tunings and not just using it to copy your
favorite rock songs. Would you be able to
play any song in Open E besides “Gimme
Shelter”? Or any song in EEBBBB besides
“My Wave”?
While we’re on the subject, tunings
should go hand-in-hand with what kind
of strings or picks you use. A light
or medium gauge should be fine for
standard tuning, but if you’re doing root-
fifth heaviness then a bottom-heavy set
may be in order. With a jazzier tone,
don’t be afraid to thicken up to a .012 or
beyond.
Along with easy access to tuners,
there’s also never been easier access to
metronomes, either on your computer
or as a free app download. Yeah, it’s
fun to cut loose, but it’s a balancing
act maintaining proper tempo without
looking or sounding like a robot. Heck,
crank it to 190BPM and see if you can
keep up with Minor Threat out the gate.
40
TONE TALK //
“...tunings should
go hand-in-hand
with what kind
of strings or
picks you use.”
Gear Isn’t Everything: Three Alternative Ways to Guitar Nirvana