Green day tuneing half step down

[nodyland]

Hi all,

I'm kind of new to guitaring and am a big fan of Green Day (I havn't been to any concerts though), and have a question if anybody can answer it about tuneing down. I have bought 5 of the Green day guita tab books and noticed that some songs are in standard tune, some half step down, and some full step down. Now i've never to one of there concerts, but do they have to keep tuning up and down all the time to play there songs or do they play them some other way if you know what i mean. Please help

Many thanks

[mechanicalman]

I presume they tune it properly. I dunno.

[Watoosh]

I'm pretty sure that most of them are played a half-step down (though I'm sure that "Good Riddence" isn't). Since most of the songs are power chords, though, you can play them in standard tuning. Just play one fret lower everytime (which will sound exactly the same as long as the song doesn't have a low D# in it (like "Brainstew" does)).

[Peter.]

They have different guitars that are tuned different..so if they play one song that's 1/2 step down and then play one that's in standard tuning they have to change bass and guitar..

[Evil-Sheep]

Well the people who have Bullet In A Bible can see that when Billie plays the older stuff he uses his old guitar which is most probably tuned a half step down. It makes it easier than tuning it half way through a show, a lot of guitarists do it, hope that helped

[clusterbomb]

tracks 1 - 10 on 39 smooth are standard tuning, 11 to 19 are 1/2 step dpwn and some a full step.

dookie and imsomniac area both half a step down, nimrod warning and american idiot are all standard tuning except whatsername which is in D.

lol

and as ppl have said, they have different guitars in different keys.

[Totally obsessed]

Well, you can play most of their songs in standard tuning (cos I can never be bothered to tune my guitar down ), just mute the lowest string if it should be a lower note than the one your playing. For example, on basket case, Billie plays it in half step tuning, but you can play it in standard if evry time you play Eb 5 you play it:

e---

B---

G-8-

D-8-

A-6-

E-x-

Instead of what Billie's playing which is

eb---

Bb---

Gb---

Db-2-

Ab-2-

Eb-0-

Though I think in concerts they just have different guitars that have already been tuned and he just swaps them depending on the song. It's just easier

Hope all that made sense

[Peter.]

dookie and imsomniac area both half a step down

Burnout is standard

[Nicolle]

In concert, Billie swaps guitars for certain songs. I suppose their set line-up is in accordance to the tuning so they can swap instruments.

and ffs tuning does not have an 'e'!

[Peter.]

and ffs tuning does not have an 'e'!

It doesn't have a 'k' either..

[Nicolle]

i don't get you sometimes Peter dear..

[Peter.]

i don't get you sometimes Peter dear..

Just making you aware honey..

[Nicolle]

Ah I love you too

[FilmAdaptation]

If you play songs in standard that are meant to be tuned down, it will:

A) Sound like crap

B) Leave parts of the song out

C) Sound like crap.

Welcome to Paradise is a good example.

[Peter.]

B) Leave parts of the song out

Feel free to explain please

[Nicolle]

If you play songs in standard that are meant to be tuned down, it will:

Feel free to explain please

[FilmAdaptation]

Feel free to explain please

Certain open chords can't be achieved if a song is meant to be tuned a half step down. Though you can find the chord elsewhere most likely, it wont sound quite right, hence it sounding like shit.

Although, since I am a guitar player, I hear more of a difference than someone who doesn't probably. I know you do PG, so I'm not pointing you out.

[Peter.]

Certain open chords can't be achieved if a song is meant to be tuned a half step down. Though you can find the chord elsewhere most likely, it wont sound quite right, hence it sounding like shit.

Yes, that's A, i asked for B..you can still play the parts even if you have to raise/lower it an octave and you wont have to leave the part out..

[Nicolle]

Peter darling, go take some drugs, you're sounding old man'ish

[FilmAdaptation]

Yes, that's A, i asked for B..you can still play the parts even if you have to raise/lower it an octave and you wont have to leave the part out..

A and B melt together. To me, if you are doing that, you are leaving a part of the song out. To me, if you aren't playing in the right tuning, you are leaving a part of the song out from the beginning. Whenever I am going to be playing a lot of Green Day, I tune both my guitars so I can play all songs, and thats the way I think it should be done. If you don't have two, get a tuner, or learn how to tune down yourself. If you want to be a good guitarist you should want to learn how to do it anyway.

[Peter.]

Peter darling, go take some drugs, you're sounding old man'ish

Okay i will...and i'll blame you for making me..

[Nicolle]

You know I can't behave

[Peter.]

A and B melt together. To me, if you are doing that, you are leaving a part of the song out. To me, if you aren't playing in the right tuning, you are leaving a part of the song out from the beginning. Whenever I am going to be playing a lot of Green Day, I tune both my guitars so I can play all songs, and thats the way I think it should be done. If you don't have two, get a tuner, or learn how to tune down yourself. If you want to be a good guitarist you should want to learn how to do it anyway.

I Don't think it's necessary, most people wont hear a difference if you play a high e or a low e in a song..and if we're talking about playing live IMO, it's way better not tuning on stage leaving the audience to wait while you tune it down..plus, most guitars can't hold the tuning for long if you tune it down/up that much..so if you only have one guitar you're better off leaving it in one tuning

[FilmAdaptation]

I Don't think it's necessary, most people wont hear a difference if you play a high e or a low e in a song..and if we're talking about playing live IMO, it's way better not tuning on stage leaving the audience to wait while you tune it down..plus, most guitars can't hold the tuning for long if you tune it down/up that much..so if you only have one guitar you're better off leaving it in one tuning

I'd never tune on stage, and I feel bad for bands that have multiple tuning's in their set, but not multiple guitars to cover for it, and therefore making them make some sacrifices in their music because of it. Albeit not enormous ones, but still.

[dan2002]

A and B melt together. To me, if you are doing that, you are leaving a part of the song out. To me, if you aren't playing in the right tuning, you are leaving a part of the song out from the beginning. Whenever I am going to be playing a lot of Green Day, I tune both my guitars so I can play all songs, and thats the way I think it should be done. If you don't have two, get a tuner, or learn how to tune down yourself. If you want to be a good guitarist you should want to learn how to do it anyway.

I agree.. When I Come Around is another example, the solo you play the open G string and its supposed to be 1/2 step down. I used to never tune my guitar half step down, but one day I was bored and did it, and it sounded tons better. And what Green Day songs are a whole step down?