Quick tuning question

[granny_dmb41]

in order to play a song that is tuned down a half or full step what do you have to do? can you simply place a capo on it or can you tune it with a tuner? thanks

[lestat1600]

depends on the tunning as far as a capo goes, but as long as you know the tunning for the song a tunner is what is most used, unless you have a really good ear

[MacGuyver]

you can't place a capo on to tune your guitar 'down', because the capo makes the guitar go higher. So you have to physically tune all of your strings down half a step. SO your low E becomes a low Eb.

The way I do it is I tune down my A string to a G# and fret the low E at the 4th fret. they should be the same. then you can tune the D G B e strings all relative to the A string. Then go back and nail the low E string.

Alternatively, you can tune the guitar down a whole step - E becomes D, A becomes G, and so on. THEN, you can place a capo on the first fret and your guitar goes up a half step, but since without the capo it is a whole step down, you come out in the end with it a half step down.

clear as mud right?