Curtis P Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 (edited) OK I been having some problems with tuning, i can tune to standard, drop d, and drop d half step, but what bout C and all them? I figured in this thread, we can discuss how you go from standard to drop D (example of course) and then someone who doesnt know how to get to a certain tuning and doesnt have a tuner on hand, much like myself, then it could be a very useful thread Edit Maybe I wasnt clear someone starts off, saying they are in standard tuning, how to go from standard to drop C, someone replies, take the thick E and make it sound the same as A string on fret ___ then go from string a sounds like fret ___ on string D, and so on so forth Curtis Edited August 4, 2004 by Curtis P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sindlei Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 from standard, drop your low E string to a low D, do this by fretting the low E string on the 7th fret, and make it sound the same as your open A string, once they sound the same, your tuning is DADGBE. now, if you know how to tune your guitar in standard tuning, by fretting the 5th fret on the low, now D, string, then making your open A string sound the same as that, and continue like that, until you get to your B string, in which case make your B string sound the same as your G string( should be an F by the time you're there ) fretted at the 4th fret, etc...then your tuning should be DGCFAD, now simply fret your low D string at the 7th fret, and tune it down until it sounds like your open G string, now you're in drop C, CGCFAD, and you can continue the same formula to tune this like a standard tuning, to get to standard C, which would be CFBbEbGC...very confusing i'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 4, 2004 Report Share Posted August 4, 2004 no offence or anything.... but without a tuner, how do you know you're even in "standard" ? and dropping a big string like the Low E down 2 steps to C is going to throw everything out of wack, solid tail or not, unless of course you're playing a steam beam with strings Best advice i can give is ACTUALLY LISTEN to your jr high music teacher, took me 500$ in a university music course to realize "i already know all this, i learned it 6 years ago" Just need to know the basic chromatic scale... Secondly, apply that chromatic scale to the neck. cause guess what? every string on a guitar neck is the chromatic scale 2 times over ( 24 frets, 2 octaves.... yada yada..) Third, buy a tuner!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britrock Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Standard to drop-d is easiest by playing open D (4th string) and tuning your 6th string to that. That way you have the D's the same, and then you can tune your A to that (that's the theory) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted August 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 no offence or anything.... but without a tuner, how do you know you're even in "standard" ? ................................................................ Third, buy a tuner!!! Well, i can tell I am in standard by tuning the E string to E, or what sounds like E, then i tune a to the 5th fret of E, then play powerchord in the root of 1 (or is it 3? i forget now) anyways, the one at the VERY top of the neck, and then i can tell if it is tuned, that chord is just drilled into my head ad its stuck there, after i get it tuned to that chord, i can tune all the strings to each other plus, I have a tuner, it just dont work Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvertonessuckbutigotone Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Standard to drop-d is easiest by playing open D (4th string) and tuning your 6th string to that. That way you have the D's the same, and then you can tune your A to that (that's the theory) sorry but your wrong on that one, what you do to get drop d (EBGDAD) is tune the 6th string to the 5th string holding the 7th fret on the 6th string, and if you want drop C (DAFCGD) -Tune the 6th string to the 5th string holding the 9th fret on the 6th string -Tune the 5th string to the 6th string by holding the 7th fret on the 6th string -Tune the 4th string by holding the 5th fret on the 5th string -Tune the 3rd string by holding the 5th fret on the 4th string -Tune the 2nd string by holding the 4th fret on the 3rd string -Tune the 1st string on the 5th fret on the 2nd string. ALL TUNINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED WITH A TUNER AFTER TUNING BY HAND (ive always found it easier to tune by hand then check with tuners, cuz using the tuner the whole time confuses me ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted August 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 heres right on about that, thats how i do it, but i can actually just turn the key and then hear when its in D Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strange Fruit Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 Standard to drop-d is easiest by playing open D (4th string) and tuning your 6th string to that. That way you have the D's the same, and then you can tune your A to that (that's the theory) sorry but your wrong on that one, what you do to get drop d (EBGDAD) is tune the 6th string to the 5th string holding the 7th fret on the 6th string, sorry, but he is right, sorta. if you do this, then hit a 12th fret (octave) harmonic, and tune to that. They will be the same note. and there is drop d. You can then do the whole harmonic-harmonic tuning, and hey presto, your tuned down a half step! but yes, your method works too! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 no offence or anything.... but without a tuner, how do you know you're even in "standard" ? ................................................................ Third, buy a tuner!!! Well, i can tell I am in standard by tuning the E string to E, or what sounds like E,..... damn that sounds way more accurate then a tuner you must have perfect pitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted August 8, 2004 Report Share Posted August 8, 2004 I'm not saying tuners are for the birds, by all means, they are very useful in certain venues. Like places with too much background noise where you can't even hear yourself think, etc. But I don't think they should be relied on exclusively for tuning your guitar. I know this might start something but I believe beginners should learn how to tune their guitars ye olde fashioned waye first. There are essential, basic lessons involved here. It helps you understand the relationships between notes, frets, strings and generally, how the fretboard is set up. This leads to understanding chord structure and why the notes in chords compliment each other. I usually grab a note from a tuning fork, pitch pipe, another guitar that I know is tuned up, etc. whatever is available and then take it from there using the 5th fret method, harmonics, 7th fret method or just sounding out a chord. Once you understand the fretboard setup and know where the notes are its fairly easy to move around between standard, dropped, open and alternate tunings. Its all based on establishing reference points, that is, notes that are common between standard tuning (your starting point) and the tuning you want. Then figuring out the easiest way to get there. Preferably, you want to begin with those notes that are on open strings. Here are a few tunings I use occasionally for certain songs I play (alternate) and for slide playing (open). Tabs for these songs can be found at OLGA website. Alternates CACGCE - Bron-yr-Aur - Led zep DADGAD - White Summer/Black Mtnside - Led Zep DGCGCD - Rain Song - Led Zep EEEEBE - Suite Judy Blue Eyes - CSN Open tunings Open E - EBEG#BE Open F - CFCFAF - Bron-yr-Aur Stomp - Led Zep Open G - DGDGBD - Black Country Woman - Led Zep Open A - EAEAC#E Open C - (3 varieties) EGCGCE CGCGCE CGCEGC Open D - DADF#AD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 Here's some links that provide good info on tuning and alternate tunings: Alternate Tunings Tuning article (reprint from Guild of American Luthiers) A very nicely presented article on tuning methods and a bit on Open D Most people here are probably aware of the equal temperament system and know the ins and outs of using harmonics to tune between strings but some of the links above explain it in detail for those who aren't familiar with these issues. I personally like to use a tuner to get the low E tuned correctly. From there, I use a simple two string power chord to tune the next string. I do this since I play music that makes use of power chords often and I want them to sound as "powerful" as possible. I listen for any "warbling" in the chord and adjust the fine tuner until it sounds "warble free", clean and powerful. I know that's not a scientific explanation but I think most of you will probably understand what I mean by warble. Let me know if you don't. What you end up with is not exactly an equal temperament tuning but one that sounds very good with hard rock/metal music. I think this is probably Peterson's proprietary temperament although I have not verified this yet. As for the tuner - I use a Peterson VS-1. I don't think anyone needs that kind of accuracy for just tuning your E string but the main reason I got it was for doing the intonation. I knew my fender LED style tuner wasn't going to cut it so I went and got something a bit better for that purpose. I know this reply isn't completely focused on alternate tunings but I thought it might be a good place to provide links and info on various tuning issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truerussian558 Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 your ear is much more acurate then a tuner, at least once you trained it up a bit, to tune by ear in the begining, its very good to use a pitch fork tuned to a-440, and tune your 1st string to sound like it on the 5th fret, then make the 2nd string on the 5th to sound like the first string, , check the 5th fret on the first with a tuning fork again (especially if its a non locking tremelo), and then tune the 3d string on the 4th fret to sound like the 2nd string, then recheck, 4th on the 5th to the third string, check again, 5th on the 5th to the 4th string, check again, and finally 6th on the 5th to the 5th string. ad then check them all again, it seems like a long time, but after a while you wont even need to do the frets, youll know the interval sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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