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Drop C tuning


Daz21

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Hey!

The other day I was tabbing a track from the new Nickelback album and realized that I had to go down to drop C tuning to play the intro in the position Chad Kroeger does. I also noticed that Kroeger plays in Drop C about 90% of the time.

When I tune my guitar down to Drop C, though, its hard to play for much longer that a few minutes without having to retune. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that I'm using 10's, would it hold the tuning better if I were to use a heavier gauge?

- D a z -

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What kind of bridge does your guitar have? A floating bridge will take a bit of time to settle down, and you will need to use pretty heavy strings to play in drop C and might need to adjust the spring tension in the bridge if its floating.

I've used 10 - 52's and played in drop C with a fixed bridge with no problems......

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dropping from e to drop c on a guitar will adjust the tension on the neck, so you will retune it, then the neck will settle and will knock it out again - just because there will be such a change in tension the neck will actually move (the trusstrod will be adding enough tension to hold it in e, when you lower the tuning it will move the neck a bit)

you have to just let it settle, if you were going to be playing only in drop c it would be a good idea to either adjust the truss rod (remove a little tension in it) or use a thicker set of strings (so they are back into a 'normal' tension when you are downtuned)

David

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Just to be sure....

Drop C - guitar tuned C, G, C, F, A, D yeah? With heavier strings, ie 10 - 52's or 11/12's then you shouldn't need to adjust the truss rod, and unless you know exactly what you're doing, I'd recommend against it.

I changed my strat from 10's to 9's last night and it took a good while of tuning until it finally settled so be patient.......

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Just to be sure....

Drop C - guitar tuned C' date=' G, C, F, A, D yeah? With heavier strings, ie 10 - 52's or 11/12's then you shouldn't need to adjust the truss rod, and unless you know exactly what you're doing, I'd recommend against it.

[/quote']

i agree with this man! Don't fuck around with your truss rod. Just get some Erni Ball power slinkies (or something similar) and drop-C tuning will do just fine.

P.S. My ibanez has a fixed bridge, EB power slinkies and drop-c tunning... it rarely goes out of tune even during gigs.

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What kind of bridge does your guitar have? A floating bridge will take a bit of time to settle down' date=' and you will need to use pretty heavy strings to play in drop C and might need to adjust the spring tension in the bridge if its floating.

I've used 10 - 52's and played in drop C with a fixed bridge with no problems......[/quote']

I have a floating bridge.

I'll try using a heavier gauge, thanx!

- D a z -

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This is where me knowing that technically this is NOT drop C is really annoying! Especially because I know what you mean!

Consider this:

Standard = EADGBE

Drop D = DADGBE (dropping the E to D)

Drop C = CADGBE (dropping the E to C)

Drop D down a step = (CGCFAD)

Agree or disagree, I know I'm right and it's the most common thing I see notated wrongly, but anyway, for CGCFAD, try Ernie Ball Power Slinkys ( 11-48 ). I used them when in that tuning and didn't need to adjust anything.

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This is where me knowing that technically this is NOT drop C is really annoying! Especially because I know what you mean!

Consider this:

Standard = EADGBE

Drop D = DADGBE (dropping the E to D)

Drop C = CADGBE (dropping the E to C)

Drop D down a step = (CGCFAD)

Agree or disagree' date=' I know I'm right and it's the most common thing I see notated wrongly, but anyway, for CGCFAD, try Ernie Ball Power Slinkys ( 11-48 ). I used them when in that tuning and didn't need to adjust anything.[/quote']

I know what your saying is right, but it shouldn't be. When I talk of Drop D tuning, I don't just mean dropping the Top E down a step I mean Tuning the entire set down a step. Same with Drop C tuning.

When I mean tuning Top E down a step, I just say it like that!

(I like to challenge convention!)

- D a z -

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Angel of death is technically right.

"Drop-D detuned a whole step" (or drop-D in C) is actually the correct way to call what most of us call 'drop-C' tuning, i.e. CGCFAD. But as this is such a common misconception (to call it 'drop-C') .... I still call it that - cos everyone seems understands it.

EDIT: Oh and "drop-D" and "open-D" are ENTIRELY different things:

'Drop-X' refers to detuning ONLY the lowest string on the guitar to note X.

'Open-Y' refers to retuning all the strings to different notes, so as when all the strings are played open at the same time - they actually play a 'proper' chord, i.e. chord 'Y' (as opposed to something silly like Ymin7add4 when in standard tuning)

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I know what your saying is right' date=' but it shouldn't be. When I talk of Drop D tuning, I don't just mean dropping the Top E down a step I mean Tuning the entire set down a step. Same with Drop C tuning.

When I mean tuning Top E down a step, I just say it like that!

(I like to challenge convention!)

- D a z -[/quote']

So you are taking drop C to mean the guitar tuned two whole tones below concert pitch - where A=440Hz?

If that's the case get a set of light guage 7 strings and only use the bottom 6.......

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pedant warning...

'Open-Y' refers to retuning all the strings to different notes' date=' so as when all the strings are played open at the same time - they actually play a 'proper' chord, i.e. chord 'Y' (as opposed to something silly like Ymin7add4 when in standard tuning)[/quote']

Traditional/standard slide guitar open tunings only require the alternative tuning of some of the strings.

For example, open D(major) - the A/5th and D/4th strings remain the same. Open E(major) the E(low)/6th B/2nd and E(high)/1st remain the same and so on.

Obviously this all goes out the window if the player chooses to break with tradition.

What is the standard tuning for a baritone guitar?

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Traditional/standard slide guitar open tunings only require the alternative tuning of some of the strings.

For example' date=' open D(major) - the A/5th and D/4th strings remain the same. Open E(major) the E(low)/6th B/2nd and E(high)/1st remain the same and so on.

Obviously this all goes out the window if the player chooses to break with tradition.

What is the standard tuning for a baritone guitar?[/quote']

oh no i've gone crosseyed :?

this thread has me very confused. i never fully understand the whole tuning thing. maybe that will be my new years resolution, must become a better player and learn more about my chosen instrument. :)

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oh no i've gone crosseyed :?

this thread has me very confused. i never fully understand the whole tuning thing. maybe that will be my new years resolution' date=' must become a better player and learn more about my chosen instrument. :)[/quote']

It's all pretty straight forward when you have a guitar in your hands.

Alternative tunings are a great way of getting out of a musical rut... until you develop an alternative musical rut with whatever alternative tuning you are using!?:D

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