Alternate Tunings

[jsgksu]

I just had a question about songs that have alternate tunings, I dont know wether I am supposed to tune a certain string up or down. I dont have a particular song in mind right now but is there someway I would be able to know by looking at any of the differently tuned songs? Thanks.

[jkanter]

I just had a question about songs that have alternate tunings, I dont know wether I am supposed to tune a certain string up or down. I dont have a particular song in mind right now but is there someway I would be able to know by looking at any of the differently tuned songs? Thanks.

I guess the best way to do this is to look at the relation of the note you want to acheive to the note of that string in standard tuning.

If, for instance, you want Drop D. You see the low E is tuned to a D. So you want to go E--->D. Then clearly it would be impossible to tune UP to a D, so you would go down 1 whole step. Basically just try and use some common sense. Usually a note will either be too high or too low by tuning one way...so use the other. Keep in mind that strings can't be tightened TOO much and if they are too loose, you you lose almost all sound.....hope that helps...peace