Dave: "I'm not really good at tuning my instrument"

[geo3217]

I just was listening to Dave after playing Grace is Gone 10.24.02 at Benaroya Hall, and after the song, he says "Hold on a second, I'm not really good at tuning my instrument" followed by him saying "well...umm..." and the crowd laughing. He then spends a lengthy time tuning it. What do you guys think? Is he really a bad tuner, or was he just being modest. Bear in mind this was 2002, so he might have gotten better since then. I guess being a bad tuner doesn't necessarily make you a bad guitarist, seeing as most people just use a tuner anyways.

[gunnar1104]

I don't notice anything, but I don't have a great ear. But I do remember him talking about how he used to be able to tune the guitar with nothing, but then he started using an electronic tuner and could no longer tune by ear. Then he went on to say the he is also slowly losing his ability to use the electronic tuner.

[wkpggrvn2001]

<insert comment similar to boyd is the one who can't tune his instrument>

he sounds in tune to me, but what do I know

[DJR]

there are certain recordings of DMB music where dave is quite out of tune - live trax 1 comes to mind, especially during #41 - i don't think he's a bad guitarist for not being able to tune his instrument by ear, that can be very difficult for anyone sometimes - and i think some people are more picky about it/can hear their tuning better than others, dave just might not be very good at it - good thing he has monk to do it for him

[Kukini]

I thought they all chuckled at the innuendo of "tuning my instrument" and that it had nothing to do with the guitar. I have the DVD and the look he throws after it also suggests that he's not referring to the guitar.

[ericwormann]

He's not very good at going to drop d.

[Easy E]

Just another reason why JM >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DM

[GSR]

Who cares?

[i-am-me]

what does he have to tune for? that's what roadies are for!

[MattyTrane]

Acoustics can be pretty tempermental when tuning compared to electrics, the music is what matters though, not the speed you tune up at

[Grachi]

i was fairly certain monk just tunes for him and then they switch out guitars, at least for dmb. I think i remember hearing in audio, other then the one mentioned, when he is with tim i think he tunes himself a lot of the time when it is just the two of them.

i used to really suck at tuning, but now if at least 1 string is in tune I can tune the rest of them by ear

[Evan]

Yeah, Monk does all the band tuning. Ive been to a couple of shows when Dave was pretty blatantly out of tune on a song or two, and I don't really have a great ear for tuning either, but it certainly doesn't classify you as a good or bad guitarist. I've been playing for almost 10 years and still heavily rely on my tuner. I can tune by ear if one string is okay if I use harmonics, but I wouldn't do it at a show cuz it takes me a couple minutes. my guess is Dave is probably the same way.
And concerning Benaroya, I've seen the video too and Im pretty he wasn't talking just about the guitar.

[checkii]

he's said in multiple interviews that he used to be able to tune himself just fine but then started using a tuner and now cant tune by ear. that was a LONG time ago.

[onid41]

i heard dave gets his guitars restrung before every show

[Easy E]

i heard his picks are made of Alaskan king crab shells