thinking of going to E standard

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Yeap, because everything on Wikipedia must be true and up to date!

Eb standard most of the time here. Like it the most for fast thrashy riffing + it gives the 5th string of the bass the possibility to add heavyness to a chord.

I'm not sure I quite get this one, can't the 5th string of a bass ALWAYS adds the possibility to add heaviness?

Nope, not any more. At least that is what he said in an interview or such, that I read very recently. He has switched to 9 gauge.
Edit: Of course I am trying to find my source, I'll see what I can find.

It's possible, but if I had the awesome and sharp pick attack that Loomis has, I'd be tempted to stay away from 0.09 gauge...
Still it's very possible, I'll see what I can find too

 

[muckypup1]

I'm not sure I quite get this one, can't the 5th string of a bass ALWAYS adds the possibility to add heaviness?

yeah it can, but when your riffing on the A and D strings of a 6 string guitar, you can tune your bass down to A and be playing along on the low A string, a lovely 2 octaves lower

 

[Notuern]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/876568/mp1thrashmic.mp3

Thats what you would get with E-tuned guitars through your MP-1!

 

[JonWormwood]

I put 9-46 on my Jackson and it's so damn tight and clear. I can't believe it

 

[Mago]

yeah it can, but when your riffing on the A and D strings of a 6 string guitar, you can tune your bass down to A and be playing along on the low A string, a lovely 2 octaves lower

I ment something like playing a B Chord on E flat (F# B F#) and the Bass plays the low B. I certain riffs/chord processions it can add another dimension of heavyness, because the BOOM becomes something special rather than everything from bass to guitar wobbering around in A# all the time
I like downtuned stuff more for slow heavy chords, faster riffing just sounds tighter on higher tunings most of the time...
Exept Nevermore and Unearth though

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

It would make more sense to play the low B on a E chord, since it's the 5th.
Playing B would be the minor 6th in E flat, wich sounds great, but is not as convenient as having the 5th available as an open string.
Anyway, there's a ton of different tunings out there, and no real rules except to actually be in tune

 

[Rogueleader]

The feel of thin strings (42-9 e standard) is awesome. I'm not willing to sacrifice C# standard tuning to get it though. I use 56-11 on 25.5 guitars. Got a gibson scale (Jackson pro AT) guitar on the way, so I'm going to have to bump the guages up a little for that one.

I also tune C# G# B E A D (all fourths like some jazz players) so that makes a difference in tension on the top two strings.

 

[Harry Hughes]

Apart from the occasional use of either drop A or drop D, my 7 string guitars stay in B standard 95 per cent of the time.
For some reasons, whenever I tune to drop D, I start playing southern-metal type riffs, which makes no sense seeing as how I don't live anywhere near southern USA.
But drop D is cool for thrash metal too.
I love being able to play along with the old thrash metal stuff (or even some Sylosis riffs........can't say I can play the guitar solos though ) and having those high notes available to solo with, but having the low B on hand if I need it.
A lot of the time, I just use my low B for playing stuff that was written in drop C#, so I don't need to retune the whole 6 string section of the guitar, so I don't even use the low B note all that much.

 

[Mago]

It would make more sense to play the low B on a E chord, since it's the 5th.

Personally I think that that doesnt sound that good.

Playing B would be the minor 6th in E flat, wich sounds great, but is not as convenient as having the 5th available as an open string.
Anyway, there's a ton of different tunings out there, and no real rules except to actually be in tune

You don't always have an open string available on the guitar....but I'm not sure if I got what you ment

 

[Spamds]

Tuning to E standard? Please do . I hate it when modern bands tune their guitars fuck-da-low and think they're something new n' br00tal. It makes metal music sound generic and guitar tones tend to sound the same when using low tunings (whoom whoom whoom)

 

[Force666]

Tuning to E standard? Please do . I hate it when modern bands tune their guitars fuck-da-low and think they're something new n' br00tal. It makes metal music sound generic and guitar tones tend to sound the same when using low tunings (whoom whoom whoom)

So If everyone tunes to E standard.....that's going to change how?

 

[Spamds]

So If everyone tunes to E standard.....that's going to change how?

From guitar tone point of view:

Theres two types of tones IMO... low action sound and high action sound... In lower tunings, setting action higher of lower barely makes tone difference, it sounds pretty much the same. I personally prefer low action sound in e standard cause it sounds "looser" and better . In e standard you have more options (using high or low action, its just a matter of taste. You want to go either after tone or playing style). But this is just from the tone point of view... setting action affects your playing and too low actions cause fret buzz.

Tuning low will automatically result in low action tone even if you would use higher action. Although it depends how low we are tuning here.. 1 step down and theres some difference.. 2 step down and that effect is clearly noticable

There's a hearable difference in tone between high and low action when you play in e standard. Im not so sure how many people will realise this though...
I'll post clips to demonstrate this later on.

But I think overrall music sounds fresh again when using e standard... some riffs may not work in that tuning anymore.. people have to go for other solutions when they want something darker sounding.. rather that tuning low.

 

[digitaldeath]

Funny...I've always played in E standard, sometimes drop-D.
Only lately, when I picked up a Schecter second hand did I try a lower tuning, drop-C. Hated it.
Now I'm quite happy to be playing in open-D (DADGAD) and am writing some of my best music ever.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Now I'm quite happy to be playing in open-D (DADGAD) and am writing some of my best music ever.

Metal/hi-gain stuff?

 

[AllanD]

I've never gone away from E standard, mostly because I never bought heavier strings, making down tuning comparable to playing on spaghetti

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

9-52 here when I do play in E...which is rare

 

[digitaldeath]

Metal/hi-gain stuff?

Well I'm a drummer, so my guitar playing skills are limited. I used to always write stuff that just sounded like grunge, but now in open-D, I'm having more fun working unusual chords (to me) into my songs, defo getting alot more use out of the treble strings for a change!
My music is more heavy-rock, but I don't always assume hi-gain to be exclusive to metal!

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Well I'm a drummer, so my guitar playing skills are limited. I used to always write stuff that just sounded like grunge, but now in open-D, I'm having more fun working unusual chords (to me) into my songs, defo getting alot more use out of the treble strings for a change!
My music is more heavy-rock, but I don't always assume hi-gain to be exclusive to metal!

I'm gonna have to check out open-D tuning a bit more, I think, I may get a couple of cool riffing ideas!
I never tought of open chord tunings with hi-gain stuff before...

 

[JonWormwood]

Well the guys are more then down to play in e. Now the joy of moving all the locking trems to e! Fun

 

[Notuern]

Well, as long as you keep the string gauge relative to the old one, you wont have any problems!