Down Tuning, Scale length & String Gauge

[Merry Gentlemen]

Hello

I'm about to learn a new song that is to be tune down 2 frets (DGCFAD).
I was wondering if I'm to resting on 24.75" or a guitar with 25.4" scale length will be better ? and what gauge of string to use?

Thank you

Originally Posted by Merry Gentlemen

Hello

I'm about to learn a new song that is to be tune down 2 frets (DGCFAD).
I was wondering if I'm to resting on 24.75" or a guitar with 25.4" scale length will be better ? and what gauge of string to use?

Thank you

I would choose the scale length based on how far the finger stretches are. As far as gauge goes, it depends on what you use in standard tuning. I use lights, so I would probably try .013 - .056 on the long-scale and maybe go up to .014 - .059 on the short scale.

[JayBee1404]

Is it actually a song (i.e with a vocal part) or an an instrumental piece without vocals? (Sorry to be pedantic, but many people nowadays don't seem to understand the difference, and refer to instrumental pieces as 'songs').

If it's a song, I understand why you might wish to down-tune, for instance to suit your vocal range, but if it's an instrumental piece, why would you have to tune down? Couldn't you just learn it in standard EADGBE? The intervals are exactly the same.

Genuine questions, BTW.

[Silly Moustache]

Jaybee is correct - there seems to be a fashion for some to misuse the English word "song" to refer to an instrumental piece.

I would like to understand what is your purpose in taking the standard tuning and reduce it by a tone?

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

I would choose the scale length based on how far the finger stretches are. As far as gauge goes, it depends on what you use in standard tuning. I use lights, so I would probably try .013 - .056 on the long-scale and maybe go up to .014 - .059 on the short scale.

The scale length definitely makes a difference when tuning down a full step. The D'Addario Heavy set fits within the string gauges mentioned by Willie. There's also a John Pearse 3100 Resophonic guitar set in Phosphor Bronze, which I used when I owned a Gibson WM-45, a short scale guitar. That particular guitar was the best-sounding of any of the guitars I've owned when tuned a step low. The gauges in the John Pearse Resophonic set are .016, .018, .027, .039, .049, .059, but I normally play mediums, so I needed beefier strings to get that same feel when tuned D to D.

I would suggest that you start with a regular medium gage set first, and see if that works for you. If not, then experiment with heavier gauges.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[The Bard Rocks]

I would just start on any guitar you like and see how it goes. Many will do perfectly fine with regular strings. Tuned down only one step should be able to be handled. 2 whole steps would be a different story. See how it goes and decide if you need to make changes after you start.

[SprintBob]

For playing instrumental fingerstyle pieces, I’ve had no issues with using 11-50’s, 11-52’s, or 12-53’s in DADGAD or a tuning like CGDGAD on my 12 fret short scale guitars. I think some of your success in using lighter strings will depend upon your right hand attack (i.e. light or heavy touch). I’ve primarily experienced you have to be a bit more nuanced doing pull offs with the reduced string tension in these tunings with the lighter strings. Best advice is try it and see if you like the feel and tone. I’ve got two guitars using SCGC Low Tension Strings which are similar to 12-53’s feel wise to me and the rest are Thomastik Infeld Plectrums (11-50) which while not loud have excellent feel and very balanced, sweet tone.

[macmanmatty]

I use DGCFAD as my primary tuning on a 25" scale guitar with light strings. Work great. Sounds great un-plugged or plugged in.

[Merry Gentlemen]

I'm so sorry to thank you all your replies kinda slow. I was too busy this couple of days.

The song I'm referring to is Neil Young's "Sugar Mountain"

His acoustic playing is (pardon me if I'm didn't get the right words) accompanied with many Bass notes done with hammer-on and pull-off to compliment the chords he's strumming.

I'm using 11s to tuned down a full tone n the bass don't sounds good, but there's no buzzing so far. Hope this will help to zero in on my problems

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I had not heard the song but just got the idea from Y/T.

Its a simple chord progression in normal tuning - essentially G-F Dm7. Or I-bVII - Vm7 (in any key with a sort of c shape D(V) to a C (IV) in the intro.

It doesn't require any special tuning and you can transpose it to any key to suit your voice.

Using 11s? Those are VERY LIGHT strings - what guitar are you playing?

[Dino Silone]

Here’s a different approach to answering your question: You can use a string tension calculator to find the string gauge that would, for the alternate tuning, most closely match the tension you’re currently comfortable with. I use D’Addario strings, so this is the one I have bookmarked:

http://stringtensionpro.com

(This was pointed out to me by forum members when I first joined, and it’s useful for thought experiments...)

String tension isn’t the whole story, but it’s an interesting thing to look at. Of course, the easiest thing to start with would be to just tune down your guitar and see what happens. Would you really change strings to be able to play a couple of songs in the original tuning?

I’ve got an old dreadnaught with a 25.5” scale, strung with 80/20 lights (12-53), that I now keep tuned one step down, as you’re suggesting. Maybe I’m losing something, but it sounds fine to me. And I can bend notes with my ring finger and pinkie when I need to...

[Merry Gentlemen]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Using 11s? Those are VERY LIGHT strings - what guitar are you playing?

It's a Crafter DE-12N from Korea, my 'go-to' guitar.

[Merry Gentlemen]

Originally Posted by Dino Silone

I’ve got an old dreadnaught with a 25.5” scale, strung with 80/20 lights (12-53), that I now keep tuned one step down, as you’re suggesting. Maybe I’m losing something, but it sounds fine to me. And I can bend notes with my ring finger and pinkie when I need to...

Thanks Dino & everyone, maybe I'll use 12s or 13s