# Meshuggah tuning on a 7



## silentrage (Aug 7, 2010)

Check my results from here plz?
String Guage and Tension Calculator - Version 0.1.4 - 26 apr 1998
I figured out the tension on a 25.5" using a set of 10-46 with a 65 for the B,
then I found a set of gauges that results in the same amount of tension tuned to meshuggah, it should be F# but the calculator would not oblige so G it is. 


12-68 + 70 
meshuggah tuning

len 25.5" == 25.5"

B, .012" PL == 13.11# ( 0.0057gm/cm 246.9hz )
G, .016" PL == 14.68# ( 0.0101gm/cm 196.0hz )
E, .022" PL == 19.62# ( 0.0191gm/cm 164.8hz )
A,, .038" PB == 24.2# ( 0.053gm/cm 110.0hz )
E,, .052" PB == 25.27# ( 0.0986gm/cm 82.4hz )
B,,, .068" PB == 23.34# ( 0.1623gm/cm 61.7hz )
F,,, .070" PB == 12.25# ( 0.1704gm/cm 43.7hz )
total == 132.47#

10-46 + 65, standard tuning

len 25.5" == 25.5"

E .010" PL == 16.21# ( 0.0040gm/cm 329.6hz )
B, .013" PL == 15.38# ( 0.0067gm/cm 246.9hz )
G, .017" PL == 16.57# ( 0.0114gm/cm 196.0hz )
D, .026" PB == 19.81# ( 0.0244gm/cm 146.8hz )
A,, .036" PB == 21.87# ( 0.0479gm/cm 110.0hz )
E,, .046" PB == 19.91# ( 0.0777gm/cm 82.4hz )
B,,, .065" PB == 21.6# ( 0.1502gm/cm 61.7hz )
total == 131.36#

This should work, right?


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## gunshow86de (Aug 7, 2010)

I don't know how to break this to you, but, besides that low-F, that isn't the tuning that Meshuggah uses.

Whether playing 7's or 8's, it's always been 1/2 step down from A440 on every string.


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

Well shit, if what you say is true then wikipedia LIED!


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## xtrustisyoursx (Aug 8, 2010)

They tune 8 string standard down a half step:

F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-bb-eb


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

Argh, i can't get the tension calculator to register a flat, so I guess the overall tension is higher than what it will be if it was all half step down?


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

Argh, looks like I need a 95 on the low F to have the same tension as a 68 tuned to B, what do you guys suggest for this, bass string unwound a little to fit through the peg?


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## leandroab (Aug 8, 2010)

If it helps, I calculated my 7 set for low F tuning (meshuggah) and I came up with a .13-.62 + .80 set...

It worked fine tension-wise (made to match a .10-.59 7 string set tuned to B) but you can't intonate the lowest strings and it won't fit the nut...

But hey, it's doable and it's fun as fuck...


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

Hmm, good info man, but I'd really like to try Elixirs which is only available in 12-68, but taking your info into consideration, maybe 12-68+80 will work fine for me.
I know I had to unwind a bit of the 70 I tried last time, but like you say, fun as fuck. 

p.s. You forgot to add that you can't bend them either, or move them at all really, hehe.


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## darbdavys (Aug 8, 2010)

silentrage said:


> Argh, i can't get the tension calculator to register a flat



Then make it a sharp?


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

Can't do that either, at least not with the # symbol
But what I did was make it a step higher to see the difference in tension, then just divide the difference by half, should be a good enough estimate.


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## diatron5 (Aug 8, 2010)

I play very meshuggah inspired stuff and I tune to c stanard with the low F added on like a drop tuning so I can bar for power chords. It's not exact but you can hit almost every note that they hit. I use D'addario jazz medium gauges on the high 7 and I bought a single .07 for the F


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## Tiger (Aug 8, 2010)

I used 80's for tuning to E for years before I got my erg.


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## Bobo (Aug 8, 2010)

silentrage said:


> Argh, i can't get the tension calculator to register a flat, so I guess the overall tension is higher than what it will be if it was all half step down?



Are you putting a "b" behind the last comma for the note?


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

BEHIND the last coma?

like, F,,,b? 
I only tried Fb,,,


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## Stateless (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm going to leave my own string calculator here, since it's way better than those online ones and you can actually save your setup on your computer.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Aug 8, 2010)

You can get it to take #'s and b's but you must put them in after all the commas, if there are any.

See?

len 25.5" == 64.77cm

With Flats
B,b .012" PL == 5.3kg ( 0.0057gm/cm 233.1hz )
G,b .016" PL == 5.93kg ( 0.0101gm/cm 185.0hz )
E,b .022" PL == 7.93kg ( 0.0191gm/cm 155.6hz )
A,,b .038" PB == 9.78kg ( 0.053gm/cm 103.8hz )
E,,b .052" PB == 10.21kg ( 0.0986gm/cm 77.8hz )
B,,,b .068" PB == 9.43kg ( 0.1623gm/cm 58.3hz )
F,,, .070" PB == 5.56kg ( 0.1704gm/cm 43.7hz )
total == 54.14kg


Now With Sharps
A,# .012" PL == 5.3kg ( 0.0057gm/cm 233.1hz )
F,# .016" PL == 5.93kg ( 0.0101gm/cm 185.0hz )
D,# .022" PL == 7.93kg ( 0.0191gm/cm 155.6hz )
G,,# .038" PB == 9.78kg ( 0.053gm/cm 103.8hz )
D,,# .052" PB == 10.21kg ( 0.0986gm/cm 77.8hz )
A,,,# .068" PB == 9.43kg ( 0.1623gm/cm 58.3hz )
F,,, .070" PB == 5.56kg ( 0.1704gm/cm 43.7hz )
total == 54.14kg

Also, it's not the tuning they use, but I wanted to demonstrate #'s and b's in that string calc with it.


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

ok Thanks guys, got it figured out, 
I'm going with Elixir bariton set, 12-68
and a 95, resulting in total tension of 115.8 pounds

For reference, B standard with 10-64 is 124.1 pounds.

Stateless your chart is flippin' awesome.


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## Stateless (Aug 8, 2010)

silentrage said:


> Stateless your chart is flippin' awesome.



Yeah, I'm quite pleased with it. 

EDIT: A 95 is a bass string though, so it might not sound right. (XLB = D'addario bass string.)
80 is the biggest you can get in guitar strings.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Aug 8, 2010)

Elixirs bass string are made the same way as their guitar strings though, I notice most companies bass strings are really round, warm and thuddy sounding, while the elixir strings were bright and worked well for guitar.
I have an elixir nanoweb 95, and a 65 on my guitar.
In the past I had a 100 and even a 110 and they sounded good.


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## silentrage (Aug 8, 2010)

ooo, thanks, that is great info for me.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Aug 9, 2010)

Just be sure to file your nut and unwind the ends just after the nut and you're golden.


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## CrushingAnvil (Aug 9, 2010)

I'm sorry, I must have missed something...

Why do you want to know?

It's just half a step down on a 7. 10-46-65 is what one would normally use for that.

Or do you think you'll play/sound exactly like meshuggah if you use the exact same guage as them?


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## jerome snail (Aug 9, 2010)

I think he means "8 string Meshuggah tunning"


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## onefingersweep (Aug 9, 2010)

Those gauges in that tuning on a 25.5 scale guitar will never sound good. In studio sure but never live.


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## silentrage (Aug 9, 2010)

^ please elaborate.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Aug 10, 2010)

You can get it to work (both live and studio) but bit takes time, effort, a guitar set up specifically for it, and really knowing your gear inside and out.


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