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GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ What Is The Exact Reason To Down Tune 1/2 Step The Guitar?
Posted by: coffeeman Jul 7 2008, 06:28 PM
I really don't understand why.
Posted by: Zizi Top Jul 7 2008, 06:29 PM
We down tune a guitar to get a darker sound ...
Posted by: Slammer Jul 7 2008, 06:47 PM
Some people do it to make the Strings looser and eaiser to bend.
Hendrix and SRV, almost exclusively played in Eb standard tuning.
Posted by: Tjchep Jul 7 2008, 06:54 PM
Hendrix and SRV, almost exclusively played in Eb standard tuning.
Yep, SRV used like 13-58 gauge strings or somthing, and I don't know if you'd be able to bend those in normal tuning comfotably.
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 7 2008, 07:52 PM
Darker sound with more low end is being produced, also Eb key and chords has a nice warm dark sound that cannot be achieved with E chord.
Posted by: coffeeman Jul 7 2008, 08:03 PM
Thank you guys!
Posted by: superize Jul 7 2008, 09:15 PM
The Eb tuning is often used i Power Metal music
Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 7 2008, 09:32 PM
could someone put an example? I mean like... "listen to x song, here the guitar is tuned to Eb..."
Any classic hit there as an example? Would be nice.
Cheers!
Posted by: Slammer Jul 7 2008, 10:05 PM
Any classic hit there as an example? Would be nice.
Cheers!
Voodoo Chile- Jimi Hendrix and SRV
Sweet Child O mine- Guns and Roses.
Little Wing. -Hendrix
LOL actually Virtually all Hendrix and SRV songs are in Eb tuning now that I think of it. Slash uses it alot too.
Of course there are tons of other players who use it, I'm sure another person will list some good ones.
Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jul 7 2008, 10:09 PM
Also people tend to down tune to make songs more comfortable for the singer when playing them from E would be a hustle for him and guitarists don't want to bother with transponding chords..
Posted by: Trond Vold Jul 7 2008, 10:19 PM
I think G'n'R tune to Eb on all albums aswell. Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 is atleast tuned to Eb.
I use it sometimes on my songs because i think, as Ivan said, it gives a darker feel
Posted by: superize Jul 7 2008, 10:22 PM
Hammerfall, Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, Blind Guardian etc etc uses Eb tuning on their songs
Posted by: Smikey2006 Jul 7 2008, 10:22 PM
more metal.. i even downtune my 7 string.. the most metal tunning ever is dropped G and then everything else A standard 
Posted by: Stevie·Ray·Vaughn Jul 7 2008, 10:30 PM
I use it sometimes on my songs because i think, as Ivan said, it gives a darker feel
I believe Appetite For Destruction is tuned in Eb as well
Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Jul 7 2008, 11:16 PM
Extreme & Van Halen as example.
Posted by: RIP Dime Jul 8 2008, 12:17 AM
Great point, sometimes guitarists tune down to accommodate the singer's voice.
Posted by: 777-HAIRMETAL4HIM-777 Jul 8 2008, 02:06 AM
Van Halen tuned down 1/2 a lot. Also, Poison tuned down on EVERY ALBUM i believe
Posted by: Caelumamittendum Jul 8 2008, 02:09 AM
As I see it, it has a couple of benefits, that I really see as the reason for doing it:
- A slightly darker sound
- Those chords you are used to (Open, non-barré chords) become a bit more interesting, as they are no longer C, Am, G, but B, G#m and F# etc...
I'll add more later, maybe.
Posted by: Xose Pineda Jul 8 2008, 03:05 AM
Sweet Child O mine- Guns and Roses.
Little Wing. -Hendrix
LOL actually Virtually all Hendrix and SRV songs are in Eb tuning now that I think of it. Slash uses it alot too.
Of course there are tons of other players who use it, I'm sure another person will list some good ones.
Nice list mate, thanks!
Posted by: Rated Htr Jul 8 2008, 03:11 AM
Well, I use it because it gives a darker sound, and because I love Sonata Arctica
Posted by: Gerardo Siere Jul 8 2008, 04:07 PM
Warmer sound and easier bending, also allows to use heavier string gauge.
Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 8 2008, 04:37 PM
Man,do NOT forgot good old YJM
Posted by: Oxac Jul 8 2008, 09:44 PM
or Kiss.
Posted by: Tolek Jul 8 2008, 09:50 PM
Yngwie Malmsteen uses the Eb tuning in order to create his unific neoclassical sound. He plays in it in each song I know.
On the G3 tours, he had to tune to E, I think, to be able to jam with Satch and Vai (both play in standard tuning).
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Jul 9 2008, 09:18 AM
we always use this tuning in BG, it just makes the sound a bit more powerful
Posted by: Ian Bushell Jul 9 2008, 07:28 PM
Yeah i agree tuning down definately gives a more powerful/heavier/darker sound.
Good for rock and Metal even if it is only a half step does make a cool difference.
Tuning down is also an option to suit a vocalists range better.
Posted by: Juan M. Valero Jul 9 2008, 07:45 PM
why down half step if can down 1 ??? 
Posted by: Rated Htr Jul 10 2008, 03:36 AM
Why get a squier when you can rob a bank and get a stratocaster than?
Seriously, it just depends the type of sound people are trying to get, for example, In Nightwish, Emppu tunes his guitar to Full Step Down instead of 1/2 because he likes to do dark sounds while the keyboard does the great entrances...
People usually use the 1/2 tunning mostly to sound dark like I said, you won't find anything like that in jazz and in pop, atleast not that I know of 
Posted by: Muris Varajic Jul 10 2008, 08:18 AM
+1 Release them of suffering
Posted by: Ian Bushell Jul 10 2008, 07:20 PM
Classic!!
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