Tuning Down

I have a question. I think I am missing something here. Why do bands tune down 1/2 step often in heavier music? Can you not get the same chords and whatnot in standard tuning? What is the benefit of tuning down?

I ask this because I was looking at the tabs for a song by Down called "Landing on the Mountains of Megiddo" and it is tuned down half a step, but it seems like the chords used would not be difficult to play in standard tuning, so why tune down?

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I just think I must be missing some reason as to why this is done. Thanks!

With half step down, it's darker. It's the same as standard, but a if you played an A on the E string in standard, it'd be the same thing on the 4th fret in 1/2 step down, or Eb. Personally I love Eb and have been using it for about a year and a half as a mainstay. It's heavier, and due to less tension, you can solo a little easier.

Ozz

In rock or heavier stuff, tuned down guitar just sound to have more "balls" if you know what I mean. Also If you think how power chord is fingered say A5, some heavy metal guitarists also play drop D tuning which is DADGBE, where everything else is standard tuning, but sixth string.

It makes it even more easier to finger power chords (they are other way very hard isnt they? XD), but its easier to play them at high tempo.

Some finger players also use drop tuning, but I dun know what they benefit for that. Mayb Jeff knows...

Hope that helps
Empirism

Oh, and fun fact. since Emp mentioned drop D, the drop D equivalent to 1/2 step down is C#. orrrr....

E-C#
A-Ab or B#
D-Db or C#
G-Gb or F#
B-Bb or Ab
e-eb or F#

Ozz

I like Drop C because you can get lower notes. But anything lower is just too low.

I also like standard. Idk why.

I used to play a LOT of open and drop tunings in the late 70's and through most of the 80's ... open tunings can 'OPEN' yer ears to all manner of new exploratory, chordal meanderings and other aural artifacts
only problem:
unless ya have a pile o' Planks and some crazed roadie they wont help ya much live unless you stick with one (or however many git-fiddles ya have ready) tuning for the show. lol

BUT SERIOUSLY

I still love playing in what i call 'KeeF!' (open G) for slide work and (some) delta-esgue blues picking...
and keep one ac-git tuned to open-D due to writing a few tunes in open D (silly boy)
the more esoteric the tuning the more fun ya can have with it (NOT trying to write seriously but just having fun and "inventing" new chords and runs--something about not being able to immediately say "thats a Gmin7-b5 !" helps stir my creative juices, so i often find or "invent" a new tuning-/-or hit the Joni Mitchell website where she has housed 100 or so of her odd tunings , marked in her equally odd manner--SUGG: try the site ... pretty fun the way she self-adapted new tunings and found a way to write them down, that is her own

@CS
Its been happening a lot more lately. It pisses me off because my "computer" is a slow as **** PSP with Embarq as my Internet provider! Takes Forever to write a simple Response. And

One thing you can do as a safety precaution is to select the entire text by pressing ctrl + A, then copying it by pressing ctrl + C. If it eats it again, simply press ctrl + V to paste it back into place.

thanks buuuut that IS exactly what i did, 3 times, no foolin' ...

UGH

:-O Yikes

I used to have a problem with the site logging me out if I took to long typing something. Also, make sure all of your tags are closed, the admin doesn't have a generic "pre" tagline for the site, so certain tags will actually modify the webpage. Check my systax lesson...I turned the background yellow!

Rock on!

99% of the time i play in drop C# (C#/F#/B/E/G#/C#) because you get a very distinct smooth groaning sounds when playing chords, and a different tone. The harmonics seem to be a little better quality as well (opinon).

@Ozzfan486 & espltd18201: Drop C# is actually (low to high)

(C#/Db)-(G#/Ab)-(C#/Db)-(F#/Gb)-(A#/Bb)-(D#/Eb)

Just saying.

somtimes i play in drop E standard ...

basically standard jsut droped a whole octave

and i have 3 "git-fiddles" so i keep one in standard one in drop E standard and one in C standard

You know, not to sound stupid or anything but I never knew that. I just assumed my tuning was drop C#? but you kind of helped me solve a huge problem I had with my many of my songs sounding off.I tuned D the same way, just .5 step down, but all of the Lamb of God covers sounded off, and I was blaming the Tabs. Now do the same rules apply in all circumstances? I play many Pantera songs and they all sounded ok to me. Is it just me? And what kind of affect will this type of tuning have on scales and modes that are played in my tuning? (go easy,im self/media educated)

You know,I still say the ultimate-guitar.com tabs are wrong..its annoying..its still missing the solos..wtf...and it still has 5 star ratings too. The notes are right, the positions are off.im just gonna go buy it.

i tune to d standard on my acoustic, i leave my rl2 at e standard, and my tele at Eb