Do You Like Drop Tuning Your Acoustic?

[Losov]

Originally Posted by Andromeda

I have recently tuned both my guitars down a half step

I have too but I compensated by going to heavier strings. I beginning to think this wasn't really necessary. Did you stay with the same string gauge or go heavier?

[daza152]

Gonna try open G tunning for some Rolling Stones songs like Wild Horses, can I use my electronic tuner still? is there a trick way when you fret strings on the 12 fret to tune that string down to new tunning? cheers.

[acou57]

The problem I have with alternate tunings is that if I play a lot of songs in different tunings it kind of ruins the mood when playing for others. Nothing bores an audience faster than sitting waiting for you to tune your guitar.

[Minotaur]

I've used Drop D for a couple of songs that called for it; Bad Company's Bad Company is 1/2 step down (and! Drop D along with it) to match the recording. Their live performance is... well, I don't know what it is.

Now, Ozark Mountain Daredevil's (remember them?) Jackie Blue is in Gb to start, then switches key to C and back and forth (yes, I'm going somewhere with this)...

The Gb sections use Ebm7 and Abm7, which are admittedly a little hard for me to switch quickly at this point in my skill. So I tuned down 1/2 step for those and play Em7 and Am7.

So far so good to match the recording. But when the song changes key to C, I can't play the regular G, C, Cmaj7, and Dm7 chord shapes. Sounds like cats fighting.

So, do I play G#, C#, C#maj7 and D#m7?

I may keep the guitar tuned down and just capo @ 1st fret to play standard. Hey, then I can get another guitar to keep in standard, and another one to keep in Drop D!

[Losov]

Originally Posted by acou57

Nothing bores an audience faster than sitting waiting for you to tune your guitar.

Right, one of many reasons why the most I tend to do is drop the bass string to D. If there's a (rare) song that requires more than that, I put it at the end of the set. If you are into altered tunings, you either need to bring multiple instruments to the gig, or come up with a patter you can employ during retuning.

[fender69]

Originally Posted by acou57

The problem I have with alternate tunings is that if I play a lot of songs in different tunings it kind of ruins the mood when playing for others. Nothing bores an audience faster than sitting waiting for you to tune your guitar.

Well, Richard Thompson does a lot of tuning changes and he's never bored me...

[acou57]

Originally Posted by fender69

Well, Richard Thompson does a lot of tuning changes and he's never bored me...

I can only speak for myself but the performances I enjoy the most are the ones that seem to seamlessly go from one song to the next. There can be talking in between songs to hold the audience's attention but not everyone is good at talking and doing something else at the same time. I've noticed that too much preparation time in between songs makes the performance seem rather choppy instead of a smooth experience.

[Taylorplayer]

I like "double" dropped D - both E's to D, and I am also working in Open G (for slide).

[wgnorman]

In answer to original question, "No, I do not like drop tuning my acoustics" I do, however, like the sound of many drop tuning or alternate tuning pieces, but usually I stick with the EADGBE tuning -

[HiddenMoniker]

If I wish to change my tuning, I revert to one of my older, less expensive guitars. My Atkin will either be in standard or in drop D. Nothing else.

[jay7347]

I can't stand drop tuning my acoustic. I'm always afraid all the back and forth between it and standard tuning, (sometimes two or three times a day), will eventually cause me to break a string when playing in front of people, although I never have. That said, probably half the stuff I play, or most of the music I play outside of worship band music is in drop or alt tuning. I haven't gotten my sound as I would like it but I'm really drawn to a CCDGAD tuning for the songs I've written so far. The sound has been extremely addictive... unfortunately I own only one guitar.


-jay

[Allman_Fan]

How abiout "drop tuning" your guitar as part of the song itself?

I'm thinking Peter Gunn and Dirty White Boy. You strum the open low E string and, with your left hand, tune up (and down) from (about Eb) to an E. I think. You can get the "effect" even if you aren't in exact tune. However, continuing the rest of the song, with others whe ARE in tune, requires "sharpness."

This trick should not be tried by real guitarists, only show-offs!

[Andromeda]

Originally Posted by Losov

I have too but I compensated by going to heavier strings. I beginning to think this wasn't really necessary. Did you stay with the same string gauge or go heavier?

I have mediums on the 6 string so I have kept that gauge, but I am thinking of going to light-mediums for the 12 string.