Let It Rub

Trey Anastasio on using "rubs" to open up standard tuning.

- JIMMY LESLIE

WHEN THE HEADMASTER of Phish School says, "The guitar is simultaneously the dumbest and the most amazing instrument ever," he's referring to the fretboard layout in standard tuning. Instead of ringing out harmoniously like an open tuning, standard is essentially "closed" and unharmonious. At least in the keys of E, A, and D, the root note is on a wound, open string. Incorporating any open string adds resonance, and can create tension and suspension. Trey Anastasio refers to that as a "rub." He's got a new solo acoustic album out, Mercy, and in last month's Frets feature Anastasio revealed the depths of his rub obsession. We scratched the surface near the end of the interview and saved the details for this deeper dive.

FINDING RUBS