Tuning down half a step

I don't know whether this is a beginner ? or a technique and style ?, but since I'm a beginner, here I am. I'm trying to play most of the songs on Nirvana's Unplugged recording, but the tab says to tune the guitar down half a step. Now i have a basic understanding of where the notes are on the fretboard (handy chart in my guitar book), and i can tune my guitar by ear(playing strings on the 5th fret), so where do i start? Do i tune the low E string down to D#, and how do i do this? Do i tune the A string down to G# and work the E string backwards from there? Do i sound confused? I didn't think I was until now. Any help? Any pages that will explain. I appreciate the help in advance. Oh by the way, this is a really great site to find, i've already learned a few things just poking around.

to tune down a half step just try to make the low e string sound like the 6th fret on the A string or the First fret on the D string and when you get the low string sounding like the 6th fret on A just tune the rest of the strings like you would do if it was in E thus giving you Eb and to retune just make the low E sound like the First fret and tune regularly from there and you'll be back in E

peace o.




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Jake Sommers

thanks jake, with a little help from my electronic tuner and help from you i figured it out. i noticed where the needle on my tuner was when i fretted the low E on the 11th fret, and then tuned the E string to the same frequency. i was having a hard time hearing the E flat (how do you make that special symbol?) played on the A or D string and transfering it to the E.
is there ever a case when you would tune up half a step?

that sign is just a lowere case b, you usually use a capo to tune up steps. it doesn't matter what string you use to get it to that tuning as long as it's accurate. Do you know what a capo is? it's a device that clamps on to your strings at different frets to raise the pitch they cost from $5-15

peace out

jake sommers

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Jake Sommers

I was wondering....WHY do guitarists tune down half a step (my own guitar aswell )?
I did it just to make it easier to play along with records, but I really don't see the benefit of tuning down...
Does anybody know?

L8r

There's a few reasons. First one is for the vocalist. It makes reaching the high notes a little easier. Second is if you have a 12 string guitar in the band, most manufacturers suggest tuning em a half step lower cause of the extra tension. Third, is cause it's easier to bend notes, so if you do a lot of lead playing, it's easier on the fingers.
Other reasons are just to do something a little different....most bands tune to A440 which makes all bands sound the same, go one step lower and it frustrates the heck out of beginner guitar players

What do you mean with A440 tuning? Is that the official name for tuning down half a step?

(You see, this is the problem when you didn't get any lessons...a lack of technical knowledge....whatever :] )

Just a quick question, is tuning down half a step the same thing as drop D tuning???

Confused? I am!!

Dave.

no, it's not the same. in tuning down half a step, all the strings go down half a step and in the drop d tuning only the low E string moves down in pitch and the other strings stay the same. okay



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Jake Sommers

Thanks Jake, Its good to know, if I have a dumb question , then someone will give me a sensible answer..
Take it eazy

Dave.

A440 tuning is the standard tuning most guitar players tune to. If you look at any electronic tuner you'll usually see something like.....cent -50.....cent +50 and ALTERNATIVELY Hz 430 440 and 450 Hz.
If you tune your guitar to a440 it means standard tuning. If you want to tune down by one note, use the 430 CENT.
A440 is known as as the standard tuning for all guitars.

sorry just one other note: in the beginner section I'm gonna list all the alternate tunings for guitar including drop D etc.
go to http://www.guitartricks.com/beginners/
and eventually it'll be there.

Hmmm...I never gave any thought that tunung to Eb would make the strings easier to bend. I've got my action set so low as it is, I could be tuned up to F and it'd still be easy to play. Our main reason is for our vocalist. Plus we tend to play a lot of cover songs that are both in E and D. It's a lot easier to just tune to the middle ground than to change to a different guitar in a different tuning during a set.

I've actually spoken to a lot of guitar techs' and such and they've told me that in a lot of cases, like Guns n Roses, they tune down a half a step because Axle will sing flat a lot. So if you tune your guitar flat while your singer sings flat, he'll be in key.

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BadHorsie, holdin' it down like Gravity!