Whats your opinion on downtuned guitars (nu Metal style)?

Im not talking about just tuning your guitar or bass down to D from E I mean all the way down like 5 or 6 semitones from standard tuning. Whats ur opinion do you all agree about the hype 10 years ago that it made the riffs heavier and it was cooler. In my opinion it works for some bands like I heard rumours that the fellas from Strapping Young Lad do it and whether you like em or not they are heavy as Smurf but most of the time it fucks up the sound because the strings can go out of tune and these days you sound like a Limp Bizshit/KoRn wannabe band and the sound is horrible and you dont really sound heavy. But however Sepultura I think did it on their Roots album and that alkbum is 1 of the best albums they have done.

I don't have much of a prblem with downtuned guitars, my problem is with solid state amps and overprocessed amp sounds when the guitars are going through them.

Tuning doesn't matter as long as the music is good, I think. A good song can overcome a lot that is desired.

Eyesore wrote:

Tuning doesn't matter as long as the music is good, I think.

Agreed.

I'm not against it, but if it becomes an excuse for not playing a good riff or learning to play well at all, then there is a problem.

Tall Tyrion wrote:

I'm not against it, but if it becomes an excuse
for not playing a good riff or learning to play well at all, then there
is a problem.

BINGO! I think many bands use downtuning to make them sound heavy instead of writing good, heavy riffs.

When downtuned riffs work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3_aAmZlN4s

Hate them all you want, but that riff is heavy as hell! And it's a great song, too.

I should qualify that I don't dislike downtuned guitars. King's X are
an example of a band that I love that uses downtuned guitars.

ult

Almost always lame, especially for fast songs when the notes in the riff become inaudible.

meh, i don't care. tune however you want.

One picture to rule them all...

ultmetal wrote:

I should qualify that I don't dislike downtuned guitars. King's X are
an example of a band that I love that uses downtuned guitars.

ult

I am not refering to bands who downtune their guitars like 2 or 3 semitones I mean all the way down like MetallicA did with St Anger the E string was tuned down to A

If the song is good, it's good......

I view tuning and various forms of female augmentation about the same.....if the end result is beautiful I don't care how they got there (as long as they're reasonably safe!)

you guys are not getting the point Ive got nothing against bands who downtune their guitars. Kings X sound brilliant with downtuned guitars. In my opinion I think the songs on MetallicAs black album would sound better if they were tuned down like 1 and a half semitones thats how they played them on Woodstock 99 and it sounded better than the album tracks. The compositions Ive written on bass most of them are D tuned. Yes Tony Iommi Metal's respected heavy metal guitar god tuned his guitar like 2 tones down to give him relief since his fingers on his left hand were still sore from the accident and that worked as well. What Im refering to is downtuning guitars all the way down like tuning the E string from E to A. Exactly like MetallicA did on st anger and KoRn and Slipknob and Limp Bizshit do mostly. I think its ridiculous

I get what you are saying Fingers. You are talking about severe down tuning, not just half a step or down from E to D.

I don't mind down tuning. It can be used an excuse for limited playing ability but it can also be used just as much to interpret the idea in your head to the sound you want to hear when you play.

Chairman_Smith wrote:

One picture to rule them all...

........and through the darkness bind them!

i've been playing guitar for over 13 yrs and since i played in standard or just regular drop d tuning for a long time i decided to drop tune to get a more distinct sound. Dropping ur tuning to C or B isnt a bad thing if u can write a good song around it. Drop tuned guitars dont just give u a heavier sound they also make a lot of other techniques easy as well like Pinches and Hammer ons and Pull offs. Most recently i have been playing in Bebe tuning to get a different sound then what u hear now adays. Another awesome tuning is Db Gb Db gb bb db

Depends - they work in Dream Theater, the aformentioned Rainbow In The Dark, etc. They don't very well with KISS (see Crazy Nights)

Wrong thread, dude!

I don't consider it "Nu-Metal" style, seeing as alot of great bands like Crowbar and Fear Factory use down-tuned guitars.

mc666 wrote:

meh, i don't care. tune however you want.

MC666, I love your attitude. It's so care-free and relaxed.

thejokeriv wrote:

Depends - they work in Dream Theater, the aformentioned Rainbow In The Dark, etc. They don't very well with KISS (see Crazy Nights)

wrong thread

Down tuning is ok, but bands have to use it sparingly. I prefer standard tuning.