Drop D tuning

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getuhgrip

getuhgrip

Bring Back Transfat!
No newbie guitar forum here, so you guys are stuck with this! After spending an hour deciphering some early VH, I flipped on a CD, strapped on my Mexicaster and got ready to chase Eddie (try to keep up with) around my basement! Didn't even get to the solo in "Runnin' with the Devil" before I realized sumthin' wasn't quite right.
You guys knew where this was headed before I got going. So, what's up with drop d? Why did he use this tuning and how do I tune to it? I've got a seiko tuner. Is there a setting that'll help me with this tuning?
 
If your asking how to tune to drop D; (i think thats what your asking).

-take the E string (thickest string), drop it down a half step. When droped down it should sound the same as the A string if you fret the 7th fret of the E (now D) string. (I take it you can tune by matching the pitch from the string above?)

-On a tuner-the pitch for standard tuning is 440, by altering the tuner frequency to 439 you would get Eb so I guess drop D being a full step down would be 438?

-you can also get the E string and match it to the D string (4th string). it will produce the same note though an octave apart. You have to use your ears (if not a tuner), it will sound right.

Then play a big fat D chord, all the strings should ring true (as does an E chord in regular tuning).

Maybe this was what you were after, maybe not. I know it may sound a bit confusing but it's easier to do it than it is to explain it,
Krystof.
 
It's so easy, really something for starting guitarplayers (sorry...)

Another tuning, if you don't want to have that (too) low D tuning, but also want to hit a chord by just push all strings at one fret:

Beginning in normal tuning:

tune A-string as B: as 7th fret of E-string
tune D-string as E: as 5th fret of A(now B)-string

I hope this is right, I wrote it without checking it on guit, but I think it works.

This tuning is nicer, because normally when you want to play a A-powerchord, you just hit the E-string 5th fret, 'cause you know that's the A. In drop D-tuning, you mostly first have to think: the E is now D so the A is on the place where normally the B is, etc. etc.
 
I believe much of Van Halen's earlier work was actually tuned down half a step from standard.. In other words, his E string. when not dropped to D was actually tuned down to E flat.. Rumor has it that they had to tune down to compensate for David Lee Roth's inability to sing at the higher register.. Whether that's true or not I don't really know or care.. but other reasons for the lower tunings could have been because it fit Ed's sound at the time or the strings gave a looser feel that way..
 
The frequency stuff:

The lower D would be 297hz. That's one whole step down from E. By tuning down from 440 to 439 you wouldn't hear too much of a difference.

The easiest way is just as Krystof said, play the D-string and then tune the E-string down to a D by matching the two.

Apart from adjusting the tuning to a specific singers voice or capacity, the tuning down/change of key makes the sound slightly heavier and just a bit darker, even if it's just half a step.

micmac
 
One other thing. Van Halen I believe has a switch/bar that adjusts his tuning. It drops down to Drop D, adjusts the truss rod or something. A D-tuna or something,
Krystof.
 
123

Dude! I write 90% of my stuff in drop D tuning. Once you get used to the extra balls on the low end, theres no going back.
 
getuhgrip said:
Thanks guys,
439 is what I was looking for.
Click to expand...

A=440hz
E=330hz
E flat=310hz (or 311? can't remember)
D=294hz (correction from my last post)

You're looking for 310 or 294. The difference between 439hz and A at 440hz is just over 1/20th of a half step. Not even close to an A flat... Some cheap tuners that use too few led indicators won't show a difference between 439hz/440hz. The one on my old Boss GX-700, for example, does not.
 
Just re-strung to 011 Markleys....Slinkys at 09 were all over the place. But I do like the bottom end!
 
although I do write some stuff in other keys.. the D tuning is my favorite.. Soundgarden's best stuff is in drop D.. and practically all of Tool's is as well.. can't get much heavier than them..
 
lol... don't get me started.. i'm not even allowed to mention them out loud because the wife is sick of hearing my love for them..:D
 
Quote from above

" I believe much of Van Halen's earlier work was actually tuned down half a step from standard.. In other words, his E string. when not dropped to D was actually tuned down to E flat.. Rumor has it that they had to tune down to compensate for David Lee Roth's inability to sing at the higher register.. Whether that's true or not I don't really know or care.. but other reasons for the lower tunings could have been because it fit Ed's sound at the time or the strings gave a looser feel that way.."
___________________________________________________________________________________

I agree with this statement. I don't recall any songs on the first 3 records with drop "D". His primary tuning durring this time was down 1/2 step.
 
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