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Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 24 2007, 04:59 AM

Hello guys, My band And I decided to play Sweet Child O' Mine for the next Valentine's Day which will be in our Senior year, next year.

Since its our last year, we might be able to get alot of gigs, and what we want to do is make this year the best one ever. So we got some songs programed for some special days and events.

Anywayys, to the point:

I got a question about the song's tuning. In the GP tab it says to Tune 1/2 step down. And ive read in sites, that the tuning is

Eb
Ab
Db
Gb
Bb
Eb

But isnt Tuning Down written with a Sharp? (#) or does these sites mean we tune UP? Please clear my doubt here.

Thanks guys.

Posted by: JVM Jun 24 2007, 05:17 AM

Tuning down is a flat. Eb is tuned down, or flattened, one half step from E. E# does not exist (or rather, it's F ). So F# is tuned up or sharpened one half step from F.

[edit] So yes, that tuning is correct.

For a more complete explanation, remember the musical alphabet minus sharps and flats is A BC D EF G (A). So if you know the notes on the fretboard, if you take an A note (example, 12th fret A string, or open A) and go up one fret to the 13th fret, you have an A# (or Bb). Go down to the 11th, and it's Ab (or G#) The 14th is a B, then a C on the 15th, C# (or Db) on the 16th, etc.

Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 24 2007, 05:40 AM

ok, thanks man. I always thought that "b" meant Up, altough thats what i says in my tuner...im so confused.

Posted by: JVM Jun 24 2007, 06:54 AM

Think of it like, a sharper sound I would personally associate with a higher pitch, where a "flat" sound I would associate with a duller sound, a lower pitch.

Posted by: Ryan Jun 24 2007, 06:58 AM

Thats how i do it

Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 25 2007, 01:12 AM

umm ok, thanks alot dude.

Posted by: Kaneda Jun 25 2007, 01:24 AM

Yeah, you're probably reading the tuner in an "opposite" way of sorts

What the tuner is saying, when it shows a "b" is that the note is flat (too low). In other words, the "b" doesn't indicate "you should tune up" (it doesn't tell you what to do, as in sharpening the string), rather, it means "the string is tuned too low" (it tells you the current state of the string, which is "too low"/flat).

It's like the opposite of a road sign. If an arrow on a road sign points left, it tends to mean you should turn left. But if road signs worked like tuners, the arrow would point right - telling you that you're currently too far to the right (and that you should turn left)

Most road signs tell you what to do, most tuners tell you where you currently are.

Posted by: kevin-riff-after-riff Jun 26 2007, 09:37 PM

sharp = upwards
flat = downwards

say ur beer is flat, the foam goes downwards lol

man i hate the sweet child o my intro
u should go learn "14 years" or "better'

Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 27 2007, 07:03 PM

now i get it, so its actually telling me where i am. Thanks alot Kaneda, i cant believ i always tuned my guitar with that kind of mentality lol .





lol, whats wrong with the intro? i love it! , although ill try to check those songs u mentioned.

Posted by: rokchik Jun 27 2007, 11:23 PM

I kinda cheat when tuning down a half step.

I use my capo on the 1st fret and then tune the guitar to standard EADGBE. Remove the capo and presto..down a half step. If I want to play something in standard tuning after I just replace the capo to the first fret and adjust (you'd have to move up a fret on all notes...I think that makes sense)

Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 28 2007, 04:09 AM

i see, well ive never used a Capo b4, im not really sure what it does exactly lol.. i know theres alot of stuff that i need to learn.

Posted by: rokchik Jun 28 2007, 04:18 AM

It's a little gadget that barres all the srings on a fret.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capo

You could just fret each string individually and tune, you'd get the same effect. You would just have to retune to get back to standard tuning.

I know how ya feel about getting to know things. there is a lot of stuff out there. I've only been playing for about 2 years....so I'm still learning this stuff myself.

Posted by: FretDancer69 Jun 28 2007, 04:28 AM

yea you know..theres technical stuff, theory stuff , and technique stuff , although on technique im ambitious on learning.

ive been playing for 8 months..i think on a good track. Started practicing seriously the moment i touched that neck and play those strings with my fingers. Have never put the guitar down, and i try to practice many hours each day, all though its not the case every day.

Posted by: gkokkinis Jan 3 2010, 05:58 PM

They should have the note or tabs

They should have the note or tabs