Tune up a step

[alex1fly]

Everyone talks about tuning down. Drop D, down a half step, down a whole step. Does anybody tune up a half step, a whole step, etc? Is there a good reason why this isn't more popular? I imagine it'd change the feel/tonality/harmonics just as much as tuning down would. And broken strings might increase with the sustained tension increase (vs the temporary tension increase of a bend) but if I can bend a string up a perfect fourth I think it could handle being tuned up to "F Standard Tuning"... plus the alternate tunings that have you bringing your G up to A or your B up to D... anyways. Just thinking out loud before going home and having a little experiment with a cheapo set of strings.

Alex

 

[CandidPicker]

Capo. Negates the need of tuning up, whereas you can't capo "down."

 

[Bill SAS 513]

Often thought about it...another guy named "Alex" tuned up a whole step for Big Money...
I'd go thinner set...maybe 008's (thru about .036??) Enjoy the experiment!!!

 

[markd21]

I do. My singer sounds best in F#. I capo 2 on pretty much everything we do.

 

[alex1fly]

I tuned a Strat up a whole step last night - busted the high E. Duh. Replaced the string, and tuned down to "F Standard". Pretty fun! The tighter strings were snappier and I had fun noodling around.

 

[Ovibos]

Everyone talks about tuning down. Drop D, down a half step, down a whole step. Does anybody tune up a half step, a whole step, etc? Is there a good reason why this isn't more popular?

Because it's Not Metal.

Downtuning is popular to get a 'harder' sound.

Across all styles, it also puts tunes into more comfortable ranges for many vocalists.

 

[bodia]

Because it's Not Metal.

\m/

 

[CandidPicker]

Because it's Not Metal.

Downtuning is popular to get a 'harder' sound.

Across all styles, it also puts tunes into more comfortable ranges for many vocalists.

Define "comfortable."

 

[Ovibos]

Define "comfortable."

Sub-Robert Plant.

 

[merciful-evans]

Because it's Not Metal.

Downtuning is popular to get a 'harder' sound.

Across all styles, it also puts tunes into more comfortable ranges for many vocalists.

Not that many of 'em sound that comfortable.

Anyway, have these players now given up just changing key?!

 

[Ovibos]

Not that many of 'em sound that comfortable.

Anyway, have these players now given up just changing key?!

In the case of Zep, a lot of Page’s licks are open position so transposing is tough.

 

[garrett]

Albert Collins tuned to open F minor and also used a capo, most often at the 7th fret.

New Standard Tuning goes up to G on the high string, which is really pushing it for such a skinny string.

If you're going above F, it would be best to try it on something with a short scale so the tension doesn't get too high on the top string.

 

[merciful-evans]

In the case of Zep, a lot of Page’s licks are open position so transposing is tough.

He made a rod for his own back then. I don't have much sympathy.
If he couldn't do it any other way, or it spoiled the sound/groove, then there's always digital transposition.