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Post subject: SRV - Tuning Down
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:18 pm
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SRV had his guitar tuned down a half step, but were all his guitars and songs played that way ? What is the advantage of this method ? Am I correct to assume you would need a seperate guitar always tuned down to play his songs ? Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions...

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:56 pm
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I don't know about all of SRV's songs but a lot of bands and artists tune down a half or even a whole tone. The advantages as I see them are: 1) slacker tuning means easier string fretting and bends, 2) the ability to play in a key a whole or half step lower than standard tuning and/or hit notes in that register, as well as play songs in say the key E a fret or two higher up the neck where fret distances are smaller and where no open stings have to be used.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:02 pm
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All the tab I have seen for SRV is tuned 1/2 step down. Tommy Shannon tuned his bass 1 full step down.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:04 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
Tommy Shannon tuned his bass 1 full step down.


That question has been on my mind for weeks!!!

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:15 pm
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SRV pretty much always tuned down that 1/2 step.
Lets you bend a bit easier
Thickens up your sound a bit
Burns out your tubes a bit sooner (don't know why, but it does)

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:31 pm
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Hendrix also did the same with some of his songs.


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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:36 pm
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The Beatles periodically tuned down a 1/2 step.

Skylark who plays bass with the Doobie Brothers tunes down a whole step.

Another advantage is that it makes it easier to sing the high notes.


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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:19 pm
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Robin Trower tunes a full step down.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:25 pm
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Stevie said he did this because of the overtones and harmonics were more desirable than that of standard tuning. Life By the Drop is in standard tuning.

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 3:05 pm
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I tune down a whole step from standard cause I think it sounds better that way...

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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 5:53 pm
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Stevie Used Huge String, 12's and 13's. Often with a wound 4th string. Tuning to Eflat makes them feel like 11-12's. And he said it fit his voice better.

I play most of his stuff at Standard tuning because It fits my vocal range better, but I do keep a guitar tuned to E flat for Alice in Chains "Man In The Box" and a couple other songs that are tuned to flat keys because they don't sound right tuned up (I use a Squier Satin Strat with two Duncan Designed humbuckers for downtuning. I block the trem for easier tuning), but Stevie Ray's Stuff sounds fine in almost any Key, I think.

Plus, just like the rest of us, he was inspired by his heros. A few of his favorite guitar players played in E flat and he wanted to emulate them.

Side note- Quite a few of the songs off Family Style are in standard tuning, and he only used his #1 Strat a few tracks.

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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:39 am
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muscseek...where did you get the notes in front of your gear list..

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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:54 am
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FirstMeasure wrote:
Stevie Used Huge String, 12's and 13's. Often with a wound 4th string. Tuning to Eflat makes them feel like 11-12's. And he said it fit his voice better.

I play most of his stuff at Standard tuning because It fits my vocal range better, but I do keep a guitar tuned to E flat for Alice in Chains "Man In The Box" and a couple other songs that are tuned to flat keys because they don't sound right tuned up (I use a Squier Satin Strat with two Duncan Designed humbuckers for downtuning. I block the trem for easier tuning), but Stevie Ray's Stuff sounds fine in almost any Key, I think.

Plus, just like the rest of us, he was inspired by his heros. A few of his favorite guitar players played in E flat and he wanted to emulate them.

Side note- Quite a few of the songs off Family Style are in standard tuning, and he only used his #1 Strat a few tracks.



Steive used 15's for a few years, then went with lighter 13's.

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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:59 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
FirstMeasure wrote:
Stevie Used Huge String, 12's and 13's. Often with a wound 4th string. Tuning to Eflat makes them feel like 11-12's. And he said it fit his voice better.

I play most of his stuff at Standard tuning because It fits my vocal range better, but I do keep a guitar tuned to E flat for Alice in Chains "Man In The Box" and a couple other songs that are tuned to flat keys because they don't sound right tuned up (I use a Squier Satin Strat with two Duncan Designed humbuckers for downtuning. I block the trem for easier tuning), but Stevie Ray's Stuff sounds fine in almost any Key, I think.

Plus, just like the rest of us, he was inspired by his heros. A few of his favorite guitar players played in E flat and he wanted to emulate them.

Side note- Quite a few of the songs off Family Style are in standard tuning, and he only used his #1 Strat a few tracks.



Steive used 15's for a few years, then went with lighter 13's.

It must have drove his guitar tech crazy trying to keep him in 15's. Specialy in the 80's when string's were getting lighter and lighter.

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Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:28 pm
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There have been some very good interviews done with Rene Martinez, who was Stevie Ray Vaughan's guitar tech. A few years ago I read an old interview with Charlie Wirz (Charley's Guitar Shop, Dalas ) about the Strat he built for Stevie Ray. I still have all of these articles but they are buried in a pile of magazines that is about 6' X 6' X6'. If I can find them I will post the magazine title, the issue and the page.


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