1/2 step down tuning - easier on strings/guitar?

[Oldguy64]

I used to keep my 5013 tuned down a half step to ease the tension on the neck.
It was also easier on my fingers.
I currently keep my 150e tuned down for the same reasons.
Using a capo is easy enough for playing with other folks.
I've found many of my guitars sound better, and fuller for my playing.

[rick413]

I tune down 1/2 step all of the time as it is easier on my old retired fretting hand, plus easier on my not so high as it once was, voice.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Mobilemike

…I'm not arguing with that; I don't have any information either way about Tommy E. I'm merely making the point that standard tuning and a=440 are not necessarily the same.

Hi Mm…

You are correct.

In the circles I travel in and play in, A=440Hz is the reference pitch we all set our tuners to, and tune our acoustic pianos to.

No matter the particular tuning I choose to land my guitars in, the reference pitch is going to be A=440Hz. It has been an accepted worldwide standard since the 1920s and I see no reason to row upstream against the current.

It's not universally agreed upon, because there are musicians and artists, explorers and experimenters who sometimes just like to be different, so they tune to a different reference pitch. Some just tune to any pitch they choose by ear rather than be locked into an accepted standard.

[efnef]

The two guitars I currently own just sound better tuned a whole step down to D. I can't say that about all of the guitars I've owned, though. I'm pretty comfortable adjusting to different string tensions, so that's not a major factor for me. It's nice for switching back and forth from DADGAD, too.

[Shippy]

A couple of my favourite songs are tuned two steps down, once I was there I preferred the tone to standard tuning.

DGCFAd (I think)

It also works really well on my LX1E, which I wasn't expecting.

I did spend a lot of time tuning back to standard and down again, but now just capo up 2 frets (or more) if required

[DanPanther]

I believe anytime you can introduce less stress to a guitar, the longer you will postpone issue caused from that stress.
Dan

[DanPanther]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi M-kid…

The main reason I see people do this is it's easier on their voice.

Larry;

Would playing the song in a lower key accomplish the same goal ?

Dan

[muzz76]

Half step down for me as well, all vocal range related.

[6L6]

Neil is tuning down 1/2 step these days too accommodate the change in his voice with aging.

Originally Posted by DanPanther

Would playing the song in a lower key accomplish the same goal ?

You could ask the same thing about capo use ("couldn't you just play in a higher key?"). Much easier to tune down or capo up then to relearn every song in a different key.

[donh]

Originally Posted by DanPanther

Would playing the song in a lower key accomplish the same goal ?

Dan

Apparently transposition is unable to be considered, since it is never brought up in these discussions. Seems obvious to me. There are songs where the chord voicing is such that transposition is ungainly, but certainly not all songs . . . . . . . .

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by donh

Apparently transposition is unable to be considered, since it is never brought up in these discussions. Seems obvious to me. There are songs where the chord voicing is such that transposition is ungainly, but certainly not all songs . . . . . . . .

But why? It's so much easier to tune down. You can always capo down one if you want to go back to standard tuning. Best of both worlds.

Originally Posted by donh

Apparently transposition is unable to be considered, since it is never brought up in these discussions. Seems obvious to me. There are songs where the chord voicing is such that transposition is ungainly, but certainly not all songs . . . . . . . .

Originally Posted by paulzoom

But why? It's so much easier to tune down. You can always capo down one if you want to go back to standard tuning. Best of both worlds.

^I'm with Paul on this one. Why make it harder than it needs to be? And yes, donh, for many songs the voicing and/or fingering becomes awkward or even unusable, which is yet another reason to avoid transposing vs. down-tuning/capoing, which always works.

I mean, if transposing is easier for you, more power to you, but I doubt that is true of most folks. For me, and I imagine for most others, simply down-tuning or using a capo is a whole lot easier then relearning a song in a different key/fingering--especially fingerstyle pieces.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

Ned, this makes sense for acoustic, but I would think it is a non-issue for a solid-body electric. Correct?

Exactly! Some bands like to tune down a bit because it creates an overall slightly different mood than standard. Also, the extra slinkiness on preferred thickness of string can be handy for bending.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

No matter the particular tuning I choose to land my guitars in, the reference pitch is going to be A=440Hz. It has been an accepted worldwide standard since the 1920s and I see no reason to row upstream against the current.

FYI, it is not "the" worldwide standard, but certainly "a" common standard.

From wikipedia:

Current concert pitches

Despite such confusion, A = 440 Hz is the only official standard and is widely used around the world. Many orchestras in the United Kingdom adhere to this standard as concert pitch.[12] In the United States some orchestras use A = 440 Hz, while others, such as New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, use A = 442 Hz.[13] The latter is also often used as tuning frequency in Europe,[2] especially in Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway and Switzerland.[14] Nearly all modern symphony orchestras in Germany and Austria and many in other countries in continental Europe (such as Russia, Sweden and Spain) tune to A = 443 Hz.[12][14]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_pitch

Some players (primarily orchestral) will have to adjust their tuning when crossing the Atlantic and performing with an orchestra in a zone outside of their standard reference pitch.