Eb tuning may be one of the reasons for no SRV | Forums

[mtnbkr123]

I have the James Tyler Variax JTV-59. I love it ... the model knob allows you to switch guitar type, from Strat to Les Paul to Martin acoustic (25 different models) and the tuning knob allows you instantly switch to E-flat, drop D, DADGAD, open G, open D, baritone and anything else you'd like. For example, yesterday I played "The Rain Song" with a Gibson Hummingbird sound in Csus2 tuning, then switched over to open-G to play "Walking Blues" with a slide. It's great being able to make that switch in a second, and has encouraged me to play more stuff in alternate tunings.

I was so impressed this weekend with that exact guitar. And correct me if I'm wrong, but if you use the Workbench program or whatever it's called, you can dial in whatever other custom alternate tunings you want. You aren't restricted to what Line 6 has chosen. Correct?

That may be my next purchase.

[I'm going to send you a message in a bit cuz I'd like to ask you if you have the POD HD500 and a DT amp and if so, how well everything integrates.]

[Ralcar]

I have always read that E flat tuning was/is used by people to make bends easier, especially important if you play with heavy strings (I think SRV used a 14 for his high e, and even in Eflat he still pulled his nails away from his fingers constantly and fixed it with superglue mid show).

[steel_string]

There are several reasons. Lower tension makes bends easier, lower tunings sound "heavier" (hence all the modern metal bands using things like Drop-B, Drop-A#, etc), tunings with different intervals between strings make certain things easier or harder to play (drop tunings allow 3-string, 1-finger power chords, for example, while open tunings can be really convenient for slide play, etc.)

[rcole_sooner]

I've had an Eb guitar ever since I started doing GnR songs, back in the 80s. There are a lot of other players that use it, like Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, and others.

As far as Eb, in RS goes, it would be a pain in the arse to have to retune the whole guitar. One string ain't so bad, but not the whole guitar. And if it was a tremolo bridge, it would be nigh unbearable.

[Rick_in_Miami]

I was so impressed this weekend with that exact guitar. And correct me if I'm wrong, but if you use the Workbench program or whatever it's called, you can dial in whatever other custom alternate tunings you want. You aren't restricted to what Line 6 has chosen. Correct?

Yes, you can mix and match body and pickup types, create stacked humbuckers, and other tweaks. I've also used Workbench to dial down the "jangle" of the 12 string models, since they sounded to "synthy" to me by default. I don't have an HD500 or one of the Line 6 amps, so can't tell you how they integrate firsthand.

[ Added with edit: ] You don't even need to use Workbench to create a new alternative tuning with the JTV. You can do it on the fly by holding down one knob, playing the notes you want (actually the note + 12 frets) on each string (it treats the 12th fret as the nut, so you can adjust each string higher or lower than standard), then pressing the knob again. You can also use this to create a virtual capo, so for example no need to adjust tuning for capo-7 "Here Comes the Sun". The main problem is that you become addicted to this and wish all your guitars could do it!

[byteme3]

There's the one guy with just two fingers (someone famous I think).

Carl

Django Reinhardt

[dm_gsxr]

Django Reinhardt

Yep, I knew it was Dj[something] but didn't know the full name. Thanks.

Carl

[XXajniN]

There is only one note in one step flat tuning that can't be played in standard tuning - open 6th string Eb. I think it wouldn't be a problem to transcribe a song one fret lower (for standard tuning) than it was originally played.

[WickedBadz]

There is only one note in one step flat tuning that can't be played in standard tuning - open 6th string Eb. I think it wouldn't be a problem to transcribe a song one fret lower (for standard tuning) than it was originally played.

Yup, so can every other oddball tuned song be transposed, isn't hard to do and it'll still sound right.

[KinchBlade]

Personally, I'm not yet so sophisticated in my guitar journey that learning an Eb song in E would be an affront to my refined musical sensibilities.
When i want to play along with the original then I can tune down if I'm feeling particularly energetic - sorry if this barbarous view offends