Death metal guys. Tuning?

[MartinBarre]

How do you tune your guitars for playing death metal?

And what string gauges do you use?

I'm thinking of going to either C or D. I would think of going drop A like Nile, but I think I'd struggle to set the guitar up like that.

[Jacksons Shred]

I think all those drop tunings like Drop A, B, C are rather relentless and stupid. You eventually are just creating a big pile of mud and there's not really anything interesting about it eventually all sounds the same. When I went through my death metal phase (Death, Decapitated, etc) I played in D standard, so do a lot of my friends. D Standard with 10 or 11 gauge strings.

[NextInLine]

I think all those drop tunings like Drop A, B, C are rather relentless and stupid. You eventually are just creating a big pile of mud and there's not really anything interesting about it eventually all sounds the same. When I went through my death metal phase (Death, Decapitated, etc) I played in D standard, so do a lot of my friends. D Standard with 10 or 11 gauge strings.

What makes you think that D standard is not relentless and stupid but A,B,C are? I'm asking just because I'm curious

[MartinBarre]

Yeah I don't get that either. Nile don't sound stupid to me.

[guitarsjb]

D standard here. We don't really play Death Metal perse, but it is heavy.

[lerxstcat]

What makes you think that D standard is not relentless and stupid but A,B,C are? I'm asking just because I'm curious

The lower you tune on a guitar with a standard 25.5" scale, the less articulate and the muddier it will sound, and the less accurately you can intonate that guitar. So D standard is a good compromise, or Drop C (D standard with the lowest string one step lower) with a heavier lowest string.

[NextInLine]

The lower you tune on a guitar with a standard 25.5" scale, the less articulate and the muddier it will sound, and the less accurately you can intonate that guitar.

Yeah we all know these but

So D standard is a good compromise, or Drop C (D standard with the lowest string one step lower) with a heavier lowest string.

why is standard D a good compromise? I mean you're using standard D (so am I btw) why wouldn't someone using standard E tell the same thing you think about drop A,B,C to you? If you can tone your guitar well, lower tunings can also sound great imo

[GuerillaPete]

It's all in how 'evil' your singer (or growler) can be. Also, spooky imagery help. Try wearing black. Warning: If you go too evil with your outfits, say a cape or spikes, you wind up bordering on black metal. If you go that route, then corpsepaint isn't far behind.

[Bengal]

D is the saddest tuning. Don't know where I read that but someone was quoted as saying that.

Most of my guitars are tuned to E. I have a Les Paul in Eflat and I have an EBMM tuned to D.

The "metal" guitars that I have tuned low are C#. That's about as low as I go. I also do a C# drop B with those.

Death metal can be played in any key though. But like GuerillaPete said, it's all up to your singer. That's where you find out how high or low you can tune.

[lerxstcat]

Yeah we all know these but



why is standard D a good compromise? I mean you're using standard D (so am I btw) why wouldn't someone using standard E tell the same thing you think about drop A,B,C to you? If you can tone your guitar well, lower tunings can also sound great imo

Most of us are downtuning on guitars that were designed to be strung to Standard E tuning. so the effect of downtuning one step on intonation and clarity issues is going to be less than if you tune down to A. So it's a better compromise because those issues are going to be less at D than at A.

Your scenario would work better with a baritone guitar. You'd have a hard time getting a Les Paul to intonate properly if tuned to A below E standard.

[NextInLine]

Well still that doesn't make A,B,C tunings stupid and relentless

[lerxstcat]

Did I say that they were? I was addressing the fact that there's less clarity and articulation the lower you go, which Jacksons Shred referred to as stupid and relentless. I described the characteristics that might make him see it that way, but didn't say myself that they were either stupid or relentless.

[randyrhoadsguitar]

there was a joke about slipknot for dropping so low. it went something like this.
"you guys, people are starting to figure out we really suck at playing the guitar, we better drop down another full step so they don't catch on." I cracked up when my buddy told me this joke, cuz it's true, i can't understand whatr they play when they drop to B.

[Trem]

I prefer B, it's dominant against E, just feels right to the ear especially if you also play in standard, feels like what your used to, but with more balls.
I used to use 10's with lower gauge E A and D strings, but just went to 11's cause it was a pain in the ass/ laziness.
Tension is perfect, feels like standard tuning pretty much.

[MartinBarre]

D is the saddest tuning. Don't know where I read that but someone was quoted as saying that.

I recall Nigel Tufnel saying something similar......