What's wrong here - alternate tuning...

Calcifer · #1 02-25-2018, 01:49 AM

Argh. Ok, so I'm attempting an alternate tuning to learn The Rain Song: DGCGCD. Simple adjustment and there's no room for oopsies.
I follow the tutorial to the letter, but when I play it, it sounds like it's being played on a $10.00 guitar tuned by a deaf and drunk monkey...nothing like the guy in the video.
My guitar (Martin D-15) is fine on a regular tuning. What could I be doing wrong ? Is my sound hole tuner leading me down the garden path ? Am I just missing something obvious ? Grrrrr.

Halcyon/Tinker · #2 02-25-2018, 02:15 AM

It's not exactly an easy piece so maybe cut yourself some slack.

Calcifer · #3 02-25-2018, 02:19 AM

No, seriously, it's the tuning. It is mostly open strings, and it's as "off" as it can get.
Other things I've done online and I sound just like the video....not this.
Ack.

rick-slo · #4 02-25-2018, 02:19 AM

Not enough data to give an opinion. Post a recording of youself playing the tune (preferably on the Play section of the forum).

#5 02-25-2018, 02:23 AM

This seems to be a tuning Page came up with for this song or borrowed from some other, likely esoteric, source. He seems to have always been experimenting.

Anyway I tuned up the closest of my guitars I could reach and played a couple measures of it. On my guitar it sounds fine. I know that so far I've been of no help to you. I'll just tell you what I'm using and maybe we can start comparing things and figure out what's wrong.

I'm used a Martin 00-28 with 12-54 Martin SP Lifespan strings. I tuned up exactly to that tuning and I noticed right away it sounds "right" on the downstroke but odd on the upstroke. So I played it all the way with only using downstrokes and I think it sounds like how Zeppelin played it, or at least decently close. This tuning drops 4 strings down a whole step, one up a step and one is left alone. String tension might be an issue on the four that are tuned down if you're running light strings. Do you have another tuner or another guitar you can use for comparison?

We're both using Martins, but yours is all mahogany, right? I'm not sure if that would make much difference, but maybe the mellower hog top is taking away some of that nice treble that song needs to sound correct. Just a WAG. Best of luck.

Calcifer · #6 02-25-2018, 02:27 AM

Good idea, I'll try my clip on tuner...
None of this makes sense. I've been playing this song since it first came out - but the standard tuning version. I only just now decided to do it "right".

#7 02-25-2018, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calcifer

Good idea, I'll try my clip on tuner...
None of this makes sense. I've been playing this song since it first came out - but the standard tuning version. I only just now decided to do it "right".

Yeah, try the other tuner. I'm your control here I suppose. I think it sounds fine when I tune up my guitar to that tuning and play it. It definitely works a lot like Open D tuning, similar to "My Time of Dying" which is a fun one to play too. Maybe you should try that one and see if the problem follows you to that tuning as well.

Calcifer · #8 02-25-2018, 02:35 AM

Thanks. We're both doing the same thing, there's nothing wrong with my guitar, and I'm stumped. When I wake up tomorrow, I'll try another tuner.....that's the most logical solution. It just sounds totally sour the way I'm going now.
I'll post again after trying this.
Michael

M19 · #9 02-25-2018, 07:18 AM

Are you using Tonedr's tutorial? If so, have you tired tuning along with his guitar?

JimmerO · #10 02-25-2018, 02:10 PM

When the batteries in my tuner get weak sometimes the tuning goes off.

JeffreyAK · #11 02-25-2018, 04:04 PM

I learned it EADADE, are you just off a half-tone (actually a full tone, two half-steps) from whatever you're comparing against?

jim1960 · #12 02-25-2018, 07:44 PM

It's been my experience that some guitars take alternate tunings better than others. Also, if you're playing with 12s, that might be the issue. You're tuning down on four strings and light strings can sound warbly when tuned down. For that tuning, I'd want 13s.

M19 · #13 02-25-2018, 08:09 PM

I have lights on my 00-18 and it sounds just fine.

_zedagive · #14 02-25-2018, 08:23 PM

This song sounds perfect on my Breedlove in DGCGCD. Check your tuning. You'll know it's on when you strum that first magical chord.

coopman · #15 02-25-2018, 08:58 PM

Hi - Without more information it could be either your guitar or the tuner ...

Tuner: does your tuner have a 'chromatic' setting verses 'guitar' setting? Chromatic would be the best choice. Sometimes in 'guitar' settings it's trying to match to the standard E, A, D ... etc notes and isn't necessarily accurate trying to match to other notes. Some tuners also just don't work well for alternates.

You can also find some on-line tuners you could try alternately ...

Guitar: As mentioned, some guitars just don't like other tunings very well. New harmonic interactions happen - sometimes for the worse (like dissonance, wolf notes, intonation which might be a little off in standard, suddenly is much further off with a big load change and possible action impact, etc). I have one guitar that is great in DADGAD, but sounds bad in standard tuning. Go figure. Most can switch around readily ... but don't discount it. That's why I'm a big advocate for multiple guitars dedicated to particular tunings ... saves money on strings too LOL !

Which raises one more possibility, you could have bad strings which are not intonating well in the new tuning .. seen that happen many times. Try the old fashion way of checking the notes all over the fret board - harmonics against open strings, open C on the 4th string against the 3rd string C at the 5th fret, etc. See if any thing's off ...

Don't give up. Keep searching you'll figure it out.

John