I just don't get dropped D tuning

[Frankly]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

"It's all over now baby blue" just doesn't sound the same without that open E string tuned to D and ringing throughout. I do not use it often however.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDF_9AjcMoY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38yZWjTs5TM


Just thought I would share, in case you hadn't heard Van do it.

 

[rick31797]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

I dont know what your musical style is..Nothing wrong with not caring for the tone of drop D.. Alot of hard Rock bands choose to use it, just to get that really low grinding sound.

You are going to find if you, to play certain songs, and play them acurately , then becuase thats the way they are doing it, to make it sound "There way" u will have no choice but to play in drop D.
LIke Open G tuning, if you wanna play that old Stone's song " Honky Tonk Women.. any other way than open G sounds terrible.

AS for Drop D..Listen to the April wine song Thats' Love (Attitude) well most of the CD is drop D tuning.Girl of my dreams another song, if u dont play it in drop D it just dont cut it.

There are so many different ways to tune a guitar..I like the standard tuning also. But once and awhile i will tune a guitar to open G and play around with it.. I can see tuning a guitar this way, can open up a whole new way to do leads. I mean you can play a lead solo, that would be impossible to do in Standard 440 tuning.

Rick

 

[Mincer]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

I use it for Travis-picked ragtime-y acoustic stuff, and playing Renaissance-era lute music on guitar- the drop D thing brings our standard guitar tuning closer to a lute.

For heavy music, I just use standard. Black Sabbath's 1st 2 albums prove that heaviness is in the notes you choose, not how fast or how low it is.

 

[Jimbojsr]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

You can riff in D instead of E - think "Wake Up" by RATM, or "Stockholm Syndrome" by Muse.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

I think "getting" dropped D requires a love of roots and folk music.

Led Zeppelin sure had that appreciation.

Many of their acoustic tunes are in "open tunings".

It also helps to own a nice acoustic guitar...

Lew

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

The quintessential drop D song for me is Outshined by Soundgarden. That opening riff kicks so much ass.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

Drop D is often viewed as the "newbie / cheater" tuning.

However, it's just another tool in the box.

All kinds of music from 3-chord pop rock to intricate acoustic picking can be played in Drop D.

I used to look at like something to be ashamed of (the "adolescence" of my guitar playing life) but now I recognize its merits, as well as identifying its prevalence in 3-chord pop rock.

Remember, "our hands can be used to save a life as well as to take a life"

(sorry, that was a little extreme)

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

yes the "point" is that you can play a rooted 5th power chord with just one finger with a barre chord but is that really that important ?

Ok, IMO the point has nothing to do with using one finger to play heavy riffs...that's page one, paragraph one type stuff.

Instead, think of it like Lew has suggested, as a base for the key of a tune in D. That way, you get to come back to a root chord that is fuller sounding than it would be in Eb or E tuning.

But as good as that suggestion is, let's take it a step farther, and use the D chord as the V chord in a progression in the key of G. You can bounce back and forth on the G and C for part of a verse, and then hit that big full D for the turnaround or the chorus. Or try the D as the lV chord...there's lots of different changes you could make the d chord fit into.

One step beyond that is to play a tune in F major, and at some point roll in with a fat Dm for the Vlm chord and hit the Bb after it.

Powerful changes are the point, brother millsart, not riffing and heaviness, IMO. And if you add a capo, you expand all these possiblities into all the other keys as well as the things that relate to a D.

 

[mrturtle_91]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

I actually quite like drop-D, for some things of course. I just like how deep and growly the tone gets. It's also fun to play barre chords. Just my opinion though.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

It also helps to own a nice acoustic guitar...

Lew

+1

I think most of the arguments are centred around people using "one finger power chords" for Heavy Metal etc etc.

I generally found that Drop D opened up a whole new set of chords for me to play with for both lighter and heavier music.

Funnily enough only one of my guitars is tuned to E Standard, the rest are open E and open D. There's a lot of interesting chords, and new techniques to be had when you make the switch ... plus it forces you to escape from the blues scale and pentatonic minor noodling (unless you absolutely refuse to cut that umbilical chord).

 

[TheProphet]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

First drop the 6 string to D and just play. Then drop the 1st string to D and just play, then drop your 2nd string to A and your 3rd string to F# and now you have open D. Grab a slide and go.............. Wahoo!

I think I tripped out my neighbors when I started playing Symptom of the Universe in Open D with a slide. Absolutely fun with some fuzz and an amp at full blast.

 

[Sirion]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfcdQpmUAs

This is drop-d

 

[Rich_T]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

It's all about drop A.

F sharp is where the true evil lies.

 

[rashayritto]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

drop can be used for much more than the obvious "one finger mosh riff" that most people associate it with. try barring the E (in this case D) and A strings and playing a 5th on the G string. such a beautiful and lush sounding chord. i use it quite a bit for its expressiveness and deep tones

edit: thats a fifth on the d string! my bad. though the other way would be a nice variation too

 

[firebirdV]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

It can be very nice on an acoustic. For example, I have a mahogany back and sides/spruce top dreadnought that is pretty bright when tuned to standard. However, when it's tuned to drop D, it sounds excellent and opens up quite a bit. It gets an almost throaty quality to it that works great for Neil Young type stuff.

 

[iekobrid]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

Anyone who questions drop D tuning must not be a King's X fan, and thus cannot be trusted. Next he'll be trying to convince us that basses don't need twelve strings! :scared:

 

[Stratovarious]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

because you can play Unchained with it

i thought this was common sense?

=)

 

[Jazz Rock]

Re: I just don't get dropped D tuning

Try lowering your E string to D and then writing a cool new tune of your own in the key of D. Then you'll get it.

Lew

+1

Not that I am really writing songs, but when you play around trying to find cool riff. It can quickly feel quite good.

And I think power chords sound better in drop D. Me not being a great fan of power chords, that's something!