Tuning instruments to the attack or to the sustain?

[::XeS::]

I usually tune to sustain because attack note decades very quickly, expecially on heavier strings, where lighter strings have an attack/sustain note way closer.
Moreover attack note depends on how hard you play the note with your hand, for example no one tune the strings playing like zakk wylde so when you play harder the strings after the tuning you'll get a sharp note.
The problem is when you have different instruments (also guitars and bass) with different musicians. Maybe the bass have different attack note (or also it decays different than the guitars) or one guitarist plays harder than the other so the attack could be different.
It's a pain in the ass in my opinion because each technique has pro/cons.

 

[greyskull]

Depends on the part.

 

[~BURNY~]

Sustain. The musician need to control the attack and find the "sweet spot" where the note is strong but not sharp.

 

[Proggm]

I used to tune mostly to the sustain until I noticed how many other musicians had this "tendency" to go sharp. Since then I've always asked my clients to play something after the first time tuning - then I'll see if technique/tuning/instrument setup requires something else.

 

[::XeS::]

The point is that when you play your own instrument it's important to have all the strings tuned etc....the problem is when you have (or the musician you're recording) to deal with other instruments/musicians with different hands. Ok you record a single guitar or all the guitars tuned "correctly" but when you have to record a bass? This is the reason why I tune to the sustain...tuning to the attack in my opinion adds another variable to the equation

 

[amarshism]

I'm with greyskull.

 

[Ermz]

Depends on the part.

+1

Entirely.

 

[if6was9]

I like guys to tune to the attack unless they're playing a slow lighter picked section or a bit where they hit especially hard. I usually get them to tune playing the string like they're playing the part and tune to the attack that way. Works well and I'm fairly obsessive with tuning while recording stringed instruments.

 

[53Crëw]

FWIW - I generally tune the attack to pitch. Especially if it's something like bass with a driving bass line. Hopefully, you have enough string tension that the pitch change isn't too much. I think I usually see 5-8 cents or so, worst case.... Depends on the string gauge and tuning, of course.

If I'm doing something with a slow tempo and more sustained notes, then I might tune the sustain to pitch. In more cases, however, I'm tuning the attack to pitch.

 

[C-Martin]

I'm with the "Depends on the part" group. Ideally i'd have 2 guitars and have one setup for attack and one for sustain, maybe even a 3rd one for something in between. It also depends on the players, some players REALLY dig in and some are barely even holding the pick.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Tune to the part, for sure.

If the player is picking a lot, it makes no sense to tune to the sustain because the vast majority of guitars will go slightly sharp at the attack, unless you play like a wimp. If you want the tone that comes with digging into the guitar, you need to compensate with the tuning a bit.

 

[tempe]

In definitely in the depends on the part crowd, although I have a tendency to lean to tuning to the attack. If the guitar is set up properly it really should move a whole lot.

 

[Uros]

tune to attack for faster playing/tremolo picking, tune to sustain for slower playing (chords, slow melodies, etc.)