Tuning Down Half Step

[Huskyman]

I know there are some benefits to tuning down a half step. One is vocal range. I had to do it today for a tune a friend of mine did. It seemed to me that my guitar seemed a bit easier to fret. Is that just my imagination or does the less tension on the strings really help out?

So what are the opinions on the pros and cons of tuning down a half step?

[rockabilly69]

I think certain guitars like to be tuned down sound-wise and if the tension feels better, it is better. Many of my original songs are in open tunings, and one day I was playing a song I writing in open D (DADF#AD), and it just wasn't happening. I wanted to hear more bottom, so I dropped that tuning a full step CGCEGC, and when I heard the low end, it was perfect for what I was going for, and the lower string tension worked for the licks I was playing. And then I raised the E in the tuning to G (CGCGGC), and now it's a favorite tuning of mine!. Here is the song I was talking about, played on one of my resonators, in that new tuning. Listen how the strings seem to snap against the fingerboard with the lower tension...

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Huskyman

I know there are some benefits to tuning down a half step. One is vocal range. I had to do it today for a tune a friend of mine did. It seemed to me that my guitar seemed a bit easier to fret. Is that just my imagination or does the less tension on the strings really help out?

So what are the opinions on the pros and cons of tuning down a half step?

Yes, you are reducing the tension by tuning down. Apart from my 12 strings which are tuned doen one tone to D-d, I've never seen the point myself.

[tbeltrans]

The problem for me with tuning my guitar down a half step or more is that I would have to use a capo to match pitch with a recording I am learning from by ear or for playing with other musicians. Also, in general everything I already play just sounds wrong.

While there certainly are valid uses for a capo, and I do use one on occasion, you lose access to part of your fretboard. For tunes in which you intend to use a capo, this shouldn't be a problem. But there are too many times when I want access to the entire fretboard.

I think lighter gauge strings and/or a decent setup would be better if making the guitar easier to play is the reason for tuning down. Getting a guitar with a shorter scale is also a means of having less string tension.

Of course, none of this applies to tuning your guitar down because you specifically want lower tones and/or open tunings. My comments are specifically about tuning down to ease the tension to make the guitar easier to play.

Tony

[Dru Edwards]

Some guitars may sound a little less bright tuned down half step, and a little 'deeper'.

[rockabilly69]

Certain guitars change voices when tuned lower, and even when you capo them up to the original pitch they have a slightly different sound with the different tension. For that alone, it's worth experimenting.

[Shadowfox]

One of my favorite bands, Stone Sour, plays almost exclusively in 1/2 step down I believe.

Here is a song they are known for:

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Huskyman

I know there are some benefits to tuning down a half step. One is vocal range. I had to do it today for a tune a friend of mine did.

That's true for particular songs, if the range of the song is just a little too high for the singer.
Otherwise, when a song is too high, it usually makes sense to just transpose it. There would be some songs where tuning down would make the range too low.

Originally Posted by Huskyman

It seemed to me that my guitar seemed a bit easier to fret. Is that just my imagination or does the less tension on the strings really help out?

Of course, reduced tension means less fret pressure is required.

Originally Posted by Huskyman

So what are the opinions on the pros and cons of tuning down a half step?

The reduction in tension (easier fretting and bending) is probably one of the main reasons.
Of course, the same result is achieved by using lighter strings, but that also affects the tone.

Tuning down also produces slightly different resonances in an acoustic guitar, although you need to tune down some way before that becomes apparent. Many alternative tunings, such as drop D, DADGAD or various open tunings, are chosen partly for the resonances they produce.

The idea of making songs easier to sing is really a red herring. A guitar tuned EADGBE exactly encompasses all the classical vocal ranges. Bottom of bass is the open E, top of soprano is C on fret 20 of the 1st string.
All 12 keys can be played on guitar, although some require a capo to make them easier.
Songs can be transposed to whatever key puts the range of the song within the range of the singer. Different songs have different ranges, and the keynote can be anywhere in that range, so it's also wrong to say that singers have favourite keys. For specific songs they would, but not the same key for every song!

Obviously singer-guitarists have keys they prefer to play in, and it may be that for a particular repertoire the choice of songs and their suitable keys might mean that tuning down (half or whole step) makes more of the songs easier.

[pegleghowell]

Originally Posted by JonPR

The idea of making songs easier to sing is really a red herring. A guitar tuned EADGBE exactly encompasses all the classical vocal ranges. Bottom of bass is the open E, top of soprano is C on fret 20 of the 1st string.
All 12 keys can be played on guitar, although some require a capo to make them easier.
Songs can be transposed to whatever key puts the range of the song within the range of the singer. Different songs have different ranges, and the keynote can be anywhere in that range, so it's also wrong to say that singers have favourite keys. For specific songs they would, but not the same key for every song!

True,but say you want to play a specific/exact arrangement of a song in your vocal range,say"Twelve gates to the city"by Gary Davis,then capoing up or tuning down would be a far simpler solution than transposing and trying to maintain the spirit,feel and intricacy of the original.

[Huskyman]

Some very good and interesting opinions here.

So I am no expert on singing but as far as tuning down goes to help with vocal range is it true that it really only adds one more half step to whatever the highest note is that you can sing?

For instance if the highest note I could sing was a open e string 3rd fret and that was my limit, would not tuning down let me reach the 4th fret and that's it? Or am I looking at it wrong. The vocal range thing has confused me before.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by pegleghowell

True,but say you want to play a specific/exact arrangement of a song in your vocal range,say"Twelve gates to the city"by Gary Davis,then capoing up or tuning down would be a far simpler solution than transposing and trying to maintain the spirit,feel and intricacy of the original.

Sure! Fingerstyle tunes are more critical when it comes to transposition.

Even when it comes to singing one's own songs, one's vocal range drops with age. In 1968, Bert Jansch sang A Woman Like You in DADGAD. 40 years later he couldn't get his voice that high. He didn't tune down further. He stayed in DADGAD and put a capo on fret 6, lowering his voice by 6 semitones. The voice went down, the guitar went up and they met in the middle.

[EZYPIKINS]

Did anyone else see Paul McCartney play Yesterday, on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965?
He fingered that Epiphone acoustic in the key of G. But the song is in F. So tuned down a full step.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Huskyman

I know there are some benefits to tuning down a half step. One is vocal range. I had to do it today for a tune a friend of mine did. It seemed to me that my guitar seemed a bit easier to fret. Is that just my imagination or does the less tension on the strings really help out?

So what are the opinions on the pros and cons of tuning down a half step?

Hi Husky-guy

I love tuning down, but one limitation is I also play in ensemble situations, and when tuning down a full step, I use Med/Heavy Or Light/Medium strings. So if I'm going to switch back to standard tuning, I have to return to my normal string weights.

That way the action on the guitar stays the same.

Sounds like you welcome lower action, so just tune it down and see if anything buzzes. If they only buzz a little, then a small tweak to loosen the truss rod will raise them so they don't buzz.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by EZYPIKINS

Did anyone else see Paul McCartney play Yesterday, on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1965?
He fingered that Epiphone acoustic in the key of G. But the song is in F. So tuned down a full step.

Right - good example.
He wrote the song - or at least worked out the melody - on piano; while singing, presumably, to find the key that suited his voice.
But the chords in that key (F) weren't so easy on guitar. G was much better on guitar, but too high for his voice. Solution: tune down!

[rmp]

Some very well known players tuned half step down all the time.

Stevie Ray Vaughn is one that immediately comes to mind.