Now use your right hand fingers to gently and slowly mute the open strings at the bridge (possibly skipping the detuned string) to create a gradual fade out. Practice doing this as slowly and gently as you possibly can.
- Keep repeating Steps 1 through 4 until you feel ready to stop.
Here’s how you can make your improvisation different from mine while still using the same template:
- Use a different instrument.
- Use a different tuning and detuning. I’m E A D G C E-half-sharp.
- Choose a different string to detune. I chose the highest string.
- Use a different muting technique.
- Use different rhythms and melodic motifs.
- Be a different person :)
Here’s a similar concept I explored the next morning:
https://youtu.be/d_Z6JgVbdkg
And here’s the third morning in a row, this time with the G string tuned down a little bit more than a quarter step.
Fourth and fifth mornings:
Sixth morning: