Does anyone tune down ½ - 1 full step?

[birdsong]

My voice is lower now after some neck radiation treatments (and likely coupled with older age). I've also been experimenting with different tunings for certain songs. I'm fortunate to be able to have some 8 guitars right now and I can leave a guitar in a given tuning.

For those with standard scales, I have been using the following:

One full step down
Double dropped D
Open G
Orkney (which is, I believe, CGDGCD)

I have an R Taylor 2 that is a shorter scale and it sounds fine to me in the double dropped D (where it is these days for this one song). Which makes sense since that only involves 2 strings.

I have one 25" scale guitar and it seems (to me anyway) to handle any of these tunings just fine but I have not made a serious assessment. There are of course different flavors of short scale, 25 being the longest of short I think...........

For a bunch of songs I used to sing in G/C I now cannot. I prefer to just drop the tuning one whole step.

Someone mentioned travel guitars and not tuning down. Indeed, my Baby Taylor behaves best 4 big steps up (an E chord shape sounds as an A). When tuned to lower pitches it exhibits some real intonation issues when fretting around the fretboard, esp. in standard pitch tuning.

[jed1894]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Every one of my guitars is tuned down a half-step except for my 12-string which is a whole step. I frequently capo the first fret to bring it back to standard depending on the song. I get the added benefit of have a virtual shorter scale guitar.

Question and clarification:

So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?

Jed

[jed1894]

Originally Posted by jed1894

Question and clarification:

So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?

Jed

Another question. If I want to make my 1 11/16 to 1 3/4 I could tune 1/2 step down and just capo and now have wider nut guitar, right ?

[HeyMikey]

Yep, I’m a high baratone so tune down a full step and use mediums to compensate for the lost tension. Works great for me. I first tried it when learning Yesterday since McCartney tunes down a full step for that. Liked it so much on some other songs where I was having trouble hitting the high notes, like Dust in the Wind, that I left it there.

[Dru Edwards]

I tune most guitars 1/2 step down because it suits my voice. The guitars also sound great tuned down.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Typically I tune down 1/2 step with my 6-strings (I've done so since the 80s), and a full step with my 12-string. I think the 6-strings sound darker in a good way. As for the 12-string - despite what some guitar manufacturers claim, they hold up better (less chance of the top bellying, and the neck and bridge pulling up), due to the reduction in string tension from tuning down. Oh yeah, and it also sounds darker to me in a good way.

Tuning down a whole step on my 12-string also has the side benefit for me, of working better playing-wise for the music played in the church band I'm a part of (the music director is a piano player, and she seems to gravitate towards downshifted [pitch-wise] keys) - I'm one of those weirdos who prefers to avoid using a capo (I want to maintain access to the guitar's full register. while playing songs). It's probably a by-product of back when I played lead guitar in rock bands, and did a fair amount of zooming up and down the neck.

Ellen

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by birdsong

My voice is lower now after some neck radiation treatments (and likely coupled with older age). I've also been experimenting with different tunings for certain songs. I'm fortunate to be able to have some 8 guitars right now and I can leave a guitar in a given tuning.

For those with standard scales, I have been using the following:

One full step down
Double dropped D
Open G
Orkney (which is, I believe, CGDGCD)

I have an R Taylor 2 that is a shorter scale and it sounds fine to me in the double dropped D (where it is these days for this one song). Which makes sense since that only involves 2 strings.

I have one 25" scale guitar and it seems (to me anyway) to handle any of these tunings just fine but I have not made a serious assessment. There are of course different flavors of short scale, 25 being the longest of short I think...........

For a bunch of songs I used to sing in G/C I now cannot. I prefer to just drop the tuning one whole step.

Someone mentioned travel guitars and not tuning down. Indeed, my Baby Taylor behaves best 4 big steps up (an E chord shape sounds as an A). When tuned to lower pitches it exhibits some real intonation issues when fretting around the fretboard, esp. in standard pitch tuning.

birdsong- I would love to see a photo of that R taylor! is it a 12 fret short scale?
I think Alice in Chains used to record a lot of their music detuned 1 1/2. Or was it just 1/2?

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by jed1894

Question and clarification:

So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?

Jed

Tune down half a step (one fret) and capo up one fret to match your friend in standard.

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by jed1894

Another question. If I want to make my 1 11/16 to 1 3/4 I could tune 1/2 step down and just capo and now have wider nut guitar, right ?

Yes, although exact width at the capo may vary.

[AZLiberty]

There are a bunch of songs (mostly 80's 90's rock ballads) that were recorded 1/2 step down. So, don't worry about it. It's been a thing for decades.

I keep at least one guitar down 1/2 step for certain songs. Send me an Angel by Scorpions for example.

A lot of 12-string players keep theirs down a half or a full step as well.

Anything more than 1 full step, I would grab my Baritone and capo accordingly.

[YamahaGuy]

I'm currently using 13s on my Ibanez and have it tuned down a full step to D (it had what I thought could be a lifting bridge, but is most likely a poor glue job, but I'm playing it safe). With the mahogany, it now sounds really dark and has a pleasant grumble to it.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Every one of my guitars is tuned down a half-step except for my 12-string which is a whole step. I frequently capo the first fret to bring it back to standard depending on the song. I get the added benefit of have a virtual shorter scale guitar.

Originally Posted by jed1894

Question and clarification:

So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?

Jed

Hey guys, you are getting me confused.

From brother Paul, "Every one of my guitars is tuned down a half-step except for my 12-string which is a whole step. I frequently capo the first fret to bring it back to standard depending on the song."

When I read this, it told me that the capo action in the second sentence referred to the 12 string to bring it back in line with the rest of your instruments, all of which were in what you may have mis-labelled as 'standard'. That is, your own personal choice of tuning. The key part was the word 'it' in "bring it back to standard", referring to one item. If you tune the 12 down a whole step, then you would have to capo on the second fret to bring it back to true standard. On the other hand, capoing your other guitars on the first fret will bring them back to standard tuning.

So when brother Jed wrote, "So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?",
are you referring to a half step or a full step? Using 'step' in this context without a modifier leaves the meaning up in the aether. Having no idea what your starting point is (or even where your end point is supposed to be, presuming your partner plays in standard tuning), any answer is at best 'maybe', and begs additional information.

Also part of my confusion. What is "a virtual shorter scale guitar" and what is a benefit of it?

And my guess is that any question directed to me on this may well require a 'yes' answer.

Don
.

[Skip Ellis]

I don't sing but tune down a 1/2 step on my 000-18 just because I think it sounds a little 'richer'

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

Tuning down a half step works just fine with my J45. I do switch to Martin Light-Medium (12.5-16.5-25.5-33.5-43.5-55). They are the only brand I've found that give you those .5 weights.

Paul,

Thanks for making me aware of this Martin gauge. Are they coated strings?

This Martin Light-Medium gauge seems to have added some in-between gauge-size strings across the board. The result seems to be closer to a slightly lighter medium gauge overall.

I like the Elixir PB HD Lights, which are also a compromise between light and medium gauge (.013 - .053). They are coated, which I like. They are mostly Medium treble strings matched with Light bass strings. I find they beef up the treble sounds on my smaller body guitars, while at the same time keeping the medium trebles for the large body guitars while trimming the effect of the big bodies a bit. And taking over 10 pounds of tension from a set of medium gauge strings helps my older hands.

Don
.

[Denny B]

Originally Posted by jed1894

Question and clarification:

So if I tune down a step and my partner is playing standard tuning—— to join him I would only have to capo 1st fret and I would match him, correct ?

Jed

If you're tuned down a step...a full step...as in your E strings are tuned to D, your A string tuned to G, D to C, etc...you'd capo at the second fret to put you in standard tuning...