Eb Tuning - Looking for your help, tips and experience

[Norlin SG]

Close your eyes and keep on playing.

So what should I play? Some tired song I memorized a long time ago or something that I can play and improvise on because I understand the theory of how the piece is constructed?

 

[Biddlin]

...Thinking of trying out 11's as that seems to be the done thing to do with an Eb Gibson scaled instrument...

Look forward to your replys!

Sean

Welcome. I use .009s on short scale guitar and .007s on Fenders. I always wonder if those who prefer low tuning and fat strings shouldn't be baritone players, but use those suspension bridge cables if you like.
Me and Rev. Willy know what works for us.

 

[Biddlin]

One more time, since we seem to forget about these authoritative aids:
D'Addario String Tension Specifications
http://www.daddario.com/upload/tension_chart_13934.pdf
Basics, .010 on a Gibson is about the same tension as .009 on a Fender, because of the different scale lengths.

 

[dbb]

Welcome to ETSG! You'll find many kindred spirits here, who tune their SGs lower than standard.
.

And I am not one. I never tune down to Eb!

About the Eb vs D# question... This is the way I understand it: Eb and D# are NOT the same note, but on an instrument like a guitar we treat them as if they were. That's called "Tempered Tuning" and it works well enough for us to make
music that sounds good. *shrugs

Unless you are playing in some specialized tuning, for us folks using the normal A440 12 tone equal temperament intonation system, Eb and D# are enharmonic equivalents.

That means the same pitch. Now, spelling scales and chords uses the various enharmonic names, i.e.:

A G# chord is spelled G# B# D# - an Ab chord, sounding the same, is spelled Ab C Eb.

Note - you guys that tune down a half step make your guitar, normally a C instrument by band terminology, into a B instrument. As far as I know, there are no other B instruments! To make your guitar an Eb instrument, tune up a minor 3rd (like you had a 3rd fret capo).

Tuning down a whole step would make it a Bb instrument, and then you can read off tenor sax, clarinet or trumpet music.

 

[Biddlin]

Note - you guys that tune down a half step make your guitar, normally a C instrument by band terminology, into a B instrument. As far as I know, there are no other B instruments! To make your guitar an Eb instrument, tune up a minor 3rd (like you had a 3rd fret capo).

Tuning down a whole step would make it a Bb instrument, and then you can read off tenor sax, clarinet or trumpet music.

Theory, logic and reason? You know it will only confuse them, David!

 

[Norlin SG]

Theory, logic and reason? You know it will only confuse them, David!

Lets play nice. There are folks that don't know theory on a conscience level but do seem to apply the rudiments of what theory implies intuitively on a subconscious level. Then there are the rest of us.

Just "close your eyes and play" just doesn't work for me. I wish it did.

 

[alexander paul]

i'm under the impression that a enharmonic is the same note/pitch in more than one spot... high e string open, b string 5th fret, g string 9th fret etc...

 

[Repo251]

One thing I never understood was E flat I call it D# I suppose it depends if you ascending or descending on a scale.
From what I gather Jimi Hendrix played in a D tuning a full step down from standard E watch the live videos
I had a conversation with Roger Mayer and he stated the reason for the string Gage's Jimmi used was that is what Roger calibrated
Jimmi's guitar effects to. .010 .013 .015 .026 .032 .038

Prob cos there is no key D# but there is a key Eb and if you need to transpose then it’s more useful to think in such terms, but not necessarily a must.. Hendrix tuned down a semi tone, but on voodo chile on electric ladyland he was in D standard ..

 

[Repo251]

One thing I never understood was E flat I call it D# I suppose it depends if you ascending or descending on a scale.
From what I gather Jimi Hendrix played in a D tuning a full step down from standard E watch the live videos
I had a conversation with Roger Mayer and he stated the reason for the string Gage's Jimmi used was that is what Roger calibrated
Jimmi's guitar effects to. .010 .013 .015 .026 .032 .038

Prob cos there is no key D# but there is a key Eb and if you need to transpose then it’s more useful to think in such terms, but not necessarily a must.. Hendrix tuned down a semi tone, but on voodo chile on electric ladyland he was in D standard ..