dhanners623 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 So I was watching some Jackson Browne/David Lindley videos on YouTube and Browne seems to be tuned down half a step. I thought, "Hey, that sounds cool. I should try it." But then I thought, "Why? I don't do too many songs in open position and capo a lot of my songs anyway." But then I wondered if there are any other sonic benefits derived from the lower tuning/lower string tension, even when capoed. Thoughts? Insights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Players like Jimi Hendrix and Slash have extolled the virtues of down-tuning a semitone.... I believe in their case to enjoy the slight easing of string tension It is however, very awkward if 'concert pitch' is required for some other tunes.... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I think a number of players here do it. It can give the right slope shoulder a bit of extra growl. I think mine was half a step down when I first got it, and I've been thinking of tuning down again, after being close to concert pitch for a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Among many others, Lightning Hopkins often tuned down to 2 steps or more. After doing this for a long while to work out some things, I also found that I sang differently with playing say "E" position tunes now sounded in D. And then capo up to 2 for playing with people in standard, but also like capo on 3... a different sound really than capo on 1 in standard! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I think t's done to help the singers personally.. Not a fan of half step flat tuning,, at all. it messes with my ears and touch something crazy.. Was in a band for a few years that insisted on doiing this.. took me some time to get used to it. I will say this..... Singing is a bit easier, cuz in relation to standard pitch, you can sing flat all night long and be on key... but no,, not for me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 My guitars are always down a half step. I like the feel of the instrument with this tuning, string tension feels just right.........for me. The guitar is capo-ed at the first, back to standard pitch, for many of the songs I do so it's not a singing thing for me..........it's an instrument feel thing. And the Hummingbird with .013s on it down a half step feels really good........wish I'd put the heavier gauge on it sooner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 It's a personal choice kind of thing, and I'm pretty much in favor of doing whatever works to a player's best advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 I've been tuning down a full step for a few decades. First for lower string tension, but now for singing and the more pleasing tone. Two of mine are a full step down, and one just a half step. Took a jazz guitar class a few years back and the other 10 students were 20 year old Community College Music Majors. Being 3x their age and having the only acoustic were bad enough - but my penchant for tuning in DGCFAd completely blew their minds. Of course, their skill and formal training blew mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Many benefits, less tension, somewhat easier to sing, and in many cases a great tone. Although i now tune and perform in standard tuning, but with my old singer for years we played half a step down. Many of the Seattle grunge bands tuned half step down and had great tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Among many others, Lightning Hopkins often tuned down to 2 steps or more. Lightnin' tuned all over the map. In the film "The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins", a bunch of the songs are around a half step high. I get the impression that he just tuned wherever he felt like - probably based on wherever the guitar settled into since the last time he played it. I enjoy playing along with him and have a spreadsheet showing his tunings in different songs. I don't see much of a pattern there. I read one of his biographies where the author had been looking for him and wanted to record him. When he found Lightnin', his guitar was in the pawn shop and the author had to pay to get it out. When they got back to the car, Lightnin' started playing it as they drove and didn't even bother tuning at all. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 It works with mediums for me, but not with lights. Sure sounded nice on the EBs, " Walk Right Back"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 In my more "mature" years tuning down a half step was first done to help my voice (I played 226 gigs last year and I suffer from allergies...I'm now 62 years old). Now I really like the sound of my guitars tuned down that way (as OC says it's a personal thing) especially the '48 J-50. I use Medium strings because the Lights feel "floppy" to me when tuned down. When I am playing with others and they are tuned to Standard, I either transpose and play different voicings with a capo or just capo on the first fret and play in Standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 "Tune low, play hard. Floor it!" - SRV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Lightnin' tuned all over the map. In the film "The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins", a bunch of the songs are around a half step high. I get the impression that he just tuned wherever he felt like - probably based on wherever the guitar settled into since the last time he played it. I enjoy playing along with him and have a spreadsheet showing his tunings in different songs. I don't see much of a pattern there. I read one of his biographies where the author had been looking for him and wanted to record him. When he found Lightnin', his guitar was in the pawn shop and the author had to pay to get it out. When they got back to the car, Lightnin' started playing it as they drove and didn't even bother tuning at all. :) Maybe tuning off whatever piano was at the scene ? Would that be a reason ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 ^-- same thought occurs to me.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Possible, but the Lightnin' songs I like best are just him and I doubt there was any piano available. Like "That Woman Named Mary" at the end of "The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins". He's sitting on his couch looking hungover. If you set A=460 on your tuner, you will be pretty close to him, and that same tuning is used during a bunch of the sequences in that film. Then there is "Get up in the morning, turn around and I lay just back down" earlier in the film. Set your tuner to A=426 for that one! If you want a really low one, listen to his 1970 broadcast from KCET of "Couldn't be satisfied". Set the tuner to A=403 there. Seems like the only time he is at A=440 is when he's playing with a group and had to tune with them. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Tune where your voice is. Steve Stills tunes low now for that reason. Fogarty did it so he could play Scotty Moore licks in D, where his voice was. Charlie Patton used to tune high (open E/A), then capo! Paul Rishell does that now. Guitaristic reasons? SRV and Ry Cooder tuned/tune low to accommodate heavier strings. 12-string players who want to user regular gauge strings will also do it. A440 is a benchmark, not a rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 About 75% of my solo work is done with a 12 string.....tuned down 3 semitones to C#.... Mostly for neck tension reasons....but also to enjoy more bass notes.... I keep one 6 string tuned to C# to allow use of the same '12 string' chord voicings I end up playing a lot of songs in 'open D, G and A'.....which equate to concert B, E and F#..... Fun and confuses the competition.... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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