My guitar player and I got into an argument today, and I'm looking for some information to settle the dispute. I am considering going back to standard tuning, while he is going to stay downtuned. He says that if we are not in the same tuning, there could be intonation issues. He basis this on the notion that if our open notes are the same, our intonations will "tolerate" slight variations, as opposed to having different open notes, which will make our intonation more likely to be off from each other's.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Help settle a dispute over tunings
- Thread starter NineSpine
- Start date
Had a band.... I played a 5'er in beadg, one guitar was in drop d, the other guitar was a baritone tuned B-E-A-D-F#-B. We had no intonation issues. We had to use our ears and minds more than our eyes...
Your guitard has no idea what he's talking about, pretty much par for the course, especially when they live in a down[DEL]turned[/DEL]tuned world. 
Even if what he said were true, you'd have to have ears like Mozart to pick up on that slight of a difference. Wrong xs 20.
So, in his way of thinking, all guitars and basses should have the same scale length and same number of frets?
My guitarist/singer once asked me why I brought my fretless to a gig. I told him I brought it so I could play in tune with his singing.
Tell him he's right, then tell him to tune an octave further downwards, since, you know, that would be the "same tuning".
If he still doesn't get it, turn up with a guitar next practice.
my band plays all of our songs in drop d, i always play in standard. Really i think playing in drop d just forces you to follow the guitars more then counterpoint. Go to standard you'll be happy. And your guitarist is an idiot. The only thing that is true is the change in timbre. When you guys go to your open notes if you are emphasizing it in a breakdown or something, you will be in tune with him, you just won't sound like you are playing an open note, and he will. But that really doesn't matter.
You should print up everyone's posts on here and bring it your next practice.
You should print up everyone's posts on here and bring it your next practice.
NineSpine said:
Just tell your body to check HIS intonation on whatever downtuning he wants to use.
