Preferred Tuning?

[jd35801]

Eb is easier to play/sing certain songs and I would prefer it but as everyone else I play with is in standard, I stay in standard and use lighter strings.
But there seems to be something tonally that sounds better when a Strat is tuned down a half-step. Maybe it really IS “God’s tuning”???

 

[FrieAsABird]

Either standard or some open tuning on a cheap acoustic.

 

[albala]

everything but 12 string acoustic is in E standard

I prefer my 12 string to be in D standard...so does the guitar

 

[monte merrick]

i like my parlor in DADF#AD, my resonator in DADDAD, and everything else in EADGBE

 

[Scott Baxendale]

Sitting here playing endlessly on my new Strat and realized that not only do I prefer Strats in Eb tuning.... I think I prefer everything tuned down 1/2 step.

I almost can't stand to play a Strat in standard tuning anymore, and my Ibanez Genesis stays in Eb for almost everything as well! Even having multiple guitars, I always think that I'll use different ones for different tunings...but nope!

So, what tuning do you guys find yourself playing in the majority of the time?

I played in Eb for several years, but these days I prefer D standard with the occasional dropped C.

 

[Matopotato]

I prefer James Taylor's tuning on acoustic. Standard E with some small shifts. https://www.rynaylorguitar.com/blog...ng-our-guitars-wrongaccording-to-james-taylor
Peterson clip on and I think the stomp have it as preset.
For electric standard E, but with g and h string slight to the flat side of things. I am quite heavyfingered and it helps keep things sounding more in tune for me.

 

[joebtone]

I have NEVER tuned a guitar to Eb, other than using the transpose knob on the Variax.

A440 standard tuning for me.

BTW, a guitar tuned to Eb is actually a "guitar in B" by band instrument standards.

A regular guitar plays a C concert when you finger a C.

A guitar tuned down a half step plays a B concert when one fingers a C.

It's really in the key of B.

No other band instruments are in the key of B.

I have tuned guitars and mandolins down to Bb (that is "D tuning") so I could read the same music as my buddies playing clarinet and tenor sax.

I also have used drop-D, DADGAD, open D and E, open G, and on lap steel A6, C6, E7, C#m7, etc.

Lots of fine players have used Eb tuning.

I like to have standby guitar in Eb for playing with pianists who play a lot in Bb and F keys...and Eb.

 

[davidKOS]

I like to have standby guitar in Eb for playing with pianists who play a lot in Bb and F keys...and Eb.

Well, cool ...but as a guitar player that's played with horn players much of my gigging career, I never saw the need.

Plus, you get a certain sound playing in Bb, Eb, Ab, etc. that differs from using the open string keys.

 

[omahaaudio]

EBEG#BE
OpenE

 

[joebtone]

Well, cool ...but as a guitar player that's played with horn players much of my gigging career, I never saw the need.

Plus, you get a certain sound playing in Bb, Eb, Ab, etc. that differs from using the open string keys.

True

 

[MetalPedal]

Sitting here playing endlessly on my new Strat and realized that not only do I prefer Strats in Eb tuning.... I think I prefer everything tuned down 1/2 step.

I almost can't stand to play a Strat in standard tuning anymore, and my Ibanez Genesis stays in Eb for almost everything as well! Even having multiple guitars, I always think that I'll use different ones for different tunings...but nope!

So, what tuning do you guys find yourself playing in the majority of the time?

What do you do when practicing covers with the original song that is in standard tuning?

 

[Theron]

What do you do when practicing covers with the original song that is in standard tuning?

I put the song into Guitar Rig 5 and convert it to the tuning I want.
I do the same with Motely Crue stuff that I don't want to tune to D Standard for.
There are many software options to change the pitch of songs, and as long as you don't go crazy, the songs still sound great. (It gets a little wonky if you start down-tuning standard songs to drop C or something lol...the music still sounds good but the vocals sound crazy.

I have no problem playing in standard if I were playing with a group or something, but if I'm sitting at home on my own, why do I care that my non-existent band has to down tune to match my Eb lol

 

[Robins]

Standard E at 440hz A, Stuttgart pitch.

Yes, the crazy German,
Robin

 

[dirocyn]

I play in standard tuning unless I'm playing along with something that isn't.

 

[Stone]

No Preference, what ever the tuning is for a song i am learning is what i use

 

[amstratnut]

Standard. I get inspired by alternate tunings but most everything I play in my bands is in standard. I dont really have time for anything else. Except I enjoy coming up with riffs in drop D sometimes.

 

[Ronnie Fn D]

It’s ok dropping your tunings, but what do you do when you are called to jam, or play a number with a band that plays in standard tuning, using your guitar? They ain’t going to tune down. It happens often with me. Capos are a pain. Don’t get stuck in a rut with your tunings. Be flexible. Harder to play in standard tuning? It will harden up the ends of your fingers, plus when you do play in E flat again, it will be even more easy.

I play in D standard. When I jam with others I just use a capo and it's not too bad for me ...I just clip it on there and start playing.

 

[Doc538]

I use to always tune by ear to a d, then we got keyboard player 50 something years ago
E ever since

 

[MT Poteet]

All of my electric solid bodies are tuned to E 440.

I recently tuned my acoustic down to Eb in an attempt to start singing again.
Don't ask how that is going.

 

[StratUp]

...Sadly the tuning/retuning aspect of it is the syrup of ipecac that prevents me from using them more.

That's what multiple guitars are for.