Detune pedal?

Its all in the fingers, or is it?

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
Slowy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 22638
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Orcland
Has liked: 1011 times
Been liked: 2465 times

Detune pedal?

Post by Slowy »

A mate can't sing the high range any more. He's tried de-tuning his guitars but the sound is mushy. I suggested a baritone but with 4 guitars arriving in the mail in the past 5 weeks, he's worried the next delivery will be divorce papers.

There's pedals that do this though, right? What are they? Good example recommendations?

Our hero used to have a Line 6 variax which would suit the bill perfectly but any guitar without a use by lunchtime has to be sold. :roll:
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

User avatar
hercules
Squier
Posts: 338
Joined: Mon May 16, 2022 11:12 am
Has liked: 76 times
Been liked: 247 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by hercules »

How far is he detuning the guitars? I would go up a string gauge for each semitone detuned. But I can't imagine needing to detune more than a semitone or two...

Also, those detune things feel seriously weird. Something jarring about the effect and how the strings feel and vibrate. I am not a fan, and the idea of having one 'always on' weirds me out a bit. I tried a Morpheus DropTune, which I think is one of the better ones out there?

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by jeremyb »

CDog demoed us his Digitech Drop at the gearfest, super impressed!!!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
Lyle
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2245
Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 5:34 pm
Location: Hamilton
Has liked: 101 times
Been liked: 255 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Lyle »

hercules wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:51 am How far is he detuning the guitars? I would go up a string gauge for each semitone detuned. But I can't imagine needing to detune more than a semitone or two...

Also, those detune things feel seriously weird. Something jarring about the effect and how the strings feel and vibrate. I am not a fan, and the idea of having one 'always on' weirds me out a bit. I tried a Morpheus DropTune, which I think is one of the better ones out there?
Bumping up string gauges would be my advice if it's a permanent change. I like to play Kyuss and QOTSA stuff which is in C standard and I'll use the detune function on my Helix if my guitar's in E standard. It sounds good but it all feels a bit wrong for more than 1 or 2 songs.

Delayman
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3091
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:35 pm
Has liked: 47 times
Been liked: 227 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Delayman »

Slowy wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:42 am A mate can't sing the high range any more. He's tried de-tuning his guitars but the sound is mushy. I suggested a baritone but with 4 guitars arriving in the mail in the past 5 weeks, he's worried the next delivery will be divorce papers.

There's pedals that do this though, right? What are they? Good example recommendations?

Our hero used to have a Line 6 variax which would suit the bill perfectly but any guitar without a use by lunchtime has to be sold. :roll:
Sorry if this is captain obvious, but can he just transpose and learn to play in keys that match his vocal range? I guess it depends on what the songs are, if they depend on certain open strings etc. I have to drop most songs down a tone as my higher range is not that pleasant.
They keep telling me tone is in the fingers, but I have yet to see a "look at my fingers" thread.
Lawrence wrote: Every orchestra that comes thru here is a covers band as are most of the jazz bands...

User avatar
Kris
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4087
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:52 pm
Location: Under a bridge,somewhere in chch.
Has liked: 124 times
Been liked: 386 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Kris »

The drop pedal (dgiitech) is pretty good to a whole tone and rubbish after that. They are discontinued though and people are asking silly money for them. If its only going to eb/d ,its cheaper to restring!

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by bender »

Delayman wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:19 am
Slowy wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:42 am A mate can't sing the high range any more. He's tried de-tuning his guitars but the sound is mushy. I suggested a baritone but with 4 guitars arriving in the mail in the past 5 weeks, he's worried the next delivery will be divorce papers.

There's pedals that do this though, right? What are they? Good example recommendations?

Our hero used to have a Line 6 variax which would suit the bill perfectly but any guitar without a use by lunchtime has to be sold. :roll:
Sorry if this is captain obvious, but can he just transpose and learn to play in keys that match his vocal range? I guess it depends on what the songs are, if they depend on certain open strings etc. I have to drop most songs down a tone as my higher range is not that pleasant.
Yeah, this.

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by jeremyb »

Tighter undies?
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by bender »

jeremyb wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:13 am Tighter undies?
Also this.

Pvt. Ryan
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2019 10:56 am
Has liked: 50 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Pvt. Ryan »

Kris wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:21 am The drop pedal (dgiitech) is pretty good to a whole tone and rubbish after that. They are discontinued though and people are asking silly money for them. If its only going to eb/d ,its cheaper to restring!
I was also close to getting one of this pedal, until I read the reviews.

User avatar
MogwaiBoy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 2346
Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 1:35 pm
Has liked: 157 times
Been liked: 242 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by MogwaiBoy »

Slowy wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:42 am He's tried de-tuning his guitars but the sound is mushy.
The problem starts there I think - define "mushy". Does he mean mushy feeling (loose strings) or mushy sounding (muddy, no clarity) - or both? Guitars can be setup for low tunings and sound fine. My Charvel is in drop B with 12-54s and it's not mushy to me... but it is ofcourse a lot deeper and thicker sounding than E-standard - that's just physics.

User avatar
Slowy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 22638
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Orcland
Has liked: 1011 times
Been liked: 2465 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Slowy »

bender wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:12 am
Delayman wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:19 am
Slowy wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 9:42 am A mate can't sing the high range any more. He's tried de-tuning his guitars but the sound is mushy. I suggested a baritone but with 4 guitars arriving in the mail in the past 5 weeks, he's worried the next delivery will be divorce papers.

There's pedals that do this though, right? What are they? Good example recommendations?

Our hero used to have a Line 6 variax which would suit the bill perfectly but any guitar without a use by lunchtime has to be sold. :roll:
Sorry if this is captain obvious, but can he just transpose and learn to play in keys that match his vocal range? I guess it depends on what the songs are, if they depend on certain open strings etc. I have to drop most songs down a tone as my higher range is not that pleasant.
Yeah, this.
Some chord progressions and riffs do not retain their character when transposed to another key. Likewise many fingerpicked passages do not change key and remain playable; not for folks with skills less than Danny Gatton.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

User avatar
StrummersOfThunder
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7160
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 2:23 pm
Has liked: 807 times
Been liked: 1295 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by StrummersOfThunder »

Slowy wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 5:11 am
bender wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:12 am
Delayman wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:19 am

Sorry if this is captain obvious, but can he just transpose and learn to play in keys that match his vocal range? I guess it depends on what the songs are, if they depend on certain open strings etc. I have to drop most songs down a tone as my higher range is not that pleasant.
Yeah, this.
Some chord progressions and riffs do not retain their character when transposed to another key. Likewise many fingerpicked passages do not change key and remain playable; not for folks with skills less than Danny Gatton.
It'll sound better than rattly slack strings

User avatar
Slowy
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 22638
Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2009 4:13 pm
Location: Orcland
Has liked: 1011 times
Been liked: 2465 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by Slowy »

StrummersOfThunder wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 5:21 am
It'll sound better than rattly slack strings
Yep. Hence the search for a pedal that does what a Line6 Variax guitar does.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.

User avatar
bender
Darth Fader
Posts: 11838
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 12:46 pm
Location: Dorkland
Has liked: 415 times
Been liked: 1010 times

Re: Detune pedal?

Post by bender »

Slowy wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 5:11 am
Some chord progressions and riffs do not retain their character when transposed to another key. Likewise many fingerpicked passages do not change key and remain playable; not for folks with skills less than Danny Gatton.
I definitely get that. I had to transpose about 60% of the Moe Show songs for the voice actors to be able to sing- their character voices made their ranges unpredictable. Transposing down I’d often lose open string chord voicings, not to mention hammer-ons that would be part of the character of the original idea.

If a detune pedal doesn’t work out or you just can’t find one, another thing you could try is transposing up with a capo and then dropping the melody an octave. That worked reasonably well for me for some songs. You have to transpose up quite far (5-7 semi tones) for that to work so it’s a bit hit and miss though.

Post Reply