Band just told me...

Mllerrin

Mllerrin

New member
They want to tune down to Drop C...

Now we already play in Drop C# (Drop D, Half Step down from Standard) but I'm the only one in the band that shows any resistance about this. The guys are saying it'll make it easier on the vocals (the reason we went to Drop C#).

My reasoning is. We have 3 guitarists, a Bassist, and Keyboards. Already at a Half Step down even now things can get muddy because at most times all 3 guitars are going off all the time. And now we're going another half step down. It just feels like we're going to be a wall of mud and sound.

Another reason. 2 of us play Jaguars, 24" scale. Drop C might be too loose and not intonate properly on these guitars.

Anyone have any opinions? Is my thinking in the wrong?
 
Re: Band just told me...

Three ****in guitarists? Wow

Anyway yeah...heavier strings man, no problem, no issues. C Standard is a cool tuning. Expand your mind.
 
Re: Band just told me...

Whenever I hear about down tuning that much, it always surprises me. If I'm singing, I usually have to capo up a step.
 
Re: Band just told me...

The truth is that if you're already tuning down that low ona 24 inch scale another half step won't be any harder to deal with...

The strings are already pretty slack at that point and your intonation is already suffering...
 
Re: Band just told me...

Forget the singer, Find a new band that doesnt think new metal is cool.
 
Re: Band just told me...

Funkfingers said:
+1

If you MUST damage a neck, make it the singer's. :biglaugh:
Click to expand...

:lol:

Agreed :D


Nothing wrong with tuning to the vocals, but is the singer trying to stay within his range or does he think he can hit notes he never could before if the music's lower?
Might be him that needs to change, not you guys.

As for the excess mud, just back off the gain on each guitar. Whoever gets the solo gets the gain they need, but 3 guitars, a bass, and keyboards can sound heavy enough together, as long as they're together.

You might also look at not having all 3 guitars playing the same chord at the same time. Have one do an octave with the keyboards and let the bass and other 2 guitars do the lower register.

Or let each guitar do a portion of a given chord - gtr1 does root and 5th, gtr 2 does 5th and octave, gtr 3 does the rest as a barre.
 
Re: Band just told me...

It reminds me of the last metal band that I was in. Drop C tuning, Then one day they told me we were going to buy costumes. That was my last practice with them.
 
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There should totally be a "Spinal Tap 2009" movie with all this stuff in it.

On the scale length issue, I'm with the guy who invented fire.
 
Re: Band just told me...

I play 11's on this guitar and the strings feel pretty nice. Bends aren't the easiest but I like fighting the guitar. Intonation is actually pretty good right now I'm taking it in for a setup to replace the tuning machines and pickups soon though.

On occasion two of us are playing similar chords while the other plays with delay or phaser. For reference: www.myspace.com/fallingfordaylight

It's not Nu-Metal in any way lol. The guys say tuning lower will make the vocals sound tighter. But I'm just not convinced that has anything to do with the guitars. I like the way the songs sound, I like the tuning. We all sing a little, but there are definitely 2 guys who sing more.

1 guy brought it up and now everyone's hard for it basically.
 
Re: Band just told me...

a band is like a marriage and there will be compromises. some of them you wont like. how ever if your wife ask you to repeatedly for you do somthing you are strictly against and shows no give at all for you ,you may need a divorce.

get it.

have a open mind but if you cant live with it get out
 
Re: Band just told me...

Sabbath played in C, as did ZZ Top on the Rhythmeen CD - awesome tone!! Not all low tuning is nu-metal.
 
Re: Band just told me...

Mllerrin said:
The guys say tuning lower will make the vocals sound tighter.
Click to expand...

In what way? Seriously.

Mllerrin said:
I'm not convinced that has anything to do with the guitars.
Click to expand...

You are right not to be convinced. "Tightness" is about timing not pitch. Unless your main vocalist has a particular sensitivity (or lack of it) to specific frequency bands, adopting a lower tuning in pursuit of better timing is bovine by-product.

In my opinion, your vocalist would achieve tighter timing if the backing were clearer. If you are going to have that many instruments playing together, you need to get into arrangement. Groups such as Little Feat, The Allman Brothers Band and The Grateful Dead have lots of members but they pay close attention to how they blended the instruments to form a coherent whole.
 
Re: Band just told me...

^^ EXactly...alternate tunings just let you play differently...it's only a half step bro, i would just do it and keep making music.
 
Re: Band just told me...

Mllerrin said:
I play 11's on this guitar
Click to expand...

thats cute.

I play .13s on my jaguar.

it still isnt enough for C. (hello fretbuzz)

you need a different guitar bro, sadly.

whats wrong with standard tuning?

where are all the NORMAL metal bands these days? everyones a pioneer.. :laugh2:
 
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