I just want to clarify that Hendrix tuned down to Eb because when he was playing with Velvetones, all the songs were in keys that suited brass better so F, Bb, Eb and tuning down to Eb made playing parts easier for those keys. After he left to do his own thing, he just kept doing it because it felt comfortable. He also played a lot in E standard.
A bunch of those Hendrix shows like Isle of Wight he ends up in like Db standard. I think he just pulled it out of his case and tuned it to itself. Always just tuning by ear at those shows
I play guitar one handed (due to a stroke) and on my acoustics I use 13-56 tuned down to C which creates the ideal tension for my hammer on/pull off style
Last October I was in an accident and ended up with nerve damage in my left (fretting) hand. Can't feel my left pinky and the ring finger is half asleep. Inspired by Joey Landreth I tuned to open D. It's now my favourite tuning and probably my main tuning from here on out. Once you figure out the open voiced chords it's super easy to play with only 3 fingers and the reduced string tension helps a lot
@@CliffGraham I think he mostly left because he started his own solo career. If I remember correctly Joey played mostly in open C, Ariel was in B or C standard, and the bass was BEAD tuning. But I could be wrong
I have nerve damage in my left (fretting) hand as well. I'm having surgery actually on Thursday to correct it if all goes well. I was just starting to learn and had to hold up til this was scheduled, so I am hoping to have sensation and strength again soon. Sadly, I don't know enough about it all to do different tunings. There's a whole new finger chart for chords for new tunings though, right? I know so little and am just starting over, plus I have a tendency to overthink, that it's making me think I have to learn a whole new fingering chart for chords for every tuning standard. :(
I too was in a car accident and my fretting hand the left hand is pretty jacked up, I’ve been playing guitar since then and I’m going to try that. I do love some drop D, I just need to adjust to the tuning/notes. My ring and pinky fingers are a constant 8 out of 10 pain level, thanks for sharing.
@@ruvchbrevth The original comment said open D, not drop D. Open D gives other opportunities and flavor than the drop D. I hope you'll fully recover from your injury!
Ever since Rhett made the D standard tuning video I still have my strat and jazzmaster tune in it. Absolutely love how they sound and I wouldn’t have done it without seeing the video
I just ordered a new Fender Strat from Sweetwater and had them plek it based on an Eb tuning setup with my chosen strings and I've never enjoyed playing a guitar more. So easy to play and it sounds so good! I just recieved it last night and I opened my youtube feed today to see this! Synchronicity at its finest.
I learned something new - had no idea you could have a guitar pleked for a certain tuning. Does that mean the playability would be slightly off in E standard, or other, for example, open tunings?
@@James-eg3nf Yeah, I only just found out when I was ordering this guitar. It does mean it will be just slightly off when you change the tuning. If you tune the guitar I just ordered to standard it would raise the action slightly because neck tension is increasing.
@@James-eg3nf but if you set your guitar up (Plek'd or not) for a standard tuning and a really low action and then tune it down to a c standard it can create string buzz or dead strings
@@James-eg3nf you ideally want to to set the guitar up for a specific tuning so that when it's in tune and at a specific string tension on that specific guitar body so that the neck is as straight as possible. You would do the same thing during a traditional guitar setup
I definitely like my strat tuned down. I think a very important reason why is the fact that it starts to produce a sound that we are not accustomed to hearing from our guitars. In my case I learned in e standard. Then I found out about Jimi and SRV and tuned down to eflat and it felt way cooler. Although after playing in e flat for years that became my standard, my brain got numb to it. Mean while I discovered drop D and that was the new cool thing because mt ears werent used to that sound. Since then I've tried all sorts of different tunings, d standard, c standard, even b standard, on the same strat and I feel like the same rule applies. Its just a matter of disturbing the norm and in a way surprising your ears and your brain. The same thing happens when I try open e or g or dadgad. Thats why we hear players saying if you are in a creative rut, switch it up by just changing your tuning. Once you do it you can discover a whole new world of sounds with the same instrument.
Lately I’ve been writing songs with one guitar in E standard and the other guitar in C# standard. They’re relative to each other (E major’s relative minor is C#) and it forces different voicings between guitars. It also creates a very good separation in the mix because of the different voicings. I like writing in C# and E standard together because it makes the guitars feel like totally different instruments.
That's a cool trick! I play baritone (B standard) in my band to separate myself from the other guitarist in E, and to step on the bass players toes. It's a lot of fun.
To me, its astounding the genius of people like Leo Fender, whom back when only about 20 years had passed since the invention of electrics, got so much right and musical about the design of pickups - especially the angling of the single coil bridge pickups on the first Broadcaster / Teles. A lot of research, engineering and experimentation went into that - so now, with various tunings, string types / gauges, effects - amazing what is possible, tonally.
I have a 30 inch scale jazzmaster tuned down to drop E and conpared to my drop usual drop C tuning it completely changes how you want to play the instrument and the tone completely alters which is so damn cool and the wierd thing ive noticed the lower you go into extended ranges youll find single coils are the way to go for more clarity which is wild considering im a metal player which is mostly known for humbuckers.
I would like to hear you do this the other way around. Play a low tuning and THEN play a standard tuning. I think the experiment itself tends to favor whatever you play NEXT. And I think playing standard tuning after would also sound "better"
I don't know whether or not it would sound "better" but I would love to hear him playing the same thing in both tunings for comparison. My issue is that in these comparison vids he seldom plays the same chords and licks but more "plays around" so it's hard to tell how one actually compares to the other.
@@nuthinbutloveI agree. These comparisons while playing different licks on each tuning/amp/guitar/etc is silly. We’re only going by what the person making the video says and taking it at face value rather than making up our own mind
Styles were wildly different, as far as how they played what they played. SRV played so heavy handed and aggressively he needed 13’s to hold up to the abuse.
@@JoaoGabriel-lz3wpHendrix played with a good amount of effects and Marshall amps. They both played loud as fuck, I doubt you’d hear a tonal difference in the string gauges
I love Eb and C#, been playing Eb for a few years and now I feel like C# has grown on me. P-90s sound fantastic with it. Really enjoyed the video, too. I'd love to watch some more stuff like this, it's pretty inspiring
When you drop to D you are also reducing the string tension on the neck which lowers the action. The strings get closer to the pickups which increases output. It’s always a good idea to lower the pickups slightly when you do this so that it doesn’t affect your sustain. When you do that you will really hear and feel a difference in the guitar:)
I believe the amplitude of a vibrating string is also higher when it's at lower tension, so you actually need a tiny bit more bow in the neck so the strings aren't hitting the frets.
@@SlimeyGuitarStrings yes, you can do that as well upon inspection of the neck. The gauge of strings can determine how much tension there is as well. The neck radius can also play into the equation. Bottom line though is if you like how it plays and feels, that’s all that matters:). You definitely don’t want pickups that are too high such that they pull against that string vibration and kill the sustain.
For the specific track that you jam, I think Eb sounds the best. Alternate tunings, even those that are just lower than normal DOES actually change your playing. I've been stuck on rut for years. But when I changed one of my guitars to baritone tuning, I, suddenly felt inspired to play again.
I don't play metal, but about ten years ago I played my friend's guitar that was tuned down a whole step to D because he plays metal, and I've been tuning my guitar that way every since. Never owned a capo until then, now it a standard component in my case.
Originally i'm from the metal side of the universe with a jazz influence and the love for classical guitar. The jazz influence became bigger over the years but, what kept the same was my love for the 8 string guitar. Regarding the lower tunings, it is really fun to play around with it altough, i have to say it's quite hard to get chord voicings out of the low F# that suits the situation, beside metal and Ambiente. People should be more open to different tunings and strings on the guitar. Btw. Great video from you
It would be interesting to hear this with other guitars. I tuned my Telecaster to Eb, but ended up going back to E standard because it didn’t sound right. I love my Martin dread in D, though.
Always been a huge fan of lower tunings for other styles aside from metal. I started playing super low because of bands like Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Electric Wizard but tuning down really can bring so many different timbres and harmonics out of a guitar that were never there in a higher tuning. It completely changes the way you attack and approach the guitar and it isn't something that can be replicated using a pedal that artificially changes your tuning. You're not getting the physical changes in the instrument that change the way the strings vibrate over your pickups and the way the strings bounce when you attack them. It just feels like the instrument is "breathing" more if that makes any sense. Harmonics and overtones jump out at you a lot more and thus changes your approach. Playing a guitar in C Standard through a big clean amp with some P90s or low output humbuckers with some reverb is one of the coolest and most unique sounds I've been able to conjure. I'm not normally one to comment on videos but this is something I've always been a huge proponent of and love when you touch on this topic or talk about lower tunings.
Yupp, was looking for someone to mention queens, they're great. For example Song for the deaf has a killer chorus with some open strings (b,e) and it sounds damn good
What about vocals? We’re in D standard / drop C and debating about going back up. Singers comfortable high note is A4. Good point that you always have the original key at the 2nd fret. 🎸
This video was very timely. I just had my Squier Jazzmaster Vintage Modified returned to me from my guitar tech. It now has an 11-50 D'Addario Jazz Light Flat Wound strings! I agree. E flat is the way, the truth and the life for 10s and 11s. 9s is for E standard, in my opinion.
I started tuning my 12 string down 1/2 step a few years ago. I liked the sound so much I have just about all my guitars (acoustic and electric) 1/2 step down.
10:33 i think that's partially incorrect* :) the vibrational modes depend on the length of a string, not it's tension. tuning down a string means the player uses different frets for the same note and that means a different string length for the same note (in general shorter compared to regular tuning)... lower tension may allow greater amplitude for the overtones given the mass of the string remains the same... *an open E vibrates in the same places/nodes regardless of its tuning: half its length, a third, a quarter, etc... that's the harmonics and they maintain position.
I’ve been playing Eb for decades and love it, but if I was a blues player, D standard might be my jam. Then I might have to pay drop C on the low E and that would cover a lot of ground for me. Nice demo!
For the past few years, I've been tuning some of my guitars to A Standard (ADGCEA), five semitones above E Standard, but recently I started thinking about going the other direction, and tuning to D Standard, both for guitar and bass. I plan to increase my string gauge; normally, I use .010 gauge on a 24.75" scale length, but I will probably go up to .011 gauge, because I do want to maintain the tension to which I am accustomed. I do this primarily because I have a low voice, and it helps me with transposing songs. When tuned to A Standard, I use .008 gauge strings, which end up about the same tension as .010 gauge in E standard. I can play the "normal" chord shapes, and the guitar will play a perfect fourth above, while I can sing a perfect fifth lower than the original melody, and be in tune with my instrument. However, .008s are prone to breakage, especially on scale lengths longer than 24.75". I'd like to acquire a 24" or 22.72" scale instrument, but my choices in those scale lengths are limited, so I thought of going the other way, and tuning down a whole step to D Standard, instead, which would mean I could use any standard scale guitar or bass easily, although I will have to have the nuts on my guitars and basses recut for the thicker strings.
D-Standard (DGCFAd) is a great tuning for guitarist. You can transpose along with the band on the fly with a capo to move up in key (Open-D std, Capo 1-Eb, Capo 2-E std…etc.) or you can move down in key within reason, with drop tunings (Open - Drop C, Capo 1 - Drop C#, Capo 2 - Drop D). Lots of flexibility, especially if you play gospel or worship music.
And here I am wanting a tenor guitar or octave mandolin. I play in a group with piano, bass , and keys. The low end is all taken up, so I am trying to find different ways to cut through. I’ve even been looking at modifying an 8 string acoustic to be strung in 4 courses being tuned ADGB.
Eye-opening (ear) post. I have not previously heard such a succinct discussion and illustration of these tuning possibilities. Well done, great coverage of some new ground (at least for me)!
It's really rad to see you guys testing this stuff out. I write and play metal and my current favorite 6 string tuning is AGCFAD. You get really interesting standard tuning play between the A and G since the octave is between those two, not the first and third.
I'm 66....and you just changed my life. I know what to do with my quiver of cheap guitars. I don't need a baritone. I can buy less Rev Willys, too. Already I was tuning lower on some instruments, Lute as low as 410hz. The simple mellow jam is also nice inspiration, as my background is keyboards, and reeds. I got a cheap bass....the strings cost more than the guitar. Very cool video for me.
I agree that the tone seems change with less string tension. Remember the string gauge video you did with Beato? 9s sounded way better than 10s. Maybe it's also finding the right gauge for each tuning.
i generally like the feel and sound of 9-42 in standard on a strat so when i go lower i try to find that same tension so 10-46 in eb and 11-48 in d standard feels good
I have my Breedlove acoustic tuned down to D standard and I enjoy it so much! I'm thinking about tuning my Martin down as well. I like the ability to go lower when my ear hears it.
Nice T-shirt Rhett👍. Old Norman Harris is “ The Man” when it comes to having some killer old guitars . As I live here on West coast in San Diego his shop is like a “ Candy store for Adults “ & is only a couple hours north of me in Reseda up in L.A. Enjoyed this video here very much , thanks 👍. I’ve always tuned my Strat ‘s down 1/2 a step . Trying different tunings is fun & can really open some new musical doors . 😊
Low tunings absolutely thrive on single coil guitars, cause they maintain clarity in the low-end if they have good pickups. PAFs usually already have a darker sound, unless it’s like the Lollar El Rayo or something voiced like that.
I had an acoustic that I thought sounded too bright. I tuned it to Eb standard and thought it really opened up the sound. So I recorded a song using a capo on the first fret (essentially E standard), then re-tuned my guitar to E standard and recorded the same song. Playing them at the same time and alternating between the two, I couldn't hear a difference. They sounded exactly the same. I'd been fooling myself. To really test, record a song in E standard, then tune down to Eb standard and record the same song with everything else the same. Let someone rename the two files so that you don't know which is which and see how well you can tell the difference.
i end up playing in c and a# a lot, because i like the tones you can get with that as a base and a lot of effects stacked on top. listening to boris really opened my ears to what you can do with super low tunings.
On the pickup position chat, it's "nodes" not "modes". The nodes are where the waveform passes through zero: -〰️ When you tune down, the nodes still sit in the same places because the scale length isn't changing, but for a given note, the pattern of nodes is shifted: in D standard, the "D" nodes are where the "E" nodes are in E standard. So playing in E with the guitar tuned down sounds different to playing in E in E standard.
I’m a bass player in a band that tunes down to C Standard. For me there were two things I had to fight. Being tuned so low, the bass sounds dull. So I have to play with some sort of overdrive always on to cut through. Also no matter what 34” scale bass I played with super heavy strings, they seemed to never sound right. Moved over to a Dingwall 4 string with lighter strings and POW! Absolutely glorious.
I watch, enjoy and learn from all of your videos Rhett. -I've used C # in the bass with standard tuning and playing in the key of E for a long time and have written with that tuning. On electric. I had the honor of playing with Eric Bibb in concert, and backstage he hipped me wise to the fact that he tunes to D Standard. It's nice when one guitar is tuned that way and the other player is in standard and the different colors derived. Because we play shapes and guitarists love open string shapes it sounded great with him in D standard and me in E Standard. -Your new course is what I've been looking for, having played in tunings, etc but always searching scale wise. And, just dwelling perhaps in one or 2 tunings. TH-cam and books help but they are scattered whereas this looks like an encyclopedia. Thanks! -
There’s so many songs that have been written in standard tuning, it’s nearly impossible to hear an open cowboy chord or progression without your brain instantly recognizing countless songs from the past that sound similar. Tuning out of standard introduces your ear to progressions in new keys and new trails that haven’t been so nicely paved before you.
I believe it is Paul Winter who said that nature and the universe is in D flat minor. Perhaps as you tune lower you get to sound that you recognize from the world around you.
Absolutely. In the 80's, Motley Crue also used D tuning. Wildside, Girls, Feelgood... It gave them a down & dirty sound and helped set them apart sonically.
I knew I was getting a swamp rock vibe from the lower tunings, but couldn't figure out why. Saw this comment, went and listened to Born on the Bayou and was like "Oh yeah... that's the stuff right there"
I love the way a Gibson scale guitar sounds and feels in C standard with a bit heavier strings. It's still a bit slinky but dark and thick sounding. I think it's especially great into something like an old marshall cranked up, not high gain but just loud and driven. It's just perfect to me
I recently dropped my Tele to drop Db and it sounds really cool. I am working on some heavier pop-punk/easycore stuff so that made sense. I might just end up leaving it between there and Eb standard for when I play at my local church.
Tony Iommi also used to tune down due to his factory worker injuries (he was missing parts of his finger tips and finger tip bones in his fretting hand) and using finger caps (like those used by children, or those with Diabetes) plus tuning down helped him still be able to play. He often shifted up and played things in E standard pitch ranges, with the bass tuned to E standard, as well. He would play in B standard, essentially baritone tuning, and then just play up on the "A string" since in that tuning, that's now an E.
My band and I have been playing in D standard for decades and it has taught me to lighten my attack on the strings so I don't bang them past their sweetest range. You can see when you use a tuner and bang the string hard that it will go sharp and then settle down to the target pitch. I think I've heard Tim Pierce say to learn to play light so you can have the most dynamic control right at your finger tips. I also play lots of slide in standard and you don't want to hit the strings too hard or you won't get a consistant contact between the string and the slide. Tuning down makes you play differently. More fluid would be my description.
I spent lots of time in high school getting familiar with alternate/low tunings . Its my advice for anyone who’s got the basics down to apply those to other tunings & inspirations will come your way
Where it gets really interesting is open tunings that aren't just your regular open major tuning but down lower. I tune as standard to varieties of DADGad but down in B or A (on a 7 string with an extra high string above the tuning). Granted, I'm a metal dude but for the more vibey stuff I like doing, it's real nice.
Wow, for some unknown reason I tuned my Strat down to D a couple of weeks ago and instantly fell in love with how it felt and sounded! I'm thinking I will keep it there. I tuned down to Eb for many years in my power trio days and my bass player would tune down also. When sitting in with others in standard tuning it was a PITA. But D tuning will be easier for me to instantly transpose when playing with folks in standard tuning.
I've been playing in drop C for 5 years now. I absolutely love how rich and full it sounds. BUT it can 100% get a little bass heavy lower on the neck. I think its time i change it up soon. The tonal shock is gonna be really inspiring for me when i do, so im pretty excited. I encourage everyone to really give it a try. After a while, the more "standard" tunnings will be almost foreign and exciting.
I have arthritis and I have tuned down a tone to be able to use my "full size" (mostly 650mm) guitars. I have built two electrics with 590mm scale length to play in E and am building a baritone at 660mm. The low string tension gives a much more fluid sound and every movement of your fingers, even the mistakes, affects the tone.
I think you should try the Hendrix string set: 10-38 tuned down to Eb. At least Fender and Pyramid make them. Wound strings really thin, that's the thing...
There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll just say a few things: If the lower string tension with lower tunings is what's created the video you like with lower tunings, then could you not get that same vibe with really light guage strings in standard E tuning? Alternatively, would heavy guage strings to keep the tension high with lower tunings negate that vibe? Also, as you changed tunings you were also changing keys. Remember that different keys have different vibes to them. Perhaps the vibe you liked with Eb tuning wasn't because you tuned your guitar down a half step, but because you went from the key of E to the key Eb regardless of how your instrument was tuned. Perhaps a more conclusive (and certainly more laborious) experiment would be to change your string guages with each tuning to keep the string tension the same across all tunings, and play the same song in the same key across all tunings. Then see if the different tunings sound different.
I've been using D-standard as my main tuning for the past 8 years or so. Eb before that since about 2001. E standard tuning just doesn’t work for me personally. I enjoy using heavier gauge strings and getting that grittier, more depthy sound.
the neck changes as less tension is presented by the strings, so the action is lowered and also the pickups get a bit hotter. the whole guitar needs readjustments at some point, depending on the initial settings, tremolo tension included
So after watching, I grabbed my G&L Tribute Fallout and rolled it back to D Standard. Can't say that worked for me. Maybe with 11 or 12's. So I went up a half and now THAT'S where it's gonna live! It really gave the neck P90 something to say.
Been playing CGCFAD or DGCFAD for over 20 years. Its the best tuning for metal and blues. Have found that I prefer 25.5 scale, tune-o-matic, string thru body style guitars for this paired with 11-52/54 or 10-52/54 depending on the guitar. Also play this tuning on acoustic as well. The tonality makes everything sound darker and sounds a lot better for my expression of the instrument.
A quick note: Playing E Standard vs Capo 3 C# Standard will definitely sound different because of the relative placement of the pickups - that is, it will be different parts of the vibrational modes and their corresponding nodes. I am not sure, but I think the string tension changes how the modes decay/sustain and how it easy it is to pull it sharp. What would be interesting is to isolate how much string tension alone affects the sound by varispeeding the lower tuned versions until they sounded as of they were in E Standard and doing a blind listen test like you and Rick did with the different gauge strings some time ago.
I love D standard for a fender scale length guitar. I also keep an inexpensive takamine acoustic in D standard to compensate for the fact that I've never been able to set it up all that well. It's always sounded good and now it's much easier to play AND sing with.
I've got an old Washburn acoustic MIJ Festival (great guitar!). Loves D standard tuning, strung with light gauge strings. Sounds great and reduces stress on this cherished guitar.
@@timeconsumer325 it sure does. I guess it's easier on electrics because with most bridges you can intonate each string individually (the intonation changes with different tunings), while on acoustics you have a "static" bridge so it sorta is what it is. I was just trying to make it easier on the neck with the lower tuning, didn't work as expected lol
For me, it's definitely a fun thing to try with - both lower, and higher, give different spice. The moody vibes of lower tunings are kickass, but the increased tightness can be cool even going a little higher pitched. Trying it all and rotating through has lead to the most fun for me.
Thanks, Rhett, great video! I did a thing a few months ago and put 11-56 strings on my PRS Core and tuned to C-standard. This setup makes the G-string (now D#) sounds absolutely filthy in this setup. Like ouch, you bend so good, sort-of-filthy! Also I was pleasantly surprised that my PRS stock pickups which I never quite jived with (HFS bridge, Bass neck) sounded very good now. I am not sure if all pickups are like this, but they clarify really nicely at lower registers. Of course you will want to re-setup your guitar entirely including filing the nut, and you may need to get creative with your bridge.
7 years ago I joined a blues band. All the Trower, Hendrix, and S.R.V. songs we played were in e flat. I've gotten so used to it that standard tuning sounds weird to me now. I left that band and now I tune down to D standard. Sounds great with single coils, p90's, and it helps acoustics sound fuller too.
Phil said you sound more interesting in Eb. Do you think he was hinting you should try speaking in Eb? Keeping it in standard, but tuned down, has helped me learn the fretboard better. It makes me think just enough without confusing me. Nice one, Rhett. Keep it up.
You really hit it, the strat scale length is 25.5 inches so string tension is high. Reducing to Eb and D reduces the tension. Try the same on a Gibson 24 3/4 scale length neck.
Here's what I wonder though. Is the preference for lower tunings simply a matter of being so used to E Standard, that the change up in of itself is enough to make it seem "better?" When something is so common and a regular part of everyday life, you can become dull to it. Like if you eat an apple for lunch every day, but one day you run out of apples and have to resort to an orange, that orange is going to be a lot more exciting and fresh. In fact, you may even believe the orange is the superior fruit. Now of course, its all subjective, but I do have to wonder if that applies here. Just, food for thought.
I feel like I agree with your notion. I feel sort of the same "energy" from an up-tuned guitar, say to F. Like some of The Smiths songs, or playing with a capo. But I also agree that lower tuning sounds and feels "better". What ever that means. :)
I started tunning my acoustic guitar half step down because I rarely play without capo. I think it makes the guitar softer and since I always play chords with capo, the strings are always closer to the fret. Even if you tune half step down and then you capo on first it feels more comfortable than no capo and standard tuning.
G'day Rhett, Thanks for an interesting video. I watched your recent video where you recommended tuning down to C# std, but this latest video gave me the hint I needed. The reason for the change in tone when tuning down could be due to the weight of each string between the nut & the bridge. The frequency & amplitude of vibrations in steel are dependant upon the natural frequency of the steel, the energy exciting it, & its weight (or the assembly's weight). If you change any 1 of these factors, the steel will vibrate at a different frequency, or stop vibrating altogether. As you release tension on the strings, the amount of string between the nut & the bridge is increasing, as is the weight. Since the natural frequency of the string's steel hasn't changed, it will vibrate at a lower frequency. Or, you will have to strike the string harder to reach the same tone. This is similar to a problem occurring on motorcycles many years ago, where handlebars would vibrate contsantly, causing the rider's hands to go numb. They added bar-ends to the handlebars, which added weight to them, & changed to assembly's natural frequency such that it wouldn't be excited by the existing vibrations in the whole motorcycle. The handlebars stopped vibrating, & increased the rider's comfort. I hope this sheds a little light on the subject. Once again, thanks for a great video. Keep up the good work. Andrew
I was in the Guitar Center I West LA and they had a used Danelectro baritone that someone had put 10s on and tuned to E-standard....that was a seriously cool feeling and sound.
Love this video. I set up my Strat to Eb and a Gretsch 5220 to D - doing this made each guitar easier to bend, and more importantly, the tone felt very rich. On the Gretsch I used 11’s.
I just want to clarify that Hendrix tuned down to Eb because when he was playing with Velvetones, all the songs were in keys that suited brass better so F, Bb, Eb and tuning down to Eb made playing parts easier for those keys. After he left to do his own thing, he just kept doing it because it felt comfortable.
He also played a lot in E standard.
But some people don't realize that there are a lot of Hendrix songs in standard tuning, it's not all half step down.
@@andbenitz yes
A bunch of those Hendrix shows like Isle of Wight he ends up in like Db standard. I think he just pulled it out of his case and tuned it to itself. Always just tuning by ear at those shows
Also for singing purposes as well
@@jperryfan And those crazy bends and dive bombs on the whammy
I play guitar one handed (due to a stroke) and on my acoustics I use 13-56 tuned down to C which creates the ideal tension for my hammer on/pull off style
C standard rocks, nice
Very cool. I also like my acoustics at C. The way the low notes resonate it's so good for blues (slide, too).
I love hearing how people overcome difficulties to continue playing, rock on man
My favourite tuning is CGCCGC - I know it sounds a little odd but it’s surprisingly versatile when you take advantage of droning open strings.
@@kingbrutusxxvithat's great, I only tuned to it because of qotsa and kyuss lol
Last October I was in an accident and ended up with nerve damage in my left (fretting) hand. Can't feel my left pinky and the ring finger is half asleep. Inspired by Joey Landreth I tuned to open D. It's now my favourite tuning and probably my main tuning from here on out. Once you figure out the open voiced chords it's super easy to play with only 3 fingers and the reduced string tension helps a lot
Hold up, did @arielposen leave that band cuz they wouldn’t go low enough? (Pretty sure he does C std)
@@CliffGraham I think he mostly left because he started his own solo career. If I remember correctly Joey played mostly in open C, Ariel was in B or C standard, and the bass was BEAD tuning. But I could be wrong
I have nerve damage in my left (fretting) hand as well. I'm having surgery actually on Thursday to correct it if all goes well. I was just starting to learn and had to hold up til this was scheduled, so I am hoping to have sensation and strength again soon. Sadly, I don't know enough about it all to do different tunings. There's a whole new finger chart for chords for new tunings though, right? I know so little and am just starting over, plus I have a tendency to overthink, that it's making me think I have to learn a whole new fingering chart for chords for every tuning standard. :(
I too was in a car accident and my fretting hand the left hand is pretty jacked up, I’ve been playing guitar since then and I’m going to try that. I do love some drop D, I just need to adjust to the tuning/notes. My ring and pinky fingers are a constant 8 out of 10 pain level, thanks for sharing.
@@ruvchbrevth The original comment said open D, not drop D. Open D gives other opportunities and flavor than the drop D. I hope you'll fully recover from your injury!
I’ve been using D standard as my go to for a while now. Just can’t beat it.
Same, it is wonderful.
it is a super sweeeeeeet zone fer a bunch o music!!!!!
Yes! That's where it's at for me too. Occasionally drop from there to drop C.
Do you guys use a capo when the band wants to play in E?
@@davedavem same. When you wanna get heavy
Ever since Rhett made the D standard tuning video I still have my strat and jazzmaster tune in it. Absolutely love how they sound and I wouldn’t have done it without seeing the video
Hendrix tuned to D as well.
I’m on the verge of impulse buying a Jazzmaster. Maybe this is the push I need! 😀
@@IDriveAnAudi The Jazz master pickups in any lower tuning I think sounds great!
same
I just ordered a new Fender Strat from Sweetwater and had them plek it based on an Eb tuning setup with my chosen strings and I've never enjoyed playing a guitar more. So easy to play and it sounds so good! I just recieved it last night and I opened my youtube feed today to see this! Synchronicity at its finest.
Lovely 😊
I learned something new - had no idea you could have a guitar pleked for a certain tuning. Does that mean the playability would be slightly off in E standard, or other, for example, open tunings?
@@James-eg3nf Yeah, I only just found out when I was ordering this guitar. It does mean it will be just slightly off when you change the tuning. If you tune the guitar I just ordered to standard it would raise the action slightly because neck tension is increasing.
@@James-eg3nf but if you set your guitar up (Plek'd or not) for a standard tuning and a really low action and then tune it down to a c standard it can create string buzz or dead strings
@@James-eg3nf you ideally want to to set the guitar up for a specific tuning so that when it's in tune and at a specific string tension on that specific guitar body so that the neck is as straight as possible. You would do the same thing during a traditional guitar setup
I definitely like my strat tuned down. I think a very important reason why is the fact that it starts to produce a sound that we are not accustomed to hearing from our guitars. In my case I learned in e standard. Then I found out about Jimi and SRV and tuned down to eflat and it felt way cooler. Although after playing in e flat for years that became my standard, my brain got numb to it. Mean while I discovered drop D and that was the new cool thing because mt ears werent used to that sound. Since then I've tried all sorts of different tunings, d standard, c standard, even b standard, on the same strat and I feel like the same rule applies. Its just a matter of disturbing the norm and in a way surprising your ears and your brain. The same thing happens when I try open e or g or dadgad. Thats why we hear players saying if you are in a creative rut, switch it up by just changing your tuning. Once you do it you can discover a whole new world of sounds with the same instrument.
Great synopsis 👍
Lately I’ve been writing songs with one guitar in E standard and the other guitar in C# standard. They’re relative to each other (E major’s relative minor is C#) and it forces different voicings between guitars. It also creates a very good separation in the mix because of the different voicings. I like writing in C# and E standard together because it makes the guitars feel like totally different instruments.
That's a cool trick! I play baritone (B standard) in my band to separate myself from the other guitarist in E, and to step on the bass players toes. It's a lot of fun.
Sounds like a cool recipe to implement a baritone guitar for a dynamic between bass and lead.
To me, its astounding the genius of people like Leo Fender, whom back when only about 20 years had passed since the invention of electrics, got so much right and musical about the design of pickups - especially the angling of the single coil bridge pickups on the first Broadcaster / Teles. A lot of research, engineering and experimentation went into that - so now, with various tunings, string types / gauges, effects - amazing what is possible, tonally.
I have a 30 inch scale jazzmaster tuned down to drop E and conpared to my drop usual drop C tuning it completely changes how you want to play the instrument and the tone completely alters which is so damn cool and the wierd thing ive noticed the lower you go into extended ranges youll find single coils are the way to go for more clarity which is wild considering im a metal player which is mostly known for humbuckers.
i use 007 strings tuned down 1 step. it`s very light and very nice to play. have some hand problems anyway - try low and 007 or 008 strings.
I would like to hear you do this the other way around. Play a low tuning and THEN play a standard tuning. I think the experiment itself tends to favor whatever you play NEXT. And I think playing standard tuning after would also sound "better"
I don't know whether or not it would sound "better" but I would love to hear him playing the same thing in both tunings for comparison.
My issue is that in these comparison vids he seldom plays the same chords and licks but more "plays around" so it's hard to tell how one actually compares to the other.
That's silly just watch it from the last example to the first
@@nuthinbutloveI agree. These comparisons while playing different licks on each tuning/amp/guitar/etc is silly. We’re only going by what the person making the video says and taking it at face value rather than making up our own mind
@@sinjon right!
The lower the cooler 😎
Interesting that Hendrix and SRV both favoured Eb, yet their choice of string gauge was vastly different.
That's also proven to me again that string gauge isn't the gatekeeper of tone.
@@russellzauner but their tones were different 🤨
Styles were wildly different, as far as how they played what they played. SRV played so heavy handed and aggressively he needed 13’s to hold up to the abuse.
@@JoaoGabriel-lz3wpHendrix played with a good amount of effects and Marshall amps. They both played loud as fuck, I doubt you’d hear a tonal difference in the string gauges
@@uno1industries yes. It does not make sense to compare them in this case
I'm a guitarist but man that bass sounded so good. Imo bass doesn't get the respect that it deserves.😍😍😍😍
Davie504 has entered chat
A P-Bass’s sound is so great
The bass should have tuned down to Eb as well. Down tuning gives a bass a thick meaty tone without added effects. Try it. You will be surprised.
distortion sounds lousy on bass for me
Everyone loves guitar. But if the bass isn’t there, it’s obvious that something is missing
I use drop tunings all the time. My favorites are D and C. The DigiTech Drop pedal is nice to have as well. My baritone is also useful.
I love Eb and C#, been playing Eb for a few years and now I feel like C# has grown on me. P-90s sound fantastic with it. Really enjoyed the video, too. I'd love to watch some more stuff like this, it's pretty inspiring
When you drop to D you are also reducing the string tension on the neck which lowers the action. The strings get closer to the pickups which increases output. It’s always a good idea to lower the pickups slightly when you do this so that it doesn’t affect your sustain. When you do that you will really hear and feel a difference in the guitar:)
I believe the amplitude of a vibrating string is also higher when it's at lower tension, so you actually need a tiny bit more bow in the neck so the strings aren't hitting the frets.
@@SlimeyGuitarStrings yes, you can do that as well upon inspection of the neck. The gauge of strings can determine how much tension there is as well. The neck radius can also play into the equation. Bottom line though is if you like how it plays and feels, that’s all that matters:). You definitely don’t want pickups that are too high such that they pull against that string vibration and kill the sustain.
For the specific track that you jam, I think Eb sounds the best.
Alternate tunings, even those that are just lower than normal DOES actually change your playing.
I've been stuck on rut for years.
But when I changed one of my guitars to baritone tuning, I, suddenly felt inspired to play again.
I don't play metal, but about ten years ago I played my friend's guitar that was tuned down a whole step to D because he plays metal, and I've been tuning my guitar that way every since. Never owned a capo until then, now it a standard component in my case.
I started playing in eb full time last year to help my voice get through the busy gig season. Strings also last longer a half step down imo.
Originally i'm from the metal side of the universe with a jazz influence and the love for classical guitar. The jazz influence became bigger over the years but, what kept the same was my love for the 8 string guitar. Regarding the lower tunings, it is really fun to play around with it altough, i have to say it's quite hard to get chord voicings out of the low F# that suits the situation, beside metal and Ambiente. People should be more open to different tunings and strings on the guitar.
Btw. Great video from you
It would be interesting to hear this with other guitars. I tuned my Telecaster to Eb, but ended up going back to E standard because it didn’t sound right. I love my Martin dread in D, though.
Yes. Oddly i feel like my Tele sounds good in D, but not Eb?
Always been a huge fan of lower tunings for other styles aside from metal. I started playing super low because of bands like Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Electric Wizard but tuning down really can bring so many different timbres and harmonics out of a guitar that were never there in a higher tuning. It completely changes the way you attack and approach the guitar and it isn't something that can be replicated using a pedal that artificially changes your tuning. You're not getting the physical changes in the instrument that change the way the strings vibrate over your pickups and the way the strings bounce when you attack them. It just feels like the instrument is "breathing" more if that makes any sense. Harmonics and overtones jump out at you a lot more and thus changes your approach. Playing a guitar in C Standard through a big clean amp with some P90s or low output humbuckers with some reverb is one of the coolest and most unique sounds I've been able to conjure. I'm not normally one to comment on videos but this is something I've always been a huge proponent of and love when you touch on this topic or talk about lower tunings.
Yupp, was looking for someone to mention queens, they're great. For example Song for the deaf has a killer chorus with some open strings (b,e) and it sounds damn good
What about vocals? We’re in D standard / drop C and debating about going back up. Singers comfortable high note is A4. Good point that you always have the original key at the 2nd fret. 🎸
I’d like to see this same experiment with Gibson scale length/humbucking guitars and see what happens with clean sounds.
I’ve kept my acoustic half step down for the past six months now and it sounds really good. When I want standard I just capo.
This video was very timely. I just had my Squier Jazzmaster Vintage Modified returned to me from my guitar tech. It now has an 11-50 D'Addario Jazz Light Flat Wound strings! I agree. E flat is the way, the truth and the life for 10s and 11s.
9s is for E standard, in my opinion.
I started tuning my 12 string down 1/2 step a few years ago. I liked the sound so much I have just about all my guitars (acoustic and electric) 1/2 step down.
10:33 i think that's partially incorrect* :)
the vibrational modes depend on the length of a string, not it's tension.
tuning down a string means the player uses different frets for the same note and that means a different string length for the same note (in general shorter compared to regular tuning)... lower tension may allow greater amplitude for the overtones given the mass of the string remains the same...
*an open E vibrates in the same places/nodes regardless of its tuning: half its length, a third, a quarter, etc... that's the harmonics and they maintain position.
What an excellent video Rhett! Well done!
I’ve been playing Eb for decades and love it, but if I was a blues player, D standard might be my jam. Then I might have to pay drop C on the low E and that would cover a lot of ground for me. Nice demo!
For the past few years, I've been tuning some of my guitars to A Standard (ADGCEA), five semitones above E Standard, but recently I started thinking about going the other direction, and tuning to D Standard, both for guitar and bass. I plan to increase my string gauge; normally, I use .010 gauge on a 24.75" scale length, but I will probably go up to .011 gauge, because I do want to maintain the tension to which I am accustomed. I do this primarily because I have a low voice, and it helps me with transposing songs.
When tuned to A Standard, I use .008 gauge strings, which end up about the same tension as .010 gauge in E standard. I can play the "normal" chord shapes, and the guitar will play a perfect fourth above, while I can sing a perfect fifth lower than the original melody, and be in tune with my instrument. However, .008s are prone to breakage, especially on scale lengths longer than 24.75". I'd like to acquire a 24" or 22.72" scale instrument, but my choices in those scale lengths are limited, so I thought of going the other way, and tuning down a whole step to D Standard, instead, which would mean I could use any standard scale guitar or bass easily, although I will have to have the nuts on my guitars and basses recut for the thicker strings.
You describing the vibration over the bridge pickup was an excellent breakdown 👌
D-Standard (DGCFAd) is a great tuning for guitarist.
You can transpose along with the band on the fly with a capo to move up in key (Open-D std, Capo 1-Eb, Capo 2-E std…etc.) or you can move down in key within reason, with drop tunings (Open - Drop C, Capo 1 - Drop C#, Capo 2 - Drop D). Lots of flexibility, especially if you play gospel or worship music.
And here I am wanting a tenor guitar or octave mandolin.
I play in a group with piano, bass , and keys. The low end is all taken up, so I am trying to find different ways to cut through.
I’ve even been looking at modifying an 8 string acoustic to be strung in 4 courses being tuned ADGB.
Eye-opening (ear) post. I have not previously heard such a succinct discussion and illustration of these tuning possibilities. Well done, great coverage of some new ground (at least for me)!
It's really rad to see you guys testing this stuff out. I write and play metal and my current favorite 6 string tuning is AGCFAD. You get really interesting standard tuning play between the A and G since the octave is between those two, not the first and third.
I use that tuning in my band too! High five. It's awesome for a sludge/death/black hybrid sound.
I'm 66....and you just changed my life. I know what to do with my quiver of cheap guitars. I don't need a baritone. I can buy less Rev Willys, too. Already I was tuning lower on some instruments, Lute as low as 410hz. The simple mellow jam is also nice inspiration, as my background is keyboards, and reeds. I got a cheap bass....the strings cost more than the guitar. Very cool video for me.
Always preferred a range of Eb to Db standard because it fits my vocal range better. The string tension and slight tone change are side benefits.
I agree that the tone seems change with less string tension. Remember the string gauge video you did with Beato? 9s sounded way better than 10s. Maybe it's also finding the right gauge for each tuning.
i generally like the feel and sound of 9-42 in standard on a strat so when i go lower i try to find that same tension so 10-46 in eb and 11-48 in d standard feels good
I have my Breedlove acoustic tuned down to D standard and I enjoy it so much! I'm thinking about tuning my Martin down as well. I like the ability to go lower when my ear hears it.
Nice T-shirt Rhett👍. Old Norman Harris is “ The Man” when it comes to having some killer old guitars . As I live here on West coast in San Diego his shop is like a “ Candy store for Adults “ & is only a couple hours north of me in Reseda up in L.A. Enjoyed this video here very much , thanks 👍. I’ve always tuned my Strat ‘s down 1/2 a step . Trying different tunings is fun & can really open some new musical doors . 😊
Aaaah C baby!
So sweet!
Practicing guitar used to be work. Now it is a joy limited only by my finger endurance.
Rythm is everything.
Low tunings absolutely thrive on single coil guitars, cause they maintain clarity in the low-end if they have good pickups. PAFs usually already have a darker sound, unless it’s like the Lollar El Rayo or something voiced like that.
I had an acoustic that I thought sounded too bright. I tuned it to Eb standard and thought it really opened up the sound. So I recorded a song using a capo on the first fret (essentially E standard), then re-tuned my guitar to E standard and recorded the same song. Playing them at the same time and alternating between the two, I couldn't hear a difference. They sounded exactly the same. I'd been fooling myself.
To really test, record a song in E standard, then tune down to Eb standard and record the same song with everything else the same. Let someone rename the two files so that you don't know which is which and see how well you can tell the difference.
Tried this with my strats and a tele today. I’m digging the vibe with everything tuned down 1/2 step.
That camera analogy with the pickups is so insightful.
i end up playing in c and a# a lot, because i like the tones you can get with that as a base and a lot of effects stacked on top. listening to boris really opened my ears to what you can do with super low tunings.
Yessssss Boris!!!
On the pickup position chat, it's "nodes" not "modes". The nodes are where the waveform passes through zero: -〰️
When you tune down, the nodes still sit in the same places because the scale length isn't changing, but for a given note, the pattern of nodes is shifted: in D standard, the "D" nodes are where the "E" nodes are in E standard. So playing in E with the guitar tuned down sounds different to playing in E in E standard.
I’m a bass player in a band that tunes down to C Standard. For me there were two things I had to fight. Being tuned so low, the bass sounds dull. So I have to play with some sort of overdrive always on to cut through. Also no matter what 34” scale bass I played with super heavy strings, they seemed to never sound right. Moved over to a Dingwall 4 string with lighter strings and POW! Absolutely glorious.
I recently went from 10 gauge to 8 gauge due to a hand operation. I noticed the same effect on my strat as to tuning down.
I watch, enjoy and learn from all of your videos Rhett.
-I've used C # in the bass with standard tuning and playing in the key of E for a long time and have written with that tuning. On electric.
I had the honor of playing with Eric Bibb in concert, and backstage he hipped me wise to the fact that he tunes to D Standard. It's nice when one guitar is tuned that way and the other player is in standard and the different colors derived.
Because we play shapes and guitarists love open string shapes it sounded great with him in D standard and me in E Standard.
-Your new course is what I've been looking for, having played in tunings, etc but always searching scale wise. And, just dwelling perhaps in one or 2 tunings. TH-cam and books help but they are scattered whereas this looks like an encyclopedia. Thanks!
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There’s so many songs that have been written in standard tuning, it’s nearly impossible to hear an open cowboy chord or progression without your brain instantly recognizing countless songs from the past that sound similar. Tuning out of standard introduces your ear to progressions in new keys and new trails that haven’t been so nicely paved before you.
I believe it is Paul Winter who said that nature and the universe is in D flat minor. Perhaps as you tune lower you get to sound that you recognize from the world around you.
John Fogerty's D standard guitar sounds amazing. Gives CCR's songs a unique sound for sure
Absolutely. In the 80's, Motley Crue also used D tuning. Wildside, Girls, Feelgood... It gave them a down & dirty sound and helped set them apart sonically.
I knew I was getting a swamp rock vibe from the lower tunings, but couldn't figure out why. Saw this comment, went and listened to Born on the Bayou and was like "Oh yeah... that's the stuff right there"
@@sinocteSwamp Rock - I love it! Never heard that before. 😁
I love the way a Gibson scale guitar sounds and feels in C standard with a bit heavier strings. It's still a bit slinky but dark and thick sounding. I think it's especially great into something like an old marshall cranked up, not high gain but just loud and driven. It's just perfect to me
I recently dropped my Tele to drop Db and it sounds really cool. I am working on some heavier pop-punk/easycore stuff so that made sense. I might just end up leaving it between there and Eb standard for when I play at my local church.
I was ready to argue but at the end I agree. It’s all about strings tension lower and more facilitated bends and vibrato
I've kept one of my guitars in d standard for about 2 years now because of the old video. Awesome tunning
Tony Iommi also used to tune down due to his factory worker injuries (he was missing parts of his finger tips and finger tip bones in his fretting hand) and using finger caps (like those used by children, or those with Diabetes) plus tuning down helped him still be able to play. He often shifted up and played things in E standard pitch ranges, with the bass tuned to E standard, as well. He would play in B standard, essentially baritone tuning, and then just play up on the "A string" since in that tuning, that's now an E.
My band and I have been playing in D standard for decades and it has taught me to lighten my attack on the strings so I don't bang them past their sweetest range. You can see when you use a tuner and bang the string hard that it will go sharp and then settle down to the target pitch. I think I've heard Tim Pierce say to learn to play light so you can have the most dynamic control right at your finger tips. I also play lots of slide in standard and you don't want to hit the strings too hard or you won't get a consistant contact between the string and the slide. Tuning down makes you play differently. More fluid would be my description.
Soon as you went to Eb I hear a different era because I'm used to those player like Hendrix etc.
I think singlecoil pickups sound better in lower tunings. When I had a strat I usually had it in D standard/drop C.
I spent lots of time in high school getting familiar with alternate/low tunings . Its my advice for anyone who’s got the basics down to apply those to other tunings & inspirations will come your way
Down-tuning a strat definitely helps tame that ice picky bridge pickup.
The bass player here is a serious pro, he’s killin’ it!
Great video. That bass tone was amazing btw.
I settled on D a couple of years ago on my acoustics. Even there the tone changed. Eb works great on my Jazzmaster and Tele.
Where it gets really interesting is open tunings that aren't just your regular open major tuning but down lower. I tune as standard to varieties of DADGad but down in B or A (on a 7 string with an extra high string above the tuning). Granted, I'm a metal dude but for the more vibey stuff I like doing, it's real nice.
For Monuments stuff huh?
Wow, for some unknown reason I tuned my Strat down to D a couple of weeks ago and instantly fell in love with how it felt and sounded! I'm thinking I will keep it there. I tuned down to Eb for many years in my power trio days and my bass player would tune down also. When sitting in with others in standard tuning it was a PITA. But D tuning will be easier for me to instantly transpose when playing with folks in standard tuning.
Super interesting! I'm addicted to D standard myself.
Just picked up your alt tunings course. Thanks!
I've been playing in drop C for 5 years now. I absolutely love how rich and full it sounds. BUT it can 100% get a little bass heavy lower on the neck. I think its time i change it up soon. The tonal shock is gonna be really inspiring for me when i do, so im pretty excited. I encourage everyone to really give it a try. After a while, the more "standard" tunnings will be almost foreign and exciting.
I have arthritis and I have tuned down a tone to be able to use my "full size" (mostly 650mm) guitars. I have built two electrics with 590mm scale length to play in E and am building a baritone at 660mm. The low string tension gives a much more fluid sound and every movement of your fingers, even the mistakes, affects the tone.
Id be really interested to hear how a "Gibson" scale lengthed guitar would hold up in this test too.
I think you should try the Hendrix string set: 10-38 tuned down to Eb. At least Fender and Pyramid make them. Wound strings really thin, that's the thing...
A smoothe, " slickerr transition from g to d string . Watch that. 038 low E though ha
In that set, the strings are like this:
E/1st .010 Silver-Plated Steel
B/2nd .013 Silver-Plated Steel
G/3rd .015 Silver-Plated Steel
D/4th .026 Round Core Pure Nickel Wound
A/5th .032 Round Core Pure Nickel Wound
E/6th .038 Round Core Pure Nickel Wound
There's a lot to unpack here, but I'll just say a few things:
If the lower string tension with lower tunings is what's created the video you like with lower tunings, then could you not get that same vibe with really light guage strings in standard E tuning? Alternatively, would heavy guage strings to keep the tension high with lower tunings negate that vibe?
Also, as you changed tunings you were also changing keys. Remember that different keys have different vibes to them. Perhaps the vibe you liked with Eb tuning wasn't because you tuned your guitar down a half step, but because you went from the key of E to the key Eb regardless of how your instrument was tuned.
Perhaps a more conclusive (and certainly more laborious) experiment would be to change your string guages with each tuning to keep the string tension the same across all tunings, and play the same song in the same key across all tunings. Then see if the different tunings sound different.
De tuned guitars are nice to play especially if your singing voice is low but playing with other guys like that has a few challenges.
I have a few slightly faulty acoustic guitars that can only be set up to D standard with comfortable string height and I love them.
I've been using D-standard as my main tuning for the past 8 years or so. Eb before that since about 2001. E standard tuning just doesn’t work for me personally. I enjoy using heavier gauge strings and getting that grittier, more depthy sound.
the neck changes as less tension is presented by the strings, so the action is lowered and also the pickups get a bit hotter.
the whole guitar needs readjustments at some point, depending on the initial settings, tremolo tension included
This is the second video by you I've seen; I just stumbled across your channel. It's facts all the way so far. Cheers.
thanks for reminding me! i m busking saturday and sunday on my strat....just tested it and sounds great! and warmer!
I tuned my G&L Comanche down to D standard after watching this and I love it! I'll have to reset my trem and maybe heavier strings....
And the frequency vibration of the body?
It would be good to get a side by side comparison of the same riff in the same key but with the guitar tuned differently.
If you change the tuning you are changing the key.
So after watching, I grabbed my G&L Tribute Fallout and rolled it back to D Standard. Can't say that worked for me. Maybe with 11 or 12's. So I went up a half and now THAT'S where it's gonna live! It really gave the neck P90 something to say.
Been playing CGCFAD or DGCFAD for over 20 years. Its the best tuning for metal and blues.
Have found that I prefer 25.5 scale, tune-o-matic, string thru body style guitars for this paired with 11-52/54 or 10-52/54 depending on the guitar.
Also play this tuning on acoustic as well.
The tonality makes everything sound darker and sounds a lot better for my expression of the instrument.
A quick note: Playing E Standard vs Capo 3 C# Standard will definitely sound different because of the relative placement of the pickups - that is, it will be different parts of the vibrational modes and their corresponding nodes. I am not sure, but I think the string tension changes how the modes decay/sustain and how it easy it is to pull it sharp.
What would be interesting is to isolate how much string tension alone affects the sound by varispeeding the lower tuned versions until they sounded as of they were in E Standard and doing a blind listen test like you and Rick did with the different gauge strings some time ago.
I love D standard for a fender scale length guitar. I also keep an inexpensive takamine acoustic in D standard to compensate for the fact that I've never been able to set it up all that well. It's always sounded good and now it's much easier to play AND sing with.
I've got an old Washburn acoustic MIJ Festival (great guitar!). Loves D standard tuning, strung with light gauge strings. Sounds great and reduces stress on this cherished guitar.
I had the opposite experience with my Epiphone in Eb. The B string never tunes properly unless it's in E standard lol
@@segueoyuri definitely depends on the guitar!
@@segueoyuri Certainly depends on the guitar. My Larrivee ONLY plays in standard. Anything else and it sounds awful.
@@timeconsumer325 it sure does. I guess it's easier on electrics because with most bridges you can intonate each string individually (the intonation changes with different tunings), while on acoustics you have a "static" bridge so it sorta is what it is.
I was just trying to make it easier on the neck with the lower tuning, didn't work as expected lol
For me, it's definitely a fun thing to try with - both lower, and higher, give different spice. The moody vibes of lower tunings are kickass, but the increased tightness can be cool even going a little higher pitched. Trying it all and rotating through has lead to the most fun for me.
Thanks, Rhett, great video! I did a thing a few months ago and put 11-56 strings on my PRS Core and tuned to C-standard. This setup makes the G-string (now D#) sounds absolutely filthy in this setup. Like ouch, you bend so good, sort-of-filthy!
Also I was pleasantly surprised that my PRS stock pickups which I never quite jived with (HFS bridge, Bass neck) sounded very good now. I am not sure if all pickups are like this, but they clarify really nicely at lower registers.
Of course you will want to re-setup your guitar entirely including filing the nut, and you may need to get creative with your bridge.
7 years ago I joined a blues band. All the Trower, Hendrix, and S.R.V. songs we played were in e flat. I've gotten so used to it that standard tuning sounds weird to me now. I left that band and now I tune down to D standard. Sounds great with single coils, p90's, and it helps acoustics sound fuller too.
Phil said you sound more interesting in Eb. Do you think he was hinting you should try speaking in Eb? Keeping it in standard, but tuned down, has helped me learn the fretboard better. It makes me think just enough without confusing me.
Nice one, Rhett. Keep it up.
You really hit it, the strat scale length is 25.5 inches so string tension is high. Reducing to Eb and D reduces the tension. Try the same on a Gibson 24 3/4 scale length neck.
If you want to play anything from Devin Townsend, you pretty much have to start with his open C tuning.
Here's what I wonder though. Is the preference for lower tunings simply a matter of being so used to E Standard, that the change up in of itself is enough to make it seem "better?" When something is so common and a regular part of everyday life, you can become dull to it. Like if you eat an apple for lunch every day, but one day you run out of apples and have to resort to an orange, that orange is going to be a lot more exciting and fresh. In fact, you may even believe the orange is the superior fruit. Now of course, its all subjective, but I do have to wonder if that applies here. Just, food for thought.
I feel like I agree with your notion. I feel sort of the same "energy" from an up-tuned guitar, say to F. Like some of The Smiths songs, or playing with a capo. But I also agree that lower tuning sounds and feels "better". What ever that means. :)
I started tunning my acoustic guitar half step down because I rarely play without capo. I think it makes the guitar softer and since I always play chords with capo, the strings are always closer to the fret. Even if you tune half step down and then you capo on first it feels more comfortable than no capo and standard tuning.
G'day Rhett,
Thanks for an interesting video. I watched your recent video where you recommended tuning down to C# std, but this latest video gave me the hint I needed.
The reason for the change in tone when tuning down could be due to the weight of each string between the nut & the bridge. The frequency & amplitude of vibrations in steel are dependant upon the natural frequency of the steel, the energy exciting it, & its weight (or the assembly's weight). If you change any 1 of these factors, the steel will vibrate at a different frequency, or stop vibrating altogether. As you release tension on the strings, the amount of string between the nut & the bridge is increasing, as is the weight. Since the natural frequency of the string's steel hasn't changed, it will vibrate at a lower frequency. Or, you will have to strike the string harder to reach the same tone.
This is similar to a problem occurring on motorcycles many years ago, where handlebars would vibrate contsantly, causing the rider's hands to go numb. They added bar-ends to the handlebars, which added weight to them, & changed to assembly's natural frequency such that it wouldn't be excited by the existing vibrations in the whole motorcycle. The handlebars stopped vibrating, & increased the rider's comfort.
I hope this sheds a little light on the subject. Once again, thanks for a great video. Keep up the good work.
Andrew
I was in the Guitar Center I West LA and they had a used Danelectro baritone that someone had put 10s on and tuned to E-standard....that was a seriously cool feeling and sound.
Love this video.
I set up my Strat to Eb and a Gretsch 5220 to D - doing this made each guitar easier to bend, and more importantly, the tone felt very rich.
On the Gretsch I used 11’s.