In Regards to tuning.....

Posted on

The Beat Keeper
Member Since: Dec 16, 2004

Ok so this is probably a stupid question...

I was listening to some DJ Quik (if you havent heard of him, give him a listen even if you dont like rap, his mixes are incredible) trying to figure out a melody on one of his tracks. The tuning was way different then the standard 440.0 on my keyboard. The track was tuned around 450.0.

Last night I put on some Gap Band and was trying to figure out one of their melodies. Samething, completely different tuning it was probly around 435. I understand getting all the instruments tuned together but why tune from 440 (isnt that middle c?). Is it to give the song a different vibe? Stupid question I know, but im always learning.

Thanks folks.

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Member
Since: Jul 02, 2003


May 12, 2007 02:19 am

The tuning of the instruments in the original performance may not be changed, what is a common practice is too sligthly increase or decrease the speed of the recording prior to going to CD.

Dan

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


May 12, 2007 03:48 am

Whoa, deja vu. Did the previous thread on this subject disappear?

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 12, 2007 04:50 am

i think kiss used to tune to E-flat just to make it harder for people to figure out or sound heavier...

point is, it dosn't matter who's tuned to what, as long as everyone/everything is in tune with eachother it dosn't matter.

drop everything down/up a half step on a project, and you'll find out it dosn't feel the same. finding the key of a song is very important (so is tempo)...they are the foundation of your song, so just because you wrote it in E at 120bpm, dosn't mean it'll sound worse played in D at 110. (metallica's "sad but true" is the perfect example of this....they wrote it faster and higher than what's on the album, Bob Rock told them to slow it down and drop the tuning, now it's heavy as ****)

tempo/key/tuning have ALOT to do with feel...and guess what, feeling is what makes music make you move.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


May 12, 2007 10:05 am

Peter, to answer the lost thread question, it went bye-bye during a server move.

Anyways, as I was saying, there was this band I played in, and... oh, I see you've heard it..

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


May 12, 2007 08:32 pm

Sometimes they do it for the vocalist(s). Dropping down 1/2 step can make it easier to sing certain songs. A lot of the 80's and 90's hair metal bands tuned down 1/2 step because of the ridiculously high-pitched vocal styles that were popular at the time.

Also you can get a little change in the tone of a guitar or bass when you tune it down or up. Tuning down tends to give you a little looser feel, especially on the higher frets. Tuning up gives a tighter feel, especially on open strings.

That's why I play with .011 gauge strings on my electric. The extra tension on the strings just brings a certain quality out of my guitars. I just love that tight sound of the wound strings when you play an A power chord or play a riff on them. Lighter gauge strings always sound "plucky" to me, if that makes any sense.

Ne'er ate 'er
Member
Since: Apr 05, 2006


May 12, 2007 09:10 pm

Yeah Tad, In the "lost thread" I told him about the time one of my bands tuned down a half step when the singer got a throat infection, and decided to keep it that way for awhile out of sheer laziness. All was fine until a harp player got up to sit in..

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


May 13, 2007 10:28 pm

Yes, and many people use alternate tunings at times. I have been known to do that as well. And that can effect how it sounds as well.

The Beat Keeper
Member
Since: Dec 16, 2004


May 16, 2007 05:04 pm

Thanks guys! I thought I was trippin or something. But everything makes sense. To change the feel or for the singer. Thanks for clearin it up!!!! Much appreciated

Hold 'Em Czar
Member
Since: Dec 30, 2004


May 16, 2007 05:41 pm

BTW 440hz is an A above middle C which is also the 5th string on a guitar.

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


May 16, 2007 05:49 pm

Ooh yeah Herb, I can imagine how confused the harp player was. The look on his face must've been pretty funny as he one-by-one found out which keys you WEREN'T in :D

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