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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Tuning 'a Half Step Down'?

Posted by: kebsis Jul 6 2007, 09:30 AM

Hey, there's a couple of songs I'd like to try out on my guitar, and they are listed as being played in 'standard tuning, downtuned one half step'. Super...I know what a half step means, but I have absolutely no ear for tuning and if I try to do it by ear it ends up just sounding all out of tune. Is there a way to use a tuner to get it right?

Posted by: Ryan Jul 6 2007, 09:31 AM

Instead of tuning your Low E string to. Well E, tune it to Eb (D#).
Then just go from there all the way down the strings!!!!

Posted by: rokchik Jul 7 2007, 12:31 AM

QUOTE (kebsis @ Jul 6 2007, 05:30 AM)

Do you have a capo?....if so place it across the strings on the first fret. Tune your guitar to standard tuning and remove capo...presto tuned down one half step. just a little cheat for ya.

Posted by: MickeM Jul 7 2007, 12:57 AM

QUOTE (rokchik @ Jul 7 2007, 01:31 AM)

Do you have a capo?....if so place it across the strings on the first fret. Tune your guitar to standard tuning and remove capo...presto tuned down one half step. just a little cheat for ya.

That was clever! Simple and clever.

Or if you don't have a capo (like me, I dont') get a tuner that can manage downtuning.

Posted by: kethcup Jul 7 2007, 01:06 AM

Hey kebsis -

You can find free tuners all over the internet. just google "guitar tuner" and you'll stumble across a few. There should also be some that allow you to set them down a half step too.

Or, you can also place your finger on the 6th fret of your A string and tune your E string down to that, and then simply tune the rest to your E string.

And finally, you can find a song that you like that is tuned a half step down and listen to when/if there is a open E note in the song and try and tune to that.

Hope that helps!

Posted by: rokchik Jul 7 2007, 01:09 AM

QUOTE (MickeM @ Jul 6 2007, 08:57 PM)

That was clever! Simple and clever.

Or if you don't have a capo (like me, I dont') get a tuner that can manage downtuning.

Or just fret each string individually ( if no capo) at the first fret with your finger and tune to standard.

My tuner dosen't downtune so have to be inventive until I get a new one

Posted by: ClifordACDC Jul 7 2007, 05:02 AM

so different tunings are the difference between cheep tuners and expencive ones cause i have seen expencive ones and wonderd why they were that price

Posted by: SDMF75 Jul 7 2007, 05:11 AM

You could also put in Runnin' with the Devil. That opening bass line is the open E dropped 1/2 step. Tune to that and go from there. I love Rokchik's Capo deal! Never have thought of that. I just picked up a tuner on Wednesday that will give you all sorts of tunings - KORG CA-30 for $20.