Especially if you’re planning to use those super-low tunings like A standard or drop G# on 6-string guitars. However, this won’t always be the perfect solution. The other option is to use thicker string gauges. It’s usually at 27 inches for both 6- and 7-string variants. Also known as baritone guitars, they have scale lengths over 25.5 inches. The best way, in my opinion, is to use longer-scale guitars. The loss of tension, however, can be dealt with in two ways. In particular, your strings may feel like rubber. If you’re really into lower tunings, you might stumble upon some issues. Planning to Use Lower Tunings? This Is What You Should Know One is for 7-string guitars and the other for 6-string guitars. For the sake of practicality, I separated them into two groups. They became popular along the way and are most prominent in modern death metal, deathcore, and djent genres.Īnd this is where we get to the juicy stuff. These tunings aren’t that common in classic death metal. This goes for both 6-string and 7-string guitars. It looks like this with flats instead of sharps: And then you go two additional semitones lower on the bottom string. You first lower all six strings by three semitones. This one is the C# standard with the 6th string dropped by an additional whole step. In particular, I’m talking about drop B on 6-string guitars. However, they can come in handy for some lower-tuned stuff. It would look like this:ĭrop tunings aren’t usually that common in death metal.
The other option is to use the same tuning as with 7-string guitars but just remove the top string. You just lower it all down by one perfect fourth. The idea is to keep the same intervals between the strings as with the E standard. However, the 6-string variant looks a bit different. You can also achieve the B standard tuning on 6-string guitars. And the B standard tuning is particularly common on this instrument. B Standardħ-string guitars are also pretty common in death metal. But with the right tone and songwriting approach, it can sound pretty sinister. Of course, the E standard tuning isn’t that common among death metal bands these days.
The record I’m referring to is Malleus Maleficarum from 1988. What’s more, even one album by Pestilence features this tuning. In particular, we’re looking at old-school death metal. Yes, E standard is also present on some great death metal songs. Here’s what it looks like:Īnd here’s what it looks like written as D#: Plenty of classic metal and thrash metal bands have used it as well. It’s just like E standard but one semitone lower. Or, if you prefer to use sharps, it’s D# standard. Some of the older death metal stuff is in Eb standard. Or at least use thicker string gauges, at least. Although you can go lower than this, I’d advise that you use baritone guitars for the C standard. Or, if you prefer to have it written with flats, then it goes like this:Īside from death metal, the tuning is also popular in doom, stoner, and sludge subgenres. The C standard is one major third interval below the E standard. This one also retains the same distribution of intervals. Then we have the C standard as another example. The distribution of intervals between the strings remains the same. This is essentially the same as the E standard, just detuned by two semitones. The D standard tuning is pretty common among death metal bands. Most Common Tunings in Death Metal D Standard
With that said, we’ll explore some of the most common tunings in the subgenre. However, there are tunings that are popular among death metal bands. There’s no such thing as death metal tuning. If you’re asking a question about what death metal tuning is, then there isn’t a straight answer. Is There Such a Thing as Death Metal Tuning?Ĭontrary to what some may think, a genre or a subgenre isn’t limited by one tuning. Death Metal Tunings ExplainedĪlthough not typical of all death metal bands, lower tunings are prominent in this genre. This won’t always add to the heaviness factor. Other important elements include lower tunings. This metal subgenre is characterized by sinister-sounding riffs and solos, growling vocals, sudden tempo changes, and heavily distorted guitars. But death metal is not that hard to recognize. So I thought I’d share what I’ve learned about death metal tuning here on the blog! What Is Death Metal? I don’t know everything there is to know about the guitar, but I have played since 2003 and really enjoy the instrument. If you’re curious about death metal tuning and which tunings to use for this genre, you’ve come to the right post!
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