Hey, can anyone explain "drop-tuning", as in this example:
Guns N' Roses used to drop-tune at least a half step quite frequently, such as Sweet Child O' Mine. Rage Against the Machine would frequently drop a whole step, as in Killing in the Name. That is the kind of depth and power I wanted to infuse into my arrangement of Watchtower, while simultaneously acknowledging Dylan's original choice of key.
I know both of the songs referenced, and I don't get what's being referrenced. I don't think he's talking about a modulation in the song -- does it have something to do with the tuning of the instruments?
Okay, so having looked at Wikipedia, he means that the instruments are tuned a half step or whole step below standard guitar tuning?
There are many different drop tunings. The most common is where the top E-string, the lowest-note string, is tuned down to a D. So instead of E-A-D-G-B-E, you have D-A-D-G-B-E. This makes it easier to play certain chords.
In this case, it looks like they may be talking about lowering all the strings by a half or whole step, making it easier to transpose a song down a half or whole step. You can use a capo to transpose a song UP, but tuning all the strings down is one way to easily do the opposite.
"Capo" means something totally different to a singer, so I had to go to wikipedia on that one too.
So I guess, if you're a strong enough instrumentalist, you can actually tell just by listening when instruments are drop-tuned? Cool.
A common alternate tuning is D-A-D-G-A-D, which drops the top and the bottom .(This is as much as I know about it, since my guitar never leaves standard tuning)
Many metal bands drop-tune all 6 strings to make the music heavier.
Many metal bands drop-tune all 6 strings to make the music heavier.
OMG I'm amazed I understand this but that's exactly what my guitarist had to figure out and do when we played a set (an AWESOME set) of Motley Crue songs last year.
when we played a set (an AWESOME set) of Motley Crue songs last year
I think the AWESOME goes without saying. Hey, I have a song or two from your band on my iPod and want more. What does a guy have to do to get hooked up?
Hey, I have a song or two from your band on my iPod and want more. What does a guy have to do to get hooked up?
Compliments!!!
Send my your address to my profile addy and I'll send you our cd.
and I'm totally happy to give it to you but if you want to buy it:
[link]
We are actually going into the studio (aka our friend's basement) this weekend to record 9 new songs!! When we're finished with that we're planning to make the whole new record downloadable from our website.
