Eb tuning - Do jazz artists use it?

**s11141827** · 08-28-2023, 09:36 PM

Jazz players these days use Eb Standard so they can compete w/ the horns.

**mr. beaumont** · 08-28-2023, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by s11141827

Jazz players these days use Eb Standard so they can compete w/ the horns.

News to me.

**Chris236** · 08-28-2023, 10:13 PM

The starting point for the ‘standard’ tuning doesn’t matter much as long as you get familiar with your choice. Whatever you get familiar with (assuming you really assimilate the fundamentals in all keys on the fretboard) if you know the notes in all keys cerebrally, it’s child’s play to quickly transpose. You could experiment daily until you found a spot you like….doesn’t matter much.

More interesting and pragmatic would be tuning in straight 4ths right from the beginning. If I could go back I’d do it in a heartbeat. Would save time, less to memorize, more intuitive…..the 3rd is archaic nonsense.

**Chris236** · 08-28-2023, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by gsmonks

A guitar tuned E-A-D-G-B-E is tuned to C, not E. Everything is in concert pitch. So if you tune down a half step, you're in Cb, aka B.

There are umpteen ways to tune a guitar, as I'm sure you're all aware. I'm not saying they're common in jazz, but that if you check the literature, you'll find pages of tunings.

I often tune my 5- and 6-string basses down a half step when playing with brass and reed players because they're generally in the keys of Bb and Eb, and occasionally in C and F, where a low Bb is handier than a low B.

The guys who play guitar with me sometimes tune down a half step to match the bass. When I'm on guitar, I just play what's in front of me and leave the tuning alone.

by that logic the guitar is ‘tuned’ to Gmajor/Eminor. I mean there’s both an Em and a Gmaj triad in there….what there’s not is a C major or Am triad. In fact the open tuning is no more related to ‘C’ than it is ‘D’.

‘Concert’ pitch is referring to where a note sounds in reality as opposed to where written on the staff and I hate to break it to you but technically the guitar is not a ‘concert’ instrument!

sorry if any of that sounded jerky. Wasn’t intended that way, just chewing the fat.

**Chris236** · 08-28-2023, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Innerurge1

Im pretty sure Kurt Rosenwinkel has tuned down a half step for his original, Zhivago (at least for the intro, not sure for the whole song).

no, Kurt did a true alternate tuning on that as opposed to just tuning down a half step…. 5ths maybe? Don’t remember. Interesting and opened up some cool possibilities though.

**AllanAllen** · 08-28-2023, 10:39 PM

You’re arguing with a post that’s 12 years old.

**AllanAllen** · 08-28-2023, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Chris236

no, Kurt did a true alternate tuning on that as opposed to just tuning down a half step…. 5ths maybe? Don’t remember. Interesting and opened up some cool possibilities though.

This one’s from 2009.