Different tuning - ala Pantera

[mrmichaelgibson]

Hi all!

 

 I am looking to nail the tuning that DImebag Darrell used in Pantera.   From an article with his tech Grady:

 

Quote

Dime’s guitars were actually tuned down more than a quarter step. That meant that the guitars were tuned to “D# plus 40 cents on his Korg tuner. The A string was G# plus 40 cents, D was C# plus 40 cents, etc.

 

 Sounds easy enough.  Tune down to Eb, then up 40 cents.  I am trying to figure out how exactly to do that with the tuner in Helix.  I must be missing something, but I don't see a way in any of the tuners (Fine, Coarse, or Strobe) to hit exactly 40 cents above Eb.  Any advice?

 

[waymda]

Setting the tuning ref to 427.65 would do it - except it only allows full steps - maybe 428 will be good enough for you?

 

https://studentofguitar.com/cowboys-from-hell-tuning/

[codamedia]

On 1/14/2022 at 2:41 PM, mrmichaelgibson said:

Sounds easy enough.  Tune down to Eb, then up 40 cents. 

 

That's not what I read from the quote you included..... The quote says "Dimebag tuned down MORE THAN a quarter step".... 

It should be down to Eb, then DOWN another 40 cents. His use of the work "plus" is a little confusing... it should read "subtract another 40 cents". 

 

How to on the Helix

1hz = roughly 4 cents....  (that's off the top of my head... there will a calculation for this somewhere - adjust as needed)

Therefore.... set your tuner reference to 430hz  then tune down all strings a half step. It might not be dead on, but it should be very close. 

 

NOTE: IF you really think it is 40 cents "higher" than a half step it's an easy adjustment.... set the reference to 450 and still tune down a full step. 

 

In either case, your strings will read.... 

Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb when tuning. 

[Verne-Bunsen]

I think the OP has it right. E down to Eb would be down a half step, and down another 40 cents would be more than a half step. To go down exactly a quarter step you would go down to Eb then back up 50 cents. Down to Eb then back up 40 cents will land you down just more than a quarter step, which seems to be what is indicated.

[mrmichaelgibson]

On 1/16/2022 at 5:56 AM, Verne-Bunsen said:

I think the OP has it right. E down to Eb would be down a half step, and down another 40 cents would be more than a half step. To go down exactly a quarter step you would go down to Eb then back up 50 cents. Down to Eb then back up 40 cents will land you down just more than a quarter step, which seems to be what is indicated.

 

Yes, exactly.  I checked by doing it by ear as well.  I went down to Eb and it was too low.  Started coming up in pitch and got it, so it's definitely Eb + 40 cents.

 

Thanks all for your help!

[codamedia]

@Verne-Bunsen and @mrmichaelgibson...

 

Thanks for the clarification.... my mind wasn't registering the quarter step properly....  :) 

I would simply set the Pitch Reference to 450 and tune down a half step.  

[mrmichaelgibson]

So the best and closest I can come - set the Reference to 435 and tune the high (1st) string to E, then tune other strings to that one.  The E will be in tune, but the rest of strings don't handle the offset.  I did that and it's now perfectly in tune to the records.