to tune to..

[~grif~]

Hey.
ive asked this before.

but how do i tune to eb Bb Gb Db Ab Eb?

can i tune normally but by placing finger on first fret and tune?
can i use a capo on first fret?

is that tuning called half a step down?

what dose full step down look like?



when i try the two methods above - i feel it dosent sound right at all...



im just annoyed that it never sounds right and thought id post this to be certain im tuning it right.

give me other methods too..


(thanks - grif)

[CantBuyAThrill]

That's half a step down, though it's written backwards in comparison to how it's normally written, or at least like how I've seen it written most of the time (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb eb.)

It's called a half step down because it's one semitone, or half of a step, or one fret, down from the standard tuning. To tune a full step down, it would be D G C F A D. Capoing up to the first when in standard tuning would raise you up a half of a step. (F A# D# G# C F), but if you were to tune it to standard pitch from there, it would tune it down a half of a step.

To tune down a half of a step, (one semitone or one fret,) you would tune like you normally compare the 5th fret of the low(est pitched) E string with an open A, only do the 6th fret of the low E string and tune the open A to match that. From there, tune your low E to an open A with your finger on the fifth fret of the E. Then, continue up the strings from the A, tuning the D to the fifth fret of the A, G to the fifth fret of the D, B to the fourth fret of the G, and E to the fifth fret of the D. It's alot easier than it sounds. Hopefully that made sense.

If that made no sense at all, here's a couple links:
http://www.guitarnoise.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tuning_down_half_a_step
http://www.betterguitar.com/Instruction/Basics/TuningDownHalfStep/TuningDown.html

EDIT: 800 posts. Awesome.

EDIT AGAIN: Just out of curiousity- are you doing this for a specific song or what?

[Donnie Darko]

Buy a chromatic tuner. Saves all that pissing around. Especially when your doing alternate tuning.

[~grif~]

well there are quiet a few songs i play that are half a step down.

thanks a million thrill - very helpful.
So helpful i copied what you said into a notepat for reference.

:o

[CantBuyAThrill]

thanks a million thrill - very helpful.
So helpful i copied what you said into a notepat for reference.

Glad I could help. Good luck

EDIT: I usually play half a step down with my band, helps to bend and I feel it improves my tone enough that it makes me play better ('cause one plays better when they sound better, at least that's what I think.) Hendrix and SRV both did it, and when guitarists like that do something (related to music), it's probably for a good reason.