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Post by Admin on Jun 2, 2013 10:05:18 GMT -5
Have you ever tuned down to accomodate vocals?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2013 8:40:03 GMT -5
SInce I was a frontman singer/ lead guitar player we had to change often. I have a , JIM MORRISON,MICK JAGGER< DAVID JOHANSEN,HOWLIN WOLF VERY RASPY< DEEPER VOICE THAN MOST..... kind of like EDDIE VEDDER but more blues sounding.
For me to get that GROOOWLL or RRRASSSP that blues singers should be able to dig down n get that was my natural vocals so what was hard was hitting high notes.
A lot of touring bands have to change keys sometimes do accommodate the singers vocal condition while touring.......
I remember I had to sing the Star Spangled Banner at something in Battery Park and man that taxed me,,... lucky for me I had plenty of practice going LOW when other went high and knew how to cut lines short instead of trying to hit the high notes.
My band and I had a VERY hard time playing live n trying to sing melodies with me.....we eventually either used a tape when it was an important gig, if it was real important we would hire a few black chic to sing backup vocals and to accompany me to brighten up my voice....something the STONES do often.
Other times I would sing the chorus ONCE and then the 2nd 3rd 4th parts of the chorus were done with an octave splitter.....
it made to clean and to sterile of a back up so we tended to not use it and just have them try to harmonize with me or I would not sing n let the three of them harmonize
BB KING changes tuning when on tour all the time usually same key just maybe flat or sharp.....
That was one part THE BEATLES HAD DOWN WAS HARMONIZING...... We sounded more like Jagger n Richards !!!! more Richards than Jagger too !!!!! lol
It certainly was our weak spot....
James
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Post by muddylives on Jun 4, 2013 8:48:43 GMT -5
Do people actually tune down their guitars for that purpose? I constantly force people to play songs in different keys in order to accomodate my voice. But I don't change the tuning of my guitar for that purpose, and can't think of anyone ever doing that for such a reason. People do tune down to get that Albert King super bending effect.
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2013 14:30:19 GMT -5
Do people actually tune down their guitars for that purpose? I constantly force people to play songs in different keys in order to accomodate my voice. But I don't change the tuning of my guitar for that purpose, and can't think of anyone ever doing that for such a reason. People do tune down to get that Albert King super bending effect. Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan were noted for this. Tune down 1/2 step to E flat. I heard Muddy did this as well.
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Post by muddylives on Jun 4, 2013 15:18:52 GMT -5
Interesting. This was to accommodate vocals, or to facilitate bends? One half step doesn't usually make too much difference for vocals.
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Post by Admin on Jun 4, 2013 15:35:06 GMT -5
Interesting. This was to accommodate vocals, or to facilitate bends? One half step doesn't usually make too much difference for vocals. There have been a lot of theories posed...Stevie thought it gave his sound a little more "bluesy" tone...and he felt more comfortable with the upper register of his voice with the guitar tuned down 1/2 step. Some people felt Jimi did it to give him a unique sound. Back in the old days when I was just beginning, we didn't know exactly where we were tuned relative to a true pitch. We all tuned relative to each other and usually that entailed tuning around someone's vocals as well. As long as we were in tune with each other, it didn't seem to really matter. Now when we moved up to professional gigs, and we had to be in tune with a piano or harmonica, of course we had to go to a standard tuning. But you're absolutely correct, tuning down a half or whole step does make bends a little better.
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Post by Admin on Jun 19, 2013 15:47:05 GMT -5
OK...we've discussed tuning down a half tone. Question is, how is the best way to do this?
1. Simply set your tuner for E flat. (Duh)
2. Capo in first fret and tune for standard.
3. Forget it and tune in standard. smiley-laughing024
Since a lot of musicians including Jimi Hendrix, SRV, GnR, et al. felt this tuning was more "bluesy" and "darker" than standard, it seems worth a little try. Kind of like the Nashville (or High) tuning...give it a try. Don't knock it till you try it.
barmy
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Post by earleg on Aug 2, 2013 11:33:25 GMT -5
I read several times in the past that Bb, Eb and the relatives are the easiest for many to sing in. The Stones were another group that did this early on but willing to bet a lot of their doing was because of covering blues/R&B done that way. They changed to more non flat keys later at least for the most part. BB King seemed to de-tune 1/2 step at times also.
I never tuned down but in a blues band the other guitarist wanted to tune down a semi-tone from std. to get more of an old school sound even though the harp stayed natural. We never did do it at least intentionally. It just seemed it was going to be a PITA more than a benefit.
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