alternate tuning

superiorninja21 · #1 February 11th, 2005

how do you tune with just a normal tuner up on step or down a step.....and what does putting a capo on the first fret sound like in terms of being up or down a step?

Spyder F16 · #2 February 11th, 2005

If you have the Guitar in standard and you put a capo on the first fret, you raise the guitar up a half step. But if you have a capo on the first fret and then tune it down to standard with it on, you'll get the half step down when you take it off.

If you are going to be in non-drop D or non-standard tuning off and on alot (or some other tuner with notes other than E's A D G or B), you'd probably be easier served getting a Chromatic tuner. It made my life a whole lot easier.

superiorninja21 · #3 February 12th, 2005

and how do you tune it up a whole step?

Kirk Lorange · #4 February 14th, 2005

Up one step? With a normal guitar tuner?

The easiest I guess would be to tune the 5th string (the second thickest) up to B, which is on a normal tuner.

You can tune the 3rd string up to A, which is on a normal tuner

From there you're going to have to tune the others up by the same amount (one step). Use the strings you know are right to check the others against according to the system described on this page:

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/tuning.html

I recommend you DON'T tune up or down ... just leave well enough alone and stick with standard. You're going to run into all kinds of problems tuning up or down ... problems with tablature, problems playing with other players ... problems with buzzing (when you tune down) or high action (when you tune up). It's a real can of worms, and I've seen many a player come unstuck because of being out of whack with everyone else. You have to use capos or constantly transpose mentally when you start messing with tuning.

superiorninja21 · #5 February 14th, 2005

some songs like yesterday by the beatles require some alternate tuning...it doesnt sound right with normal tuning

Spyder F16 · #6 February 14th, 2005

I have to politely disagree wtih you Kirk. Alternate tunings by all means can be used without issue if the player knows what they are doing. For lessons, the guitar should always be tuned to the Standard EADGBe, but when it comes do playing certain songs written by other bands, or even writing some songs (Depending on your genre), tuning in an alternate tuning can open up some horizons that Standard tune has difficulty giving. Alot of tablature does tell you what tuning a song is in, so you could tune to that to play that song. Then tune back when you're doing lessons. I myself tend to use Drop D, Standard, and Dropped C tuning without much issue. I've even gone as low as Drop B for certain songs. When it comes to alternate tuning, I do reccommend that you do have a basic knowledge of a guitar in Standard EADGBe before you explore the use of a Alternate tuning. Make sure you practice in Standard to keep in refreshed. Also if you explore dropped tuning, know the mechanics of what differers from alt to regular including what changes will end up happening to the scales, as well as chords. Whether a player wants to deviate from standard and explore other tunings is up to them and their playing comfort.

Again, tunings are easily changable, and if you have the money to do so, you could actually head off any problems that comes with using different tunings on the same guitar by using multiple guitars, each set up for the tunings you often use.

Alternate tunings, are another tool in the large bag of tricks. Ive found them nice when it comes to writing songs.

Kirk Lorange · #7 February 15th, 2005

Sorry ... I didn't mean avoid alternate tunings. I myself play exclusively in dropped D.

I meant: avoid dropping or raising the whole thing up or down ... in other words 'standard', but 'up a half step', or the usual 'down a half step'. I was never sure why so many players tune down a half step. Is it to slacken the strings? I don't know ... I sure remember the headache it was for many of my twanger friends who did tune down to try and play with others ... namely me. They got so used to it down there, they'd have to try and transpose or ask everyone else to tune down or tune up themselves and have a whole different feeling guitar under their fingers. It was just a pain in the neck, time wasting ...

That's why I recommend not to, but it's just that, a recommendation. Tune exactly as you please!

6strngs_2hmbkrs · #8 February 24th, 2005

well... cetain songs call for certain tunings... for example, a song "breakdown" by breaking benjamin calls for being in dropped-d-flat which means you drop all the strings one half step and then drop the 6th string 3 half steps. if you tried to play the song in standard it just wouldn't work because everytime you played an open string, it would be off by a half step. if a song was meant to be played in standard tuning though, I would definately play it in standard. and I would definately definately definately advise against tuning up... You break strings very very easily that way. use a capo if you want to go up in tuning.

allthumbs · #9 February 26th, 2005

Hi Kirk. My understanding of slack strings is that you can put on heavy strings for tone and still be able to do serious bends. SRV tuned down for that reason. He even played with 14's for awhile, even tuned down he would come off stage whith his finger tips shredded from bending those cables.
Collen James was on the same bill as Stevie and broke some strings. Stevie loaned him one of his guitars. It wasn't till Collen hit the first note that he realized it was tuned to Eb. It made for a gig he wouldn't forget anytime soon. Ouch!
allthumbs