mrandyk Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Sweet Child O Mine is played tuned down half a step correct? Would it be the same if I were to play every note one fret down the neck in standard tuning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feconroses Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaolin Punk Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 (edited) Nearly all of the original Guns songs are tuned down half a step. Even November Rain, which seems strange cos Axl appears to play it in the normal Middle-C (all the white keys) position in the vid's and live but in reality he would have been playing the black keys, so i've always wondered whether he has the whole piano tuned down? or whether it is actually a modified clavinova...Anyone shed some light on this?Btw, if you are considering learning a lot of GnR tunes you might aswell tune down dude and plus as mentioned above it changes the way it sounds or the chords 'colour'. If you were to play Db and then B and F# in the verses it would suck and it will definitly lose punch in the chorus when you have to smack out a fat A chord....and also if i saw you doing that live i would 1) beat you for playing that song and 2) beat you for doing it like a spasticHappy Learning!! Edited November 14, 2009 by Shaolin Punk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrandyk Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Wow I didnt expect three replies within an hour, I can see where the open notes and chords would pose a problem if I didnt change the tuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moreblack Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 tuned down because Axl can't sing high enough in standard tuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucketslash Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Tuned half a step down because it was a shit 80's sunset strip trend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Bond Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Nearly all of the original Guns songs are tuned down half a step. Even November Rain, which seems strange cos Axl appears to play it in the normal Middle-C (all the white keys) position in the vid's and live but in reality he would have been playing the black keys, so i've always wondered whether he has the whole piano tuned down? or whether it is actually a modified clavinova...If I'm not mistaken he just has the piano tuned down as well, for the purpose of playing it in the normal position. I cannot recall where I read that but it was somewhere where the sheet music was being discussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetness Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Tuned half a step down because it was a shit 80's sunset strip trend.pretty sure Slash just liked to play a half step down because Aerosmith did when he grew up listening/playing along with their records Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hudsonsaul Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Tuned half a step down because it was a shit 80's sunset strip trend.pretty sure Slash just liked to play a half step down because Aerosmith did when he grew up listening/playing along with their recordsLots of bands tune down half a step, one reason cause it makes it way easier for the vocals. GnR were not the first or last to do this. Nirvana often tuned down half a step as well. Aerosmith also as someone has commented.Pretty sure main reason is for the vocalist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetness Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Tuned half a step down because it was a shit 80's sunset strip trend.pretty sure Slash just liked to play a half step down because Aerosmith did when he grew up listening/playing along with their recordsLots of bands tune down half a step, one reason cause it makes it way easier for the vocals. GnR were not the first or last to do this. Nirvana often tuned down half a step as well. Aerosmith also as someone has commented.Pretty sure main reason is for the vocalist.yeah dude i know, my band does the same shit hahai just remember a quote from Slash saying something along the lines "yeah i remember when Aerosmith came out with Rocks tuning down a half step and we all thought it was fuckin heavy" i think its from his book, if not some interview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucketslash Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I dunno there. I'm pretty sure it's just in G.or atleast the intro is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splash_M Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I believe that 1/2 step down tuning is a conventional style for blues, just like heavier strings. I have heard it was to help the vocalist as well but I can't see how a 1/2 step is significant. As far as the tuned down piano, I heard about that too and that's only time I've ever known about a tuned down piano. The tuned down piano (if it is true) makes little sense to me as there are quite enough keys to cover the B major scale and playing the B major scale in standard tuning on piano isn't hard. I don't play piano proficiently myself but the whole tuned down piano seems like a gimmick as logical as "it goes to eleven!"Tuning the piano down 1/2 step makes sense, with the whole song being played down 1/2 step as it'd make it easier to play the song when it's predominantly chords on the white keys etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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