Let's talk drop-tunings

[MarcusGHedwig]

So I've always been a standard tuning-interval kinda guy, mainly because during my formative years playing guitar I just forever had it drilled in to me that drop-D was for nu-metal n00bs, but I've heard enough awesome riffs (specifically on here...and specifically from Ola ) to convince me that maybe it's worth a shot - tell me, do you dudes think it opens up any particular riff-writing creativity that you wouldn't have playing in standard?

And when I say drop-tunings, I do literally mean just dropping down the lowest string so the interval between it and the next one up is a 5th, I've been tuning to C-standard for years, and in general can't stand the low-string being any higher than a D

 

[drew_drummer]

. . .

There are so many good riffs done in drop-D tuning that it is just silly to say its for nu-metal n00bs... I'm fucking proud to be a nu-metal noob if that's the case.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

It definitely provides a different perspective while writing - however, to me, the best part about drop-tunings is that live you can use your left hand to do cool things while playing like high fives and shit. haha.

 

[muckypup1]

Well I'm a 7 string player, I really like the drop A tuning, and drop G# like Jeff Loomis uses on a song or two and on the 6 string I like to play in drop B and drop C, drop C is tighter, but just isn't low enough for me

When I play in a drop tuning I find it makes it much easier to think of more furious riffs, I'm a huge Hatebreed fan, and I find it a lot easier thinking of those kind of riffs when I play in a drop tuning.

 

[shred101]

It definately fucking does as long as you dont play crappy one finger power chord type riffs (like nu metal noooo000oob5!). I even used to write symphonic metal in CADGBE just for the sake of being different. I like it mainly for the fact that I can utilize stretches in riffs that would be virtually impossible in standard. Also like chords where you play from the 5th fret bottom, (D) string to the 8th fret on the 3rd (D) string. I just tend to play differently in drop tuning and its great to just get myself in a different frame of mind when I have writers block or whatever.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

. . .

There are so many good riffs done in drop-D tuning that it is just silly to say its for nu-metal n00bs... I'm fucking proud to be a nu-metal noob if that's the case.

Yes, well, clearly the implication is that I've since moved beyond that mentality, though I highly doubt we'll have much common ground in terms of our definitions of "good riffs", making the point sorta moot anyway

It definitely provides a different perspective while writing - however, to me, the best part about drop-tunings is that live you can use your left hand to do cool things while playing like high fives and shit. haha.

Honestly, that thought had occurred to me (and fist-pumps as well ), but I dunno, it's just weird for me to get used to not being able to do ascending/descending runs (along whatever scale I'm playing in) from the second-lowest to the lowest string...

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

It definately fucking does as long as you dont play crappy one finger power chord type riffs (like nu metal noooo000oob5!). I even used to write symphonic metal in CADGBE just for the sake of being different. I like it mainly for the fact that I can utilize stretches in riffs that would be virtually impossible in standard. Also like chords where you play from the 5th fret bottom, (D) string to the 8th fret on the 3rd (D) string. I just tend to play differently in drop tuning and its great to just get myself in a different frame of mind when I have writers block or whatever.

Yeah, truth be told, interesting chords have never been my strong suit as far as riff-writing goes; not like I think it's held me back thus far, but something I've been meaning to explore!

 

[JeffTD]

drop G# like Jeff Loomis uses on a song or two

What???

 

[Jaymz]

Not a fan of the barr chord style, simply because I never used it so I find it more natural to make up riffs in "standard" tunings.

 

[muckypup1]

What???

Yeah, on the Believe In Nothing song from DHIADW, the tuning is

- G# D# G# C# F# A# D#

EDIT - At least this is the tuning the tabs I have are in, this is the tuning for the distorted tracks, the acoustic tracks were just tuned down half a step.

When I have tested playing (what I can) of this song, it sounds right in this tuning.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

The lowest note in Believe in Nothing is definitely a Bb Sonny

 

[shred101]

Biggest display of Nevermore noobery ever

 

[muckypup1]

Well I'm just saying what this tab says - http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3163522/believe_in_nothing_ver3.gp5

 

[shred101]

Nah its ok, im just return-n00bing jeff

 

[shred101]

Only thing that annoys me about bands that downtune to like G and stuff like that is that a lot of them are just in a competition to see who can write the coolest beatdown.

 

[AudioPhile777]

I've been playing in mostly drop tunings for the majority of my git-fiddling... I feel uncomfortable in standard-ish tunings... not completely, though. I do write differently, though, so I welcome standard-ish every now and again.

 

[muckypup1]

Only thing that annoys me about bands that downtune to like G and stuff like that is that a lot of them are just in a competition to see who can write the coolest beatdown.

Haha, or who can copy Meshuggah

I've been using drop G and drop F#, but not for the usual Meshuggah copy, I've been using them for more dissonant chords and clean sections. I like the low sound I can get with them

 

[shred101]

I feel uncomfortable in standard-ish tunings

I play mainly in Eb, D, B standard and drop B/C. I dont think that some riffs work in Eb/E standard.
Songs like Blinded By Fear by At The Gates just sound silly in E standard. Trust me, I've tried it.

 

[shred101]

Haha, or who can copy Meshuggah

Spot on.

+11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

 

[Nuno Filipe]

Drop tunings are cool and some riffs are much more hard to play in D than drop C and it´s a lot easy to reach some power chords.