blues question

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blues question
Topic Started: Sep 29 2008, 10:57 AM (243 Views)
safc1973	Sep 29 2008, 10:57 AM Post #1
Newbie Posts: 4 Group: Members Member #8,865 Joined: September 28, 2008	hi, i'm trying to get into playing blues style guitar and have a little question for you all, upon scouring the internet for playing tips i noticed one tip was to tune the guitar down a half step, i just wondered why really, what are the benefits of it, obviously then, every instrument playing along would have to be tuned down right? i don't want to sound like a doofis, but it just sounds like an odd thing to do.



roast	Sep 29 2008, 05:20 PM Post #2
Board Lord Posts: 1,017 Group: Co-Admin Member #59 Joined: September 2, 2006	There is no real reason, apart from the fact blues would sound a little....bluesier....when tuned down a step. Just like when bands like, for instance, Slipknot tune down several steps to get a heavier sound. -Mick.
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monwobobbo	Sep 29 2008, 05:20 PM Post #3
Posts: 598 Group: Moderator Member #8,625 Joined: June 23, 2008	different tunigs yield different sounds from the guitar. tuning down half a step makes the strings a little looser for easier bends etc. you bass response will be a little deeper as well. players do this for a variety of reasons some for the reasons mentioned and others because its easier for the singer to stay in pitch with the music. its really more of a option then needed thing to do. Van Halen and Hendrix often tuned thir guitars this way.
	and now for something completely different


areyouthefarmer	Sep 30 2008, 02:33 AM Post #4
Newbie Posts: 10 Group: Members Member #8,698 Joined: July 31, 2008	Tuning down a half step is not at all unusual. Vocalists like to have it tuned down because 10 gigs in 10 nights can really hurt the vocal chords lol. Anyway, its never a problem - tune it down as much as you want. It's all good.



safc1973	Sep 30 2008, 11:06 AM Post #5
Newbie Posts: 4 Group: Members Member #8,865 Joined: September 28, 2008	ok, thanks chaps.



tylerstrat89	Oct 31 2008, 05:02 PM Post #6
tylerstrat89 Posts: 84 Group: Moderator Member #4,876 Joined: March 7, 2008	well everybody here was either wrong about this or missed out on the importance of tuning down half a step for blues. because tuning down half a step you will use a heavier gauge string. like srv did, he used 12's i believe. well the reason for this is that you get a more raw, thicker sound etc...
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monwobobbo	Nov 3 2008, 02:34 PM Post #7
Posts: 598 Group: Moderator Member #8,625 Joined: June 23, 2008	sorry tyler but we're not wrong. yes stevie did use .012 gauge strings and he did tune down but its not a requirement. he was told that "real men" don't use light gauge strings when he was young so he went for heavier strings. heavy gauge strings do give you a thicker tone but of course are much harder to bend. tuning down helps with the bending. heavier strings, tuning differently etc are all just facets of guitar playing no rihgt no wrong just options.
	and now for something completely different


ruffdog64	Nov 3 2008, 08:05 PM Post #8
Member Posts: 35 Group: Members Member #8,686 Joined: July 26, 2008	Alert! stupid question coming guys, i`m fairly new to guitar am i right in thinking tuning down a step is for example tuning the bottom E to E flat and so on down the other strings if i`mbeing really stupid please point me in the right direction , Harvey



voodoorider	Nov 3 2008, 08:45 PM Post #9
Garry Posts: 262 Group: Members Member #8,964 Joined: November 3, 2008	a whole step would be 2 frets Ruffdog so to tune down 1 whole step from E would make it D.. so 1/2 step would be E flat 1 thing i didn't see mentioned and to bare in mind is if you're going to tune down and stay tuned down it might be worth keeping an eye on the curve of the guitars neck! Although 1/2 step shouldn't be a problem if you start getting into more serious down tuning then the neck will straighten over a period of time (I'm talking at least a couple of weeks before it's noticeable) as the pressure get's released by having the strings looser! Edited by voodoorider, Nov 3 2008, 08:47 PM.
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mynameisDavid	Nov 4 2008, 01:19 AM Post #10
Member Posts: 917 Group: Moderator Member #294 Joined: March 2, 2007	monwobobbo Nov 3 2008, 02:34 PM sorry tyler but we're not wrong. yes stevie did use .012 gauge strings and he did tune down but its not a requirement. he was told that "real men" don't use light gauge strings when he was young so he went for heavier strings. heavy gauge strings do give you a thicker tone but of course are much harder to bend. tuning down helps with the bending. heavier strings, tuning differently etc are all just facets of guitar playing no rihgt no wrong just options. I'd have to go with tyler with this one Yes it does give you a thicker sound



ruffdog64	Nov 4 2008, 09:50 AM Post #11
Member Posts: 35 Group: Members Member #8,686 Joined: July 26, 2008	voodoorider Nov 3 2008, 08:45 PM a whole step would be 2 frets Ruffdog so to tune down 1 whole step from E would make it D.. so 1/2 step would be E flat 1 thing i didn't see mentioned and to bare in mind is if you're going to tune down and stay tuned down it might be worth keeping an eye on the curve of the guitars neck! Although 1/2 step shouldn't be a problem if you start getting into more serious down tuning then the neck will straighten over a period of time (I'm talking at least a couple of weeks before it's noticeable) as the pressure get's released by having the strings looser! Thanks , i was just curious ,Harvey



areyouthefarmer	Nov 13 2008, 08:05 AM Post #12
Newbie Posts: 10 Group: Members Member #8,698 Joined: July 31, 2008	mynameisDavid Nov 4 2008, 01:19 AM monwobobbo Nov 3 2008, 02:34 PM sorry tyler but we're not wrong. yes stevie did use .012 gauge strings and he did tune down but its not a requirement. he was told that "real men" don't use light gauge strings when he was young so he went for heavier strings. heavy gauge strings do give you a thicker tone but of course are much harder to bend. tuning down helps with the bending. heavier strings, tuning differently etc are all just facets of guitar playing no rihgt no wrong just options. I'd have to go with tyler with this one Yes it does give you a thicker sound He didn't say it doesn't give a thicker sound - nobody did. There is no disagreement. He was merely pointing out that tuning down can be done for several reasons.


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