drop d tuning

[unccrombie]

i've never really used it, and wanted to know how to tune into it and found this. is it accurate?

Since the only note that is different from standard tuning is the 6th string, here is an easy way to get into Drop D tuning. Play your 4th string open, which is a D. Then play the 12 fret harmonic on the 6th string. Tune that harmonic note down a whole step so that it sounds like the open 4th string. If you play electric guitar, use some distortion when you do this. When both notes are ringing at the same time, you will then hear them "crash" against each other when they are out of tune. The further those crashes are from each other, the closer you are to being in tune.

[mojo1210]

i do it this way......

fret the 7th fret on the low e and then play the fretted e with the a.....match you e to the a and vola your in drop d..

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by mojo1210
i do it this way......

fret the 7th fret on the low e and then play the fretted e with the a.....match you e to the a and vola your in drop d..

so u play the a and not the d? alright, i can do that, then to get back, just do it tune into standard,right?

[mojo1210]

Originally posted by unccrombie
so u play the a and not the d? alright, i can do that, then to get back, just do it tune into standard,right?

pretty much.....then you would fret the 5th(e) and tune your low e to match the a to get standard......it might not get you as a presise tuning as other ways, its just a lot easier to do on the fly in my opinion

hope that all made sence, if you got questions just let me know

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by mojo1210
pretty much.....then you would fret the 5th(e) and tune your low e to match the a to get standard......it might not get you as a presise tuning as other ways, its just a lot easier to do on the fly in my opinion

hope that all made sence, if you got questions just let me know

yeah makes sense, i want to learn letting go, ive had that in my head for the past week or so...so i have to resort to drop d :mad:

[pay4whatuget]

the easiest way is to tune your E down until the 12th fret harmonic makes the d vibrate like crazy. you can actually see it in tune. not too easy on electric tho

[letsburnoneb]

Originally posted by pay4whatuget
the easiest way is to tune your E down until the 12th fret harmonic makes the d vibrate like crazy. you can actually see it in tune. not too easy on electric tho damn, that works like a charm, i usually just play the 4th string, D, and tune my low E until it's an octave down, but now i can just look. damn yo, that works like a charm! you dont even need to play the harmonic, it works just playing the open E string

[unccrombie]

i'll try both ways, thanks much

[WesDutchMaster]

I thought drop d was just tuning the low E to a d?

[letsburnoneb]

Originally posted by WesDutchMaster
I thought drop d was just tuning the low E to a d? nice revelation socrates ;) j/k dude... it is, but you tune it an octave lower than the d-string

[unccrombie]

yeah i got it now, thanks everyone

[WesDutchMaster]

Originally posted by letsburnoneb
nice revelation socrates ;) j/k dude... it is, but you tune it an octave lower than the d-string really? so is that the next D down from the low E? Or down even further. Coz I thought it was the former but it never really worked for me. Maybe I didn it wrong?


also: doesn't the lowest string now become too floppy for you guys? like not tight enough?

[pay4whatuget]

also: doesn't the lowest string now become too floppy for you guys? like not tight enough?

i don't have an answer to this, but i just want to demonstrate to my fellow ants my restraint when it comes to the opportunities of making a cheap phallic joke...

[WesDutchMaster]

Originally posted by pay4whatuget
i don't have an answer to this, but i just want to demonstrate to my fellow ants my restraint when it comes to the opportunities of making a cheap phallic joke...

:p

[PilotC150]

Originally posted by WesDutchMaster
really? so is that the next D down from the low E? Or down even further. Coz I thought it was the former but it never really worked for me. Maybe I didn it wrong?


also: doesn't the lowest string now become too floppy for you guys? like not tight enough?

The D DIRECTLY below the E. So after you are in Drop-D tuning, when you fret the low string on 2nd fret, it will be the normal tuning.

Yes, it does get slightly loose, and may rattle on some cheaper guitars.

[WesDutchMaster]

Originally posted by PilotC150
The D DIRECTLY below the E. So after you are in Drop-D tuning, when you fret the low string on 2nd fret, it will be the normal tuning.

Yes, it does get slightly loose, and may rattle on some cheaper guitars.

yeah ok, then I was doing it right. I don't like it very much, my guitar wasn't really cheap [700], well I guess to taylors that';s cheap, but I still feel it's too lose in drop d [even with elixirs]

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by WesDutchMaster
yeah ok, then I was doing it right. I don't like it very much, my guitar wasn't really cheap [700], well I guess to taylors that';s cheap, but I still feel it's too lose in drop d [even with elixirs]

yeah i dont like the looseness either but hey...what can ya do

[WesDutchMaster]

Originally posted by unccrombie
yeah i dont like the looseness either but hey...what can ya do

it doesn't sound very good

[dmbRepnzl36]

all i do is pluck e and a at the same time and tune the e sting down till it sounds like a good rich sound... easy when you trying to tune between songs at a show

[Firedncin8nancy]

i didnt read all the way through but if it hasnt been said.. lower the low e string so when you do a harmonic on the 12th fret it sounds identical to the open D string

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by Firedncin8nancy
i didnt read all the way through but if it hasnt been said.. lower the low e string so when you do a harmonic on the 12th fret it sounds identical to the open D string

no one has said it but it helps me a lot, thanks

[snodunc]

If you find the 6th string to be buzzing a lot when you're in drop d, you might consider getting your truss rod adjusted so you have more action between the string and frets. You can do this yourself, but it's a lot safer to get it done professionally.

By the way, I always tune down to D by tuning the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the open 4th string, just as others have mentioned. Then, to get back to standard tuning, just tune the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the 7th fret of the 5th string. This may seem difficult at first, but it gets easier, and it's a must if you want to play Crush, Bartender, or Don't Drink the Water the way Dave plays 'em.

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by snodunc
If you find the 6th string to be buzzing a lot when you're in drop d, you might consider getting your truss rod adjusted so you have more action between the string and frets. You can do this yourself, but it's a lot safer to get it done professionally.

By the way, I always tune down to D by tuning the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the open 4th string, just as others have mentioned. Then, to get back to standard tuning, just tune the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the 7th fret of the 5th string. This may seem difficult at first, but it gets easier, and it's a must if you want to play Crush, Bartender, or Don't Drink the Water the way Dave plays 'em.

yes, your way is a bit hard

[PilotC150]

Originally posted by snodunc
If you find the 6th string to be buzzing a lot when you're in drop d, you might consider getting your truss rod adjusted so you have more action between the string and frets. You can do this yourself, but it's a lot safer to get it done professionally.

By the way, I always tune down to D by tuning the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the open 4th string, just as others have mentioned. Then, to get back to standard tuning, just tune the 12th fret harmonic of the 6th string to the 7th fret of the 5th string. This may seem difficult at first, but it gets easier, and it's a must if you want to play Crush, Bartender, or Don't Drink the Water the way Dave plays 'em.

I still think the easiest way of all is when you tune down, tune the 6th string 7th fret to the A-string open. Then to tune back up, do it normal, 5th fret of the 6th string the same as the open A-string.

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by PilotC150
I still think the easiest way of all is when you tune down, tune the 6th string 7th fret to the A-string open. Then to tune back up, do it normal, 5th fret of the 6th string the same as the open A-string.

that's the way i use now :D

[bstorey]

Hmm. I usually can hear when the E is dropped far enough to a D. Playing the two Ds and adjusting is pretty much it.

[unccrombie]

Originally posted by bstorey
Hmm. I usually can hear when the E is dropped far enough to a D. Playing the two Ds and adjusting is pretty much it.

when i play the 2 d's they don't sound alike...am i doing this wrong? it sounds fine when i go to play

[peniwise316]

a much easier solution to the loose d string would be to get some heavier gauge strings. this is also good if you wanna tune all the strings half a step down or use open tunings that are low.

[snodunc]

That's true about the heavy gauge strings keeping the 6th string from buzzing, but it also will put more tension on the neck of your guitar, which means your neck could become warped more quickly than normal. I know some people think it doesn't make a difference, but I thought you should at least know that some people think it does.