Matt.Hepworth Posted July 8, 2001 Share Posted July 8, 2001 Anyone else notice that dropped D was once cool with bands like Soundgarden, but now it has just become a cheezy way for all the new really shitty players to play a couple powerchords. "Guitarists" these days are as tallentless as I've ever seen. Noone any more can even TUNE, let alone play a simple powerchord unless they're drop "tuned". I just needed to vent because I work with such sorry people on a daily basis. Who is with me in this anti cheater idea? Matt No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted July 8, 2001 Share Posted July 8, 2001 I used to know a guy who only tuned to an open "E" chord, and this was way back in the 70s. I used that tuning occasionally for slide, but this guy didn't play slide. Well, I'm kinda with ya, except if you can get stuff in the drop D that you can't otherwise, might as well. But, like you say, if you're just using it as a cheesy excuse...then that's just what it is. How 'bout the use of 7 strings for some of that riffage? "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Hepworth Posted July 8, 2001 Author Share Posted July 8, 2001 Agreed, use it only if the song calls for lower tuning and there's not time to change guitars. It seems dropped D is a requirement for all modern rock. Seven strings can be cool, if you know how to use 'em. I guess it's no wonder that modern rock suck ass and nobody can play guitar anymore. Can you believe that the "guitarist" for Linkin Park was awarded "most inovative new guitarist..." by a leading publication?!?! Horseshit! Linkin Park sucks ass. Sorry, I'm getting a little too frustrated with the modern "music" scene. I'd bet Fletcher has some great things to say on this subject. Matt No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted July 8, 2001 Share Posted July 8, 2001 dropped d, 7 string...hey they're both better than mallrats playing the "no string" guitar...what's it called again? oh yeah..the turntable! scratch this... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott from MA Posted July 8, 2001 Share Posted July 8, 2001 Originally posted by theglitch: It seems dropped D is a requirement for all modern rock. I play "modern rock" and I don't use dropped D, or a 7-string. I don't really care for using any alternate tunings (although I do capo for a few songs). Originally posted by theglitch: I guess it's no wonder that modern rock suck ass and nobody can play guitar anymore. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/confused.gif Hmmm... I've been playing for 23 years, and (if I have to say so myself) I'm a pretty good guitarist. I'm well educated, versatile, and experienced in a number of styles. Of course, I don't play many "power chords" either, so maybe you are talking about a different kind of "modern rock" than I am. (Could be, since I have no idea who Linkin Park is.) Either that, or your comments were pretty short-sighted. Scott (just another cantankerous bastard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Hepworth Posted July 8, 2001 Author Share Posted July 8, 2001 My stab is strictly at talentless wonders using dropped D because they are incapable of playing their instruments. Props to you for actually playing the guitar in real music and not knowing what shitty bands like Linkin Logs are. (Oops, I meant Park). Matt No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 But, my kids like Linkin Park. Better than other stuff they could be listening to, and they don't limit themselves to just Linkin Park (or that genre). I know precisely who you're referring to. Problem is...it's gotta go upstream. Kids want to play like that because their role models play like that. (Old man voice)..."Yep, sonny, in my day we didn't have dropped D...we had to learn how to play real chord changes"... It's just a symptom of the sorry state of music. Or is it? I listen to the radio and hear a lot of guitar stuff...some of it pretty tasty. Like the new Sister Hazel song ("It's a beautiful thing" or something of that sort)...some really tasty chord work winding its way through there. My point, a few years ago guitar was hardly around. Techno key stuff. "Pop" radio has tried to drown guitar, squeeze it out, but, no matter what you think of bands like Goo Goo Dolls...Matchbox 20, etc...at least they feature guitars prominently in the mix. Well, the soloing ain't what it was 20 years ago for the most part...but there are some good soloists out there. But they haven't been able to kill guitar. It won't die! Just the other day our "Sister Hazel...Five for Fighting...whoever does that "Hanging by a Moment" song, Lifehouse...station...96.5 The Buzz...the station my kids listen to...played a song with (drum roll)...a (gasp) GUITAR SOLO! Not just a short one...a LONG one. Not Allman Brothers long...but long. I called em up and joked (voice like one third grader telling on another) AWWWWWWWWW! You guys played a...GUITAR SOLO!!! AWWWWWWWWWWW! Then before they could hang up, I laughed and said GOOD JOB!!! The DJ admitted to liking guitar solos. Well, kids are influenced by the radio...and if the only place they hear decent guitar playing is on their old folks classic rock station...they'll tend to stay away from it. So, when you go into your local music store and hear some poor kid slamming away on a dropped D...plug in and play something worth hearing. Something that will get his attention. Let 'em know that there's more to the guitar than dropped D. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_kinevil Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 When talking about "alternate tunings" how far back do you want to go to find the original tuning which makes such things as alternate tunings? Maybe our EADGBE tuning is in fact an alternate tuning from Bb, F#, A, Z, G, B. All you guys who carry on about "the new guys are shit..." Thats what they said about the rolling stones, the who, Tom Petty, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns and Roses, Soundgarden, Limp Bizkit and now you crap on about Linkin Park. Do you play a strat? a les paul? a dobro? I bet all of you play one of these, or a variation thereof. Remember that these were "new school" once too. But I have to say I do agree. Linkin Park are shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suck knob Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 I don't have a problem with drop D, in fact I use it for some of the alt.country stuff I do. My problem is bands who tune down and then write ALL of their songs in the SAME KEY because you need that low string to sound "heavy." I've actually seen live bands do every song in D. Total monotony if you ask me. And does anyone else think that some of these C and D tuned guitar sounds are way closer to cheezy than heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Flier Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Hmm. I like alternate tunings. Being a Keith Richards freak I really dig open G, and being a Richard Thompson freak I like the DADGAD tuning. And I do use dropped D on occasion. Definitely you can get sounds out of these tunings that you can't get with standard. But of course, anything can become overused, a cliche, or an excuse not to learn how to play. No matter how cool something is, lots of people will figure out how to make it suck. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Standard tuning can sound cliched, too! LOL... --Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvdd Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 OK .. whack me with the stupid stick: When you say 'dropped D' .. are you simply referring to tuning down the low E a whole step? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strat0124 Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Well, if you use it in every single song!!!!! I have one of my Tele's set up with a Hipshot b-bender that has a lever for Drop D. I only use it for one song, so far. But it's a cool trick. Marty Stuart's even been known to use it on occasion...course, he's got those cool Scruggs tuners. I like open E and D for slide, and open G when I'm Keith Richardsing out......just look at them all as tools. We could get into the detuning thing as well......sounds cool on some things...but gets tiring all the time. Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 I have two Danelectro Baritones, one tuned to B, one tuned to A, and play the regular chord shapes. You can go from extremely heavy, to rich thick and full sounding. If I capo my B Baritone at the fifth fret, I have the equivalent of a 19-fret standard guitar. I find the baritones very useful in recording as I am able to spread out the sonic spectrum. I find the baritone to be much more flexible than dropped-D or 7-string guitars, plus you don't have to re-learn all of the chord shapes. I know of a few people that use baritones, Mike Mushok from Staind, but am surprised that more bands don't utilize them with the recent popularity of de-tuning. Oh yeah, Dave Matthews has some great bari sounds on his new CD. Keep it low... ------------------ KJ ------------------- bari man low KJ ------------------- "50 million Elvis Presley fans can't be all wrong" - John Prine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chip McDonald Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 ITEMS: Why the sudden need to buy 7 string guitars, when hardly any of these bands ever use the high E string? Soundgarden didn't always use dropped D; probably about a third of their songs used some sort of weird tuning - DDDAAA, CFCFGBC, etc.. What makes it worse is that I think on some songs Thayil used a different tuning than Cornell. I bet that made for some interesting gaffes when the wrong guitar was picked up... ------------------ New and Improved Music Soon: http://www.mp3.com/chipmcdonald Guitar Lessons in Augusta Georgia: www.chipmcdonald.com Eccentric blog: https://chipmcdonaldblog.blogspot.com/ / "big ass windbag" - Bruce Swedien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Originally posted by d gauss: dropped d, 7 string...hey they're both better than mallrats playing the "no string" guitar...what's it called again? oh yeah..the turntable! scratch this... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif -d. gauss raotflmao http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gifhttp://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Now aint that the truth!! Simon ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvdd Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Hey KJ, I've been wanting to try a Danelectro Baritone to go along with a Strat on stage. I need that low D sound, fairly easy action, and fairly good tone for 'unique' solos. You think that guitar will do the trick? Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJ Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Hey Bill, how you doing? I enjoy reading your posts. I don't live too far from you, I'm in Methuen! I would highly recommend the Danelectro Innuendo Baritone for what you are looking for. It is very Strat like, the pickups are wired the same as a Strat and it even has a vintage-style tremolo bridge. The action is very easy too, the neck is long though, 30" scale! I have long arms and started out on bass, so it's no problem for me. The Hodad Baritone and the original Baritone are a little stiffer in action. The Innuendo also has four built in effects: distortion, chorus, tremolo and echo. There are two outputs, one clean, one effected. The price tag is low, I paid $200 at Guitar Center, but the quality for the price is amazing. My buddies freak out when they see it! This message has been edited by KJ on 07-09-2001 at 04:09 PM KJ ------------------- "50 million Elvis Presley fans can't be all wrong" - John Prine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvdd Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Yo KJ, I had myself a wild time in Methuen back in '79. One of my bandmates lived there and we were out of control. That guitar sounds just like the ticket for me. I've been carrying a second strat with fatter strings, tuned down to D .. but they just aren't made for that. Plus low D is the limit ... you can't see my shit-eating grin as I picture a low C. I'll definitely try one. Thanx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Bob Posted July 9, 2001 Share Posted July 9, 2001 Once Neil Young used double drop D tuning for Cinnamon Girl, all others pale in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockwirk Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 As far as alternate tunings go for rock bands, my favorite has got to be the stuff Ty Tabor comes up with. Kings X is one of the truly heaviest bands around IMO, but I can always hear each note in Ty's chords and riffs. It's refreshing not to have to listen to a power chord when you want heavy music. ~clockwirk~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricknbokker Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 Sorry, but I can't let this rest any longer. Call me a wank, but how can anyone possibly mention Limp Biscuit in with acts like The Stones, Petty, Ozzy. et al... Give me a break, Evil.... Steve (shaking my head...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Hepworth Posted July 10, 2001 Author Share Posted July 10, 2001 Looks like anyone playing more than a year has the same opinion of dropped D'ers. Steve, I agree with you, but I think they didn't mean to put them on the same pedestal. Biggest sweaty, sucky ass crack bands: 1. Linkin Park 2. Limp Bizkit 3. Lifehouse 4. Mudvayne 5. Slipknot 6. Korn 7. Anyone who whines as bad as Staind 8. Staind (due to whining, not musicianship) 9. All Alice in Chains clones (Creed?, Godshit, etc.) 10.Nine Days, and all other pop acts getting airplay on the rock stations Matt "The truth isn't the truth unless it's your version of it." No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 hell the whole thing sucks every band sucks in someone elses eyes drop d bites the big one capos blow using (enter brand name here) stacks are for retards what I guess I'm getting to is why bother bagging on someone else, because I have never met the perfect player and I doubt that none of you will either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greed2000 Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 I use any and all tools that I know of to make music. Whether it's a tuning, a guitar, an amp, a capo etc. If you don't...great. That's what makes us all unique Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 Originally posted by ricknbokker: Sorry, but I can't let this rest any longer. Call me a wank, but how can anyone possibly mention Limp Biscuit in with acts like The Stones, Petty, Ozzy. et al... Give me a break, Evil.... Steve (shaking my head...) Your on the ball there Steve imo Simon ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regurgitator Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 You guys must be big Dream Theatre fans or maybe you've been busy listening to some Foghat. Well keep on practicing your blistering hot chops in standard tuning and wondering why your band cant get a record deal. To me, it's a good idea to always carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, "Hey, can you give me a hand?" You can say, "Sorry, got these sacks." -Jack Handy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt.Hepworth Posted July 10, 2001 Author Share Posted July 10, 2001 To regurgitator: Record labels used to look for the next big thing, now they only want you if you can sound EXACTLY like a band that did well because they were able to sound EXACTLY like a band that did well because they... If you want to pump out the same shit with a different CD cover be my guest. You'll get signed for seven records, make one, then this whole new shit scene will die and you'll take it up the ass like the thousands of other screwed over "artists" signed to a big label. Not my cup of tea. If you like what you do, do it. I expected a pretty negative topic here, but it's time to leave this one alone. Everyone, I think, has said what needed to be and most of us feel better now. Dropped D is not always bad, very overused, and is generally used because it is the easy way to slop through some power chords. Matt No matter how good something is, there will always be someone blasting away on a forum somewhere about how much they hate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fantasticsound Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 gotta make this quick. havent read all the posts. I LOVE alternate tunings. they allow you to create sounds unavailable in standard. as for drop d, the songs i play are james taylor, pink floyd, and others. I don't even listen to the bands you referred to as making drop d a cliche. whatever It's easiest to find me on Facebook. Neil Bergman Soundclick fntstcsnd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg music Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 Originally posted by regurgitator: You guys must be big Dream Theatre fans or maybe you've been busy listening to some Foghat. Well keep on practicing your blistering hot chops in standard tuning and wondering why your band cant get a record deal. Are you sure you know what your talking about? Hmmmmm I wonder, it really doesn't do to be quite so emphatic in your statements cos this business is a very very fickle one and no one is always right about these things...... Remember also that each and every person is entitled to his/her opinion and should be respected for that opinion!! Simon ------------------ ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... ...remember there is absolutely no point in talking about someone behind their back unless they get to hear about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Gauss Posted July 10, 2001 Share Posted July 10, 2001 <> sure have, especially since foghat's rod price tunes his guitar to open E.... -d. gauss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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