Drop tune - why is it looked down on?

[eSmith]

I have a friend I used to race cars with, going into corners he would drop gears and use the transmission to help him slow the car. This works, it does ****** the engine and help slow the car.

Of course the brakes also slow the car effectivly. He didn't seem to get that it is better to wear out your $30 brake pads than a much more expensive transmission.

Drop tuning to me is kind of the same, all the young guys seem to swear by it but I would guess that is born out of ignorance and misunderstanding.

All 12 keys are represented on the bass (or guitar for that matter) and you can play in all of them without screwing up your tuning to do it. What is happening though is guys learn to play in 1 key only (really just memorising patterns) and then use screwy tunings and capos in order to do something as simple as change key.

I have no hate against those who do this, I just avoid the big red flag that this, to them, seems to be the best way they have discovered to change keys and makes me think they really know very little about there instrument.

Olders guys not embracing change???? no, they just know the young guys are dumbing down the instrument and don't want any part of it. When they tell you to use standard tuning, they are really politely telling you to go learn your instrument properly and stop trying to make it up as you go along.

-eSmith.

 

[Burlington]

I have a friend I used to race cars with, going into corners he would drop gears and use the transmission to help him slow the car. This works, it does ****** the engine and help slow the car.

Of course the brakes also slow the car effectivly. He didn't seem to get that it is better to wear out your $30 brake pads than a much more expensive transmission.

Drop tuning to me is kind of the same, all the young guys seem to swear by it but I would guess that is born out of ignorance and misunderstanding.

All 12 keys are represented on the bass (or guitar for that matter) and you can play in all of them without screwing up your tuning to do it. What is happening though is guys learn to play in 1 key only (really just memorising patterns) and then use screwy tunings and capos in order to do something as simple as change key.

I have no hate against those who do this, I just avoid the big red flag that this, to them, seems to be the best way they have discovered to change keys and makes me think they really know very little about there instrument.

Olders guys not embracing change???? no, they just know the young guys are dumbing down the instrument and don't want any part of it. When they tell you to use standard tuning, they are really politely telling you to go learn your instrument properly and stop trying to make it up as you go along.

-eSmith.

You're the only ignorant one here.

 

[lucas vigor]

I have a friend I used to race cars with, going into corners he would drop gears and use the transmission to help him slow the car. This works, it does ****** the engine and help slow the car.

Of course the brakes also slow the car effectivly. He didn't seem to get that it is better to wear out your $30 brake pads than a much more expensive transmission.

Drop tuning to me is kind of the same, all the young guys seem to swear by it but I would guess that is born out of ignorance and misunderstanding.

All 12 keys are represented on the bass (or guitar for that matter) and you can play in all of them without screwing up your tuning to do it. What is happening though is guys learn to play in 1 key only (really just memorising patterns) and then use screwy tunings and capos in order to do something as simple as change key.

I have no hate against those who do this, I just avoid the big red flag that this, to them, seems to be the best way they have discovered to change keys and makes me think they really know very little about there instrument.

Olders guys not embracing change???? no, they just know the young guys are dumbing down the instrument and don't want any part of it. When they tell you to use standard tuning, they are really politely telling you to go learn your instrument properly and stop trying to make it up as you go along.

-eSmith.

Totally awesome, and totally true!

 

[zachoff]

I have a friend I used to race cars with, going into corners he would drop gears and use the transmission to help him slow the car. This works, it does ****** the engine and help slow the car.

Of course the brakes also slow the car effectivly. He didn't seem to get that it is better to wear out your $30 brake pads than a much more expensive transmission.

Drop tuning to me is kind of the same, all the young guys seem to swear by it but I would guess that is born out of ignorance and misunderstanding.

All 12 keys are represented on the bass (or guitar for that matter) and you can play in all of them without screwing up your tuning to do it. What is happening though is guys learn to play in 1 key only (really just memorising patterns) and then use screwy tunings and capos in order to do something as simple as change key.

I have no hate against those who do this, I just avoid the big red flag that this, to them, seems to be the best way they have discovered to change keys and makes me think they really know very little about there instrument.

Olders guys not embracing change???? no, they just know the young guys are dumbing down the instrument and don't want any part of it. When they tell you to use standard tuning, they are really politely telling you to go learn your instrument properly and stop trying to make it up as you go along.

-eSmith.

Totally awesome, and totally true!

Totally silly.

 

[eSmith]

You're the only ignorant one here.

Still all upset over the metal thread Burl or does my description above describe YOU to a T....

One or the other, that's for sure.....

LOL

-eSmith.

 

[rockstarbassist]

Yeah man, lookit guys like the Mighty Sabbath... Those guys friggin SUCKED, especially since they used alternate tunings. I'm sure the armchair basement fatties from TB know better tho.

 

[Burlington]

Still all upset over the metal thread Burl or does my description above describe YOU to a T....

One or the other, that's for sure.....

LOL

-eSmith.

Not at all actually. I play in E standard all the time, and also drop C.

Some songs, when written for a certain tuning, would be impossible to play in a standard tuning, even with a low B. If you wish to challenge this, I can send you some Guitarpro files of some of my bands songs. Simply upload a video of you playing these songs in a standard tuning and I will admit defeat.

Until then, your argument is obviously flawed, as you know nothing about different tunings or what they entail.

EDIT: This offer is open to anyone willing to take the challenge. In the near future I will be posting a thread about this very idea, and I hope that it can put to rest the myths about non-standard tunings.

 

[Burlington]

Yeah man, lookit guys like the Mighty Sabbath... Those guys friggin SUCKED, especially since they used alternate tunings. I'm sure the armchair basement fatties from TB know better tho.

Yea, and that John Entwistle guy, what a loser. He obviously didn't know anything about bass

 

[eSmith]

To a lot of people, Sabbath does suck. It's pretty simplistic stuff, it is the bread and butter of every teenager that picks up an instrument. I have known PLENTY of guys that could play that stuff forward and backwards by 16 years old. None of them could improvise a walking line over a standard progression however.

I know this is going to upset some, but I also think Jack Daniels tastes like crap and Harley Davidsons are poorly designed junk that vibrate themselves into a pile of parts as you drive them.

That said, do whatever you like. Just stop pretending it's some new technique to dumb down your part in learning your instrument. Calling it "Efficency" is just living in denial.

-eSmith.

 

[Blah114]

not be a smart_ss... but ppl also rip ppl for "playing bass..." not sure why.. I have been told "Bass is easy" by loads of ppl.. similar types of ppl rip drop tuning.

 

[Blah114]

To a lot of people, Sabbath does suck. It's pretty simplistic stuff, it is the bread and butter of every teenager that picks up an instrument. I have known PLENTY of guys that could play that stuff forward and backwards by 16 years old. None of them could improvise a walking line over a standard progression however.

I know this is going to upset some, but I also think Jack Daniels tastes like crap and Harley Davidsons are poorly designed junk that vibrate themselves into a pile of parts as you drive them.

That said, do whatever you like. Just stop pretending it's some new technique to dumb down your part in learning your instrument. Calling it "Efficency" is just living in denial.

-eSmith.

none of those 16 year olds were likely WRITING comparable material (to Sabbath), though..that's the difference.. to me. Agreed about Harleys.. Jack Daniels.. personal preference.. whiskey is whiskey.. if you drink whiskey, you will likely like JD.. likely..

 

[Burlington]

To a lot of people, Sabbath does suck. It's pretty simplistic stuff, it is the bread and butter of every teenager that picks up an instrument. I have known PLENTY of guys that could play that stuff forward and backwards by 16 years old. None of them could improvise a walking line over a standard progression however.

I know this is going to upset some, but I also think Jack Daniels tastes like crap and Harley Davidsons are poorly designed junk that vibrate themselves into a pile of parts as you drive them.

That said, do whatever you like. Just stop pretending it's some new technique to dumb down your part in learning your instrument. Calling it "Efficency" is just living in denial.

-eSmith.

So are you not going to take me up on my challenge?

 

[zachoff]

To a lot of people, Sabbath does suck. It's pretty simplistic stuff, it is the bread and butter of every teenager that picks up an instrument. I have known PLENTY of guys that could play that stuff forward and backwards by 16 years old. None of them could improvise a walking line over a standard progression however.

I know this is going to upset some, but I also think Jack Daniels tastes like crap and Harley Davidsons are poorly designed junk that vibrate themselves into a pile of parts as you drive them.

That said, do whatever you like. Just stop pretending it's some new technique to dumb down your part in learning your instrument. Calling it "Efficency" is just living in denial.

-eSmith.

I see... It's not good unless it's difficult to play and making something easier to play by using a different tuning... well... makes it easier to play and therefore not as good. Right?

 

[eSmith]

Um Burl.... if your choosing notes that go lower than the low B on a 5 string, well, anyone could just transpose the whole thing up an octave and be done with it so I fail to see your point.

Are you trying to say you think when you use non standard tunings your getting notes that don't exist in the standard 12 notes the rest of us use? That would just be wrong.

-eSmith.

 

[groooooove]

i dont like how it sounds if your using too light gauge strings to be tuning them down.. but down-tuning in genneral? go right ahead. nothing wrong with it at all.

 

[eSmith]

whiskey is whiskey.. if you drink whiskey, you will likely like JD.. likely..

you are NOT a Scotch drinker..........


Challenge Burl? Not very challenging.... addressed it above.

And no Zachoff, "more difficult" does not equal better just like "more popular with children" doesn't make it better. But when your playing simple rock and roll and even when doing that your looking for shortcuts you have to stop claiming greatness. Rock bands are entertaining, not great.

-eSmith.

 

[Burlington]

Um Burl.... if your choosing notes that go lower than the low B on a 5 string, well, anyone could just transpose the whole thing up an octave and be done with it so I fail to see your point.

Are you trying to say you think when you use non standard tunings your getting notes that don't exist in the standard 12 notes the rest of us use? That would just be wrong.

-eSmith.

I've mentioned many times that I play in drop C in my band, so a 5 string in standard tuning does have all of the notes I use. You must play the notes in the correct octave also; as playing a high C when a low C is called for would not be correct.

Do you accept or not? This is an easy way for you to prove me wrong.

 

[wshines1892]

my band plays in drop D, so I just tune to D standard. As a bassist who does more than just play the root and use the first two strings, my runs are scale oriented. All of the hours I've spent practicing those scales and things have been on an instrument tuned standard. have you ever tried playing a scale on an instrument in drop? You can reach most of the notes, but to reach all of them requires you to change position. I'm not use to having to change positions and compensate for a different interval, so I don't try to.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with tuning in drop or just laying down the root on the first two strings, but for the purposes of comfort, speed, and range of notes, I tune Standard.

I think it's looked down on because of the stigma drop D has gotten due to the commercialization of "hardcore." A lot of the bass players seem to put it in D so they can just match the fret they're playing to the one the guitarist is playing.

 

[rockstarbassist]

To a lot of people, Sabbath does suck. It's pretty simplistic stuff, it is the bread and butter of every teenager that picks up an instrument. I have known PLENTY of guys that could play that stuff forward and backwards by 16 years old. None of them could improvise a walking line over a standard progression however.

I know this is going to upset some, but I also think Jack Daniels tastes like crap and Harley Davidsons are poorly designed junk that vibrate themselves into a pile of parts as you drive them.

That said, do whatever you like. Just stop pretending it's some new technique to dumb down your part in learning your instrument. Calling it "Efficency" is just living in denial.

-eSmith.

Lol you're not even worth arguing with. And yeah, how many of those 16 y/o's wrote that? Please, why don't you (as I've asked others here) to please wow us with your "standard tuning prowess" that effortlessly captivates the body, heart, mind and soul. I understand it's beyond your playing comprehension, and ability and that's ok. It just means you gotta step your game up to catch up with all these horrid 16 y/o's.

And hey, newsflash- restating your UN after each poast makes you look . It's what most 16 y/o's do.

 

[Febs]

Some songs, when written for a certain tuning, would be impossible to play in a standard tuning, even with a low B. If you wish to challenge this, I can send you some Guitarpro files of some of my bands songs.

I'd be interested in seeing the Guitar Pro files, just to try to better understand your argument.