# Does lower tuning make you heavier?



## ferret (Oct 27, 2014)

I lol'd. Scallon entertains me. Banjo covers ftw.


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## Skyblue (Oct 27, 2014)

I definitely lol'd~


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## tacotiklah (Oct 27, 2014)

Drop Q is the future of metal.


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## BornToLooze (Oct 27, 2014)

You don't know down-tuning til you down-tune a 24.75" guitar low enough to play Bleed.


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 27, 2014)

Love Rob. <3 

I always claim hipster status with him knowing him from his solo work before the metal covers.

Getting to actual analysis, while I don't think any run was heavier, it definitely put each version of the song in a different context with every step down.

Also, this is a meme that needs to be used here now:


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## tacotiklah (Oct 27, 2014)

"You know the metal is heavy when it makes you look constipated"


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## asher (Oct 27, 2014)

I did definitely lose it at Drop Q.

Which did you guys actually like best, if any? I think I actually prefer that in D, just a bit.


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## sniperfreak223 (Oct 27, 2014)

asher said:


> I did definitely lose it at Drop Q.
> 
> Which did you guys actually like best, if any? I think I actually prefer that in D, just a bit.




C#...C# tuning is the sweet spot for metal in my opinion.


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 27, 2014)

asher said:


> I did definitely lose it at Drop Q.
> 
> Which did you guys actually like best, if any? I think I actually prefer that in D, just a bit.



I also liked D, but it probably has something to do with my affection for Mastodon and Tool.


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## asher (Oct 27, 2014)

TheStig1214 said:


> I also liked D, but it probably has something to do with my affection for Mastodon and Tool.



^ my thoughts exactly


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Oct 27, 2014)

I liked B the best, but perhaps that's because to my ears, B has always sounded more natural to me for a guitar range.

It started to sound like mud much farther below that, but I'd honestly put that more to his choice in guitar and guitar tone more than anything else. A strat with that tone ain't gonna sound good tuned low.


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## ThePhilosopher (Oct 27, 2014)

I would say I like B/Bb the best as that's where I like to write most of the time.


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## Alex Kenivel (Oct 28, 2014)

I was really expecting/wanting to hear low E


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## Devyn Eclipse Nav (Oct 28, 2014)

ThePhilosopher said:


> I would say I like B/Bb the best as that's where I like to write most of the time.



Actually 4/5 of my guitars are in the C-Bb range - Open C (with a low G), Open B, B standard, and Open Bbsus4 (with a low F)

Just sounds /better/ to me. Just more right, more full and punchy.


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## Xaios (Oct 28, 2014)

The issue I had is that he was definitely losing definition on the lower notes as he tuned lower and lower. Methinks perhaps the pickups weren't up to the task.

But yeah, ....IN DROP Q!


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## sniperfreak223 (Oct 28, 2014)

Zeno said:


> Actually 4/5 guitars are in the C-Bb range - Open C (with a low G), Open B, B standard, and Open Bbsus4 (with a low F)
> 
> Just sounds /better/ to me. Just more right, more full and punchy.




Probably the case with me too...the guitars I use most all seem to be some play on C# too (C#/Drop B on sixes and G#/Drop F# on the sevens)...Hell, even my main acoustic is in C# !!!


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 28, 2014)

Xaios said:


> The issue I had is that he was definitely losing definition on the lower notes as he tuned lower and lower. Methinks perhaps the pickups weren't up to the task.
> 
> But yeah, ....IN DROP Q!



Funny you mention the pickups, because he has Fluff's Beard Combers in that guitar. Fluff plays in the Drop C to Drop A range almost exclusively. I think it was just whatever amp settings were used. Not sure if Fluff reamped it for Rob or if JamUp was involved in some way.


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## tacotiklah (Oct 28, 2014)

A standard sounded the best to my ears. it made an otherwise technical riff just ooze out teh heavies...


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## stevexc (Oct 28, 2014)

I like D standard the best for no reason other than the fact that I use D Standard.

What this video really shows to me is that your tuning doesn't change how "heavy" your riff is. This was not a heavy riff, and no matter how low he tuned the guitar it didn't get any heavier... just lower.

Definitely a cool "experiment" though, and an entertaining video - this guy is awesome.


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 28, 2014)

I made Drop Q a meme.






And for the Original Pic: Drop Q | Meme Generator


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## Kwert (Oct 28, 2014)

Hahahah awesome. To me, Eb (D#) sounded best.


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## TheStig1214 (Oct 30, 2014)

Can we get a dedicated Rob Scallon megathread over in Music Discussion?

Jeezus.


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## Edika (Nov 5, 2014)

I found this really amusing. While I wouldn't mind the E tuning version of the riffs the lower tuning bass response made it sound fuller.

Oh and drop Q tuning? My new catch phrase!

EDIT: Mods if someone beat me to it, please delete this thread or merge it with the existing one!


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## yingmin (Nov 5, 2014)

No.


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## stevexc (Nov 5, 2014)

There's a decent discussion on this over in Off Topic 

Drop tuning may make your chugs sound a bit "heavier" tonally, but you can't take a riff that isn't heavy to begin with, downtune it, and expect it to be heavy. The video actually proves pretty well that tuning down DOESN'T make you sound any heavier.

Dude's a funny guy, though.


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## protest (Nov 5, 2014)

I think the vocalist actually has a bigger role in the "heaviness" of the band than the tuning you're in.


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## stevexc (Nov 5, 2014)

I've found it's more compositional than anything. What makes you sound heavy is a tight synchronicity between the guitar(s), bass, and most importantly the drummer.


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## Neilzord (Nov 5, 2014)

I personally base "heavy-ness" on the aggression/feeling the music contains / projects , which can be achieved through any tuning!


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## Edika (Nov 5, 2014)

I agree that the lower tunings don't make that much of a difference. I mean there were a lot of heavy sounding bands in E tuning.
It is quite helpful for a singer (not a vocalist/growler). The only thing I can think of is the response of the pickups and the equing/mastering required. Maybe it's easier to ass mids in a lower registers in a recording sense than having higher registers and trying to fit more lower mids and bass frequencies, by maybe subtracting some frequencies.

But that "Q tuning", dear lord! Hahahaha!

EDIT: I mainly posted the video for entertainment purposes and actually having a sonar example of the differences in lowering the tuning. I write most of my stuff in E standard and have other guitars tuned in different keys for playing songs. I always thought of down tuning as the same sequence of notes with a different starting point.


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## Zhysick (Nov 5, 2014)

Edika said:


> [...]it's easier to *ass* mids in a[...]



Great!! 

I think downtuning makes a little bit heavier but depends a lot on mostly the composition.

I have listened to a lot of "happy metal" with 8 string guitars tuned to C#(below standard F#, of course) and lot of really heavy metal in tunings like standard E...

But... I somehow love how Drop C sound in a standard 6, Drop A and Drop G in a standard 7 and specially Drop E in a 8 string.

I think that somehow there are a few tunings that sounds heavier but it depends on the guitar, amplifier, the way you EQ to have your own sound...

But a lower tuning is not proportional to a heavier sound.


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## Edika (Nov 5, 2014)

Hahahaha wanted to say add but I'll leave it because it inadvertently came out funny!


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## guitarfan85 (Nov 5, 2014)

protest said:


> I think the vocalist actually has a bigger role in the "heaviness" of the band than the tuning you're in.



I agree. But if your vocalist is growling or has a good deep voice, then lower tuned guitars can compliment that very well. I always play in B or drop A because when I was getting I to Swedish metal a lot of bands are tuned as such..... So I just like it that way, but at the end of the day you can still be as heavy playing in E. 

I wonder are there any bands that tune even higher? Does anyone play in E sharp?


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## wat (Nov 5, 2014)

Yes.


It's not that E standard can't be heavy, it's just that C and B sound so much more so.


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## oompa (Nov 5, 2014)

no in general. Things like drop D for example gives your chords a different resonance that can often make it sound more heavy to me, and one or two steps tuned down has a bit of an effect but it is diminishing and the effect is completely lost when you are down 4-5 steps/7-string, and I sense no difference in how heavy things are between a downtuned 8string and a regular guitar tuned down 4 steps even though there is almost an octave between them. Composition completely takes over. Is what I think/my taste at least


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## Axayacatl (Nov 5, 2014)

meh... ever since I started down tuning I've gained approximately 25-30 pounds..... Damn you heavy metal!!!


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## Chemical-Pony (Nov 5, 2014)

I think it does sound a bit heavier at lower tunings, but it's about diminishing returns the lower you go. Beyond a certain point with distortion it just sounds like noise and you can't hear the notes anymore. That's the problem I have with things like 9 string guitars. The bass needs to be clean to cut through the mud. Not that I have anytihng against noise. I like noise, but everything in moderation and in its proper place.


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## no_dice (Nov 5, 2014)

I think it does to a point. I love listening to super low tunings, but for me when I'm playing, I don't like to go low to the point that your lowest power chords lose that sweet "chunk". I think it's around G or G#.


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## Aviator (Nov 5, 2014)

I guess it really depends on the composition, mix and mastering. For example Teras by Sylosis is in standard tuning on 6 string and that song is really heavy. I can tell the same for Uneven Structure, they are using A# tuning or Drop G# and their songs sound heavier to me than songs written on 8 strings. And last example would be Periphery. Comapre Ji (8 string) to Luck As A Constant (Drop C). Luck As A Constant just sounds heavier to me because of the way the main riff/groove is written.


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## fps (Nov 5, 2014)

Depends whether you're going for blades or hammers.


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## Necris (Nov 5, 2014)

Axayacatl said:


> meh... ever since I started down tuning I've gained approximately 25-30 pounds..... Damn you heavy metal!!!



How big are the strings you're using?


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## cwhitey2 (Nov 5, 2014)

No, I play brutalz on drop D everyday...its called death metal.


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## FILTHnFEAR (Nov 5, 2014)

I personally don't like going lower that drop B even on my 7's. It loses the crunch and punch that I like. 

I'll hear other players talk about playing in really low tuning with gargantuan strings, and listen to some bands that do so. I tried it for myself, but it's not for me. 

Honestly I think it's gotten a little out of hand personally, but maybe it's because I'm old, idk? To each their own.

It's not string thickness and low tunings that make "heavy". It's in the players hands, the riffs themselves, and tone/gear settings, I think.


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## icos211 (Nov 5, 2014)

I don't buy into the lower is heavier, but that riff sure sounded the heaviest in drop G...

Would have been nice if his tone didn't suck...


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## InfestedRabite (Nov 5, 2014)

i did drop G for a while on my 7, but pretty sick of it and have moved up to switching between standard and Drop A (mainly for the chord shapes, less for the chug)


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## Alex Kenivel (Nov 5, 2014)

Thicker strings = heavier guitar


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## gunch (Nov 5, 2014)

D and C# were pretty bad ass


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## yingmin (Nov 5, 2014)

stevexc said:


> Drop tuning may make your chugs sound a bit "heavier" tonally, but you can't take a riff that isn't heavy to begin with, downtune it, and expect it to be heavy.


Exactly. This is not a very heavy riff, and to me, it's important to distinguish between "heavy" and "brutal", or whatever other terms one wants to use. For a somewhat extreme example, I consider Three Libras by A Perfect Circle to be a pretty heavy song, even though it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, "brutal". Conversely, most "brutal" bands do not sound very heavy to me, and generally speaking, speed and "brutality" are often at odds with heaviness. Demigod-era Behemoth is one of the few bands that I consider to be both heavy and brutal at the same time, which is no small feat.


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## Tang (Nov 5, 2014)

I liked D best.. probably because that's my tuning of choice!


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## Korbain (Nov 5, 2014)

On 6 string i prefer tuning half a step down or drop D. On 7 string i usually juts keep it standard or drop the lowest string to A and keep the rest standard.

How heavy a band is has very little to do with tuning, it's in the writing and the combination of sounds from all instruments (including vocals). Look at bands like opeth or rage against the machine, they play a lot in standard or drop D and they're songs have some serious balls


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## Tang (Nov 5, 2014)

Korbain said:


> On 6 string i prefer tuning half a step down or drop D. On 7 string i usually juts keep it standard or drop the lowest string to A and keep the rest standard.
> 
> How heavy a band is has very little to do with tuning, it's in the writing and the combination of sounds from all instruments (including vocals). Look at bands like opeth or rage against the machine, they play a lot in standard or drop D and they're songs have some serious balls



Look at Gojira! D standard and it's balls to the wall insanity.


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## TheStig1214 (Nov 5, 2014)

My tell tale comparison of heaviness is "The Bit" if you compare Mastodon vs The Melvins, the Melvins are much heavier even though they're a whole step up.





I think it's all about the fact that on the Melvins version they leave a bit of a gap between the notes. They let the riff hit you.


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## Defi (Nov 5, 2014)

Interestingly enough from the OP video, no, I don't think it gets any heavier the lower he goes.


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## gunch (Nov 5, 2014)

A lot of it comes from EQ and the kind of amp too. To me pitch is just like value (art term), everything else like the EQ, player attack and amp are the hue and saturation


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## 7stg (Nov 6, 2014)

Things work well from around the 7 string standard B where it starts getting good through the 8 string standard F#. Whenever I play a 6, which is hardly ever, I am left wanting more low end extension. The 7 string guitar with a 5+ string bass is a classic combo that works well in a band setting, and a little longer scale keeps everything clean and tight.


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## TheStig1214 (Nov 22, 2014)

For those of you who care: Rob is now a Schecter endorsed artist (and they gave him a C-9).

https://www.facebook.com/RobScallon...4452919628344/794739110599718/?type=1&theater


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## FretsOnFyre (Nov 22, 2014)

TheStig1214 said:


> For those of you who care: Rob is now a Schecter endorsed artist (and they gave him a C-9).
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/RobScallon...4452919628344/794739110599718/?type=1&theater



Well deserved! IMO, he's doing some really creative, interesting (and often amusing) work and it's good to see that recognized.


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## Abaddon9112 (Nov 22, 2014)

I think in general lower tunings sound darker, which can help produce a "heavy" sound, but isn't strictly necessary. Heaviness to me is that sort of pummeling, rhythmic quality that hits you in the gut like Mike Tyson's fist. It has a lot to do with the bass frequencies in the mix, and with lower tunings it might be a little easier to get that effect. But composition, guitar and bass tone, vocals, and drums also factor into it.

I think humans have an innate fear of loud, low-pitched noises. Probably inherited from our infancy out on the African savanna being preyed on by lions. So low notes sound more threatening and evil than high ones. Most bands that tune low have a kind of "dark" sound, even like, country music with baritone acoustics. But there are bands that have that dark sound that aren't particularly "heavy" (Type O Negative, A Perfect Circle), and bands that are extremely heavy yet very high pitched (Deicide, old Cannibal Corpse, black metal, etc). So its about how it all comes together. 

Overall though I think B is the most brutal sounding tuning in metal. D and Db are also good. Anything above D sounds retro, anything below B sounds kind of "cyber" (until you get into 0th octave territory, where it's all brutal). And I've always associated C tunings with bands that are trying to be brutal and not quite getting there (metalcore). Totally subjective of course, but that's my thoughts on it.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Nov 22, 2014)

I really liked how A,Ab/G#, and G sounded.

But lower does not automatically equal heavier.


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## guitarfan85 (Nov 23, 2014)

Abaddon9112 said:


> I think in general lower tunings sound darker, which can help produce a "heavy" sound, but isn't strictly necessary. Heaviness to me is that sort of pummeling, rhythmic quality that hits you in the gut like Mike Tyson's fist. It has a lot to do with the bass frequencies in the mix, and with lower tunings it might be a little easier to get that effect. But composition, guitar and bass tone, vocals, and drums also factor into it.
> 
> I think humans have an innate fear of loud, low-pitched noises. Probably inherited from our infancy out on the African savanna being preyed on by lions. So low notes sound more threatening and evil than high ones. Most bands that tune low have a kind of "dark" sound, even like, country music with baritone acoustics. But there are bands that have that dark sound that aren't particularly "heavy" (Type O Negative, A Perfect Circle), and bands that are extremely heavy yet very high pitched (Deicide, old Cannibal Corpse, black metal, etc). So its about how it all comes together.
> 
> Overall though I think B is the most brutal sounding tuning in metal. D and Db are also good. Anything above D sounds retro, anything below B sounds kind of "cyber" (until you get into 0th octave territory, where it's all brutal). And I've always associated C tunings with bands that are trying to be brutal and not quite getting there (metalcore). Totally subjective of course, but that's my thoughts on it.



Your last paragraph, that's exactly how I look at it as well


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## The Omega Cluster (Nov 23, 2014)

ANSWER: Yes, that drop Q was ....ing br00tzals!


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## HUGH JAYNUS (Nov 23, 2014)

Yes. Lower tuning requires thicker gauges which requires more material which is indeed, heavier.

Also I think it does add some heaviness. I play songs I write in multiple tunings and keep them in whichever sounds best. Usually lower adds that umph that is lacking in higher ones. 

Also, I will refer to exhibit K: King's X Dogman album. By far their heaviest album, also the point in which they tuned to drop B for the majority of the album. 

Ignore exhibit M: Metallica St Anger.


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## TheBloodstained (Nov 23, 2014)




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## tacotiklah (Nov 23, 2014)

I see tuning down as making things heavier, but with diminishing returns. Eventually it stops sounding nice and tight, and more like utter garbage. Makes sense since we're talking about sound frequencies. Eventually it gets so low that the human ear can't make out wtf is going on.


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## Duosphere (Nov 23, 2014)

Nope, what makes a guitar sound heavy is the entire mix cause all instruments depend on themselves, you can have the heaviest guitar tone ever but the mix makes it sound dull, you can have a not so heavy guitar tone but, as the mix is heavy, it makes your tone sounds heavier.I'm tired of guitarists coming to my studio saying they got the heaviest guitar tone ever, when I record it and put it in a mix, it sounds like crap because they got that tone alone in their bedrooms, generally they add a lot of bass and scoop mids = total crap in a mix.


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## b1-66er (Nov 23, 2014)

METAL_WIZARD said:


> Yes. Lower tuning requires thicker gauges which requires more material which is indeed, heavier.




that was gonna be my answer


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## lucasreis (Nov 24, 2014)

Sure!


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## p0ke (Nov 24, 2014)

Depends on what you're doing with it. I like the kind of "roar" that a palm muted C in C-standard gives, you just can't get the same thing in a higher tuning, and 7-string standard tuning B also feels somewhat lighter for some reason. There's just something about C tuning that works.


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## Lifestalker (Nov 24, 2014)

Lower tunings make music sound heavier due to it being lower in pitch, obviously.

To me, heaviness is all in the arrangement. I prefer as close to standard as possible.

Deftones are an excellent example of how lower tuning doesn't make your music even heavier. Their sound has always been consistent despite them lowering their tunings on pretty much every album.


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## goherpsNderp (Nov 24, 2014)

some interesting things i've noticed in metal since low tunings have become increasingly popular:

-more riffs are being written that use one string at a time, ie: less drop D tunings that chug on those bar chords.

-a greater focus on the rhythms and percussive aspect of these single string guitar riffs. (ie: Monuments and anything by Browne, among others, really)

-a much better contrast/duality/etc. between melodies/harmonies on the higher strings against the rhythm sections played on the lower strings.

-a slow contraction from everyone using 8 strings to now tons of bands using detuned 7 strings.

-a much easier time discerning the differences between good creative writing in the low tuned heavy space and those that are just aping it to try and get an easy following. the phonies really stand out to me now.


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## beerandbeards (Nov 24, 2014)

Well this explains my gut...


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## Chiba666 (Nov 25, 2014)

D Standard all the way, if it wsa good enough for Chuck its good enough for me.


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## p0ke (Nov 25, 2014)

Oh and check out Gojira. They're only in D (or used to be anyway, I'm not sure about their latest albums), and they're pretty much the heaviest matter of the universe!


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## goherpsNderp (Nov 25, 2014)

p0ke said:


> Oh and check out Gojira. They're only in D (or used to be anyway, I'm not sure about their latest albums), and they're pretty much the heaviest matter of the universe!



i think they're D flat (or whatever half a step down is from drop D), and yes, they're ultra heavy.

heaviness isn't impossible in not-so-low tunings, but now that the metal scene has ventured so far into the low tunings there's so much contrast that it's hard to listen to standard or even regular drop D and consider it heavy without the writing and play style being top notch.


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## Friendroid (Nov 25, 2014)

C# sounded most evil and maintained a tonal balanced. To each their own.


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## Bilbone Shaggins (Nov 25, 2014)

Go listen to Cattle Decapitation...their stuff is often only tuned down a half step and yet they sound heavier than plenty of bands using extended range guitars.


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## Duosphere (Nov 25, 2014)

Heavy enough?
He uses "Big Mac" distortion pedal of McDonalds pedals


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## Dusty Chalk (Nov 26, 2014)

I think we all know this, but I just wanted to say it, because I haven't seen it in so many words:

Yes, up to a point, then no.

I think the only argument any more is what is that point?


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## vansinn (Nov 26, 2014)

sniperfreak223 said:


> C#...C# tuning is the sweet spot for metal in my opinion.



Hehe.. why do you think I have my Riot 8 tuned C# on the mid six strings..? 

Very cool video by the way. I lost it when getting below C, and quite frankly, this specific piece didn't get heavier just because of lower - it's all a matter of the whole arrangement.


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## Chi (Nov 26, 2014)

Tuning almost always goes with a certain riff. Many low-tuned riffs that sound groovy and good as shit sound sorta' off in higher tunings. 

The video is gold doe.


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## The Omega Cluster (Nov 26, 2014)

I'm tuned in sub-bass (infrasounds) A-1. That's akin to the drop Q tuning I guess.



#tryingtoomuch


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## ghost_of_karelia (Nov 26, 2014)

In my view, heavy as an adjective describes the overall atmosphere and feel of a song, rather than specific elements of it. 

Several posters have commented that the presence of the rhythm guitar in the mix contributes to the weight of the song, or how the tone of all the guitars is crafted. These are both pretty good suggestions, but I would argue that there is no one element that makes a song "heavy". 

The description varies between listeners as well. It's as much a matter of taste as preferring snails to oysters (anyone who gets the reference gets a doffed cap and a pat on the back). The guys from Carcass playing tight dual-guitar harmonised melodies in B on 6s could be one British guy who works in a warehouse packing sex toys' idea of the heaviest, br00talest stuff ever - but a 43-year-old Swede who coaches the local ice hockey team might think that the delicate acoustic interludes of Agalloch's Pale Folklore create the perfect contrast to the crashing E-tuned distorted guitars and thus make it way heavier.

Point being, that if you're asking this question with the intention of writing and recording music that conforms as close to the general idea of heavy - don't put all your meat in one sandwich. Tune low (if it suits the key of your vocali-- oh wait, it's metal) if you want, but consider your other options. Get your rhythm playing tight as a nun's va- vestibule, analyse other bands' mixes that you consider heavy and try to replicate or even take their process to the next level, and collaborate with the other instrumentalists (or yourself, if you're one of those guys with an odin-given talent to play guitar, bass, drums, vocals and hurdy gurdy equally magnificently - yeah, we all hate you) to really get your stuff sounding as heavy as you can before you even go into the studio.


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## Blackheim (Nov 26, 2014)

B and C sounded the best for me. I liked C# a lot too.


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## jonsick (Nov 27, 2014)

I like C# personally. It's lower for the fun-ness and if I drop the C# to B, I'm not annoying a five-string bassist.

That said, I don't really like low tunings live. Every time I see a support band strap on 8-strings, I know full well that there won't be a single track discernible from the rest. In fact, I often wonder why exactly they needed 8 strings. I'm sure at the end of a couple of gigs, the bottom three strings are wasted while the top five are pristine and brand new.

It reminds me of Max Cavalera just having the four top strings on his guitars because he never used the bottom two.


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## mattofvengeance (Nov 27, 2014)

No.


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## TheStig1214 (Dec 8, 2014)

I'm just going to try and turn this into the Rob Scallon thread. He released a pretty bitchin' 9 string song today.


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## Hachetjoel (Dec 8, 2014)

i'd have to say while it didnt make that riff heavier if you took some riffs in low tunings and tuned them up theyd sound less heavy, i'd say tuning + riff =heavy


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## The Omega Cluster (Dec 8, 2014)

I find it funny that he posts a video of him mostly proving that low tuning doesn't make you heavier, and just after that gets a 9 string and writes some of the lowest riffs ever created.

That being said, I like the song but I'd like it better with vocals on it, that octave riff is awesome.


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## TheStig1214 (Dec 9, 2014)

The Omega Cluster said:


> I find it funny that he posts a video of him mostly proving that low tuning doesn't make you heavier, and just after that gets a 9 string and writes some of the lowest riffs ever created.
> 
> That being said, I like the song but I'd like it better with vocals on it, that octave riff is awesome.



He did release one album with his own vocals, but it was not a metal album by any means. I think the issue is he doesn't have any metal vocalists at his disposal. 

Also this song got it's inevitable mention on metalsucks. Say what you will about the website, but hey, publicity is publicity.

This 9-String Metal Song Actually Uses all 9 Strings - MetalSucks


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## ThrashnBash (Jul 13, 2015)

This has been a question people have been wondering for awhile now, and I know Fluff did a Beard File on it. 

So, does tuning low really make your guitar sound heavier? I don't think so either, and here's why!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0L1-rmgDi4

Not sure how to embed.


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## loqtrall (Jul 13, 2015)

I don't think a lower tuning essentially makes your guitar sound heavier, but more the way you play.

Skeletonwitch plays in E Standard.


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## ThrashnBash (Jul 13, 2015)

Right! So do Sylosis and they're heavier than a lot of modern metal bands that use 7 strings.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Jul 14, 2015)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...82831-does-lower-tuning-make-you-heavier.html


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## A-Branger (Jul 14, 2015)

although a bit of low would seem sometimes heavier, but only a small amount, going LOOOOOOOw thats overkill.

also think the misconception comes too from the difference in scales. Everyone has a "favourite scale" they like to play on a guitar, there is always those "familiar" frets you like to go when you are doing a quick impro/jam. By de-tunning your guitar, you could still be playing "the same" but now you would be in a different scale


But yeah I agree going LOW doesnt equal heavier or angrier or more "metal" at all. And never understood the need to go into deep 8 string/bass territory 

refer to Opeth


Prob a lot of you have seen it, but this is the best example Ive seen from Rob Scallon. Same riff played in every tuning possible 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8S-F3DKA-8


Edit:


Grand Moff Tim said:


> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...82831-does-lower-tuning-make-you-heavier.html


he beat me to it


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## VBCheeseGrater (Jul 14, 2015)

I certainly think it _can_. For instance, the first time i heard "The thing that should not be", i was thinking goddamn that's heavy. And part of the reason for the heaviness is D tuning against an E tuned album, along with the heavy ass riff in general. It's just one factor that can affect the overall vibe of your song.


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## Louis Cypher (Jul 14, 2015)

loqtrall said:


> I don't think a lower tuning essentially makes your guitar sound heavier, but more the way you play.



This probably cntributes more to being "heavy" than simply down tuning. Sure down tuning helps but its not really as simple as do this 1 thing and you will be heavy, lots more elements involved.


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## Duosphere (Jul 14, 2015)

A mix can make all instruments sound heavy or not, there are no heavy instruments all by themselves.You can have a tone you think it's heavy as hell but in a mix it could sound completely wrong, you can have a mid gain tone you think is not heavy but in a mix it could sound massive.Each instrument has its place in the spectrum, they complete themselves.The heaviest mixes are the cleanest ones cause you can hear each instrument separate.If it's not clean, it's not heavy, it's a mess.Lower tuning means you're playing lower, just it


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## Steinmetzify (Jul 14, 2015)

I think it's always meant I played slower and that makes me come up with different riffs. Standard and drop D means thrash to me, drop C and lower makes me play doomy/sludge stuff, and that sounds heavier to me.


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## Low Baller (Jul 14, 2015)

I have always seen it as lower tuning makes your guitar sound lower....not heavier that's what distortion and eq is for. Granted playing a riff in a lower tuning sounds more beefy and dark because it's in a lower register but the distortion EQed heavy and lower tuning adds more components to the heaviness but doesn't make it heavier IMO.


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## bnzboy (Jul 14, 2015)

I think low tuning will certainly "help" your guitar sounding heavier but more importantly it depends on your playing style. Also things like EQing (ie. mid-scoop) and mixing (ie. quad tracking) will play a huge role making the guitar sound even heavier. I certainly believe that an E standard guitar can sound just as "heavy" as any low tuned guitars.


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## jmvirgil (Jul 14, 2015)

Regarding the mix, it also depends on how many times you track the same guitar parts. Using envelope filters can help open things up to sound really beefy.


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## mongey (Jul 14, 2015)

if you are playing alone , yeah I reckon lower sounds meaner

playing with a band and with a bass player that has a good tone I don't think it matters so much . I think bass sounds best no lower than a D anyway most of the time 

IMHO allot of it is to do with the singers range which allot of guitarists don't consider. if you tune down the singer will have to sing higher or lower depending how they sing and that will change the sound of the band in a big way


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## A-Branger (Jul 14, 2015)

also the heaviness comes wiht the tempo and rhythm of the song.

lots have to do with drums and the structure of your riff. More than how low you tune down.

Also the scale you are playing at. You cant make Black Metal music in a normal mayor scale (watch the "happy metal" clip for reference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq8ODuozdIo ) 

so for some people down tuning means to accidentally play on a different scale by jamming trough your familiar scale on the neck.

downtuning has its merits too, not every song can be chunk away with the E as a bass note, specially if you like to use the lower string open for mute chunk riffs. 

at the end of the day its another tool to use to make music, any music, not "heavier music". Lots of songs from Dream Teather are in C, and they are not necessary heavy


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## Carl Kolchak (Jul 15, 2015)

Personally, I think 25" scale tuned low sounds heavier than a 28" scale. The decreased string tension allows for a lot more subtlety of expression. Plus, sticking with a standard scale for lower tunings allows you more hardware options than going with a specialized erg.


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## WhoThenNow7 (Jul 16, 2015)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ge...82831-does-lower-tuning-make-you-heavier.html



I hate this video.. Because he tunes down a half step each time, it makes it nearly unnocticeable to be "heavier". I'll bet if he started in E standard and went straight down to A, instead of a gradual half step, then the opinion would be yes, it does make you sound heavier.


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## Lord Macragge (Jul 16, 2015)

Replied to wrong thread. Sorry.


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## Lord Macragge (Jul 16, 2015)

I don't know how to embed, but here's the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwHAxjmIv6o
Skip to 3:00


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## UV7BK4LIFE (Jul 16, 2015)

I gained 5 kilograms since I started downtuning. It definately made me heavier. Tuning lower would be great exercise and make me less heavy.


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## allthegoatsaregone (Jul 16, 2015)

I think it can help make your guitar sound more percussive or give it some more attack, but I definitely don't think it without fail makes your overall sound heavier. I definitely prefer it, but that's just preference. What I believe makes your sound heavy or not is how you play. You can take a Mesa Triple Rec and an EMG equipped Jackson tuned to G, and play something soft and beautiful just like you can use the same setup to play something blistering. Just depends on how you put your fingers and pick to it.


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## jeremyb (Jul 16, 2015)

The Omega Cluster said:


> I'm tuned in sub-bass (infrasounds) A-1. That's akin to the drop Q tuning I guess.
> 
> 
> 
> #tryingtoomuch




Holy crapballs batman!


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## Locrain (Jul 16, 2015)

Hachetjoel said:


> i'd have to say while it didnt make that riff heavier if you took some riffs in low tunings and tuned them up theyd sound less heavy, i'd say tuning + riff =heavy



Yeah, pretty much this. I have been writing songs, that if played in standard tuning, would be ridiculously poppy and maybe a little bland. But in drop A (same key), they really have a whole different sound. 

They still have those hooky melodies, but with the growl of the low tuned guitar, it really gives them some punch. That is probably exaggerated by the fact that I am not playing with a band right now. 

Maybe I am kidding myself, but I kind of like it. It feels like it is slightly unique.

I guess there is a point of diminishing returns, I'm in drop A to make it a little easier on me vocally, but drop G wasn't a whole lot heavier (but had bad harmonics), and I think drop B would have just about the same effect.


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## Cray1988 (Oct 7, 2018)

Heres a video on detuning. Listen the clips at the end and decide for yourself. Ones in C and the others in standard drop D


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## odibrom (Oct 7, 2018)

Holly necro molly bumpy thing...

... meh video... but thanks for sharing...?


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## Metropolis (Oct 7, 2018)

@Cray1988 In my opinion that particular riff works better in lower tuning, and something else would be better in drop D.

Lot of it comes to a style you want to achieve and meaning something is "heavy" are really subjective matter. Imagine Meshuggah playing their more recent songs in standard 6-string tuning, seriously I wouldn't want to hear it. Or 90's style black metal with chugging 8-string guitars...

If guitarist is picking like a bitch, doesn't play right things in correct places along with other instruments, it's not gonna sound heavy. 

For example this kind of power chord is in right place heaviest thing ever.


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## Cray1988 (Oct 7, 2018)

Metropolis said:


> @Cray1988 In my opinion that particular riff works better in lower tuning, and something else would be better in drop D.
> 
> Lot of it comes to a style you want to achieve and meaning something is "heavy" are really subjective matter. Imagine Meshuggah playing their more recent songs in standard 6-string tuning, seriously I wouldn't want to hear it. Or 90's style black metal with chugging 8-string guitars...
> 
> ...




It’s all about opinion! But after playing both these riffs personally I still have to say I don’t really think either of them are heavier than the other. It’s really more of a dynamic range that I hear that gives it a unique feel either tuning. The song was originally recorded in c which is my preferred tuning. Thanks for the input!


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## Cray1988 (Oct 7, 2018)

Metropolis said:


> @Cray1988 In my opinion that particular riff works better in lower tuning, and something else would be better in drop D.
> 
> Lot of it comes to a style you want to achieve and meaning something is "heavy" are really subjective matter. Imagine Meshuggah playing their more recent songs in standard 6-string tuning, seriously I wouldn't want to hear it. Or 90's style black metal with chugging 8-string guitars...
> 
> ...




Also another thing I forgot to mention is drums and how they correlate with the guitar. The kick is very essential in providing extra “girth” on the chug


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## noise in my mind (Oct 8, 2018)

no


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