Tuning Thread

[seibel88]

Hey everybody,

I decided to make this thread in order to help others post tunings they use and to help beginners find the tunings they need. Hopefully this will help to stop complaints about the 10 billion tuning threads that are created every day. So go ahead and post your tuning questions/problems in here.

[olivehehe_03]

I've heard somewhere that if you want to play in low tuning (drop-d half/whole step) you need to use heavy gauge strings. I have no idea if this is actually true, but I can play in drop-d half step down tuning with super light gauge strings, only problem is that the tuning goes out pretty quickly. Anyone know if this is actually true?

[imlost]

well, you don't NEED to use heavy gauge strings...its not neccessary. low d tuning is that low/dark sound, i mean it may sound better with heavy gauge strings but its not neccessary. the only time you would wanna invest into low gauge strings is if you played in low C and such.

[Leukeh]

I've heard somewhere that if you want to play in low tuning (drop-d half/whole step) you need to use heavy gauge strings. I have no idea if this is actually true, but I can play in drop-d half step down tuning with super light gauge strings, only problem is that the tuning goes out pretty quickly. Anyone know if this is actually true?

if you are going to drop tune, it is highly, and i mean highly reccomended you use heavier gauge strings for 3 main reasons

1. They will stay in tune longer
2. Tone
3. They will be easier to play with (when your strings flop all over the place, it's VERY difficult to play)

[Leukeh]

before it gets asked, i will explain how to tune your guitar to a few different tunings

Drop C/C Standard/Drop B

1. from drop d, play 5th fret on the low D (was E, now D) & make the A string sound the same as that note, repeat the process with all the strings, except play 4th on the g string when tuning the open B (like you would when doing standard tuning)

2. then drop the D (was low E, now D) to C, by doing the same thing you would when going to drop D

if the tab says drop C, stop here

if it says C standard or just C, keep going

3. play 5th fret on the low C (originaly E) & make the next string sound the same as that note, repeat the process with all the strings, except play 4th on the g string when tuning the open B (like you would when doing standard tuning)

you are now tuned to C standard

to tune to Drop B, just repeat steps 1 & 2 again

i can't remember the names of the strings when they are dropped at the moment, will edit them in later

hope it makes sense!

[imlost]

not really..see you're only tuning one string back, which is the low E to low D, nothing else. thats why i dont think its neccessary to really get heavy gauge strings if you're just going to play standard tuning/d tuning. its because you're only tuning one string back, nothing else. if you say that all your strings are becoming untuned in low d then that simply means your strings suck and its time to go and get new ones. if you're going to play in low C and such then its a great idea to buy heavy gauge strings but you don't HAVE to get one..