From: owner-wanderer-digest@smoe.org (wanderer-digest) To: wanderer-digest@smoe.org Subject: wanderer-digest V1 #14 Reply-To: wanderer@smoe.org Sender: owner-wanderer-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-wanderer-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk wanderer-digest Tuesday, October 23 2001 Volume 01 : Number 014 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: staying in tune [Patti Witten ] Re: staying in tune [Susan McNamara ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 09:23:35 -0400 From: Patti Witten Subject: Re: staying in tune Hi Bern, you wrote: > I sometimes have a problem getting the right sound from the bass string when > I'm in an alternate tuning with a capo. For example, if I tune the low > string to C and capo at the 5th fret, the bass string sounds out-of-tune and > I have to adjust the tuning of the string with the capo in place. I seem to > have to bring it lower, almost to a B, but it still doesn't sound quite > perfect. You want perfect?? ha ha. Try a heavier gage strings, but it will never be perfect. The strings are different diameters so a capo actually smoshes them unevenly so they play out of tune. (That's technical jargon.) I have earned to compromise and "temper," or adjust, tuning for each capo/alt-tuning situation. > Also, does frequent re-tuning of the guitar cause a given set of strings to > stretch and slip out of tune more easily? Definitely. Patti - -- Patti Witten & Prairie Doll http://pattiwitten.com http://prairiedoll.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Oct 2001 16:03:50 -0400 From: Susan McNamara Subject: Re: staying in tune > Hi everybody! Hi Bern, welcome to the list! >I'm a newcomer to the list and to the guitar so I hope my questions will not >be too trivial. No problem, Bern. I hope that no one feels intimidated to ask any question they want. I know I am still in the dark on a lot of aspects of the guitar, so I encourage all questions, and I believe none are stupid. > >I sometimes have a problem getting the right sound from the bass string when >I'm in an alternate tuning with a capo. For example, if I tune the low >string to C and capo at the 5th fret, the bass string sounds out-of-tune and >I have to adjust the tuning of the string with the capo in place. I seem to >have to bring it lower, almost to a B, but it still doesn't sound quite >perfect. > I agree with Patti that putting a capo on usually means you need to fiddle with the tuning. Also, even if you are not using a capo, for some reason the bottom string, in my case anyway, always needs to be tuned slightly lower in comparison to the other strings. I remember many years back being baffled by the lower C string while trying to play "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire." I guess because of the way you need to bang the bass strings on that song, it sounds better when the C is a little flat. DOES THAT SOUND CRAZY? It works for me. I remember that Howard agreed with me back then. What do you think now, Howard? Maybe my memory is faulty. (MAYBE?) Cold Blue Steel can be accessed here: http://www.jmdl.com/guitar/coldbluesteelandsweetfire-sm-c.txt Take care, sue PS T minus three days and counting for the new Wanderer Website. But don't ever believe what I say. :-) - -- "Heart and humor and humility will lighten up your heavy load ... " - Joni Mitchell ------------------------------ End of wanderer-digest V1 #14 *****************************