Accompanying a guitarists who tunes down

[ralph johansson]

It occurs to me that the OP session with the 1/2 step down tuned guitar must not have had a double bass, or if it did, it had to be turned down 1/2 step too, which may not be optimal for tone and volume on a double bass -- or for that matter, for other instruments too. In these days of everyone in a band or a jam using electronic tuners, it's a lot for any guitarist to expect... If the guitarist has to have slack strings, I'd suggest tuning the guitar down a full step like a 12-string guitar should be and if needed use a capo, and in doing so get along better with everyone else.

The same really goes for vocalists who insist on having their backup bands play 1/2 step up or down all the time, but really could sing just as well a full step up or down. Come on. Can we all just get along?

The correct method to get along with singers is to let them decide the optimal key for expression. Even a half step up or down may mean a difference, especially if the song has a large range. It’s so much easier for an instrumentalist to adjust to the singer’s key, than vice versa.

[FLATROCK HILL]

The correct method to get along with singers is to let them decide the optimal key for expression. Even a half step up or down may mean a difference, especially if the song has a large range. It’s so much easier for an instrumentalist to adjust to the singer’s key, than vice versa.

Truer words were never spoken.
Hundreds of examples of fine singers recording in oddball keys to suit their range. Jim Reeves comes to mind... 'He'll Have to Go' in C#.

But this is somewhat of a tangent to the original subject.