Tuning Question

JF-30

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So I got a CSN tab book the other day. And I know the tuning for Love The One You're With (actually a song off Stephen Stills first solo album) had a alternate tuning and the tuning like on all tab books is on the first page in the upper left. But what am I supposed to do on the 5th and 3rd string tuned to C with a down arrow? Go to C then half way to B since they are a half step apart? I'm stumped.

km0pTAX.jpg
 

wileypickett

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I believe you tune the E down to C, and the A down to the same C, so the two strings are unison.

Ditto with the D and G strings, which will also be unisons, but an octave higher than the low strings.

Then the B string down to G, and the high E down to C.

Hope it's worth it!
 

gjmalcyon

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That's "Bruce Palmer modal tuning" down two steps: C C C C G C

Stills does a lot in modal (E E E E B E) - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, 4 + 20, etc. It is a real PITA to put a 12-string in it, but it is a whole lot fun to play around.

And yes, this has unison strings as Wileypickett points out which gets really weird and cool on 12-ers.
 
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JF-30

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Okay so its a C but tune it down to C and not up to C. Makes sense. Yeah Suite Judy is in there. I've been messing with that too. I learned 4+20 in DADDAD capo'ed on the 1st fret.
 

adorshki

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That's "Bruce Palmer modal tuning" down two steps: C C C C G C
Holy mukluks Batman, I'm surprised there's still enough tension to drive the top at such a drop.
Oh, just realized I'm operating on the assumption we're starting with a dread with strung with lights (.012's)
Having kept my F65ce at "D", only a whole step down for the last 6 months or so, I'm pretty darn sure it wouldn't even be playable 2 steps down.
But I was going for low tension using Silk'n'steels too, and didn't want to drop more than a whole step anyway.
But for the first 5 minutes I thought it wasn't going to work.
It was definitely muting out.
It's funny but over about 20 minutes it seemed to adjust to the new lower tension and the next day was fine, albeit a little quieter.
Sustain was better, though.
I guess if I went to true mediums it'd be OK at C standard.
Might even be a reason to use heavies, on a dread.
Something to bear in mind if you run into the "too floppy and doesn't even ring" problem.
In fact, thinking about it, I've actually had the D25 at "D standard" for the last 6 months too, with the .012's , and pretty sure it'd mute out at "C", too.
Other makers guitars may vary, of course.
 

JF-30

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The C Modal tuning for Love The One You're With is really slacked.
 

davismanLV

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And you'll tune and retune and retune and alter your playing because those slacked strings bang around and go out of tune SUPER easily. But it's fun to play!! No one said it'd be easy..... I'd be willing to guess they mess with the string gauges as well......
 

awagner

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This is how I tune it on a 12:string:

CGCCGC

It sounds awesome, and it is very fun to play.
 
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adorshki

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And you'll tune and retune and retune and alter your playing because those slacked strings bang around and go out of tune SUPER easily. But it's fun to play!! No one said it'd be easy..... I'd be willing to guess they mess with the string gauges as well......

Recently discovered it's pretty common on the electric side where they can adjust saddle intonation pretty easily, too.
 

Cougar

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This is how I tune it on a 12:string:

CGCCGC


Tuning the E strings down to C is quite a drop, but tuning the G strings down to C? I can't see that turning out any good. What's wrong with just Es and Bs? EBEEBE?
 

awagner

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Tuning the E strings down to C is quite a drop, but tuning the G strings down to C? I can't see that turning out any good. What's wrong with just Es and Bs? EBEEBE?

Nothing. it just depends on whether or not you want to tune to the key the song was originally recorded in, which is the C tuning.

EBEEBE, DADDAD and CGCCGC will all work, and sound better than duplicating the fifth and 6th strings in your selected key, in my opinion.

I don’t sing, but the E tuning is probably too high for some, especially with the even higher harmony parts.
 

JF-30

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I don't sing either, and I want to learn it as recorded, cause that is what I am used to hearing.
 
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