Your thoughts on Drop D Tuning?

Question

I've recently been drop d tuning my guitar. To be honest I feel like I'm cheating a bit, makes playing almost too easy. What are your thoughts? Is Drop D tuning done a lot by metal guitarists?

Answer 1

How would that be like cheating?

The 'standard' tuning is there so that chords can be played the same way on guitars all around the world. With alternate tunings, you can play the same chords only in different positions often with the same notes but from different octaves. Sometimes the new formations are easier, sometimes they're harder.

It's kind of like playing a chord on a different stringed instrument like, say, a banjo. Same chord, different business.

I prefer a drop D over standard tuning when improvising with my own stuff, but most songs need standard. I can think of at least one song from every popular rock guitarist out there that recorded in drop D. One that really comes to mind though is Jimmy Page on tracks like Going To California or Black Mountain Side (open D tuning) and a lot of his acoustic stuff. Kurt Cobain did it in 'All Apologies' unplugged, Eric Johnson in 'Song For George,' Steve Vai "Good Times" (with Roth).

It sounds great on the acoustic and it's used in metal more often than you know. It tends to catch your attention because of the deeper sound that is not as common. A drop D on a 12-string really kicks. I commonly use many different tunings that I don't even know the name of and they all sound great. Try an open E tuning sometime if you like the blues. Use a slide (or a bottle) with this tuning and change between the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets. You'll love it.

Answer 2

I really like open and alternate tunings.
There are very few instruments that allow you to change their tonality so quickly and easily.

You could also try double drop D - where the high E is lowered as well.
Right now I am keeping my main guitar in open D, and some guys really like DADGAD, Davey Graham popularized it in Britain. He and some other folk/blues guitarists use it almost exclusively.

Yes, metal players use drop D, sometimes going further to drop C.
I also really like open C as well.

One of the drawbacks to different tunings is they can limit the keys you are able to play in (in a practicle way anyway).
You can try using a capo, I really prefer a Shubb. It too is a great way to change your tonality.

I'm not sure what that woman meant when she said not many of the great guitarists don't use tunings.
It's just that there are an incredible number of accomplished guitar players that most of us never hear of!
They don't have big money labels behind them. The style of music they play isn't currently popular etc.
But many great guitar players use tunings.

Different tunings are also common among slide guitar players.

Anyways, don't feel guilty at all about what you do when you play guitar. Only feel guilty when you don't play guitar!

Answer 3

dudr tuning down to drop d is nothing big, it's alot of fun to just play around with, and besides you can't tun edown for EVERY song there are some songs were you'll have to have standerd tuning like "seven nation aremy" or "back in black" and for the record, alot of metal guitarists use drop b and c not so much drop d

Answer 4

Drop D tuning is just as valid as any other form of tuning. If it makes the strings to floppy, switch to a heavier gauge - it will improve the tone, and is a common practice.

Answer 5

Drop D is soooooooooo 1990's.

Answer 6

Hey play what feels good. That is what music is for. If the people like the people like it. But realy your doing because it feels good. That's the spirit of music baby. It sounds better if you don't distort it into ablivion.

Answer 7

Alternative tunings are legit. Play well & prosper

Answer 8

It does crop up a lot. It's quite useful, and if you enjoy it, keep it up. Personally, I tend to stick to standard(or standard down a half tone), but that's just me.

Answer 9

its not cheating really but not many of the great guitarists out there use it.

Answer 10

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