Drop D players

[bfloyd6969]

Hello all. Been using Drop D tuning alot and notice a bit of slight trouble when doing so. When I initially drop the E down to D (I tune below the pitch and then tune up to D), the string sounds fine for a minute, but then sounds off while playing. When I check tuning, it is always a bit sharp. I retune and then again after a few moments it is again sharp (though not as bad). Now, when I leave the tuning dropped overnight and then come back the next day, it is fine. Do you all find that there is a settling period for the string to adjust to? is the neck adjusting to the slight change in tension? Curious to hear your experiences with this. Thanks.

[edman]

Check your nut slot and make sure the string isn't binding up. You may need to clean it up with a file.

[L20A]

You will need to tune the low E string flat when dropped.
The way to tell if you are flat enough, is to fret the string on the third fret.
If the string is in tune when fretted, it's where you will want it to be.
If it's sharp at the third fret, flatten it a bit more.
You will be slightly flat when open but less noticeable than when you are playing a G chord.
It's a compromise that you will learn to live with.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by edman

Check your nut slot and make sure the string isn't binding up. You may need to clean it up with a file.

That's it.

[cjd-player]

In my experience, a standard compensated saddle (such as a Tusq) does not work well for dropped D. For me, A Taylor "wave compensation" works much better because the low E and A strings are farther back than on a standard saddle. To my ear this makes the dropped D better intonated.

[cary]

It sounds like your 6th string is binding at the nut. Most of the time that you have a string go sharp on you while playing it's because it's binding at the nut. Put some lube in the nut slot (I use Big Bends Nut Sauce, but there are other options,) and you should have no problem.

It's easiest to just lubricate the nut each time you replace the strings.

[jameshughd]

I usually use a drop D capo and re-arrange the chords. Works on both my six and 12.

[ljguitar]

Hi bfloyd…
I play in Dropped D about half the time and often tune on the fly.

Yes, I initially tune as you described (drop under and then back up to pitch). And when dropping a full step, there is a tendency for the strings to pull back sharp slightly, so I usually just look for a convenient ''D'' note to tweak it on the fly. Your ear will be your guide. Or you can stretch it slightly too if you are tuning between pieces. There is the same tendency on both the 5th and 6th strings when going from standard to CGCGCD too...

And if/when you tune back upward to ''E'', there is a tendency to pull a bit flat, and again I just look for a good note to 'tweak' it back into tune. This has nothing to do with a string sticking in the nut, just string tension doing it's dirty work.

I was watching Mike Dowling one night at a concert, and he was tuning from open to standard between songs, and after tuning back up to pitch, he was lightly wrapping his fretting hand around the top of the neck (first 3 fret area) while chatting, and 'stretching' strings with his picking hand so they would settle into pitch. Then he tweaked them and started the next song. All this without breaking his ''banter'' with the audience...

He held his fretting hand around the strings to keep them from lifting in the nut, and then when lifted they transfer the up/down motion to back/forth at the tuning peg. He stretched them so they'd settle & stay in tune - and it worked. Been using it ever since.

Hope this helps...

[bfloyd6969]

Thanks for the replies and tips everyone. Both the nut and saddle are bone. The nut slot really seems to be fine, and also doesn't make sense why if left over night to "settle" it is fine and stays in tune. It really seems to appear as Larry mentioned, that the string needs to settle a bit before holding it's new pitch. I also notice the same when tuning back up to E as it is then flat for a few moments, but then seems to hold pitch. I understand that the intonation will not be perfectly true and do compensate for that. I will try the string stretching once dropped and see how that goes - makes sense to me. Thanks again to everyone!