Standard tuning vs low tunings

[rsm]

I guess something like Hiwatt's Super-Hi cab with 15" speaker would do well for down tuned and 8-string guitars would work ok because the larger speaker can reproduce lower frequencies?

IDK, I'm sure a few bass amps would work too? In most cases, it just sounds like a wall of inarticulate sludge and mud to me , then again I like raw open 70's hard rock tones, '80s hair/thrash metal, to smooth compressed prog metal tones. Even with 8 strings, drop tuning to E1 or E0, just seems and sounds like crap to me. There's such a thing as too much of a good thing, if you consider extreme drop tuning a good thing.

Just my opinion and preferences tho'

 

[Rackman]

E standard or Eb standard work fine. The primary reason for Eb is to facilitate certain licks in horn keys. I have no real interest in downtuning.

 

[rsm]

lol dude... Black Sabbath has been tunning down a step-and-a-half to C# Standard since 1971

Black Sabbath had riffs, and you could hear the articulation - it wasn't a wall of inarticulate sonic sludge. Some of my favorite Sabbath is on Volume 4, like Under the Sun, Cornucopia, Wheels of Confusion....

very different from what I've heard in drop E1....though I tend not to even listen to this, so maybe it's getting better? just not my sound, so I don't chase it....but most of what I've heard doesn't sound good to my ears.

again, just my personal opinion, not hate or disrespect if it's your sound.

 

[BABMusic]

I don't tune down to C because I was born in 1980.

 

[thegame]

lol dude... Black Sabbath has been tunning down a step-and-a-half to C# Standard since 1971

That’s only partly true. Most of the Dio Sabbath stuff was 1/2 step down and Born Again is D standard. I’m not too familiar with the Tony Martin era but doubt that was in C# either.

 

[DanTravis62]

That’s only partly true. Most of the Dio Sabbath stuff was 1/2 step down and Born Again is D standard. I’m not too familiar with the Tony Martin era but doubt that was in C# either.

We're busy pretending since Sabbath tuned to c# on two songs in 1974

that obviously drop B tuning, and 7 string guitars, have became ubiquitous since the 70s

Which is obviously not true and obviously not why modern bands all play extended range and all sound like shit

 

[D-Rock]

Regardless if Sabbath was in C#, it's still standard chord formations, just down 1&1/2 steps. Tony wasn't dropping it to B and riding the open 6th string with the ol 1 finger going GONK GONK GONK GUGGA GUGGA GONK.

 

[DanTravis62]

Regardless if Sabbath was in C#, it's still standard chord formations, just down 1&1/2 steps. Tony wasn't dropping it to B and riding the open 6th string with the ol 1 finger going GONK GONK GONK GUGGA GUGGA GONK.

Yep, it's a completely different thing.

Bands like Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God took the super low tuning and melodicism of first wave gothenburg bands like At the Gates and In Flames, (especially "Slaughter of the Soul," which should get royalty payments from both of those bands) and the deceptively simple GONK GONK rhythms of pantera breakdowns and combined them





Deathcore bands that grew up on metalcore like KSE simplified their formula (which was already very derivative of it's influences) and streamlined it further, much further, until we got shit like this



And those bands (as well as meshuggah) influenced Periphery and Polyphia and all that lame shit, and now were here and every fucking metal band has the same GONK GONK GONK 00000000 riffs.

 

[DanTravis62]

That’s only partly true. Most of the Dio Sabbath stuff was 1/2 step down and Born Again is D standard. I’m not too familiar with the Tony Martin era but doubt that was in C# either.

he's missing another part of this, too

that it isn't just the tuning itself, its the stylistic affectation of "super low tuning" being informed by a series of influences that led "modern guitar" where it is now - the super syncopated 0---00---1--0 ---- 1---- 0 riffs

Modern guitar is the bastard child of deathcore and screamo, which itself is the bastard child of the Bjorler Brothers, Dimebag/Thorendahl/Gay 90s groove metal

 

[japetus]

Yep, it's a completely different thing.

Bands like Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God took the super low tuning and melodicism of first wave gothenburg bands like At the Gates and In Flames, (especially "Slaughter of the Soul," which should get royalty payments from both of those bands) and the deceptively simple GONK GONK rhythms of pantera breakdowns and combined them





Deathcore bands that grew up on metalcore like KSE simplified their formula (which was already very derivative of it's influences) and streamlined it further, much further, until we got shit like this



And those bands (as well as meshuggah) influenced Periphery and Polyphia and all that lame shit, and now were here and every fucking metal band has the same GONK GONK GONK 00000000 riffs.

Mmmmmm gonna be tuning down, mhhmmm, gonna make em shidd pants now with this sonic assault mmmhmmmm my guitar sounds like a shitty bass oh yeah son mmmm

 

[DanTravis62]

Mmmmmm gonna be tuning down, mhhmmm, gonna make em shidd pants now with this sonic assault mmmhmmmm my guitar sounds like a shitty bass oh yeah son mmmm

It's funny because Opeth is a million times heavier than BMTH, and they are in standard

It's all in the style and the riffs

 

[Smash]

I love the polarity of this thread. I don't care for E standard on electric or anything below d standard.
I hear bands do it, and I am fine with it. But for me Eb standard and drop D are the perfect tunings. Eb doesnt seem that far down, but sounds less shrill than regular E.

I also love pantera and candlemass @DanTravis62
So you can fuck right off you grunge loving fuck

 

[japetus]

It's funny because Opeth is a million times heavier than BMTH, and they are in standard

It's all in the style and the riffs

I am a standard player, or drop D. I will admit, I think it is fun as hell to play a 7 string. But I will find my RG7620VK someday.

 

[DanTravis62]

I love the polarity of this thread. I don't care for E standard on electric or anything below d standard.
I hear bands do it, and I am fine with it. But for me Eb standard and drop D are the perfect tunings. Eb doesnt seem that far down, but sounds less shrill than regular E.

I also love pantera and candlemass @DanTravis62
So you can fuck right off you grunge loving fuck

I love candlemass too, their comeback album with Messiah was bitchin

The problem isn't the tuning itself, it is the lame style of riffing combined with everyone using the same tone

 

[Smash]

I love candlemass too, their comeback album with Messiah was bitchin

The problem isn't the tuning itself, it is the lame style of riffing combined with everyone using the same tone

If I were smart enough, i would take one of your punk concert videos and edit it to make it look like you were in a glam metal band and start a huge troll.

 

[DanTravis62]

If I were smart enough, i would take one of your punk concert videos and edit it to make it look like you were in a glam metal band and start a huge troll.

I mean I guess you could do it with AI, but i'd be cool with being in a glam metal band if the tunes were good enough

I just wouldn't be in a GRUNGE band

 

[Smash]

I love candlemass too, their comeback album with Messiah was bitchin

The problem isn't the tuning itself, it is the lame style of riffing combined with everyone using the same tone

I actually played one of candlemass songs in e standard and it sounded massive

 

[japetus]

I mean I guess you could do it with AI, but i'd be cool with being in a glam metal band if the tunes were good enough

I just wouldn't be in a GRUNGE band

I want to start a Presidents of the United States of America cover band, simple drums, all cheap instruments. You could book anywhere

 

[DanTravis62]

I actually played one of candlemass songs in e standard and it sounded massive

See, I told you man The problem isn't the tuning itself, it's the riffs are weak

I want to start a Presidents of the United States of America cover band, simple drums, all cheap instruments. You could book anywhere

Yeah you could probably get massively paid, too

 

[thegame]

he's missing another part of this, too

that it isn't just the tuning itself, its the stylistic affectation of "super low tuning" being informed by a series of influences that led "modern guitar" where it is now - the super syncopated 0---00---1--0 ---- 1---- 0 riffs

Modern guitar is the bastard child of deathcore and screamo, which itself is the bastard child of the Bjorler Brothers, Dimebag/Thorendahl/Gay 90s groove metal

To be fair there was a gluttony of very late 80's/early 90's second and third rate thrash bands that abused the hell out of E standard open string Disposable Heroes types of riffs. There's only so many ways to rearrange basic open string triplets mixed with eighth notes.