Bands / Guitar Tunings

[Zero Signal 969]

Ive always used standard tuning or drop-D. Im gonna have to try some of those. Thanks

[Agmundr]

I've been mostly using standard C and sometimes standard B.

[DeathWalkingTerror]

I have 1 guitar tuned to C standard; a baritone guitar tuned to A# standard; and a 7-string guitar tuned to A standard.

[Spiritdisease]

I like tuning to C for brutal dm, C# I think for stoner doom ( either way, I use the same tuning as Tony Iommi for stoner) B for swedish dm with the hm-2 pedal, and standard tuning for blackmetal & thrash 

and by the way.....for brutal bands their tunings: http://www.riversofgore.com/pit/showthread.php?t=105 

[DeathWalkingTerror]

and by the way.....for brutal bands their tunings: http://www.riversofgore.com/pit/showthread.php?t=105 

Pretty useful page. Thanks for sharing it 

[FoulPhil]

I just stick with a simple B tuning because I'm too lazy to be fucking with the Floyd rose tremolo all the time. I've tried lower tunings, but I like the stings to be somewhat firm and crisp sounding. Even using drop tune strings when I would go lower than B it was too loose for my tastes. Maybe I'm missing something though  

[DeathWalkingTerror]

I just stick with a simple B tuning because I'm too lazy to be fucking with the Floyd rose tremolo all the time. I've tried lower tunings, but I like the stings to be somewhat firm and crisp sounding. Even using drop tune strings when I would go lower than B it was too loose for my tastes. Maybe I'm missing something though  

This might help (maybe you already knew this, but here goes):

First, concerning the Floyd Rose. I never used to set up my guitars, because I never knew how. I would always pay a tech to do it. Then I started getting some advice from 2 of my friends who do guitar setup/repair, and I started learning how to do my own setups. What is great about this is once you learn how to do it, you can adjust your guitar to exactly how YOU want it, not how the tech thinks it should be. A bit of trial and error but well worth it. Now I can set up my guitar (even floating tremolos like the Floyd Rose) in minutes.

Second, concerning string tension. I don't like floppy strings either. One thing to consider is the scale length of the neck. With a 24.75 inch scale length, it's hard to tune really low without the strings feeling soft and floppy. My Wolfgang has this type of scale and it is tuned down 2 whole steps to C standard. I have 56-12 gauge strings on it and the string tension still feels soft. Even guitars with a standard 25.5 inch scale length, I still find it's a little bit soft.
Imo, extended scale lengths are the way to go if you want to tune low. My 7-string has a 26.5 inch scale and I have it tuned down 1 whole step to A standard. I also have a baritone guitar with a 27 inch scale and it is tuned down 3 whole steps to B flat. Sometimes I tune it down to G# and it still feels good. You still need to use heavy gauge strings but they feel firm.

Just thought I would mention this. Hope it helps. 

[FoulPhil]

I learned on my own how to do setups, repairs, wiring, soldiering and all that stuff because my first few guitars were real pieces of shit. I'm an intonation perfectionist and it takes much more than a few minutes to set it up perfectly. Usually it takes me at least 30 minutes if not longer to make all the adjustments. Which is why I find it very annoying to change the tuning back and forth, especially with the Floyd rose tremolo.

I never did take into consideration the scale length, but to be honest like I said there are some things I'm just lazy about. I normally keep a guitar in E standard and one in B. Just to keep things simple. And I love that Carcass sound lol. Even though I don't think I write like Carcass it's one of the best guitar tones I've heard 

[DeathWalkingTerror]

And I love that Carcass sound lol. Even though I don't think I write like Carcass it's one of the best guitar tones I've heard 

Gotta agree with that. Love Carcass! Heartwork was one of the albums that really drove me into death metal. Great tone and killer songs.

[lisofm]

I'm here to share some of my findings with other brutal guitarists out there.  I hope this helps!

Over the years I've researched a few tabs to see who tunes to what to get an idea of what it would sound like before actually stringing up a guitar.  There are some "not so brutal" bands listed...update it if you'd like...this is what I came up with so far:


Lower Tunings = Top
Higher Tunings = Bottom


F   - Chainsaw Dissection
F# - Mortician (Darkest Day of Horror), Corpsefucking Art
G   - Mortician (Re-Animated Dead Flesh), Beheaded, Patologicum, Neuro-Visceral Exhumation
G# - Abysmal Torment, Mockery
A   - Mortician (Chainsaw Dismemberment), Nile, Malignancy, Bolt Thrower, Artery Eruption, Korn
A# - Mythic, Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel
B   - Disgorge(US), L.D.O.H., Embalming Theater, Regurgitate, Exhumed, Carcass
C   - Deeds of Flesh, Immolation, Incantation, Suffocation, Pungent Stench
C# - Dying Fetus, Hate Eternal, Krisiun (Conquerors of Armageddon), Evoken, Krohm, Judas Iscariot
D   - Decrepit Birth, Deicide, Angel Corpse, Obituary
D# - Slayer, Cannibal Corpse(older), Morbid Angel(older)
E   - Emperor, Marduk, Enslaved, Burzum, Dark Throne

I've tried them all and there are so many good tunings.  It just depends on what style you're looking for.  Right now I'm in a band using G# - Best of both worlds, tight, heavy, and speed friendly, but I love F# the most - Gives me that Ultra Brutal/Goregrind sound I love for my "one man band" pet project.

I also have a gauge chart for each tuning and guitar type(neck-thru's vs. bolt-on's, Floyds vs. standard bridges,  loose vs. tight, etc.)...but that will have to come later.

Again, feel free to update with other bands tunings...Personally I'd like to find out what Torsofuck, Insidious Decrepacy, Mutilated, Feaces Eruption, and Infernal Torment tunes to.

Enjoy!
 

There's a lot of mistakes here... Evoken tune to B on the Shades of Night Descending demo and A on all other recordings. Deeds of Flesh tune to D on all recordings. Disgorge tuned to C# on demos and Cranial Impalement, from She Lay Gutted and onward, they've tuned to C. Suffocation tuned to D on Reincremation or whatever the 1990 one was called. C was used on Effigy of the Forgotten, C# has been used on all recordings following it. Bolt Thrower have tuned to C# most of the time, but I haven't listened to everything they've done so maybe they've used A sometimes. I'm not familiar with some of these bands, those are all the corrections I could find.  I'm fairly sure INsidious Decrepancy tunes to D.

I agree... specially about Deeds of Flesh and Suffocation. There arent "alot" of mistakes though...