22 frets
Experienced
My covers band has recently started experimenting with tuning down to Eb to ease some of the strain on our aging vocal chords. My initial thought was, no problem, I have an FM9 with a virtual capo. This should be easy. After a couple of weeks of trying various approaches, I have to say I am a little disappointed. Some background. I have two types of guitars. Fender single coils (Strat & Tele) and (PRS & LP) humbuckers. The single coil guitars are longer scale than the humbuckers (I think). I have come to the conclusion that I don’t like detuned guitars whether Virtual Capo or manually tuned down one semi-tone. Here are some of my (perceived?) observations.
Manually detuned guitars play different due to looser (floppy) strings. They sound dark and dull to me. They work better with distorted sound than clean tones. They do sound better to me than Virtual Capo detuned guitars. I hear less waver in the tone and the string sound matches the amp sound. It also seems to me that the single coil, longer scale guitars “sound a little better and closer to the original non-detuned guitar sound”.
Virtual Capo detuned guitars play the same as normally tuned guitars as far as string tension goes, but I notice more wavering and what I call artifacts and phasing in the tone. It is not awful sounding, but definitely not pleasing to my ears. I think I have always been sensitive to unpure tones, so it is difficult for me to get used to so far. The Virtual Capo does offer the benefit of instant tuning and no change in string tension. I also think that I perceive the sound to be slightly better on the full scale single coil guitars than the short scale humbucker guitars when using the Virtual Capo as well. This is a little disappointing because I like playing the PRS the most, but I think it sounds the least pleasing of the four.
Any thoughts from those with more experience? Am I missing something that could improve the sound and playing feel? I have to admit it is easier on the vocal cords, but hard to get used to the sound of the detuned guitars (especially when using the Virtual Capo). Help!
Manually detuned guitars play different due to looser (floppy) strings. They sound dark and dull to me. They work better with distorted sound than clean tones. They do sound better to me than Virtual Capo detuned guitars. I hear less waver in the tone and the string sound matches the amp sound. It also seems to me that the single coil, longer scale guitars “sound a little better and closer to the original non-detuned guitar sound”.
Virtual Capo detuned guitars play the same as normally tuned guitars as far as string tension goes, but I notice more wavering and what I call artifacts and phasing in the tone. It is not awful sounding, but definitely not pleasing to my ears. I think I have always been sensitive to unpure tones, so it is difficult for me to get used to so far. The Virtual Capo does offer the benefit of instant tuning and no change in string tension. I also think that I perceive the sound to be slightly better on the full scale single coil guitars than the short scale humbucker guitars when using the Virtual Capo as well. This is a little disappointing because I like playing the PRS the most, but I think it sounds the least pleasing of the four.
Any thoughts from those with more experience? Am I missing something that could improve the sound and playing feel? I have to admit it is easier on the vocal cords, but hard to get used to the sound of the detuned guitars (especially when using the Virtual Capo). Help!