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Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | There has been loads of recent dicussion about strings gauges, types etc and thought I'd start a new thread relating to concert pitch/detuning.
Like many other great players (Hendrix, SRV, Legg) I often like to tune my guitars down a semi tone. (Not that I'm anywhere near as great as them!)
So even in say D A D G A D I'm actually tuned to Db Ab Db Gb Ab Db.
Why? Simply cos I like the feel and tone. Try it you might like it.
Of course as a soloist it really doesn't matter that I'm not in concert pitch |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by dweezil:
Of course as a soloist it really doesn't matter that I'm not in concert pitch BINGO! At that point it doesn't matter. Go fer it... |
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Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Go Ferrit Dweezil...
I just tried it with standard tuning.
Since I don't really fingerpick, it just sounds flat.
But whatever works for you. |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | Dweezil you're heading into dangerous territory. I'm talking long neck GAS. |
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Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Day-um Art, whatcha doin' up this early/late? |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Originally posted by TAFKAR:
Dweezil you're heading into dangerous territory. I'm talking long neck GAS. I'm already very concerned for my well being/wallet. I know that Adrian used a long neck. OH NO GAS ATTACK! |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Someone was selling a long neck adamas recently. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Thankfully it's a little out of my 'spare' cash range right now. |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | De -tuning is easier on the fingers , and I Do realize that the guitar is never in perfect pitch anyway , but would certain songs/parts not .. " sound odd "..?.. in opposite to employing alternative tunings , in order to achieve different sound ( music ).. ?
Vic |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | It's the same effect as several of my Collings which I ordered with the "short scale" option. Makes it feel and play like you are tuned down a half-step while still being at 440.
It is always amazing to me how tuning down a step or two or playing a long neck can make the sound so much "bigger"! |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | yes |
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Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | yep |
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Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Uh-ha |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Brian & I have tuned down then back up again a number of times over the years. We might be a half step down for 6 months then go back up again a few months before an OFC event. Most of the time it was to make a vocal more reachable.
Funny thing tho... once we got the song down it wasn't a big deal when we went back up to concert.
I think Ovations do a great job going down a half step. I don't notice a lack of performance at all. On the other hand, I don't hear any real improvement either.
I've played a few longnecks. Although they serve a purpose, I don't care to own one. I don't care for the heavier gauge strings and well.... for the small handful of songs I would use one for it wouldn't be worth it.
Lastly on the subject... I keep my ancient Balladeer tuned down a half step just to keep some stress off the old girl. |
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February 2008
Posts: 747
| I keep my Ovation tuned down a 1/2 tone because it suits my voice better and also because the guitar is 1975 manufacture. My other guitar is tuned to standard. |
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December 2001
Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I notice guitars with Wilkinson style bridges like Strats stay in tune better when tuned down 1/2 step... you can get all bendy and they just maintain better... which is likely why I don't generally use Wilkinson style bridges and prefer Kahlers.
I found this out kinda by accident recently working on a Van Halen tune.. When I was playing along tuned to the original pitch (minus .5 step) my Hamer that I've been using to practice was staying in tune. However, to make my life easier I pitch-shifted the recording up to normal tuning so I didn't have to re-tune for just a couple of songs... and noticed that guitar doesn't stay in tune as well when tuned to normal pitch.. I'll likely replace the tuners with locking ones, or put in a locking nut, but it surprised me... and at the same time answered my question about why so many guitar-centric rockers did de-tune, especially the ones that really use a lot of bending and dives... Hendrix, SRV, EVH, Gilmour, Etc.. etc.. |
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Posts: 489
| When I drop a half I go up a gauge. It about evens out.
I don't drop it for my voice but just to give the instrument a bit more low end through the PA on gigs. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | I used to keep my wood 12 string tuned down 1/2 or 1 step. Even with the light strings it sounded really full and deep, not chimey. |
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Concert pitch / tuning down a semi tone.
