Grab a Tuner: Plug in, turn on, or otherwise attach your tuner to your guitar. I know that a lot of bands play live 1/2 a step because it'd less strain on the voice and easier to play. With seven string guitars, you can tune each string down by a half-step. The default tuning is the standard GCEA ukulele tuning. Posted January 6, 2017. #11. 4. During the height of his career, Hendrix used Fender guitars – mostly Strats. The heavier gauges will give a heavier sound and usually more sustain. Stevie Ray Vaughan tuned his guitar down a half step to Eb. Half-Step Down Tuning on the Guitar Explained. Get Free Online Guitar Lessons For 14-Days. Description - Bass Half Step Down half step down from bass standard. A whole-step bend, similarly indicated by the number 1 appearing over the arrowhead in the tab, involves bending the string further, to raise the pitch of the fretted note to match that of an unbent note located two frets higher on the same string. 51 IQ. If you play a 4 string, you should probably tune down with the guitars. Newer records are on 7's drop tuned and half a step down. And you can tune it according to the bottom D string that you just tuned. Simply place a capo on your guitar’s first fret and then tune to standard tuning. 10 gauge strings and above put a guitar under a lot of tension at natural tuning. This has to do with the string tension we mentioned earlier. Click again to stop, or click another string. C Major notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 steps W, W, H, W, W, W, H semitones 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 alternative name Ionian, Rast, BilawalPosted November 17, 2008. . 51 IQ. Then, step up . . It sounds really nice as well. Press the 7th fret on the low E string and tune the E string to match the A string. 012s, but the wound third string feels very different. We use session cookies to help us deliver our services and provide a better user experience. B Standard:B E A D G B E 2. For this tuning I found 10-52 with a . Accurate and easy-to-use, Fender Tune is a top-rated tuner app for beginners and experts alike. Download Fender Tune, a free tuner app for ukulele and electric, acoustic and bass guitars. my chordal thinking, rather. Tuning down to Eb (D#) is literally tuning all the strings down 1/2 step. The strings become softer and easy to play the notes and chords. Lethal_Ibanez. The 3rd string in the guitar is known as the G string. Tune the lowest (thickest) string on your guitar down a half step to D#. 045 for half step down and dropped D. Pagey would often play songs live 1/2 step down as well, again IIRC. ago. Your open strings are now ½ step down. It's just standard tuning dropped a half step. Drop C, C# or lower. i. A lot of Pantera is in Eb tuning, so half a step down from standard tuning. You can simply play it with a standard tuning; at the end you'll play the song a half step higher, but it does'n matter, it will be the same song. Whilst a capo does not change the intervals between the strings - similarly to how tuning to a half-step down is still, technically, a form of standard tuning - having a capo in your arsenal will allow you to pitch up your chord. For each tuning, you'll get the note and octave for each string. These strings, as the same suggests, are smaller on the high strings and larger on the low strings. One way to achieve this is to tune your low E to a D as in drop D and then tune the rest of the strings in. 11 NOTE: When going from a higher to a lower string gauge, tune the strings to about a half step sharp of the desired note with theAnyhow, the E-flat standard tuning is one semitone below the E standard. If you feel the below part is too intense, check out the awesome clean guitar section in the middle of the song. And that’s pretty much it. Because it is an open tuning, this one would sound awesome for slide guitar or acoustic 7-string instruments. #2. ) One-and-One-Half-Step BendsString Gauge. It was used byBlack Sabbath in their song Into The Void. Full Step Down Tuning. G6 is at one a clock, so not that bad, just favors sharper keys by one. Tune your guitar to standard tuning. I have several but want to take one to a session with other musicians where we are playing 7 songs that are a mix of standard, a step down, and a half step down. So I’m looking at just taking 1 guitar and minimizing the retuning by just adding and removing a capo. This should be minor at best - borderline-unnoticeable. Usually tuning just one half step down shouldnt throw off intonation or change the fret buzz much. , I prefer to not acknowledge the pitch transposition and instead just think of, visualize and refer to the notes “normally”, meaning as if I were. 2. First, you manually tune down each string by a whole step. You will find presets for alternate tunings on the right side. 005 per half step tuned down. but the whole thing strikes me as darn silly. I tune down a half step for one band, and standard for the other. Also, for EVERY different tuning I play in I use a different gauge string set. String gauges: the thicker (heavier) the gauge, the more tension it’ll take to tune to the required note — duh! Tuning: if you leave the string gauges “as is,” the lower you tune a string, the looser/flappier it’ll get. Or, just play all the songs 1/2 step down without transposing. Half-step down from standard F# B3 D# G#; Full-step down from standard F4 A#3 D4 G4; Half-step up from standard G# C# F4 A#; Full-step up from standard A4 D4 F# B4; Once you have selected a tuning, simply tap on the tuning pegs to ring out the root note for each string. I like the tension. My impression is that mediums with 2 half-steps down is closer to lights at standard than one half step down. The tuning is still very popular in rock and blues music, although some, like Pantera tune down a quarter of a step (e. Less tension = easier playing. Show Me a Leader (Myles, Mark is playing a 7-string tuned down 1 & 1/2 step) Poison in Your Veins Cradle to the Grave (Myles, Mark is in Open Gm half-step down) Losing Patience Low B Tuning Variation (B G# C# F# A# D#) My Champion (Mark, tuned down another half step when played live to A# G C F A D Open D5 Half-Step. personally, I would have loved to hear a Metallica album with 7 string guitars! But I suppose this is. Depends on your string tension preference. Easier to play, Great tone. This one is great to use if you’re playing out somewhere and have forgotten the pitch names. Start With Low String: Starting with your lowest (ie. re-tune your E string downwards to E♭, A down to A♭, D down to D♭ & G down to G♭ For future reference a whole step is a tone or 2 frets. archaic_jerry93 • 3 yr. I definitely like the tone better down half a step! The shapes and chords are all played the same. 5. This tuning is especially popular in metal music, making it easier to play fast, intense riffs. Adjust the tuning peg on the sixth string until the pitches match. The tone is mellower and very pleasant, particularly on the E string as caleb mentioned, but I find there's a trade-off in terms of getting a crisp response on the G string. Tuning: C# G# C# F# A# D# (Drop D with 1/2 step down tuning) Released as the lead single from Nirvana’s highly anticipated, third (and final) studio album (In Utero) in 2003. Seriously though assuming that you are playing a 7 is that the tuning you're after will be as follows: A E A D F# B e. The complete tuning sequence will look like this: ebEb abAb dbDb gbGb BbBb EbEb. But you don't need to tune down your guitar to play the song. Identify the lowest pitch. Full-step down from standard (F4 A♯3 D4 G4) Half-step up from standard (G# C# F4 A#) Full-step up from standard (A4 D4 F# B4) Once you have selected a tuning, simply tap on the tuning pegs to ring out the root note for each string. Action is the distance between the strings and. Off. I like the lowered tension. If I need it in standard quickly, I just capo at 1. For my own songs I tune my 7-String half a step down, Nevermore style, helps when writing spooky clean passages. When detuning the strings by a half step, you do decrease their tension. Typically, if you are within 1 semitone of the target note, the tuner will show the note you are attempting to tune. But how do. However, sometimes you need the "drop" tuning in order to play the riffs correctly. Scale length: the longer the scale length of your guitar, the more tension it takes to tune to the required note. When you tune down to Eb, you are sacrificing 1 half-step of high range for 1 additional. Don't know if it's all the albums or not. Just move down a half step. 6. Select a root note and chord. This is the type of thing that would need a good setup afterward to play well and thus should be used as permanent tuning on a particular guitar. 177 IQ. Depending on your guitar, this might be the lowest you can go without a heavier set. Then play the open 5th string and keep lowering the pitch until it matches the 6th string. Used to tune #1 down to C F Bb Eb G C, but it really confuses bass players a lot!60 IQ. Then, step up . There are two ways to tune your guitar a full step down. If you need a different tuning then adjust the notes to your liking, or use the presets. In this song, Slash uses slide technique and a lot of bends and double stops. How to Tune a Guitar a Half Step Down. ago. 9,988. It has it's uses. A. This means that the open. Baritone 7-string guitars are available which features a longer scale-length allowing it to be tuned to a lower range. it’s often used for those who find it easier to sing in a lower key but still want to play open chords in standard tuning. Step 2: Play each string and adjust the tuning until the tuner displays the note in half-step down. B → B♭/A♯. Without it, aggressive picking or fretting will pull notes out of tune. In that tuning the lowest string is an A which is of course 3 half steps below your C Nashville tuning. select a Chord and root Note to see what Notes are in the Chord. This gives you a simple way to finger a power chord on the bottom two or three strings,. 8 lbs. This voicing of A minor is based on the shape of the "open" E minor chord. How To Tune a Half-Step Down Without a Tuner. If it's just one or two songs and the guitarists are switching guitars to get the Eb, I just play down one fret. One, is to accomodate a singer who has trouble singing covers in the keys they were writen in (a half step really isn't much help in this regard IMO) Another is to get a heavier "Chug" out of the guitars. The app also boasts background noise cancellation technology for better. Sk8board2005 Jackson JS22-7 • 3 yr. 3047hz. (half step = one fret; whole step = two frets. This online tuner is special because you are able to change the notes to what you want, this is especially useful if you are using Alternate Ukulele Tunings. #9. re-tune your E string downwards to E♭, A down to A♭, D down to D♭ & G down to G♭ For future reference a whole step is a tone or 2 frets. Also most of these songs aren't tuned "1/4" step down. 3. Accidentals refer to notes outside of the scale you're using, whether that be major, minor, or modal. Notes: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb. For instance, these are a few that I've worked out and keep in a note on my computer. In turn, putting less stress on them as well. Although i now tune and perform in standard tuning, but with my old singer for years we played half a step down. Tune all 3 of mine to "standard": Taylor 355 - E A D G B E - Elixor poly lights. If that is what you wanted to know. Listen and tuning is better that digital tuning machine cause it. a whole step is two frets. What you're mentioning (actually 435Hz) was an international tuning standard proposed by the French in 1850s. The C6 tuning favors the keys of C/Am, the most common keys in general. This song is tuned to the standard 7 string tuning, ‘B Standard’ (BEADGBE). String 5: Tune this one up a whole step to B. 110 set. 5 steps. It's not much; this is the thickness of about 2 pieces of paper. Now tune the rest of the higher strings to the 5th string the standard way (5th fret except for tuning the B string which is the 4th fret of your G string). Lights (12-53/54) are just way too slinky, buzzy, and sloppy sounding at a full step IMO. You can play power chords with one finger on the lower three strings in the same way you would on a standard 7 string guitar with a drop-down tuning in B Standard (B Standard: B E A D G B. As a result, while tuning to E will produce the same. Tonally, timbrally different plus there's a different tension on the string. Pretend it's a 6 string. Here’s the step-by-step process: Start with the sixth (lowest) string. If you are tuning by ear, start by tuning the low E string down. Tune the A String. 9% per half step. Start With Low String: Starting with your lowest (ie. If you just tune down you can get tuning instability with the tuners. The most common reasons for tuning to D# standard is that it's easier on the hands of the player, and easier on the vocal chords of a singer if you're playing in a lower tuning. Then, tune the remaining three strings (except the lowest string) down 3. Starting with one of the simplest alternative tunings we have Drop A, meaning the lowest gauge string is lowered a full step from B to A. Tuning Map. Any bass player complaining about tuning down a half step is either unknowledgeable or lazy. A similar one I really liked on my Hellraiser was GDGDGBE (all down another half step). Slash play’s 11 gauge strings, SRV played 13’s!!Altered 5-String Bass Tunings. The Smashing Pumpkins started tuning down a half step after Siamese Dream; I was playing along to Mellon Collie just the other day and had to down-tune my electric. 1/2 Step Down, and Drop. My vocals can get a little pitchy in the higher range, so this might help. Tune it down two-and-a-half steps to B by turning the tuning peg towards you. Bb Standard (Half-Step Down):Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb 3. 4 To adapt the music to the voice of someone: 6 Conclusion. Half-step down tuning (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) Techniques General. This preserves the intervals between the strings, and thus all chord shapes and scales work the same, except they sound lower. 9 String standard: F#BEADGBE: 8 String standard: BEADGBE: 7 String standard: All Tunings; Submit Tuning; Random ; Tuners ; Violin Tuner ; Chords ; Scales ; About ; Dashboard. STRINGS - NOTE - OCTAVE - OTHER POS. Next, lower the pitch of the D string to Db (D flat). A 5-string bass tuned to Eb is tuned to Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B, but tuning to a Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb is often more convenient. Although I usually use mediums, I have used lights in open D without problems. Is the same as standard but all the strings. Hey, Oh My God, You’re READING this??? Yoooo…that’s awesome. We also use Google Ads to serve personalized advertisements. Description - D Standard. Strings 1/2/6 all remain the same, but double check them on your tuner once you’ve tuned up 3, 4 & 5. We value your privacy and want to make sure you understand how we use cookies on our website. fourth, make sure you’re using the right tuning. What you have to do is to tune every string half, a whole, or even one and a half steps down. But it is worth a try! G Standard 7-String Guitar Tuning – Open C Tuning (G-C-G-C-G-C-E) 7-String Guitar Tuning – G-C-G-C-F-A-D Tuning 7-String Guitar Tuning – Drop E Tuning (E-B-E-A-D-G-B) Final Thoughts on 7 String Guitar Tuning 7-String Crash Course For those unaware, a seven-string guitar is exactly what it says: a guitar with a seventh string. For Eb and D standard (whole step down) I. We value your privacy and want to make sure you understand how we use cookies on our website. The simplest but least accurate way is to tune to Standard then tune down until your tuner says you're halfway between tuning to Standard and tuning half a. Open E tuning is as follows: E-B-E-G#-B-E. Half step is just one note lower, or a Half of a note. Lynyrd Skynyrd is one of the greatest southern rock bands, still to this day. #2. Originally Posted by rlgph. #1 Hey, I'm getting a pro setup for my universe, and am planning on using 9-46+60 gauge strings on it if i go with standard tuning, but I'm wondering if I should try a. Powerstroke said: Who tunes down. Basically, just drop the 7th string a whole step and the 3rd string a half step. Once you have it tuned to standard, you can click on the "adjustable guitar tuner" link, directly below the tuner, and then you can select a tuner for a half step down; however, it's just for a 6 string but it'll. G. Any tuning that differs from that in many hours, will cause problems with group playing. Tune your acoustic, electric or bass guitar, select from standard tuning, 12 alternate tunings or customize your own! Vintera® II '70s Jaguar® $1499. The following Green Day songs: Suffocate, You Lied, Don't Want to Fall in Love, Tired of Waiting for You, Da Da Da, On the Wagon, Castaway. Be aware that this list starts from your thin, high E-string and goes down to the thick, low one. If you're still keeping the same intervals across the strings, a major chord shape is still going to be a major chord. Press the piano key for D♯, G♯, etc. You can just do what you’re doing; for drop D, keep your guitar a half step down and just tune the low. Half a step down = a semi-tone or 1 fret. Info. 010s, they'll have higher tension, which might be enough to compensate for tuning them down a step. Retune the A string to match the 4th fret Low E string. 60 IQ. Illinois. 54 or . For me, the normal gauge for standard seems to be either 40-100 or 45-105. Simply move your finger on the "B" string down a half step (one fret) to the first fret. Tap the note, tune the string to the tone. E/A/D/G/B/E, C#/F#/A#/D#, Eb/Ab/Db/Gb/Bb/Eb, and G/B/E are just a few examples. We use session cookies to help us deliver our services and provide a better user experience. Here’s how: Start with the low E string and tune it down to Eb. Download today on iOS or Android. Pluck the string with your plectrum or finger and let it sustain. 7. Posted January 6, 2017. Playing Eb an octave up just doesn't have the meat of the lower Eb. . 233 IQ. Use Fender's free electric guitar tuner to keep the tone in tune. Works on all instruments Tune all sorts of string instruments including electric, acoustic, classical, and steel guitars, 7 and 12-string guitars, ukeleles, mandolins, banjos, etc. Deeper, richer sound: Tuning down a half step lowers the pitch of all the strings, which gives the guitar a deeper, richer sound. Furthermore, tuning a half step down results in less string tension. Like the perfect fourth, you can imagine this one easily on the violin: go down a half step and up a string and that’s your note. Milkman · #17 · Sep 24, 2008. Click the string to start playing the reference note. This pedal makes it easy and sounds perfect too. 6-string half-step down (B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B) 6-string whole-step down (A D G C F B♭)-4dB. 58. You can write it the other way though, using sharps instead so that it reads D# G# C# F# A# and D#. Needles and Pins is played on a 5 string bass, not sure what the tuning is but I think the lowest string is F#/Gb. ago. Listen carefully and tune your ukulele to that note by ear. You just have to translate from intervals to # of steps. It should be . Another version of the A Minor Barre Chord. Drop A Chances are good that this should be very familiar to you if you have ever experimented with Drop D tuning on a 6-string guitar or 4-string bass. 9. Registered User : Join Date: Apr 2010. The list of alternate tunings for guitar would be too long if we list all here. The most common tuning that follows this principle is the Eb tuning, which consists of tuning every string one semitone/half step lower than in standard tuning. Some is in drop G (hyperreality) Same thing implies for an 8 as well. Step 2: Now, looking at the tuner, observe what note it detects. LocationPrague, Czech Republic. But for guitarists, its easier to play on a half-stepped down guitar, than on a standard tuning guitar. What are the notes for tuning down a half. Click again to stop, or click another string. For example on highway to hell, the master track can sometimes become slightly distorted/warped and the. Step 7: Tune the High E String. Guitars tuned down a half step and played in C#m are examples of guitars that played it in C#m. If you need a different tuning then adjust the notes to your liking, or use the presets. E♭ tuning may be used for a couple of reasons: You can play in a lower key and use open strings. Though he admitted that. Jimi Hendrix was fond of it for much of his classic material. The only capo designed to match the radius of your guitar - 14 fretpads included. Distortion Setting. Back to the original question. To tune a 12 string guitar you will need to remember that each string comes in pairs. To tune your guitar to E flat tuning, you can either use a chromatic tuner or tune by ear. E → E♭/D♯. It’s a popular choice for. This guitar was also tuned half a step down from standard, so Bb, Eb, etc…. 6" scale parlour, as for the most part they are blues in A or E, and neither of those work for me vocally. with guitar pro double click on the tracks where it says its instruments it should come up with its tuning, change the tunings to standard click ok, then it ask transpose the tracks to. Play the 2nd fret Low E string and the A string open. Tuning down a half step (D-G-C-F-A-D) can make the guitar sound slightly more mellow and sound deeper. E. Furthermore, tuning a half step down results in less string tension. You might want to go a bit lower than the note you’re targeting and then tune up to it. The distribution of intervals is the same as with the E standard. Standard; Half a step down: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb eb - (D# G# C# F# A# D#) Play the 4th fret Low E string and the A string open. Here's a step-by-step guide to tuning a half-step down without a tuner: Start with your low E string (6th. Step 6: Tune Down the B String. As with Extreme, this is their signature song and it went on to become their only number one track. Try with small speakers. One of the most popular alternate tunings is E flat tuning, also known as half-step-down tuning. The strings in Eb Tuning are tuned to: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb. Get in tune and play your favorite songs with GuitarTuna, the world’s #1 tuner app! Fast, accurate tuning across 15 instruments including guitar, ukulele, and bass. I keep my Carvin DC727 in Standart E tuning and use 9-42+56. Use this free online guitar tuner to tune your guitar. Not necessarily. Half step down tuning is an alternative guitar tuning. For those unaware, a seven-string guitar is exactly what it says: a guitar with a seventh string. Now using your ear, tune the open 5th string to that 4th fret (Ab) of the E string. This tuning makes the guitar sound crunchy and heavier. Basically do what you're doing now except just drop the top string by a whole step when you want to play Drop D. The guitar tuner app is the fastest, easiest and most accurate way to tune your guitar. It offers over 100 tunings including standard, drop-D, open tunings, half step down,7-string tunings including drop-A, and 12-string. If you use drop tuning for the majority of the. Next, lower the A string to G, the D string to C, the G string to F, the B string to A, and finally, the high E string to D. E tuning will have a tuning from E to D of the form: E – A – D – G – C – F – A – D with the 1st string tuned to D and the 8th string tuned to E. In fact, when I tried this on my Floyds, none of them dropped a half step equally (in tune). There are many different ways you can tune your 7 string guitar just like you can tune a 6 string to many alternate tunings. I've done a bit as well; when covering Led Zeppelin Tangerine I had to turn the 12 string acoustic 1/2 step down and it's easier to play (and probably sounds better). To tune your guitar to E flat tuning, you can either use a chromatic tuner or tune by ear. Clare style fiddle music, but for Donegal/Cape Breton music, if anything it sounds better tuned up half a step. Technically it's actually drop c#, but it's just drop d but a half-step down. An increase in tension is effected by an. Step 6: Tune Down the B String. So you just use the standard tuning and detune the bottom string one whole step to D. The strings in Eb Tuning are tuned to: Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb. Is E flat tuning half-step down? The open sixth string, E, is tuned one half-step lower to E♭ (hence the name “E flat tuning“), the open fifth string, A, is tuned one half-step lower to A♭, and so on with the rest of the strings. If you're just detuning a 1/2 step, the changes are subtle and slight, but you do still need to do them. Your Les Paul has a 24 3/4" scale length so they'd be slightly less tight than what Eddie was playing, but it may work okay if you have a light enough touch that your picking doesn't make your chords go sharp. Moving any string a half step higher or lower is not going to do any harm. If you don't have a tuner handy, don't worry - you can still tune your guitar a half-step down using relative tuning. - Perfect for beginners. The G string becomes Gb. Although i now tune and perform in standard tuning, but with my old singer for years we played half a. This allows them to play open chord formations while singing at a slightly lower register. The tension of the string is canceled out by the resonant pitch. Tuning. With your guitar tuned down a full step, just tune the low E string down to C and you have the drop C tuning ready to go. Not floppy at all. Another option for you to reconsider is Half Step Down tuning. 5” scale is the bees knees for this guy. Remember, always use a reliable tuner to ensure accuracy! Popular Songs in Half Step Down Tuning How To Tune A 7-String Guitar Standard 7-String Guitar Tuning: A Deep Dive From the beefiest string to the slickest, the standard tuning for a 7-string guitar rolls out as: B1 E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4 But here’s the kicker: This isn’t just about adding another string. 56 for the low B, and adjust the truss rod. Free online guitar tuner from Fender. You can just ignore that string and play it as a 7. I know for sure it isn't the same as tuning to D. Here’s how: Start with the low E string and tune it down to Eb. Half step. Is E flat tuning half-step down? The open sixth string, E, is tuned one half-step lower to E♭ (hence the name “E flat tuning“), the open fifth string, A, is tuned one half-step lower to A♭, and so on with the rest of the strings. Tuning in this fashion Roadie brings the string down below pitch then tightens it back up to the. Second, make sure you tune all of the strings down to the same note. The second way is to memorize the new note positions on the fretboard. Like. Omaha, Nebraska. Other reasons are the slightly darker tone, and easier string tension. How to Tune Your Guitar in Eb Tuning. . If you have a guitar that is kept in drop tuning the majority of the time, you may need to adjust its. E → E♭/D♯. But it wasn’t just Hendrix that used Eb tuning – also known as E-Flat tuning. Less tension on the strings the springs in the back pull the bridge lower which screws up the action. Step 2: Play each string and adjust the tuning until the tuner displays the note in half-step down. Step 2: Begin With Low E String. That's from memory so I may be mistaken but I'm pretty sure you can play that entire song on a 7 tuned to A. You'll probably need a premium app or a real tuner. grohl1987. D → D♭/C♯. 99. In E flat tuning, all the strings are tuned down by one semitone, resulting in the notes Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, and Eb. AC/DC use 1/4 step down tuning a lot. An Instrument tuned to E can be tuned down to Eb, D, Db, C B, Bb, or A. Guitar Tuner Half Step Down (eb, Bb, Gb, Db, Ab, Eb) This guitar tuner half step down is for those musicians who want to tune guitar half step down because this way, strings are easier to bend. A → A♭/G♯. Half-step Down Tuning Means Less String Tension. To tune your guitar into Eb Tuning, you need to tune each string down one half-step (or semitone). total in "half-step down" tuning, so tuning down a further. If the lowest pitch is below E2, then certainly the tuning is not E-standard. Open C Tuning. Standard tuning is E/A/D/G/B/E, from the sixth (thickest) string to the first (thinnest) string. Jun 19, 2010. More Tuning and Music Lessons Subscribe to this channel "A Minor" chord is an easy transition from the "A Major" chord. You definitely should check a string tension calculator. Light Top, Heavy Bottom. The lighter the gauge the easier string bending becomes. Because they're heavier than . half a step down from standard 7 string tuning, with the lowest string dropped another whole step down. To play each string correctly, simply grab your guitar and tune it to the appropriate pitch.